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Welcome to Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, the podcast that gives you a peek inside the minds of some truly inspirational primary teachers. Whether you're new to the profession or a school leader with tons of experience this podcast is a must listen. For references, links and extended cut video episodes head over to www.thinkingdeeply.info
- 333 - Teaching the Child, Not Just the Lesson
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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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Raheema Makhani believes that good teaching starts with knowing the person in front of you.
Episode 316: In this episode, Raheema joins Kieran to talk about the relationships that shape her classroom, why understanding pupils’ interests can change the way they engage with learning, and the importance of making children feel genuinely valued.
That philosophy also shapes her work as a teacher and Director of Digital Strategy and Innovation. The conversation explores personalisation, adaptive teaching and how technology can open up different ways for pupils to learn and express what they know. There is plenty of discussion about AI too, but less about the technology itself than about how schools respond thoughtfully to a world that is already changing around them.
Raheema also reflects on leadership, teacher autonomy and the kind of culture that allows people to try things, admit when something has not worked and ask for help without feeling judged. Along the way, she questions some of the pressures schools place on themselves and makes the case for teachers being a little kinder to themselves too.
A wide-ranging conversation about relationships, trust, innovation and why knowing the people in your school might be the starting point for everything else.
Sat, 31 Oct 2026 - 1h 01min - 332 - Why Attention Comes Before Learning
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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 315: Todd Brown came to teaching later than most, after a previous career in podiatry and a long-standing feeling that he might one day find his way into the classroom.
Five years in, he has become deeply interested in the small things that make learning more likely: the routines that settle a class, the opportunities that keep everyone thinking, the fluency that frees pupils to tackle something harder and the knowledge that allows them to make sense of what comes next.
In this episode, Todd joins Kieran to reflect on the experiences that have shaped his teaching and the ideas he is still trying to refine. The conversation moves through mathematics, classroom culture, explicit instruction, curriculum and the balance between structure and challenge.
There is also a strong thread running through Todd’s thinking about attention. For him, high expectations and well-established routines are not ends in themselves. They create the conditions in which pupils can participate, think and learn.
Todd also reflects on what high-quality education looks like beyond a single classroom, why background knowledge matters, the value of consistency across schools, and why he is wary of rushing too quickly towards data and assessment before children have had time to settle into a new environment.
A thoughtful conversation with a teacher still relatively early in his career, but already thinking very deliberately about what deserves pupils’ attention, what deserves teachers’ time and what actually helps learning stick.
Sat, 24 Oct 2026 - 1h 03min - 331 - Why Great Teaching Is About Decisions, Not Strategies
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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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Work with Ben in Panama - https://www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy/early-years-teacher-panama-2349341
Episode 314: Ben Cooper has spent much of his career thinking about what helps teachers get better, and what schools can do to make great teaching more likely.
In this episode, Ben joins Kieran to reflect on his journey from classroom teacher to headteacher, the experiences that shaped his thinking about professional development, and how moving from Manchester to Dubai and now Panama has influenced the way he sees teaching and leadership.
The conversation explores the tension between structure and professional judgement, the role of coaching, the importance of clear communication and what happens when schools become more interested in particular strategies than in the learning those strategies are meant to support.
There is also a wider discussion about what headteachers can do to protect the conditions for good teaching, how expertise develops over time, and why some of the most important decisions in a classroom cannot be reduced to a checklist.
A thoughtful conversation about teaching, leadership and the judgement that sits behind both.
Sat, 17 Oct 2026 - 1h 16min - 330 - Routines, Modelling and Making Thinking Visible
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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 313: Marwa Alsaraf does not want pupils simply to know what to do. She wants them to see how the thinking works.
In this episode, Marwa joins Kieran to talk about the classroom practices she has built over more than a decade in teaching, from clear routines and live modelling to the kind of dialogue that asks pupils to explain, challenge and build on one another's ideas.
Her own journey into teaching began differently from most. Marwa arrived in the UK at 18 with limited English, later worked as a teaching assistant, completed her degree while raising a family and eventually qualified as a teacher. After beginning her career in Birmingham, she moved to the UAE, where she now teaches and leads mathematics.
That experience shapes much of the conversation. Marwa explains why she models using the same books and equipment pupils use, why she deliberately makes and corrects mistakes in front of them, and why strong routines should never be confused with silence or rigidity. For her, a well-run classroom is one in which pupils know what is expected well enough to concentrate on the learning and talk about it.
Sat, 10 Oct 2026 - 57min - 329 - High Expectations, Full Participation and the Power of Success
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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 312: Kylie Hoey has a simple rule in her classroom: no one opts out. But that comes with a responsibility. If she expects every pupil to participate, she has to give every pupil a genuine chance of succeeding.
