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About the project

Primary in Progress is an educational development initiative focused on improving the teaching of mathematics in Romanian primary schools. The project addresses a key educational challenge: the quality of early mathematics teaching, which is strongly linked to later academic success and everyday problem-solving skills.

The initiative is implemented by the British Council, in partnership with the Romanian-American Foundation (RAF) and the InfinitEdu Association, under the academic supervision of Professor Alf Coles and Dr Michael Rumbelow from the University of Bristol. It represents a continuation of earlier efforts to understand and improve mathematics teaching in Romania’s primary education system.

Building on previous initiatives

Primary in Progress is built on a foundation of successful collaboration between the British Council and the Romanian-American Foundation through two prior initiatives: English for the Community and the Romanian Primary Mathematics Study (RPMS).

English for the Community: Implemented over the course of seven years, the programme focused on creating sustainable professional learning networks. It established nine teacher communities of practice across Romania, based on the Teacher Activity Groups (TAGs) model from the British Council’s global Teaching for Success programme. These communities fostered peer support, collaboration and professional growth among educators.

Romanian Primary Mathematics Study (RPMS): Commissioned by the British Council and RAF and academically led by the University of Bristol, this research project provided a detailed analysis of mathematics teaching and learning in Romanian primary schools.

The study aimed to:

  • provide insight on the needs of teachers and learners of mathematics in primary schools in Romania
  • assess the current levels, teaching practices and needs of teachers and learners in grades 0 to 4
  • explore the main areas for development of mathematics teaching
  • make recommendations to the design of future interventions.

By combining the collaborative, peer-led approach of English for the Community with the research insights from RPMS, Primary in Progress seeks to develop a comprehensive model for improving mathematics teaching and supporting ongoing professional development in primary education.

Project timeline and expected outcomes

Primary in Progress is an educational programme running from December 2024 to September 2027. Its overarching goal is to enhance mathematics teaching in Romanian primary schools through a combination of academic leadership, professional development and teacher collaboration.

Project outcomes

  • Improved mathematics teaching skills among participating primary school teachers.
  • A field-tested professional development model designed to build essential teaching skills.
  • A tested framework for revitalising teacher collaboration at school and local levels.

Expected results

  • Development of a comprehensive conceptual framework detailing key mathematical concepts, teaching points and methodological guidance.
  • Creation of a set of class activities, complete with detailed mathematical content explanations and didactic guidance.
  • Development of a teacher training course, along with adapted and newly created materials for Teacher Activity Groups (TAGs).
  • Development and delivery of a course for teacher educators, aimed at enhancing the skills of teacher educators in training and supporting their peers.
  • Development and delivery of a course for TAG Local Facilitators (LFs).
  • Facilitation of 90 TAG meetings across ten schools, engaging 50–100 teachers.
  • Execution of 30 TAG observation sessions in ten participating schools.
  • Training of the Heads of participating schools to improve leadership skills and support school-level teacher collaboration.
  • Academic field testing led by Professor Alf Coles and Dr Michael Rumbelow, including classroom observations, resource provision and production of a final evaluation report by the University of Bristol.

Events

The key events to date that have marked significant milestones in the progress of the project are:

Kick-off event (1–2 February 2025)

The Primary in Progress programme was officially launched on 1–2 February 2025 in Bucharest. The two-day event brought together key partners, educational experts and practitioners to introduce the project’s objectives, planned activities and expected outcomes.

The event marked the beginning of collaborative work on the programme’s conceptual framework – a key component for shaping classroom materials and guiding professional development activities. Romanian mathematics educators were joined by Professor Alf Coles and Dr Michael Rumbelow from the University of Bristol, who will provide academic leadership throughout the project. They shared valuable insights from the RPMS and facilitated early discussions with the expert group.

We were honoured to welcome Mr. Bogdan Cristescu, State Secretary for the Ministry of Education and Research, who offered an inspiring opening address and reaffirmed the Ministry’s support for improving mathematics education at the primary level.

On the second day, the expert group held a focused working session to begin drafting the project’s conceptual framework. Their collaborative efforts aim to provide clear, research-informed guidance for material developers and practitioners, setting the foundation for the pilot phase.

Training workshop (12–15 June 2025)

From 12 to 15 June 2025, the first in-person training workshop was held in Bucharest for the G2 group of practitioners who will pilot the Primary in Progress programme in the 2025–26 school year.

Participants explored the conceptual framework developed by Romanian mathematics experts under the academic co-ordination of Professor Alf Coles and Dr Michael Rumbelow from the University of Bristol. The workshop marked the first step in designing learning units aimed at deepening students’ mathematical understanding.

The sessions encouraged thoughtful discussions and built a shared understanding of the programme’s pedagogical approach. Over the coming months, participants will work in small teams to co-create classroom materials, preparing for implementation in the autumn.

Information

For more information, please contact us at roprojects@britishcouncil.org.

See also

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