The Primary Maths Podcast

In the first Aftermaths episode of 2026, Jon and Becky reflect on New Year resolutions, why so many of them fail, and what this means for teachers specifically. Drawing on national data, Teacher Tap insights, and lived classroom experience, they explore wellbeing, workload, work–life boundaries, and the gap between good intentions and sustainable habits.

The episode also features a Maths of Life moment inspired by a freezing trip to Weston-super-Mare, leading into a fascinating discussion about tides, lunar days, and why the sea sometimes feels impossibly far away.

Finally, Jon and Becky debrief this week’s in...

Why is maths one of the few subjects people feel completely comfortable saying they hated at school?

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon is joined by Emma Lockhart, Head of Maths at Mill Hill School, to explore what really sits behind that narrative and why it disproportionately affects girls.

Together, they unpack how maths so quickly becomes framed as something you are either “good at” or “bad at”, and how confidence, belonging and belief often matter just as much as content knowledge or exam technique. The conversation looks at what happens to pupils w...

Christmas Is Just One Long Maths Problem (A Festive Aftermaths)

There’s no interview this week, no school talk, and absolutely no mention of lesson objectives.

Instead, Jon and Becky settle in for a festive Aftermaths special — a lighter, reflective end-of-term episode full of Christmas maths, curious statistics, questionable guesses, and the kind of conversations you can happily listen to while wrapping presents or hiding in the kitchen for five minutes of peace.

From debating whether Die Hard really is a Christmas film, to exploring how many calories we might consume on Christmas Day...

As the autumn term finally draws to a close, Jon and Becky reflect on teacher fatigue, festive chaos, and the sense of relief that comes with making it to the holidays.

This week’s Aftermaths dives into fractions — why they’re such a sticking point for pupils (and adults), and how misunderstandings often stem from losing sight of the whole. Jon shares reflections from a full day of fractions work with SCITT students, exploring why fractions feel so different from whole numbers, how notation can trip learners up, and why conceptual understanding matters far more than memorised proced...

Oracy is set to play a central role in England’s refreshed curriculum, but for many teachers it still feels abstract or confined to English lessons. In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon Cripwell is joined by Mike Gardner to explore what oracy actually looks like in a real maths lesson.

Together, they deconstruct a lesson from start to finish, showing how purposeful talk can strengthen learning at every stage, not as an add-on, but as a core part of effective maths teaching.

Mike draws on over 13 years of classroom experience across Nursery to...

In this week’s Aftermaths, Jon and Becky unpack a festive mix of maths chat, listener questions, curriculum reflections and some unexpectedly delightful Spotify Wrapped stats.

🎧 In This Episode

In today’s episode, Jon speaks to Patrick Renouf, an international maths educator whose journey is unlike almost any other. As a child, Patrick experienced what he later recognised as maths trauma — a mix of high-stakes testing, procedural teaching, and an early sense that maths “wasn’t for him.” But what followed was a remarkable transformation.

Patrick now works with schools around the world helping teachers rebuild their relationship with maths, shift towards teaching for understanding, and create classrooms where thinking — not performing — is the centrepiece of maths learning.

Together, Jon and Patrick explore:

🔍 What’s In...

Duration: 00:54:45

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 highl...

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 an...

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 th...

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...

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...

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 pr...

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 explai...

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:

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

Lat...

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:

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:

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.

Beck...

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 cl...

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...

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 id...

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 re...

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 cove...

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 le...

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 Heal...

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 pict...

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...

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 thi...

Welcome to Episode 14 of the Primary Maths Podcast. This week we’re joined by Lewis Horsley, who somehow manages to juggle teaching Year 2, leading maths and KS1, sitting on SLT, supporting ITT students, being a Primary Mastery Specialist with the East Midlands West Maths Hub, and facilitating the NPQLPM course… all while also completing his NPQH.

Lewis sat down with us to talk about the joys and challenges of teaching and leading maths in primary school. We cover:

In this episode of the Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky are joined by a special guest to help tackle one of the perennial challenges in maths education: the transition from primary to secondary. Why does it so often feel like pupils are treading water in Year 7, revisiting content they’ve already covered? And how can schools work together to make that move a smoother, more purposeful step forward?

Jon is joined by his Twinkl colleague Pete Mattock: teacher, leader, prolific speaker, and author of Visible Maths, Conceptual Maths, and Leading Maths. As National Education Lead for Se...

In the final episode of our summer specials, Jon and Becky wrap up the holidays with a mix of puzzles, pop culture, and polygon talk.

Becky recounts her weekend at the Rubik’s Cube UK Championship, where maths hides in everything from official timing rules to the mysterious “God’s Number.” Jon takes us from the beach (counting grains of sand!) to the history of charity singles, comparing Band Aid’s millions in the 1980s with LadBaby’s record-breaking - yet surprisingly modest - fundraising totals.

