The Primary Maths Podcast

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-mathematicalIn 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 primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk.

In this episode, Jon is joined by Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond, two experienced primary practitioners from Scotland who have been at the forefront of exploring how maths journalling can change the way pupils think, talk and feel about mathematics.Kirsten and Holly are co-creators of the PACE framework and their research on oracy, curriculum design and maths journalling has been featured in The Herald, TES, Enlighten and Tom Sherrington’s Classroom Voices Blog. Between them, they bring over 25 years of experience across schools and universities, united by a shared passion for high-impact pedagogy rooted in reflection, equity and learner voice.The conversation begins with their own contrasting experiences of maths at school—Holly’s early confidence giving way to later challenges, and Kirsten’s journey from maths anxiety to passionate advocacy. Together they share how these experiences shaped their belief that every child can develop a positive maths identity.They explain what maths journalling really is—and what it isn’t. It’s not an add-on or a plenary task, but a pedagogical approach that integrates thinking, talk and written reflection throughout every maths lesson. From “brain dumps” at the start of a unit to “stop and jots” during teaching, the process helps children make their thinking visible, connect ideas and take ownership of their learning.Jon, Kirsten and Holly discuss how journalling supports metacognition, oracy and reasoning, as well as how it can help to reduce maths anxiety by shifting classroom culture away from right-or-wrong answers towards curiosity and creativity. They explore how this approach builds inclusive learning environments and strengthens pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and enjoyment of maths.There’s also discussion of practical strategies for getting started, how to respond to misconceptions in real time, and how to embed journalling without creating extra workload.Kirsten and Holly share examples of how journalling looks in practice—from anchor charts and worked examples to real-life projects like planning a Halloween party. They explain how pupils use drawings, diagrams and sentence stems to express their reasoning and how this fosters a deeper understanding of mathematical ideas.They end by reflecting on pupil voice, teacher collaboration, and the simple power of asking children to show us what you’re thinking.Connect with Holly and KirstenEmail: holly.drummond@highland.gov.uk kafenton@esms.org.ukRecent publications:Show me what you think: Maths Journalling and the Case for Oracy in Scottish Primary Schools – TeacherheadReimagining Primary Maths Education in Scotland Through Journaling – EnlightenMaths journaling is giving students control over lessons – The HeraldHow journalling can alleviate pupils’ maths anxiety – TES

In this week’s Aftermaths episode, Jon and Becky dive into a listener question from Amy in Nottinghamshire: What would you change about the maths curriculum?The discussion ranges from curriculum overload to the role of problem solving, exploring whether maths could ever follow pupils’ interests in the same way as history or science. Jon argues that the current focus on calculating with fractions in Key Stage 2 comes too soon, while Becky calls for a rethink on topics like Roman numerals and imperial units. Both agree that depth of understanding and real-world application should take priority over coverage.From there, they touch on geometry, progression, and the importance of not narrowing the curriculum just because some concepts feel difficult or less “useful.” As Jon puts it, schools should expose children to a broad and inspiring range of mathematical ideas — even those that may not have an obvious everyday purpose.The Maths of Life segment takes a theatrical turn as Becky explores the Erdos–Bacon number — a surprisingly mathematical connection between film stars, mathematicians, and networks of collaboration. Jon discovers his own surprisingly low Bacon number and issues a challenge to listeners to beat it.Finally, they revisit Jon’s interview with Leonie Briggs, unpacking the links between maths and science, the importance of cross-curricular learning, and how practical, hands-on experiences can make abstract ideas come alive. Becky highlights Leonie’s passion for showing pupils the real-world value of maths — from veterinary science to construction — while Jon reminds us that sometimes it’s okay to learn simply for the joy of knowing something new.Highlights include:Should the maths curriculum focus more on skills than content?Why we rush fractions — and what we could teach insteadIs it time to retire Roman numerals and inches?The joy (and challenge) of geometryHow the Erdos–Bacon number connects maths and moviesWhy integrating maths and science matters more than everGet involved:Email your thoughts to primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk, leave a YouTube comment, or message Jon and Becky on social media.