In this episode, Kylie joins Kieran to talk about the small decisions that make that possible. She explains why she deliberately engineers early success for pupils who have learned to expect failure, how she creates a classroom where getting something wrong is safe, and why maintaining high expectations is very different from simply demanding more.
Kylie’s own route into evidence-informed teaching began when she found herself teaching older pupils who could not read and realised she did not know how to help them. What followed was a deep dive into reading, explicit instruction and the classroom practices she now uses and shares with other teachers.
The conversation moves from full participation and maths fluency to modelling, coaching and teacher development. Kylie describes seeing teachers transform when they are shown what is possible with their own class, including one who had been ready to leave the profession.
There is also a challenge for schools. Kylie argues that we can be too quick to reach for intervention before asking whether pupils are receiving strong enough whole-class teaching in the first place. In her analogy, there is little point worrying about the supplement if the main meal is not good enough.
This is a conversation about high expectations, but also about what teachers have to do to make those expectations achievable.
Sat, 03 Oct 2026 - 57min - 328 - School Improvement Without Losing Sight of What Matters
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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 311: What does meaningful school improvement look like when the pressures of accountability are constantly competing for attention?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by teacher, vice principal, mathematics specialist and NPQ facilitator Cheryl Ballance for a conversation shaped by 23 years in education and the experience of helping lead a school through a sustained period of improvement.
They explore the foundations of strong teaching, why Cheryl increasingly sees the early years as so important, the role of routines and mathematical representations, and why belonging, relationships and high expectations need to exist alongside one another.
The conversation then moves from the classroom to the school as a whole. Cheryl reflects on what she has seen successful schools do particularly well: creating consistency, knowing their children and families, establishing high expectations and ensuring pupils feel that they belong. She also discusses the slower, less visible work of improvement: building trust with teachers, giving change time to embed, developing middle leaders and moving from observation as judgement towards instructional coaching and professional development.
Along the way, Kieran and Cheryl discuss SATs, Ofsted and the difficult choices schools face when external measures begin to compete with what leaders believe is best for the children in front of them.
A thoughtful conversation about teaching, leadership and what it takes to improve a school without losing sight of why the school exists in the first place.
Sat, 26 Sep 2026 - 51min - 327 - What does great teaching look like?
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
Maths PD Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow - https://alta-education.com/cpd-tour-26-27/
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 310: What does great teaching actually look like when you strip away the slogans, initiatives and performative “wow” moments?
In the opening episode of Season 7, Kieran is joined by primary teacher Tom Langlois for a wide-ranging conversation about the decisions, routines and professional thinking that sit behind effective classroom practice.
Tom shares how his teaching has changed across 14 years in the classroom, including the development of booklet-based guided reading, the use of modelling, retrieval practice, cold calling, mini whiteboards and backwards faded practice, and why strong systems can create the conditions for teachers to focus on what matters most.
The conversation also moves beyond individual techniques. Kieran and Tom explore how teachers get better over time, the importance of professional conversations with colleagues, what meaningful feedback for teachers might look like, how schools can understand pupils’ starting points, and why continually testing, refining and sometimes abandoning ideas is such an important part of the job.
It is a conversation about teaching as a craft: not finding the next big thing, but getting increasingly good at making the small decisions that shape what pupils experience every day.
Sat, 19 Sep 2026 - 1h 25min - 326 - How Does Curriculum Become Classroom Practice?
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
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 309: If a school wants to improve its curriculum, where should leaders begin?
In the final episode of our curriculum mini-series, we move from curriculum design and classroom practice to the strategic decisions that sit behind long-term improvement. A panel of school leaders joins us to explore how curriculum change is prioritised, supported and sustained.
We discuss how leaders decide what to focus on rather than trying to change everything at once, what needs to be in place if curriculum work is going to reach the classroom, and why some changes may need to wait until stronger foundations have been established. The result is a conversation about curriculum improvement as a long-term process rather than a sequence of isolated initiatives.
Sat, 12 Sep 2026 - 53min - 325 - Where Should Schools Start With Curriculum?
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
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 308: A curriculum may be carefully designed, but what does it take for it to work in the hands of teachers?
In the second episode of our curriculum mini-series, we shift from curriculum design to classroom practice. A panel of teachers joins us to explore what curriculum looks like from the perspective of those responsible for enacting it every day.
We discuss the aspects of curriculum that make the greatest difference to teaching and learning, the knowledge and judgement teachers need in order to work with a curriculum well, and what happens when teachers need to adapt while still protecting the ambition and coherence of what has been designed. We also consider what allows curriculum change to become embedded rather than simply becoming the next initiative.
