Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Curriculum Coherence or Curricular Chaos?


Listen Later

Episode 231:

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe


⁠⁠⁠⁠Click for tickets to TDaPE Conference Cymru ⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1295761139449


Contact us here or via [email protected]


In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we explore the 2025 paper "Curriculum and Mathematical Coherence" , a thought-provoking critique of how early number is introduced in national curricula.

The paper argues that modern mathematics curricula (on a national level) lean too heavily on counting as the dominant conceptual foundation for number, often at the expense of coherence and conceptual progression. It draws a direct line from mid-20th century "New Math" reforms to today’s fragmented curriculum structures, raising questions about what we teach, how we sequence it, and what this means for the learners in front of us.

We discuss:

  • Why “counting ≠ the whole story” when it comes to early number

  • How and when coherence was lost, and what we can do to recover it

  • The persistent tension between curriculum design and classroom practice

  • What their analysis means for subject leaders

  • Practical implications for primary teachers, maths leads, and those developing or critiquing maths schemes

Whether you’re a curriculum thinker, subject lead, or classroom teacher keen to understand the research shaping mathematics education, this episode offers critical reflection and concrete takeaways.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Thinking Deeply about Primary EducationBy Kieran Mackle

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

4 ratings


More shows like Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

View all
The Martin Lewis Podcast by BBC Radio 5 Live

The Martin Lewis Podcast

48 Listeners

The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast by Dr Rupy Aujla

The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast

622 Listeners

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ™ by Supported by Great Minds

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ™

404 Listeners

Elis James and John Robins by BBC Radio 5 Live

Elis James and John Robins

315 Listeners

Postcards From Midlife by Lorraine Candy & Trish Halpin

Postcards From Midlife

155 Listeners

Triple R Teaching by Anna Geiger

Triple R Teaching

198 Listeners

Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe by Tom Sherrington & Emma Turner

Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe

5 Listeners

Progressively Incorrect by Zach Groshell

Progressively Incorrect

37 Listeners

ZOE Science & Nutrition by ZOE

ZOE Science & Nutrition

2,005 Listeners

The Literacy View by Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner

The Literacy View

66 Listeners

Origin Story by Podmasters

Origin Story

110 Listeners

Knowledge for Teachers by Brendan Lee

Knowledge for Teachers

6 Listeners

Chalk & Talk by Anna Stokke

Chalk & Talk

35 Listeners

The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Entertainment

809 Listeners

How Do You Cope? by Wondery

How Do You Cope?

78 Listeners