Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

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Episode 255: In this standing-room-only live session, Kieran explores why learning to count is far more complex than simply reciting “one, two, three”. Drawing on classic work from Piaget and Gellman & Gallistel, alongside more recent research on subitising and early number, he unpacks the web of ideas that sit behind apparently simple counting routines.

Across the episode, Kieran traces a trajectory from basic discrimination of quantity and subitising, through one-to-one correspondence and stable order, into cardinality, abstraction and order irrelevance. Using concrete examples from classrooms, he shows how layout, structure and language can either support or derail learners as they move from “just saying numbers” to genuinely understanding number.

By the end of the episode, you will have a clearer sense of:

• why some students can chant numbers yet still fail to conserve quantity

• how subitising connects to later calculation and problem solving

• what it really means to secure the principles of counting

• what matters most for learners with the greatest needs

If you teach early number, lead mathematics, or design curriculum, this episode will help you see counting not as a quick hurdle in the early years, but as a rich domain that deserves your most skilled teaching.

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

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Episode 254: In this episode I am joined by Adam Kohlbeck and Chris Passey to talk about the messy, human reality of deputy headship and the work they are doing and their forthcoming book. We dig into why the move from classroom teacher to senior leader can feel like a shock to the system, what it means to hold decency and high standards together, and how deputies can build cultures where staff and students actually thrive rather than simply survive policy changes and external pressures.

Across the conversation we explore:

The origin story of why Adam and Chris wanted a more nuanced, less binary space to talk about leadership The mindset shift from “my class, my room” to “our school, our culture”. How deputy heads can lead through relationships without becoming everyone’s fixer or emotional sponge. The role of vulnerability, boundaries and “being yourself” in leadership, rather than performing a caricature of a deputy head. Working with tricky dynamics, including resistant headteachers and complex teams, without losing your sense of purpose. What they hope readers will take from their book, including the idea of deputy headship as a long, evolving craft rather than a short stop on the way to headship

If you are a deputy head, assistant head, aspiring leader or simply someone who cares about the culture of schools, this is a wide ranging, honest conversation about leadership, relationships and staying decent in the middle of it all.

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

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Episode 253: This conversation sits at the intersection of television, creativity and education. We look at Playtime as a cultural artefact that foregrounds neurodivergent voices and make psychological safety visible to a mainstream audience. Writer-director Céin McGillicuddy and editor-writer Andy Kinnear take us behind the scenes, sharing how small production choices invite bolder contributions. If you are curious about inclusion, student voice and the role of play in learning, you will find thoughtful parallels and fresh language to take back to your team. Not a how-to guide, but a thoughtful listen for anyone who enjoys ideas that travel.

neurodiversity in schools, psychologically safe classroom, student voice, inclusive teaching strategies, classroom culture, primary education CPD, improvisation in education, creativity in learning.

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

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Greater Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923

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Episode 252: In this episode, Stuart Welsh walks through a compact, morning-long cycle that helps teachers refine one element of practice through plan–teach–reflect–reteach loops with small groups. We unpack what to hold constant, what to vary on purpose, how to build psychological safety, and how schools timetable the model without derailing the week. We also touch on scaling from six students to a full class and why a termly cadence delivers real movement without overload.

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For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]

Episode 251: In this special highlights episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, we pause to reflect on Term One—six conversations that challenged assumptions, deepened understanding, and reminded us why professional dialogue matters.

Each question featured here captures a moment of genuine inquiry: the kind that sits between classroom practice, research, and lived experience.

You’ll hear from:
• Adam Lowing on balancing assessment readiness with creative freedom
• Lucy Crehan on what the North of Ireland’s approach might teach its neighbours
• Doug Lemov on connecting fluency, comprehension, and the FASE approach
• John Jackson on defining and developing arithmetic fluency
• Andy McHugh on the purpose of Teacher Writers
• Amy How on whether mathematical talk reveals or constructs understanding

No summaries. No soundbites. Just the questions that sparked our most interesting conversations this term.

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

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For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]

Episode 250: In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond to explore the power of mathematical journaling — a classroom approach that helps students think, talk and write like mathematicians. Drawing on their experiences as teachers and researchers, Kirsten and Holly discuss how journaling can transform classroom culture, deepen conceptual understanding, and combat the maths anxiety that still shapes far too many learners’ experiences.

We unpack how journaling encourages metacognition and self-regulation, supports disciplinary literacy, and builds students’ mathematical identity by making thinking visible. From early mark-making and sentence stems to brain dumps and reflective entries, Kirsten and Holly show how this approach sits at the heart of instruction rather than existing as a bolt-on.

Whether you’re curious about talk, reflection, or building confident mathematicians, this conversation captures what happens when maths teaching moves beyond answers — and becomes about understanding, communication and joy.

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

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For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]

Episode 249: In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Amy How to explore one of the most powerful yet misunderstood elements of classroom practice: mathematical talk.

We discuss why talk sits at the centre of deep mathematical thinking and how it helps students construct, refine, and communicate their understanding. Amy shares her insights on the delicate balance between talk as a means of reasoning and talk as a window into students’ thinking, addressing the common worry that discussion can become superficial or time-consuming.

Together, we unpack what distinguishes high-quality mathematical talk from general classroom discussion, explore the conditions that allow students to share incomplete or tentative ideas safely, and identify practical strategies that teachers can use to prompt rich, purposeful dialogue.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make talk the engine of mathematical reasoning—without losing structure, pace, or inclusivity—this conversation will give you the clarity and confidence to start tomorrow.

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

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For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]

Episode 248: This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Andy McHugh, teacher, editor, writer, and founder of Teacher Writers, to explore the place of teacher voice in education, and how writing can serve as a form of professional development, influence, and impact.

We discuss Andy’s journey from leading an RE department to editing HWRK Magazine and founding a publishing platform dedicated to amplifying teacher voices. Our conversation touches on the challenges teachers face when translating classroom expertise into writing, the skills and confidence required to make that leap, and the opportunities that open up when teachers engage in writing as professional practice.

Key themes include:

Why teachers should see writing as a legitimate form of professional development

The tension between accessibility and depth in educational publishing

The role of community in supporting new writers

How Teacher Writers is creating space for diverse teacher perspectives

As always, the goal is to make time and space for deep reflection on teaching, learning, and professional growth — and this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in broadening the scope of their professional influence.

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

Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics (London, Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923

For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]

Episode 247: This week Kieran is joined by Lloyd Williams Jones and Shannen Doherty to discuss the practicalities of Accessible by Default and what it means for their schools as we begin the academic year. We explore the bottlenecks in the current system that leave too many students dependent on downstream fixes, the importance of clarity in teacher talk and presentation, and why generic labels and interventions often miss the mark.

[Apologetic Disclaimer] This episode was recorded in-person during the summer break but the video didn't render properly and we lost the last 30 minutes while fixing it. Therefore it is exactly 4 weeks late and stops abruptly. It's still great though...

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

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Episode 246: This week Kieran is joined by John Jackson to get under the skin of McNeil, Jordan, Viegut and Ansari’s new paper "What the science of learning teaches us about arithmetic fluency".

The conversation tests common claims, separates principle from preference, and turns the paper’s recommendations into classroom moves that travel from early number through to secondary. Expect a forthright look at conceptual grounding, timed practice, retrieval, task design, and the perennial anxiety debate, with an eye on what school leaders should adopt, adapt, or abandon.