Sat, 05 Sep 2026 - 57min - 324 - What Makes a Curriculum Coherent?
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
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 307: What does it take to turn curriculum thinking into something coherent, teachable and genuinely useful in the classroom?
In the first episode of our curriculum mini-series, Reid Smith joins us to explore the decisions that sit behind curriculum and resource design. We discuss where the process begins, how choices are made about content, sequencing and revisiting, and how curriculum designers think about the relationship between coherence and teacher adaptation.
The conversation also considers what happens when curriculum thinking moves beyond documents and frameworks and has to become something that teachers can actually use with pupils. It is a discussion about the decisions behind the curriculum before we turn, later in the series, to what happens when that curriculum reaches schools and classrooms.
Sat, 29 Aug 2026 - 57min - 323 - Five ways to promote positive behaviour for learning
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
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 306: Good behaviour cannot depend on which teacher happens to be standing at the front of the room.
In the final episode of the mini-series, Kieran is joined by Elliot Heade and Jack Pattison from St Peter’s Primary School in Cardiff. Together, they unpack five principles that have helped create calm, purposeful classrooms across the school.
Elliot and Jack explain how routines are modelled and rehearsed, how corrections can remain calm and respectful, and why warmth and strictness are not opposites. They also discuss the professional learning, coaching and shared language needed to make strong behaviour for learning extend beyond individual classrooms.
This episode shows what becomes possible when expectations are predictable, adults act consistently and every pupil is expected to participate. Good behaviour becomes more than the work of exceptional teachers. It becomes normal.
Sat, 22 Aug 2026 - 58min - 322 - When should teachers call for help?
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Get your tickets for the TDaPE Conference Edinburgh
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 305: Teachers should not feel abandoned when behaviour becomes unsafe, but neither should asking for support leave them feeling that they have surrendered responsibility for their classroom.
In this episode, Kieran is joined by Shannen Doherty and headteacher Becky Leeves to explore the 3Ds: a simple shared language for deciding when additional support is needed.
Shannen and Becky explain how the approach has reduced emotion and ambiguity, improved communication over school radios and helped leaders prioritise their response. Crucially, it has also protected teachers’ professional judgement. The 3Ds are not a rigid checklist or an automatic route to removing a pupil. They provide a common language through which staff can ask for another pair of hands without judgement.
The conversation offers a thoughtful model for balancing teacher agency with collective responsibility, while keeping the dignity, safety and needs of pupils at the centre of every response.
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 - 43min - 321 - Behaviour is taught, not managed
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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Episode 304: What changes when schools stop treating behaviour as something to manage and begin teaching it as deliberately as any other part of the curriculum?
Kieran is joined by Australian educator Brendan Lee to explore the close relationship between behaviour, attention, curriculum and instruction. Brendan explains why calm, focused classrooms are a prerequisite for learning and why teachers must assume nothing when establishing routines and expectations.
The discussion moves from classroom entry routines and behaviour-specific praise to the antecedents and consequences that can create either positive or negative patterns of behaviour. Brendan also explains why routines need to be modelled, practised, revisited and strengthened over time, rather than introduced once and then assumed to be secure.
This is a practical exploration of how teachers can create classrooms in which pupils know what success looks like, experience it regularly and become increasingly able to participate in learning. The central argument is clear: good behaviour does not appear by accident. It is taught.
Sat, 08 Aug 2026 - 49min - 320 - Why behaviour feels harder than ever
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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Episode 303: When teachers say that behaviour is getting worse, what do they actually mean?
In the opening episode of this four-part mini-series, Kieran is joined by Charles Benkowitz to explore why behaviour has become such a pressing and emotionally charged issue for schools. They consider the subjectivity of challenging behaviour, the relationship between attention and learning, and the profound effect that difficult classrooms can have on teachers’ confidence, wellbeing and willingness to remain in the profession.
The conversation also examines how much control teachers can reasonably expect to have, whether behaviour policies create clarity or merely shift responsibility, and why apparently minor disruption can become so draining over time.
Rather than offering one simple explanation, this episode establishes the questions that run throughout the series. Has behaviour changed, or have our expectations changed? What belongs to the classroom teacher, what belongs to school leaders, and what can genuinely help when teaching begins to feel overwhelming?
Sat, 01 Aug 2026 - 44min - 319 - The Leadership Lessons You Learn the Hard Way
Learn more about The Story of Maths and ACEL Pro- www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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Episode 302: What does a year in school leadership actually teach you?