At school, maths and science are often treated as separate subjects. But in reality, the two are deeply connected, from data collection and measurement to problem solving and pattern spotting. In this episode, Jon Cripwell speaks with Leonie Briggs, award-winning educator, author, and founder of AmazeLab, about how we can make those links explicit and bring both subjects to life for children.Leonie shares how her career journey from veterinary practice to education shaped her practical approach to teaching, why she believes science should be colourful and creative, and how teachers can build pupils’ confidence by connecting learning across the curriculum. The conversation explores simple, memorable ways to integrate maths into science lessons (and vice versa) while keeping activities manageable and meaningful in a busy classroom.In This EpisodeLeonie’s journey from veterinary and orthopaedic practice to science educationHow real-world applications of maths strengthen scientific understandingWhat “STEAM” means, and why adding the Arts can help break down barriers to learningWays to embed maths naturally within science investigationsHow cross-curricular links can make learning more memorable and inclusiveThe importance of teacher collaboration and reflection when planning integrated lessonsLeonie’s experience as a National Numeracy Champion and how to get involvedPractical ideas to make STEM and STEAM hands-on without adding workloadResources and Links MentionedMake Your Own Rainbow: A Colourful Approach to All Things STEAM by Leonie BriggsAmazeLab : www.amazelab.co.ukNational Numeracy – information about becoming a National Numeracy Champion: www.nationalnumeracy.org.ukPrevious Episode: Supporting Pupils with SEND in Maths with Georgina DurrantThe Aftermaths (Friday episodes) – reflections, takeaways, and The Maths of Life segment:Key Quotes“Nothing works without maths. From pulleys and catapults to chromatography and colour, every part of science depends on mathematical thinking.”“If we want children to see maths as useful and meaningful, we have to let them experience it through the world around them.”“Creativity isn’t separate from STEM. The arts help us make ideas visible, tangible and memorable.”About Leonie BriggsLeonie Briggs is an award-winning educator, author and founder of AmazeLab, a science and STEAM education company that creates hands-on, practical learning experiences for schools. She has taught across primary, secondary and post-16 settings and is a passionate advocate for creative, accessible STEM education. Leonie is also a National Numeracy Champion, supporting initiatives to build confidence with numbers for learners of all ages.Find Leonie on LinkedIn or visit www.amazelab.co.uk.About the HostJon Cripwell is the National Education Lead for Primary Maths at Twinkl. He works with schools, trusts, and maths hubs to support high-quality teaching and learning, and hosts The Primary Maths Podcast, exploring the big ideas and everyday realities of teaching maths in primary schools.Follow Jon on LinkedIn.Subscribe and Get InvolvedDon’t miss future episodes. Subscribe to The Primary Maths Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.We’d love to hear your stories from the maths classroom. Send them to primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk, and you might hear them featured in an upcoming episode of The Aftermaths.

Welcome to the very first official edition of The Aftermaths, our new Friday format where Jon and Becky unpack the week’s big ideas, share some classroom-ready reflections, and go off on the occasional mathematical tangent.This week, Jon starts with an unexpected sideline into baby growth charts after overhearing a throwaway comment at his daughter’s netball match. What exactly does it mean to be on the 90th centile for length at birth? Behind that neat statistic lies a story stretching from 19th-century statisticians to American infant studies, British research in the 1960s, and the World Health Organization’s huge international project in the early 2000s. We trace the surprising history of how babies came to be measured against global charts, and why these centiles have become such an everyday part of parenting.From there, the conversation turns to language. Becky introduces her latest instalment of etymathsology with a dive into the Latin roots of those tricky mathematical terms we all know but sometimes muddle. Ever wondered why we talk about a minuend, a subtrahend, or a dividend? It turns out the endings are not arbitrary at all. They come from the Latin gerundive form, meaning “that which must be done.” Suddenly a minuend is “that which must be made smaller,” and the subtrahend is “that which must be subtracted.” With this lens, the technical vocabulary of calculation makes far more sense, and even offers a neat way of helping children understand which number is which in a subtraction or division.Along the way, Jon and Becky share listener questions, practical classroom strategies, and plenty of reflections on maths talk, pupil confidence, and the value of experiences like Forest School in developing spatial reasoning. They discuss why not every activity needs to end in the classroom to have mathematical value, and how contextual experiences outside can quietly boost attainment inside.In this episode you’ll hear:The surprisingly recent history of baby growth charts and why the WHO stepped inHow understanding Latin roots makes calculation vocabulary far easier to graspPractical strategies for supporting children who freeze when asked to explain their maths out loudA discussion on mixed groupings, flexible pairings and why seating plans can be a tool for inclusion as well as behaviourWhy memorisation without understanding can catch children out in the long runIf you are new to The Aftermaths, think of it as the companion piece to our Tuesday interviews. On Fridays Jon and Becky step back, reflect on the week’s themes, and share classroom-ready insights for primary teachers, maths leads and anyone who wants to think more deeply about maths in everyday life.As ever, we would love to hear your thoughts. Email us at primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk or drop a comment on YouTube.

