Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England

Alison Barnes; Nancy Barclay; Rachel Marks

Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England

Alison Barnes
, Nancy Barclay
, Rachel Marks

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding with ISSN or ISBN › Conference contribution with ISSN or ISBN › peer-review

Abstract

In England, in contrast with jurisdictions where textbook use may be mandated, schools choose their mathematics curriculum resources. Following a government initiative promoting ‘mastery-style’ mathematics textbook schemes, in this paper we analyse interviews with 12 mathematics subject leaders to examine reasons for schools’ resourcing decisions. Drawing on an existing model of teachers’ interactions with curriculum materials, we identify two distinct pathways of mathematics curriculum resource decision-making, contingent on schools’ institutional context and perceived priorities and underpinned by high levels of professional reflection.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
Editors	C. Cornejo, P. Felmer, D. M. Gómez, P. Dartnell, P. Araya, A. Peri, V. Randolph
Place of Publication	Santiago
Publisher	International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
Pages	91-98
Number of pages	9
Volume	1
Edition	(A-J)
Publication status	Published - 2 Aug 2025
Event	48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education - University of Chile, Santiago, Chile Duration: 28 Jul 2025 → 2 Aug 2025 https://eventos.cmm.uchile.cl/pme48/program/

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education
Publisher	International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME)
ISSN (Electronic)	3081-0833

Conference

Conference	48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
Abbreviated title	PME 48
Country/Territory	Chile
City	Santiago
Period	28/07/25 → 2/08/25
Internet address	https://eventos.cmm.uchile.cl/pme48/program/

Access to Document

Barnes, Barclay, Marks_2025, Schools decision making primary maths resources-1Final published version, 336 KBLicence: CC BY

https://www.igpme.org/publications/current-proceedings/

Cite this

Barnes, A., Barclay, N., & Marks, R. (2025). Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England. In C. Cornejo, P. Felmer, D. M. Gómez, P. Dartnell, P. Araya, A. Peri, & V. Randolph (Eds.), Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education ((A-J) ed., Vol. 1, pp. 91-98). ( Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education). International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. https://www.igpme.org/publications/current-proceedings/

Barnes, Alison ; Barclay, Nancy ; Marks, Rachel. / Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England. Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. editor / C. Cornejo ; P. Felmer ; D. M. Gómez ; P. Dartnell ; P. Araya ; A. Peri ; V. Randolph. Vol. 1 (A-J). ed. Santiago : International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 2025. pp. 91-98 ( Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education).

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title = "Schools{\textquoteright} rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England",

abstract = "In England, in contrast with jurisdictions where textbook use may be mandated, schools choose their mathematics curriculum resources. Following a government initiative promoting {\textquoteleft}mastery-style{\textquoteright} mathematics textbook schemes, in this paper we analyse interviews with 12 mathematics subject leaders to examine reasons for schools{\textquoteright} resourcing decisions. Drawing on an existing model of teachers{\textquoteright} interactions with curriculum materials, we identify two distinct pathways of mathematics curriculum resource decision-making, contingent on schools{\textquoteright} institutional context and perceived priorities and underpinned by high levels of professional reflection.",

author = "Alison Barnes and Nancy Barclay and Rachel Marks",

year = "2025",

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day = "2",

language = "English",

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editor = "C. Cornejo and Felmer, \{P. \} and G{\'o}mez, \{D. M.\} and P. Dartnell and P. Araya and A. Peri and V. Randolph",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education",

edition = "(A-J)",

note = "48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 48 ; Conference date: 28-07-2025 Through 02-08-2025",

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Barnes, A, Barclay, N & Marks, R 2025, Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England. in C Cornejo, P Felmer, DM Gómez, P Dartnell, P Araya, A Peri & V Randolph (eds), Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. (A-J) edn, vol. 1, Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education, International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Santiago, pp. 91-98, 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Santiago, Chile, 28/07/25. <https://www.igpme.org/publications/current-proceedings/>

Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England. / Barnes, Alison; Barclay, Nancy; Marks, Rachel.
Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. ed. / C. Cornejo; P. Felmer; D. M. Gómez; P. Dartnell; P. Araya; A. Peri; V. Randolph. Vol. 1 (A-J). ed. Santiago: International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 2025. p. 91-98 ( Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding with ISSN or ISBN › Conference contribution with ISSN or ISBN › peer-review

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T1 - Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England

AU - Barnes, Alison

AU - Barclay, Nancy

AU - Marks, Rachel

PY - 2025/8/2

Y1 - 2025/8/2

N2 - In England, in contrast with jurisdictions where textbook use may be mandated, schools choose their mathematics curriculum resources. Following a government initiative promoting ‘mastery-style’ mathematics textbook schemes, in this paper we analyse interviews with 12 mathematics subject leaders to examine reasons for schools’ resourcing decisions. Drawing on an existing model of teachers’ interactions with curriculum materials, we identify two distinct pathways of mathematics curriculum resource decision-making, contingent on schools’ institutional context and perceived priorities and underpinned by high levels of professional reflection.

AB - In England, in contrast with jurisdictions where textbook use may be mandated, schools choose their mathematics curriculum resources. Following a government initiative promoting ‘mastery-style’ mathematics textbook schemes, in this paper we analyse interviews with 12 mathematics subject leaders to examine reasons for schools’ resourcing decisions. Drawing on an existing model of teachers’ interactions with curriculum materials, we identify two distinct pathways of mathematics curriculum resource decision-making, contingent on schools’ institutional context and perceived priorities and underpinned by high levels of professional reflection.

M3 - Conference contribution with ISSN or ISBN

VL - 1

T3 - Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education

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BT - Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education

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A2 - Felmer, P.

A2 - Gómez, D. M.

A2 - Dartnell, P.

A2 - Araya, P.

A2 - Peri, A.

A2 - Randolph, V.

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T2 - 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education

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ER -

Barnes A, Barclay N, Marks R. Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England. In Cornejo C, Felmer P, Gómez DM, Dartnell P, Araya P, Peri A, Randolph V, editors, Proceedings of the 48th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. (A-J) ed. Vol. 1. Santiago: International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. 2025. p. 91-98. ( Proceedings of the ... International Conference of the International Group for the Pyschology of Mathematidcs Education).

Schools’ rationales for decision-making in selecting primary mathematics curriculum resources in England

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