Adam Smith and Shannen Doherty return to reflect on the decisions, mistakes and moments that shaped their year. They discuss why leaders cannot solve every problem, what poor communication often reveals, when to hold your nerve and how to admit that a carefully constructed plan simply has not worked.
Along the way, we explore behaviour, suspensions, school improvement, instructional coaching, pointless assessment systems and the ghosts of decisions that nobody remembers making but everybody is still expected to follow.
An honest, funny and unusually practical conversation about becoming a better leader.
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 - 1h 00min - 318 - The Difficult Questions About Teaching Reading
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 301: What should teachers do when a child is still struggling to decode in Year 5? How much should reading intervention take priority over the wider curriculum? What can a reading age genuinely tell us, and when should teachers adapt a phonics programme rather than follow it exactly?
In this episode, Christopher Such returns to answer some of the most difficult questions about teaching reading.
We discuss phonics in mixed Year 1 and Year 2 classes, the compromises involved in supporting older struggling readers, the limits of reading ages, the meaning of fidelity and whether audiobooks can develop the language and knowledge needed for comprehension.
A practical and thoughtful conversation about diagnosis, intervention and making better decisions for pupils who find reading difficult.
Sat, 18 Jul 2026 - 35min - 317 - CPA, Counting in Ones, the Problem with Quick Fixes and more...
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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 support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 300: For the 300th episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Shannen Doherty and Tom Oakley to answer four questions submitted by listeners.
Should schools share test scores with parents? How should teachers approach maths in a mixed-age Year 1 and Year 2 class? Which pieces of common primary maths advice may have done more harm than good? And what should a teacher actually do on Monday morning when a pupil still relies on counting in ones?
The conversation explores the importance of context when reporting assessment information, why mixed-age teaching must begin with what pupils need to learn rather than their nominal year group, and how ideas such as concrete, pictorial and abstract learning can become damaging when reduced to slogans.
It also develops into a broader discussion about teacher expertise, curriculum schemes, number sense and why schools are often much better at introducing change than sustaining it.
Sat, 11 Jul 2026 - 58min - 316 - Teaching, Mistakes and the Courage to Reflect with Baasit Siddiqui
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 299: In this episode, I’m joined by Baasit Siddiqui for a conversation about reflection, mistakes and the human side of teaching.
As the academic year draws to a close, many teachers will naturally begin looking back on what went well, what felt difficult, and what they might want to change next year. But reflection is not always the neat, professional process it is sometimes made out to be. It can be messy, emotional and, if we are not careful, overly critical.
We discuss why reflection should begin with what went well, how teachers can learn from mistakes without becoming consumed by them, the importance of documenting our thinking, and why school cultures need to make it safe for teachers to ask for help.
We also explore the importance of compromise, communication and humility, both in classrooms and in the wider profession.
Whether you are ending the year exhausted, proud, uncertain or all three, this conversation is a useful reminder to stop, take stock and recognise the work you have done.
Wed, 08 Jul 2026 - 25min - 315 - Beyond Firefighting: Building Better SEND Provision
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 298: What does it take to move from reactive SEND provision to something more strategic, coherent and sustainable?
This week I am joined by Amy Batalli from The Kite Academy Trust for a fascinating conversation about the development of learning support assistants, the importance of aligned systems, and what it really means to build provision around pupils rather than around short-term fixes.
We discuss the changing role of support staff, the challenges schools face around time, funding and increasing complexity, and the professional development structures needed if LSAs are to feel valued, effective and properly equipped. We also explore the relationship between inclusion, classroom belonging, intervention, leadership and implementation.
This is a thoughtful and practical episode about doing the hard work properly: training people well, avoiding unnecessary fragmentation, keeping expectations high, and building systems that survive beyond any one individual.
Whether you are a SENCO, trust leader, headteacher, teacher or LSA, there is plenty here to think deeply about.
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 - 51min - 314 - Bilingual education, effective teaching, meaningful PD and more...
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 297: If you missed any June episodes, this is your way in. If you listened to them all, it might be another chance to hear them differently. Featuring wonderful guests on a range of pertinent topics from bilingual education to meaningful professional development and everything in between, this episode might just pique your interest...
Wed, 01 Jul 2026 - 49min - 313 - The Shiny Solution Trap: AI Tutors, Social Media Bans and How to Actually Support Vulnerable Pupils
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 296: This week, I’m joined by Elliot Morgan for a return to our education news format, looking at the stories teachers should be paying attention to, the stories we might be sleeping on, and the writing worth reading.
