In this week’s Aftermaths, Jon and Becky dive into the wonderfully frustrating world of mathematical misuses in everyday life, inspired by a brilliant email from listener Sam Asplund, a Year 4 teacher and maths lead from Ketten Primary School.

After a pupil requested a “cheese square” during snack time — while pointing out that Dairylea “triangles” aren’t truly triangles at all — Jon and Becky go down a joyful rabbit hole of everyday maths errors. From curved-edged cheese sectors to supermarket statistics, they explore the misconceptions we see “in the wild” far more often than we’d like.

This week’s highlights include:

Sam’s pupil correctly notes that Dairylea “triangles” have a curved edge — making them not triangles at all. Cue a debate about polygons, sectors, and whether “Dairylea Cylindrical Sectors” will ever catch on.

Becky’s first maths misuse: believing that something is “due” to happen simply because it hasn’t happened yet. From dice rolls to roulette wheels to lottery numbers, the misunderstanding is everywhere.

Jon unpacks how mean and median can tell very different stories — and why politicians love using whichever version suits them best. If you've ever wondered why the “average salary” feels inflated… this segment will speak to you.

Becky explores how easily people mistake coincidence for cause — from homework to exam results, leafy diets to lifestyle habits, and even the old myth about storks bringing babies.

Jon rounds things off with the problem of tiny samples, big headlines, and percentages designed to impress rather than inform. (“Burglaries up 200%!” doesn’t mean what you think.)

Becky shares her takeaways from Jon’s interview with Rob Eastaway, including:

• Why written methods rarely feature in “real-world maths”
• How puzzles inspire genuine mathematical thinking
• The importance of estimation
• Making space for curiosity, conjecture and open-ended exploration

Got a favourite maths error you’ve spotted in the wild? Email: [email protected] — Jon and Becky would love to feature it.

In this episode, Jon is joined by the brilliant Rob Eastaway, whose books, puzzles and radio appearances have helped hundreds of thousands of people see the beauty in everyday maths. They explore how curiosity drives mathematical thinking, why written methods can sometimes obscure understanding, and what we can learn from the history of numbers — from Roman numerals to Elizabethan clocks.

Rob shares stories from Maths Inspiration, his nationwide programme of interactive theatre shows for teenagers, and talks about the importance of connecting maths to real life, real surprises and real joy. They also discuss how puzzles, games and magic tricks can open doors for pupils (and parents!) who may not think maths is “for them”.

With reflections on AI, problem solving, cognitive load, and why estimation is still one of the most powerful skills we can teach, this is a wide-ranging, warm, and genuinely inspiring conversation.

In this episode:

• How Rob first got hooked on maths puzzle
• Why everyday maths matters more than written methods
• Linking curiosity, surprise and mathematical understanding
• The real story behind Roman numerals and old clocks
• What makes Maths Inspiration so powerful
• Supporting parents with maths anxiety
• Why puzzles need to be pitched carefully
• The problem with exam “problem solving”
• How maths — and maths assessment — might evolve in an AI world

https://robeastaway.com/

https://mathsinspiration.com/

Get in touch: [email protected]

In this week’s AfterMaths episode, Jon and Becky reunite (voice fully restored!) and unpack a packed agenda: a bit of history, a lot of maths, and some classic year-group trauma.

Jon kicks things off with a brilliant history of maths segment — the surprisingly dramatic story of the equals sign, invented in 1557 by Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde, whose parallel-line insight eventually won out over some frankly bizarre early alternatives.

Then it’s time for this week’s feature: the top three trickiest things to teach in primary maths. Jon and Becky each bring their own lists, comparing everything from comparing fractions to converting imperial units, angles to long division, with plenty of shared pain and professional empathy along the way. (Spoiler: teaching time on an analogue clock gets a lot of airtime — and for good reason.)

They also dive into the key takeaways from Phil Hurd’s episode on problem solving, exploring the role of struggle, what real problem solving looks like, and why resilience can’t be taught without experiencing difficulty.

