Guidance

Subject hubs

Updated 28 April 2023

Applies to England

Overview

This support is designed to develop expertise in a teaching a specific subject or discipline and complements the early career framework and national professional qualifications.

Cost

Support is either fully funded or subsidised depending on the programme.

Eligibility

All state-funded schools and colleges, special schools and alternative provision settings in England are eligible for support. Some hubs only target specific phases of education:

• English hub support is for primary schools
• Languages hub support for secondary schools

English hubs

English hubs offer a range of support and continuing professional development (CPD) to primary schools to improve the teaching of early reading, with a particular focus on systematic synthetic phonics, early language and reading for pleasure.

This consists of tailored support from a literacy specialist, CPD and funding to buy phonics and early language resources.

There are 34 English hubs.

Cost

The support offered by English Hubs is mostly free and funded by the Department for Education (DfE). Contact your English hub for details.

How to access

Find your English hub and contact them directly.

Maths hubs

Maths hubs provide support to schools and colleges to help them continuously improve mathematics education.

This consists of working with teachers and leaders from reception through to key stage 5 via CPD, leadership communities and early career teacher professional communities.

More information on different support offered for each phase is available on the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics’ website.

There are 40 maths hubs.

Cost

All of the support offered to schools by maths hubs is entirely free of charge for state-funded schools and colleges.

How to access

Find your maths hub and contact them directly.

Computing hubs

Computing hubs offer CPD, guidance and support to local schools and colleges, to improve the teaching of computing and increase participation in computer science qualifications.

Computing hubs work with teachers from key stages 1 to 5 via development programmes, certification and peer networking. They also signpost to teaching resources and lesson plans.

More information on the different support offered for each phase is available on the teach computing website.

There are 30 computing hubs, with additional satellites.

Cost

Teachers from state-funded schools or colleges

All National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) teacher CPD – including online, face-to-face, residential and remote courses – is free for state-funded primary schools, secondary schools and colleges.

Trainee, supply and returning computer science teachers

Courses that are part of the computer science accelerator programme are free to trainee, supply and returning computer science teachers.

Subsidies for primary schools

Subsidies for supply cover are available for teachers to attend computing CPD, helping teachers on a primary CPD certification pathway to develop their knowledge and skills without having an impact on pupils’ learning.

This support is available to state-funded primary schools in England located in education investment areas (EIAs).

Subsidies for secondary schools and colleges

Subsidies to provide supply cover are available for teachers to attend the computer science accelerator (CSA) CPD, helping to develop their subject knowledge and skills without having an impact on pupils’ learning. This support is available to state-funded schools and colleges in England.

Supporting schools to offer computer science GCSE

Subsidies, as well as fully funded subject matter expert consultancy, are available to state-funded secondary schools and colleges in England that commit to offering computer science GCSE in the next academic year, having not delivered it previously.

This incentive supports schools with the cost of establishing the subject, including building teacher knowledge and confidence, and supporting students’ learning.

How to access

Find your computing hub and contact them directly.

Science learning partnerships

Science learning partnerships offer CPD and networking support to local schools and colleges, to improve the teaching of science and increase attainment and progression in the sciences.

Science learning partnerships work with teachers from reception to key stage 5 to identify CPD needs and address them.

There are 29 science learning partnerships.

Cost

The cost of support varies between courses and is subsidised by DfE. Contact your science learning partnership for details.

How to access

Find your science learning partnership on the STEM Learning website and apply to them directly.

Music hubs

Music hubs bring together schools, trusts, local authorities, and art, community and voluntary organisations to make sure all children and young people access high quality music education in and out of school.

Music hubs also ensure their teachers have access to music CPD.

There are 118 music hubs.

Cost

The amount of subsidised provision offered by music hubs is determined by each hub in response to local need.

How to access

Find your music hub and contact them directly.

Language hubs

The National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) was established on 3 March 2023 to deliver the language hubs programme. Under contract with University College London’s Institute of Education (IOE), NCLE will work with up to 25 lead hub schools to support between 5 and 7 partner schools in each hub area.

NCLE will build on the work of the National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy (NCELP).

The NCELP Resource Portal provides resources to support teaching in:

• French
• German
• Spanish