We discuss proposed restrictions on social media for under-16s, the government’s new enrichment benchmarks, the trial of AI tutors for disadvantaged pupils, and why schools should be wary of shiny solutions that promise to solve deep educational problems without addressing curriculum, assessment, teacher expertise and funding.
We also recommend recent pieces on prior knowledge, SEND practice, and the danger of assuming that familiar interventions are effective simply because they are familiar.
A short episode, but pound for pound, worth its weight in gold.
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 - 25min - 312 - Genuinely meaningful professional development (the conditions and components)
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 295: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined once again by Matthew Best as we build on our exploration of the principles of effective teaching and learning to develop our understanding of truly meaningful PD. We discuss what genuinely meaningful PD looks like, how we can make the science of learning accessible to teachers and where Matthew goes for inspiration when developing his own craft. Whether you are new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, this one is for you. Let me know what you think in the comments...
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 - 56min - 311 - Journaling, online platforms, formative assessment and more...May 2026 on TDaPE
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and https://www.acel.pro
Episode 294: If you missed any May episodes, this is your way in. If you listened to them all, it might be another chance to hear them differently. Featuring wonderful guests on a range of pertinent topics from journaling and online platforms to formative assessment and human education in an increasingly digital world, this episode might just pique your interest...
Wed, 17 Jun 2026 - 22min - 310 - The Principles of Effective Teaching and Learning with Matthew Best
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Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview and www.acel.pro
What if the lessons that look most exciting are not always the lessons where students learn the most?
Episode 293: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Matthew Best, a P7 teacher, maths lead and senior leader, for a conversation about effective teaching, mathematics, curriculum reform and the opportunity created by TransformED.
We explore why primary teaching has so often been pulled towards novelty, activity and engagement, and why this can distract from the harder, more important work of securing learning. Matthew makes the case for calm, predictable classrooms, explicit teaching, worked examples, careful questioning and responsive professional judgement.
We also discuss workload, differentiation, inspection culture, curriculum design, the problem with proxies for learning, and why teachers need to be freed up to focus on what matters most: helping students know more, remember more and do more.
This is a conversation about putting teaching and learning back at the centre of everything we do in schools.
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 - 57min - 309 - Vision Into Practice: How Shaftesbury Park Built a Bilingual Curriculum
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Episode 292: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Bunmi Richards, Alastair Anderson and James Cousins from Shaftesbury Park Primary School to explore what bilingual education looks like in practice.
Shaftesbury Park’s bilingual curriculum did not begin with a language programme. It began with the school’s values: a local school with a global perspective, serving a richly diverse community and committed to helping students develop cultural appreciation, confidence and a strong sense of identity.
Across the conversation, we explore how the school’s French bilingual stream works from the early years through to the end of primary school, how oracy, immersion, phonics, topic-based teaching and cultural learning are carefully sequenced, and why the model depends on long-term commitment rather than short-term initiative thinking.
We also discuss the practicalities: staffing, planning, parental communication, governance, workload, progression, misconceptions about bilingualism, and the challenge of what happens when students leave primary school with a level of French that many secondary schools are not yet equipped to build on.
This is a fascinating conversation about curriculum, culture, implementation and ambition. Whether you are interested in language learning, school vision, curriculum design or the conditions that allow distinctive practice to thrive, there is plenty here to think about.
Sat, 06 Jun 2026 - 42min - 308 - April 2026: What Emerged Across the Conversations
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Episode 291: April was another terrific month for Thinking Deeply about Primary Education. In this episode we revisit the moments, ideas and questions from April 2026 that made me think the most.
This is not a reel clip for the sake of it. It's a chance to slow down, connect threads across conversations, and surface the professional ideas that resonated the most. From classroom practice to leadership, the role of artificial intelligence, metacognition and more.
If you missed any April episodes, this is your way in. If you listened to them all, this a chance to hear them differently.
Wed, 03 Jun 2026 - 42min - 307 - For Neil and Shannen: A TDaPE Wedding Special
This week’s episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education is a very special one, as we celebrate the marriage of Neil Almond and Shannen Doherty.
To mark the occasion, we’ve brought together messages from friends, reflections from across their time on the podcast, the first questions they ever answered on TDaPE, and the final questions they each answered before getting married.
It is part celebration, part archive, part thank you to two brilliant people who have given so much to the show, the profession, and the wider education community.
Congratulations, Neil and Shannen. This one’s for you.
Sat, 30 May 2026 - 1h 00min - 306 - Mathematical Journaling in Action: Helping Students Think, Struggle and Explain
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Episode 289: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Mark Bowen to explore mathematical journaling in action.