Finally, Becky brings a Maths of Life segment all about memory: why we remember some numbers forever (childhood phone numbers!) and instantly forget others — with a detour into blindfolded speed-cubing. Naturally.

In this episode, Jon sits down with Phil Herd -, maths specialist, and long-time champion of teaching for understanding - to unpick what problem solving really means in primary maths, and why it remains one of the most misunderstood strands of our curriculum.

Together they explore why problem solving is far more than a final question on a worksheet, why pupils struggle to get started on unfamiliar tasks, and how teachers can build a classroom culture where getting stuck is expected rather than feared.

This conversation goes deep into the practicalities: the curriculum pressures, misconceptions about “challenge”, and how to elevate reasoning, conjecture, and strategic thinking so that pupils become flexible, resilient mathematicians.

• What problem solving is (and what it absolutely isn’t)
• Why routine and non-routine problems demand different kinds of thinking
• How current curriculum structures shape pupils’ approaches to unfamiliar tasks
• Creating lessons where success is defined by learning, not just correct answers
• Strategies that build resilience, metacognition, and “stickability”
• How to explicitly teach problem-solving strategies without turning them into a checklist
• The role of discussion, conjecture, and classroom talk in deepening understanding
• Why procedural fluency, reasoning and problem solving must be seen as connected but distinct
• What assessment can (and can’t) tell us about a child’s problem-solving capability
• How to design lessons and tasks that invite exploration rather than anxiety

• Problem solving is central to mathematical thinking, not an add-on.
• Confusion between routine tasks and genuine problem solving leads to poor classroom practice.
• Pupils need explicit modelling of strategies — and lots of opportunities to try them.
• Resilience is not fixed; it grows when classrooms normalise “being stuck”.
• Conceptual understanding is the foundation for true independence in problem solving.
• Assessment needs to reflect problem-solving behaviours, not just recall and speed.
• Non-routine problems must appear regularly, not once a term as a novelty exercise.
• The aim of a lesson should be about learning something mathematical, not scoring a correct answer.

Share your thoughts on today's episode by emailing [email protected]

In this Aftermaths episode, Jon is joined once again by Sally Cole (standing in heroically for Becky!) for a wide-ranging Friday debrief. Together they unpack a huge week in maths education, from the launch of the brand-new Twinkl Maths app on iOS to the University of Nottingham’s State of the Nation review — plus a Maths of Life segment that dives into the mind-bending scale of a trillion.

This week’s conversation pulls together classroom practice, national trends, early years pedagogy and variation theory in the way only an Aftermaths episode can.

⭐ What We Talk About

• The new Twinkl Maths App on iOS

What’s inside it, how it helps with fluency, MTC practice, SEND-friendly settings, and why the Skills Safari is grounded in the Ready-to-Progress criteria.

• Why multiplication and division deserve more curriculum time

Jon reflects on a full-day session with SCITT students and why multiplicative thinking underpins fractions, scaling and upper KS2 success.

• Insights from the latest maths education report

Including:

– Why reception pupils begin with overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards maths

– A surprising link between attitudes and month of birth

– Why most primary teachers feel under-prepared due to workload

– The Key Stage 2 → Key Stage 3 transition problem

– Why early attainment predicts GCSE outcomes far more than we’d like

– Maths anxiety in Year 7 (40% reporting high anxiety)

• The EYFS problem for maths leads

Most maths leads teach in Year 6 — and feel least confident about early years. Jon gives a shout-out to Twinkl PD’s EYFS maths course.

• Maths of Life: How big is a trillion?

Following Elon Musk’s headline-grabbing pay deal, Jon explores the staggering scale of a trillion using comparisons involving seconds, sand, cornflakes, blades of grass and Welsh geography.

– 1 trillion seconds = 31,709 years

– 1 trillion grains of sand = a small bucket

– 1 trillion cornflakes = 55 Olympic swimming pools

– 1 trillion blades of grass = would cover Wales 12 times

– UK long-scale vs US short-scale number names

• Key takeaways from Jon Bee’s interview on variation theory

Sally and Jon unpack:

– The difference between variation and variety

– Procedural vs conceptual variation

– Jon Bee’s “procedural shock” example

– Why representation choices matter

– How schema-building across key stages keeps children engaged

– The importance of teaching what multiplication means, not just how to execute it

In this episode, Jon is joined by maths advisor, Primary Mastery Specialist and author John Bee, whose new book Teaching Maths for Mastery: Practical Strategies for Primary Schools digs deep into what great maths teaching really looks like.

