Shanghai style maths lessons in Wakefield

The visiting teacher is one of the first to come to England as part of an exchange between the Department for Education (DfE) and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission.

The teacher will spend three weeks at Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate working in partnership with Outwood Grange Academy, in Wakefield, which earlier this year was chosen by the DfE to be one of the country’s “maths hubs”.

According to the DfE the exchange’s focus on primary schools matches the emphasis Shanghai teachers place on establishing core maths skills at a young age.

The DfE said teachers from Shanghai will share the methods including ‘teaching to the top’ – reinforcing the expectation that all students are capable and expected to achieve high standards.

School Reform Minister Nick Gibb said: “Shanghai currently leads the way in maths performance and there is no reason why our children cannot achieve the same high standards.

“This innovative exchange programme enables our teachers to develop their professional skills alongside those from the most successful education system in the world.”