Following on from a previous episode with Kirsten and Holly on mathematical journaling, Mark shares how he took the idea, adapted it for his own class, and developed a simple classroom structure built around three phases: download, investigate and communicate.
We discuss how journaling can help students move beyond surface-level calculation, become more comfortable with struggle, draw on prior knowledge, experiment with different approaches, and explain their mathematical thinking with greater clarity.
Mark also talks candidly about implementation: what worked, what did not, why he introduced a classroom character called Trev, how he used modelling and scaffolding to support students, and why he would slow the process down if he were starting again.
This is a wonderfully practical episode about helping students become more active, reflective and confident mathematical thinkers.
If you are interested in problem solving, reasoning, metacognition, mathematical journaling, curriculum design or simply making mathematics feel more purposeful in the classroom, this conversation is well worth your time.
Sat, 23 May 2026 - 36min - 305 - Online Maths Platforms: Workload, Retrieval and the Limits of Technology
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Episode 288: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Hannah Hogg from Dr Frost Learning to explore the role of online platforms in mathematics education.
Hannah brings the perspective of a former secondary mathematics teacher, middle school head of maths and now member of the Dr Frost Learning team. We discuss the advantages of online platforms, particularly around workload, retrieval practice, diagnostic insight, automated marking and helping teachers identify gaps in prerequisite knowledge.
But this is not a conversation about replacing the teacher with technology. We also explore the limitations of online platforms, especially for younger students, practical mathematical experiences, manipulatives, teacher explanation, classroom interaction and the human side of learning mathematics.
Across the episode, we consider how tools can support teachers without dictating pedagogy, how they might be used in primary and middle school settings, and why the most important question is not simply whether a platform saves time, but whether it helps teachers make better decisions about teaching and learning.
If you are thinking about online maths platforms, assessment, retrieval, workload, curriculum choice or the balance between technology and teacher expertise, this episode offers plenty to think about.
Sat, 16 May 2026 - 42min - 304 - Four ways to get the most from formative assessment...
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Episode 287: Formative assessment is one of those phrases everyone in education seems to recognise, but far fewer people define in the same way.
In this episode, I’m joined by Stuart Welsh to explore a recent systematic review of formative assessment in mathematics education and what it might mean for the classroom. We discuss why formative assessment should be understood as more than checking for understanding, why mini whiteboards and exit tickets only become formative when they lead to action, and why good assessment is less about gathering more information and more about making better decisions.
We also consider the role of questioning, feedback, written marking, peer discussion and digital tools, asking what it really takes to uncover students’ mathematical thinking and respond in ways that move learning forward.
Sat, 09 May 2026 - 45min - 303 - A Human Education for an Artificial World: Rachel Higginson on oracy, belonging and what schools must protect in the age of AI
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Finding my voice- https://findingmyvoice.co.uk/
Episode 287: This week I’m joined by Rachel Higginson for a wide-ranging conversation about what it might mean to offer children a genuinely human education in an increasingly artificial world.
We discuss why the rise of AI should prompt us to think not only about how technology might be used in schools, but about what kind of human capacities education now needs to protect and develop. Rachel argues that schools need to pay renewed attention to purpose, self-awareness, relatedness, autonomy, competence, dialogue and the conditions that allow young people to find and use their voice.
Along the way, we explore the relationship between oracy and self, the ideas behind Finding My Voice, the dangers of reducing oracy to a set of performative speaking techniques, and the importance of listening as a serious educational act. We also discuss cognitive science, professional judgement, disciplinary language, inclusion, social mobility, code-switching, authenticity and the role of schools as places where children can experience the kinds of human connection they may not always find elsewhere.
It is a conversation about oracy, but it is also about much more than oracy. It is about what education is for, what teachers can protect, and why the human work of schooling may matter more than ever.
Sat, 02 May 2026 - 53min - 302 - AI Tutors in Schools: Breakthrough or Hype?
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Jen and Donny - www.luminaryliteracy.co.uk
Episode 286: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools, James Radburn and Neil Almond explore one of the most heavily discussed areas of AI in education: AI tutors.
But before asking whether AI tutors work, they begin with a more important question: what do we actually mean by an AI tutor? Is it a pupil using ChatGPT for homework help? A carefully designed intelligent tutoring system? A curriculum-aligned tool with structured prompts and guardrails? Or a human-in-the-loop model where AI supports the work of expert teachers?
Across the conversation, James and Neil consider the promise, the evidence and the risks. They discuss research into AI-supported tutoring, the particular appeal of tutoring systems in mathematics, the importance of feedback, diagnosis and spaced retrieval, and whether AI might help pupils consolidate learning more effectively. At the same time, they raise serious questions about safeguarding, cognitive offloading, personalisation, equity, motivation, teacher expertise and the danger of treating all AI tutors as if they are the same thing.
