The Primary Maths Podcast

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.

This week, Jon is joined by Michelle Windridge, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for School-Based EYFS, for a deep dive into what early years maths really looks like - and what it definitely doesn’t.

Even the most confident maths leads can find EYFS a bit of a mystery, so Jon and Michelle unpack the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, explore the importance of talk and play, and discuss how to spot great mathematical learning in the mess and magic of a reception classroom.

They talk about:

• Why the EYFS framework changed and why “numbers to 10” is such a big deal
• The balance between adult-led input and child-led exploration
• How maths happens everywhere — not just in a “maths area”
• The importance of consistent language and confident support staff
• What assessment really looks like in EYFS (and why it’s not about tick boxes)
• The dangers of chasing Good Level of Development (GLD) scores instead of good practice

Whether you’re a maths lead wanting to understand EYFS, or an early years teacher hoping to connect more with the rest of your school, this episode is full of practical insights and friendly reassurance.

Resources mentioned:

• Twinkl EYFS Maths Course
• Twinkl TeachMeets for Teaching Assistants
• QE Insights and Twinkl news for curriculum updates

🎧 Subscribe and share with a colleague who could use a confidence boost in early maths.

This week, Jon and Becky are back for a half-term special that explores the foundations of mathematical understanding — and the curious maths behind our PIN codes.

Jon unpacks what number sense really means, why it underpins everything else in maths, and how fragile number sense can often go unnoticed until it becomes a barrier to progress. They discuss what teachers can look out for, from over-counting and weak part-whole relationships to over-reliance on formal methods, and share practical classroom routines to help strengthen number sense — including number talks, subitising games, estimating, and developing mathematical vocabulary.

Becky’s Maths of Life segment takes an unexpected turn, starting with the Battle of Hastings and ending with data on the world’s most common PIN numbers. Along the way, she reveals what our number choices say about us and why probability makes the world more surprising than we think.

Jon then wraps up with a Research in 60 Seconds(ish) segment, sharing a new study from the British Educational Research Journal on how peer and self-assessment shape motivation, metacognition, and resilience. The findings suggest that peer assessment, in particular, helps pupils clarify their own thinking — and why talk and reflection are central to real learning.

Next week, Jon is joined by early years specialist Michelle Windridge to discuss what effective early maths looks like in practice and why every phase can learn something from EYFS.

In this week’s AfterMaths, Jon and Becky unpack the curious rise of the “6-7” meme and how teachers can turn it into a quick-fire classroom maths challenge. From there, Becky’s etymathsology segment dives into the origins of circle-related vocabulary – from circumference to radius – revealing a few surprises along the way.

They then debrief Jon’s conversation with Simon Bond, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for AI, exploring how artificial intelligence might support teachers with planning, differentiation and the never-ending battle against admin.

Whether you’re interested in meme maths, word origins or the future of AI in classrooms, this episode has you covered.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now. But what does it actually mean for the teacher standing in front of a class on a rainy Tuesday afternoon trying to explain fractions?

In this episode, Jon is joined by Simon Bond, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for AI, to unpack what AI really is, how it works, and what it might offer teachers: particularly in primary maths. They discuss why large language models struggled with basic calculations at first, how that’s improving, and where AI could genuinely save time or enhance professional learning.

Simon also shares his thoughts on personalisation, workload, reflection, and what schools need to know about data and safety when using AI tools.

If you’ve ever wondered how AI could help (or hinder) your classroom practice, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

You can follow Simon on LinkedIn to keep up with his work in AI and education.

This week’s Aftermaths episode takes an unexpectedly statistical turn as Jon and Becky explore the mathematics behind The Traitors. From probability and ratios to real-world data on win rates, they uncover why being a traitor is statistically the smartest move. Along the way, they reveal how signal-to-noise problems, conditional probability and human psychology combine to make the programme a perfect case study for applied maths in the wild.

They also turn their attention to a fascinating concept from educational research: porridge words. Drawing on the work of Kate Quaid and Edward de Bono, Jon introduces the idea that children’s imprecise mathematical language can still offer valuable insights into their thinking. Becky connects this to her love of etymology and to the importance of recognising the “mess in the middle” of learning, where understanding develops before precision in vocabulary.

The episode links back to Jon’s recent Substack article on mathematical language, Porridge Words and the Path to Mathematical Thinking, which expands on the research discussed here.

Read it here: https://joncripwell.substack.com/p/porridge-words-and-the-path-to-mathematical

In the second half of the episode, Jon and Becky reflect on their conversation with Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond about maths journaling. They discuss how journaling can capture the full learning journey, support reasoning and assessment for learning, and help pupils see themselves as mathematicians. From anchor charts to brain dumps, they consider practical ways teachers can make thinking visible without adding to workload.

Listeners are invited to share how they are using maths journaling in their own classrooms by emailing [email protected].