Together they explore variation theory: what it is, what it isn’t, and why it is often misunderstood in primary classrooms. John breaks down the difference between conceptual variation and procedural variation, shares practical examples teachers can use tomorrow, and explains how careful task design can reveal the underlying structure of the mathematics rather than simply repeat the same procedure.

This conversation is packed with insights for classroom teachers, maths leads and anyone interested in teaching for mastery, curriculum design or improving pupils’ mathematical understanding.

• Why variation is one of the most powerful but least understood ideas in the mastery approach
• The difference between conceptual and procedural variation
• What teachers should highlight when they ask pupils “What’s the same and what’s different?”
• Why showing too many representations can tip into variety rather than variation
• How careful sequencing helps pupils make connections instead of relying on tricks
• The role of intelligent practice in deepening familiarity without mechanical repetition
• How variation links with representations, structure and lesson design
• Common pitfalls when using variation in the classroom
• How schemes can help (and sometimes hinder) real understanding
• Why subject knowledge is crucial when adapting tasks and modelling
• Practical examples that reveal commutativity, place value structure, decimals and more

John Bee is a maths adviser for a large Multi Academy Trust, a Primary Mastery Specialist, and the author of Teaching Maths for Mastery. He holds a Master’s degree in Education and runs mrbeeteach.com, where he shares resources, reflections and CPD for teachers and maths leads.

Website: mrbeeteach.com

Book: Teaching Maths for Mastery (2025)

In this week’s Aftermaths episode, Jon is joined by two special guests from the Twinkl team. Michelle Windridge, National Education Lead for EYFS and returning guest from last week’s episode, and Ashleigh Morris, National Education Lead for Secondary Science and host of the STEM Conversations podcast. Together they dive into the week’s interview with Cate Fearn and explore why times tables are so often a source of anxiety for children and adults alike.

The discussion ranges from conceptual understanding in early maths to the role of practice, memorisation and fluency in Key Stage 2. Michelle explains why deep number sense in the early years is essential before pupils ever attempt multiplication. Ash offers a secondary perspective on how much groundwork primary teachers cover before pupils reach Year 7, and shares reflections on recall, formula sheets and what really matters when preparing pupils for problem solving.

Jon then unpacks why primary schools in England teach times tables up to 12, tracing the history back to pre decimal British currency and noting the return of 12 × 12 in the 2014 National Curriculum. The group consider whether competition based times tables approaches help or hinder learning, with personal experiences of public leaderboards, chanting and high pressure classroom quizzes.

This week’s Maths of Life segment takes an unexpected turn into the world of professional golf. Jon explains why LIV Golf is called LIV and how Roman numerals quietly sneak into watches, architecture, TV credits and now sporting brands. The conversation leads to surprising links between modern maths teaching, ancient number systems and even Rolex design choices.

Listeners will enjoy a mix of humour, practical insights and honest reflections on maths education across the primary and secondary phases.

In this episode:

• What Cate Fearn gets right about teaching times tables

• Why understanding must come before memorising

• How EYFS number work sets the foundation for all future maths

• Why times tables go up to 12 in the English curriculum

• The impact of competition, pressure and public recall

• Secondary perspectives on recall, fluency and real maths learning

• The story behind LIV Golf’s name and Roman numerals in daily life

• Why watches, films and the BBC still use Roman numerals

• Confidence, cognitive load and helping all learners succeed

Mentioned in the episode:

• The Primary Maths Podcast interview with Cate Fearn

• STEM Conversations podcast with Ashleigh Morris and Sarah Hudson

• Curriculum and Assessment Review and times tables expectations

• EYFS approaches to number sense and early fluency

Few areas of primary maths cause as much debate as times tables.