This is not a simple pro-AI or anti-AI conversation. It is a thoughtful attempt to ask what AI tutors might actually be good for, where the hype may be running ahead of the evidence, and what schools should be thinking about before placing too much faith in the next big educational technology.
Sat, 25 Apr 2026 - 52min - 301 - Illuminating Metacognition in Writing with Jen Sutherland and Donny Morrison
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Jen and Donny - www.luminaryliteracy.co.uk
Episode 285: In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Jen Sutherland and Donny Morrison to explore metacognition in writing and why it matters so much for developing young writers.
The conversation begins by clarifying the difference between cognition and metacognition before moving into what metacognitive strategies in writing actually look like in practice.
They also examine why these strategies deserve more attention in classrooms. Too often, writing becomes a product-driven exercise where students focus on finishing a piece or cramming in features rather than understanding the process of writing itself.
This is a thoughtful and practical conversation for anyone interested in improving writing instruction and helping more students see themselves as writers.
Sat, 18 Apr 2026 - 41min - 300 - Beyond the Right Answer: Teaching for Deep Mathematical Understanding
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Episode 284: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Stuart Welsh delivers a session on ways to develop deep mathematical understanding. An example of the sessions available as part of the TDaPE Online Conference, Stuart outlines the high-quality PD available by clicking on the link above or visiting here. All proceeds will be donated to Velindre Cancer Centre.
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 - 50min - 299 - Protecting the Human Work: AI in Schools, 15 Months On
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Episode 283: More than a year after their last conversation, Kieran is joined again by Dominic Bristow and Hannah Gillott to revisit one of the most important questions in education right now: what is AI actually proving useful for in schools, and where should we still be very cautious?
The discussion focuses on AI feedback for writing, how tools like Stylus have developed, and what schools now seem prepared to trust AI to do. Along the way, they explore a set of bigger issues too: the difference between outsourcing work and outsourcing thought, why better assessment data only matters if classroom practice changes, and why leaders should begin with the problem they are trying to solve rather than the technology itself.
This is not a conversation about gimmicks or easy answers. It is a thoughtful look at guardrails, teacher oversight, formative assessment, workload, implementation, and the enduring importance of human judgement in teaching. If you are trying to think clearly about AI in education, rather than simply react to the noise around it, this one is well worth your time.
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 - 49min - 298 - Leadership, Belonging and the Power of Teams with Sam Crome
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Episode 282: What makes a team work in a school and what do leaders get wrong when they focus too heavily on individual leadership?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Sam Crome, author of The Power of Teams, to explore what effective leadership looks like when the focus shifts from heroic individuals to purposeful, well-run teams.
We discuss Sam’s move from secondary leadership into primary headship and what that transition has revealed about staff culture, team structure and the opportunities schools miss when meetings become informal, unfocused or overly dependent on one person. The conversation explores belonging, psychological safety, follow-through, and the importance of competence and consistency in building teams that actually move work forward.
We also dig into what schools can learn from beyond education, from sport to the military to healthcare, and why deliberate debriefing, long-term meeting design and small, focused improvements may matter far more than many leaders realise.
This is a practical conversation about leadership, culture and how schools become better places to work when teams are designed with care.
Sat, 28 Mar 2026 - 46min - 297 - March 2026: What Emerged Across the Conversations
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Episode 281: March was another strong month for Thinking Deeply About Primary Education. In this episode, I revisit the moments, ideas and questions from March 2026 that stayed with me longest.
This is not a clip reel for the sake of it. It’s a chance to slow down, connect threads across conversations, and surface the professional ideas that feel most live right now, from classroom practice to leadership, curriculum and professional development.
If you missed any March episodes, this is your way in. If you listened to them all, this is a chance to hear them differently.
Wed, 25 Mar 2026 - 29min - 296 - One to One Correspondence: The Hidden Challenge in Learning to Count
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Episode 280: Counting can look simple from a distance, but for many children it is anything but. In this episode, I explore one to one correspondence: the idea that each object counted must be matched to one number word, and one number word only.
I look at why this principle matters so much in early mathematics, what it can look like when it is not yet secure, and how careful scaffolding can help children move from fragile, inaccurate counting towards greater independence and confidence.
Drawing on classroom practice, I explore how teachers can use modelling, manipulation, arrangement, and formative assessment to make the structure of counting more visible. I also reflect on what this tells us about effective scaffolding more broadly: not as a way of lowering demand, but as a way of making important mathematics learnable.