Welcome to Episode 16 of The Primary Maths Podcast. This week is one of our shorter Friday editions, where instead of a full guest interview we pick up listener comments, share a little research, and reflect on the big themes from the week. Becky is away, so I am joined by Sally Cole for a lively conversation that takes us from tractors to spatial reasoning.We start with some fun listener feedback on non-standard units of measurement. Michelle and Karen measure their runs in songs, Dave introduces us to the “Sheppey” (the distance at which sheep still look picturesque), and Eleanor points us towards the “Smoot” – the length of Oliver Smoot, immortalised when MIT students used him as a human ruler across Harvard Bridge in 1958. We talk about how these quirky measures still crop up in culture and what they reveal about the way we make sense of the world.From there we move into more serious ground, exploring research from the Turner Kirk Centre for Spatial Reasoning in Glasgow. Their findings show that short, additional lessons in spatial reasoning can lead to significant improvements in maths, particularly for girls and disadvantaged pupils, and in some cases can close attainment gaps. We consider how activities like puzzles, junk modelling, Lego and outdoor play connect to these ideas, and how schools might bring more of the strengths of early years provision into Key Stage 1 and 2.Finally, we reflect on this week’s interview with Tom Isherwood. Together we draw out practical strategies for teachers:Collaborative planning as professional development rather than everyday expectation.Dual coding with coloured pens to strengthen links between calculations and representations.Flipping “I do, we do, you do” to “you do, we do, I do” so pupils are led to discover ideas without leaving it to chance.Planning starters at the end of lesson design to ensure they connect directly to the key learning.This is an episode that combines humour with substance, moving from measuring time in Bluey episodes to the serious potential of spatial reasoning, and finishing with classroom strategies you can try straight away.If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a colleague and leave a quick rating or review. You can get in touch with us at primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk (remember Twinkl is without an “e”), or leave a comment if you are listening on YouTube.

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, host Jon Cripwell, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for Primary Maths, is joined by Georgina Durrant, Twinkl’s National Inclusion Lead. Georgina is a qualified teacher, former SENDCO, and author who has written widely on supporting learners with additional needs. She also hosts the SEND in the Experts podcast, speaks regularly at conferences, and has featured in national media outlets including The Guardian, The Telegraph, Sky News and BBC Five Live. Her work has been recognised with a Nasen Award for positive media impact.Together, Jon and Georgina explore how we can make maths lessons more inclusive for every child. The conversation covers:Why maths anxiety can persist long after school years, and what this means for the way we teachThe difference between memorising and understanding in mathematics, and why it matters for learners with SENDThe challenges SENDCOs and teachers face, including funding, training and EHCP delaysHow maths leads and SENDCOs can work together more effectively to support staff and pupilsPractical strategies for making lessons more accessible, from using manipulatives and visuals to framing language positivelyThe importance of high expectations and recognising the “spiky profile” many learners have in mathsThe role of parents as experts in their children’s needs and how schools can learn from themThis episode is full of practical takeaways as well as bigger questions about what truly inclusive maths teaching looks like. Whether you are a classroom teacher, SENDCO, or maths lead, you will come away with ideas you can use straight away and insights that will spark reflection in your practice.If you enjoy the show, make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please share it with a colleague who would find it useful, and leave a quick rating or review on your podcast app to help us reach more listeners.We would also love to hear from you. If you have a question about SEND or inclusive practice, email us at primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk (that is Twinkl without an e), and Jon and Becky will address it in Friday’s episode. And if you have a funny or unusual maths classroom moment to share, send that in too – we love featuring your stories.

What happens when you’ve spent nearly two decades thinking hard about maths, taught in one school for most of your career, and then suddenly find yourself shaping maths teaching across more than 30 schools in a trust?That’s exactly the journey my guest, Tom Isherwood, has been on. Tom is the Lead Practitioner for Maths at the Flying High Trust, as well as Assistant Maths Hub Lead with East Midlands West. In short, he’s seen it all: from lesson design in a single classroom to supporting schools through 20 Ofsted inspections in one year.In this episode, Tom and I get stuck into:Why lesson design is about thinking not templates, and how planning one lesson for two hours can transform every lesson that followsThe power of collaborative planning and why teachers clutch those “magic bean” lesson plans like gold dustHow to balance consistency across a trust with giving teachers genuine autonomyWhy the “I do, we do, you do” model makes Tom nervous (and what he suggests instead)The secret weapon of maths teaching that every school should invest in (hint: it’s not a new scheme of work)How to prepare for Ofsted without losing the soul of your maths curriculumAnd what it really means to be “up to something” as a maths leaderWe also manage to squeeze in conversations about Shanghai exchanges, the joy of coloured pens, and why the number 27 is the most three-ish number of them all.Whether you’re a classroom teacher, a maths lead, or a leader of leaders, this episode will give you practical insights, some healthy challenges to your current thinking, and a reminder of why lesson design matters more than any single scheme or structure.Tune in, reflect, and maybe rethink your next maths lesson plan.Get in touch: primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk#twinklmaths