A LOCAL maths teacher has recently returned from a trip to Shanghai to find out how the subject is taught in what many say is the world’s best education system.

Heather Lilley, who is also an assistant principal at Ivybridge Community College, is part of a group of more than 60 maths teachers participating in an exchange as part of a two-year research project.

The aim is to find out in detail how maths is taught in Shanghai’s schools, and begin to explore ways in which elements of the Chinese financial capital’s teaching approach might be introduced in the UK.

The project is run by the national Maths Hubs programme, coordinated by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, and funded by the Department for Education.

The exchange also sees teachers from Shanghai working alongside English colleagues at the college this week, allowing local students to benefit from a different style of maths teaching.

In the first year of the project last year, an exchange took place between primary school teachers and their counterparts in Shanghai, looking at how techniques in use there could help pupils acquire mastery of mathematics.

This year’s secondary exchange has similar aims for students in the first three years of secondary education.

Miss Lilley said: ‘I’m excited and honoured to be taking part in a project of this importance and prestige. It is great that the college was successful in its bid to become a Lead School for the project.

‘The trip to Shanghai was truly inspirational and I know that the mathematics teaching I have seen in Shanghai really will impact positively upon my own teaching. It is early days at the moment, but I am sure that I will be able to add new approaches to the way I teach mathematics for the benefit of my students.

‘I am really excited to be able to welcome our partner teachers from Shanghai to our fantastic college, so that the rest of our department can share in this experience. During this time, we will also be offering free continuing professional development sessions to schools in the local area so that they too can become involved in the project.’