We all agree they matter, but how pupils develop fluency, understanding and confidence is still up for discussion.

In this episode, Jon Cripwell talks to Cate Fearn — primary educator, maths specialist and creator of Table Stick, a classroom tool designed to make multiplication practice more engaging and sticky.

Together they explore:

• Why early experiences of times-table teaching can shape maths attitudes for life
• What true fluency means beyond rapid recall – and how efficiency, accuracy and flexibility all play a part
• The importance of teaching multiplication conceptually, not just testing it
• How manipulatives such as counting sticks, Numicon and ten-frames can deepen understanding
• Why little-and-often conceptual teaching beats weekly chanting or random testing
• How landmark facts, patterns and connections (like doubles and square numbers) help pupils build lasting recall
• Practical strategies for teachers to model quick reasoning without fear or pressure
• Cate’s story of transforming her own struggles with maths into a passion for helping others, and the journey behind the Table Stick resource

Whether you’re a maths lead, class teacher, or TA, this conversation will help you rethink how pupils learn their times tables — not just memorise them.

• Table Stick – Official Website

This week’s Aftermaths dives deep into one of the trickiest topics in the primary maths curriculum — division. Why do so many pupils (and teachers) find it difficult? Jon and Becky unpack the cognitive, linguistic and conceptual challenges behind division and explore what teachers can do to make it more meaningful.

They also reflect on the Curriculum and Assessment Review and Twinkl’s new Curriculum & Assessment Review Hub, which summarises the 197-page report (plus appendices!) and the Government’s response for every subject — including a must-read summary for maths.

👉 Explore the Curriculum and Assessment Review Hub

Later in the episode, Becky’s Maths of Life takes a theatre-themed turn, revealing how ticket discounts and Halloween offers show why calculators aren’t the answer to every maths problem. And Jon reflects on why conceptual understanding beats procedural fluency — especially when pupils (and adults) reach for technology to “do the maths” for them.

They also look back on the EYFS Maths episode with Michelle Windridge, discussing the lessons older year groups could learn from play-based, curiosity-driven learning in Reception. From “joyful chaos” to task design and continuous provision, they highlight why EYFS maths is anything but easy — and why it matters more than ever.

• The Curriculum and Assessment Review: implications for the new curriculum landing by September 2028
• Why division is conceptually harder than addition, subtraction, or multiplication
• Understanding the difference between partitive (sharing) and quotative (grouping) division
• How inconsistent mathematical language (divide by, goes into, shared between) confuses pupils
• The role of times tables fluency in supporting division
• How subject knowledge and models & representations impact teaching success
• Remainders, flexibility, and efficient written or mental methods
• Division as a gateway to fractions, ratio, and algebraic thinking
• The misconception that calculators replace understanding
• Lessons from EYFS maths and what KS1–2 can learn from early conceptual play

• What’s the biggest barrier to children mastering division in your classroom?
• How do you define success in division — getting the answer right, or understanding the process?
• Are your pupils more confident with sharing or grouping models?

Get in touch at [email protected]

Becky reflects on the maths behind ticket discounts and why a calculator can’t replace mathematical reasoning. From Halloween theatre offers to shopping deals, it’s a real-life reminder that fluency isn’t just speed — it’s knowing what calculation to do, and why.

• EYFS Maths with Michelle Windridge – Episode 27
• Curriculum and Assessment Review: Emergency Episode
• AI and Maths Education with Simon Bond – Episode 25

In this special emergency episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon is joined by Becky, Sally and first-time guest Lisa to unpack the government’s newly released Curriculum and Assessment Review – and the official response that landed alongside it.

Together, they explore:

• Why the review was commissioned and what it aims to achieve
• The key takeaways for primary maths – from number fluency and multiplicative reasoning to problem solving
• What might move from Key Stage 2 to 3 (and why)
• Changes to assessment, including the MTC, KS1 and KS2 SATs
• The growing role of financial education and citizenship in primary schools
• Whether this review represents evolution or revolution for the curriculum

💭 Have thoughts on what the new maths curriculum should include? Email [email protected] or message us on social media.