We also launch a brand-new feature: Ety-math-ology. Becky digs into the ori...

This week’s bite-sized summer special takes us from the sun-drenched costas of Spain to the seagull-infested arcades of Whitby, with some fascinating insights into how young children record their maths along the way.

Jon and Becky swap holiday stories and uncover the surprising maths that follows you everywhere – even when you’re meant to be switching off. From suitcase scales gone wrong (pounds versus kilos, anyone?) to crazy golf “unitising,” estimating watermelons, and the enduring mystery of why the furthest you can get from the sea in the UK is only ...(spoilers!), it turns out that holidays a...

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky celebrate the role of the maths subject leader. Whether you’ve been leading maths for years or have just been handed the responsibility as September looms, this conversation explores the challenges and opportunities of the role.

Jon shares his own journey of unexpectedly becoming a maths lead during his NQT year, while Becky reflects on her experiences leading maths in a large junior school. Together they consider how subject leaders can shape school culture, raise the profile of maths, and drive meaningful change in teaching and le...

In this bite-sized summer special of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky tackle one of the trickiest topics in primary maths: telling the time. From the quirks of analogue clocks to the ubiquity of digital displays, they explore how our approach to teaching time might need a rethink in light of how children experience the modern world.

They discuss:

Summer Special #2: Mastery Schemes vs Teacher Subject Knowledge – and the Maths of Big Numbers

This week, Sally Cole joins Jon as guest co-host while Becky continues her well-earned beach break. Sally is an Education Content Lead at Twinkl, working on digital maths resources including the Twinkl Maths app.

In this second summer special, Jon and Sally explore two big ideas:

The Maths of Life

How big is a billion? Inspired by a question from Jon’s daughter, we unpack the history, scale and meaning of this often misunderstood number. From how long...

This week on The Primary Maths Podcast, we're kicking off a special run of summer episodes with something a little different.

I’m digging into the history of school summer holidays – where they came from, how they’ve changed, and whether they were really designed so children could help with the harvest. (Spoiler: not quite.) Along the way, I explore the rise of seaside holidays, the Grand Tour, and what steam trains had to do with it all.

Then, I tackle a great listener question: how do we balance fluency with problem solving in maths? Should...

How do we help children become confident, independent mathematical thinkers, not just answer-getters?

In this episode of the Primary Maths Podcast, Jon Cripwell and Becky Brown explore the surprisingly powerful concept of metacognition and what it looks like in real classrooms, from early years to upper Key Stage 2.

Jon also explains why a 12-inch pizza is nearly four times the size of a six-inch one, and how that misconception links directly to our work as teachers.

Later, Jon is joined by Nathan Burns, also known as Mr Metacognition, to discuss:

What happens when a headteacher keeps teaching? This week, Jon and Becky speak to Kate Frood OBE – a former headteacher who spent 22 years teaching weekly maths lessons alongside school leadership.

Kate shares how her “Mrs Frood Maths” lessons became a model for coaching and inclusion, why stealth differentiation works better than labels, and how to reclaim joy and challenge in problem solving.

Plus, in Maths of Life, Jon investigates why a 1/3 pounder burger failed in 1980s America – and what it teaches us about common fraction misconceptions. Becky takes us into the world of speedcubing, synchronised diving...

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon speaks with headteacher and mastery specialist Omar Jennings about how Number Talks have transformed teaching and learning across his school – from Nursery to Year 6.

We explore:

✔️ What Number Talks are and why they matter

✔️ How they boost fluency, reasoning and oracy

✔️ Practical tips for rolling them out across your school

✔️ The importance of vocabulary (yes, even in EYFS!)

✔️ Why strong pedagogy matters more than any scheme

✔️ Emb...

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, we explore the unique joys and challenges of teaching maths in small schools and mixed-age classes. Jon Cripwell and Becky Brown reflect on their conversation with two inspiring educators whose work spans classroom teaching, national leadership, and system-wide school improvement.

👥 Our guests:

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky are joined by John Tomsett, renowned education consultant, former headteacher of Huntington School, and author of influential books such as "This Much I Know About Great Teaching".

John brings decades of educational leadership and classroom experience to an insightful conversation about the true essence of great teaching and learning. He shares his "10 principles of great teaching," drawing from extensive observations and research across primary and secondary classrooms.

Key Topics Covered:

In our very first episode, we’re joined by Dr Heidi Kirkland - teacher, researcher, and co-author of Maths Anxiety: Solving the Equation - to explore why even confident mathematicians can feel anxious about maths, and what we can do about it in the classroom.

We chat about: