Matthew Nixon

• PGCHE, University of Birmingham, 2023
• Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, 2023
• PGCE (Mathematics), University of York, 1997
• BSc (Hons) in Mathematics, University of York, 1996

Matt has taught mathematics in five different schools including both urban and rural settings. Always passionate about sharing and developing good practice in teaching and learning, he co-founded a popular maths teaching website in 2003 and shortly afterwards was commissioned to start authoring work for the first of several publishers he has worked with. He was appointed to his first Head of Faculty role in 2004 where he oversaw significant improvements in the department which led to it being ranked as the most successful non-selective school in the county.

Matt was recruited as one of the first Associate Consultants for the NCETM in 2006 and led a number of projects for the organisation in the first six years of its existence. During this time he also took on a new role for a Local Authority where he was responsible for strengthening links between primary and secondary schools and the continuing professional development of teachers, especially regarding assessment. His consultancy work extended to include a number of national and international projects and he was invited to sit on the DfE Subject Expert Panel for curriculum review in 2012.

Returning to a school-based role as an Advanced Skills Teacher, and later Lead Practitioner, Matt developed a research-based professional development programme for teachers of all subjects and was accredited as a NCETM PD Lead. He was commissioned to produce a suite of mathematics teaching materials for the Welsh Government’s Hwb in 2015 and contributed as series editor to a set of ‘Teaching for Mastery’ books published by Hodder Education. In his most recent project outside of school, Matt co-founded an educational resources company and launched a series of support workbooks for primary and secondary schools.

Matt moved to the University of Birmingham from his second Head of Department role at the start of 2022. He strongly believes in the importance of high quality training and ongoing professional development for all teachers and is excited to be working with the future generation of mathematics educators.

• PGCE (QTS) Secondary Mathematics
• PGDip Teaching Studies

•  MA Teaching Studies supervision

Matt is undertaking a PhD with a focus on Early Career Teachers and their development of Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics.

• Hwb (2015): Authored teaching resources and support for teachers, for the Welsh Government with Aberystwyth University
• Subject Expert Panel (2012): reviewing new programmes of study for primary and secondary, for the Department for Education
• Always Learning Gateway (2012): produced secondary learning units for an online learning platform, for Pearson
• Pioneering Schools (2012): produced professional development modules (activating learning; developing independent learners) based on academic research, for Pearson
• Narrowing the Gap (2011): contributing researcher, for NCETM
• Developing Young Action Researchers (2010): contributing author, for the Qatari Supreme Education Council
• Dilemmas and Inquiries: Working with Early Career Teachers (2009): project manager and lead author, for the Learning and Skills Council
• Excellence in Mathematics Leadership (2009): co-author and presenter, for NCETM
• Departmental Workshops (2008): project manager and lead author, for NCETM
• Self-Evaluation Tool (2008): project manager and lead author, for NCETM
• Arranging the Learning: The New Secondary Curriculum (2007): co-author, for NCETM
• Kangaroo Maths (2003 onwards): co-founder, creator and author