AfterMaths: Money, Maths and the Cost of Making Learning Passive

In this week’s Aftermaths episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky cover a lot of ground — from coins and contactless payments to SATs survival tips, curriculum updates, and why talking about maths might matter more than writing it down.

🎒 Money in the modern classroom

Jon and Becky take a light-hearted but thoughtful look at how money is taught in primary schools, and why it’s become trickier in recent years. With children encountering less physical cash in everyday life, money has become more abstract — even as it remains one of the richest areas of maths for problem solving.

They explore:

• Why British coins form a non-linear system
• How money quietly introduces additive, multiplicative, decimal, and equivalence structures
• Why money lessons need to be hands-on, not worksheet-heavy
• How school trips, chaos and all, create some of the most memorable maths learning moments

Along the way, expect stories involving mint Matchmakers, ice lollies, and burning holes in pockets.

💷 Money and financial education

The conversation broadens into financial education, touching on fairness, budgeting, and decision-making — and why a secure understanding of money is foundational. Jon and Becky highlight the value of discussion-rich resources, including Twinkl’s work with Santander, that prioritise justification, talk, and real-world choices.

📚 Curriculum drafters: what we know so far

The newly announced maths curriculum drafters are discussed, with reflections on:

• Familiar names from maths education
• The scale and complexity of the task ahead
• The importance of consultation with the profession
• What teachers might hope to see as the process unfolds

🧮 SATs tips from the classroom

Listeners share practical (and reassuring) SATs insights, including:

• Why children don’t have to answer arithmetic questions in order
• How reading questions aloud can boost confidence and outcomes
• Ways schools reduce stress through flexible test arrangements
• A tongue-in-cheek reflection on the “magic week” of teaching long division

🔤 Etymathsology: words we use, meanings we forget

Becky dives into the origins of words like integer, digit, numeral, and figure, revealing how small language choices can cause big confusion — especially in tests — and why using precise vocabulary regularly really matters.

🧠 Research in 60-ish seconds

Jon summarises new research exploring whether pupils learn more by speaking or writing learning journals. The headline finding?

Spoken reflection may support deeper understanding and better retention — especially for learners who find writing a barrier.

🔍 Big takeaway

Across money, language, SATs, and research, one message keeps resurfacing:

Maths lessons are at their best when pupils are actively doing maths - thinking, talking, noticing, and exploring - rather than watching it happen.