This episode will be particularly relevant for early years and primary teachers thinking carefully about the foundations of number and how to support children when counting begins to break down.
Sat, 21 Mar 2026 - 29min - 295 - The Mechanics of Effective Professional Development with Scott Wells
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Episode 279: In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Scott Wells, Professional Learning Lead at Windsor Academy Trust, to explore what it takes to design professional development that genuinely changes classroom practice.
Scott sets out a trust-wide approach to professional learning built around evidence, codification, coaching, rehearsal and careful diagnosis. The conversation explores how trusts can learn from bright spots within their own schools, how leaders can balance trust-wide clarity with school-level responsiveness, and why effective professional development must focus on more than knowledge alone.
Together, Kieran and Scott discuss instructional coaching, group rehearsal, knowledge building, professional development mechanisms, adaptive expertise, and the importance of routines, belonging and predictable classrooms. Scott also explains Windsor Academy Trust’s “rhythm of the year”, including alignment, improvement and transition phases, and shares how the trust uses drop-ins, spotlight tours and coaching data to inform its next steps.
This is a rich and practical episode for anyone interested in teaching and learning, school improvement, and how to make professional development meaningful at scale.
Sat, 14 Mar 2026 - 59min - 294 - That's the Good News: SEND Reform, Teacher Voice and the Future of School Leadership
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Episode 278: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran Mackle and Elliot Morgan round up some of the most interesting developments in education across the past month.
They discuss the newly published white paper and what it might mean for inclusion, SEND provision and earlier, more coherent support for students, while also asking the obvious question: will the promises translate into meaningful change in schools? Alongside that, they explore proposals around school progress measures, the push to diversify the teaching workforce, and the complexities of trying to build a profession that better reflects the communities it serves.
The conversation also turns to some of the best writing they’ve read recently, including Mary Myatt on scaffolding, Craig Barton on AI and task design, and a thoughtful piece on leading with explicit empathy. As ever, the discussion moves beyond headlines to the deeper questions underneath: what helps teachers improve, what risks eroding professional expertise, and why thoughtful leadership matters so much.
They finish by reflecting on recent TDaPE episodes, including conversations on teacher voice and leadership, and make the case once again for more practitioners to share their work, their thinking and their expertise.
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 - 30min - 293 - Better Planning, Better Thinking, Better Teaching?
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Episode 277: Should teachers be able to take PPA at home?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Adam Kohlbeck to explore one of the most debated issues in schools right now: whether planning, preparation and assessment time is better spent on site or in a space where teachers can think more clearly.
Together, they discuss the difference between genuine planning and simply producing slides, the conditions teachers need for deep professional thinking, and why collaborative planning only works well when it is structured properly. They also examine what this debate reveals about school culture, trust, accountability and leadership.
The conversation also looks at a major new research trial led by UCL, in partnership with the Chartered College of Teaching and funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, which will explore the impact of allowing teachers to take PPA at home.
More info here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research-projects/2024/sep/impact-offsite-planning-preparation-and-assessment-ppa-teacher-retention
This is a thoughtful discussion about workload, professional trust, teacher wellbeing and what it really takes to support great teaching.
Sat, 07 Mar 2026 - 54min - 292 - February 2026: What Emerged Across the Conversations
TDaPE North West Conference Tickets: - 28th March, St Helens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Episode 276: February was another strong month for Thinking Deeply About Primary Education. In this episode, I revisit the moments, ideas and questions from February 2026 that stayed with me longest.
This is not a clip reel for the sake of it. It’s a chance to slow down, connect threads across conversations, and surface the professional ideas that feel most live right now, from classroom practice to leadership, curriculum and professional development.
If you missed any February episodes, this is your way in. If you listened to them all, this is a chance to hear them differently.
Wed, 04 Mar 2026 - 49min - 291 - Primary English: How To Lead It
TDaPE North West Conference Tickets: - 28th March, St Helens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Episode 275: What does it really mean to lead primary English well, beyond policies, monitoring and data drops?
In this episode, Kieran is joined by Tricia Moss and Sallie Stanton, authors of How to Lead It: Primary English. Together, they explore the shift from “doing lots” to leading strategically, with a relentless focus on return on learning.
You’ll hear why subject knowledge is the lever, why the text must be the beating heart of the lesson, how to think about a reading canon as a living curriculum choice, and how English leaders can decide what’s non-negotiable when competing pressures pull in different directions. Expect practical leadership principles, clear curriculum thinking, and a strong argument for why explicit teaching is not the enemy of joy in English.
Sat, 28 Feb 2026 - 1h 17min - 290 - Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools: AI Music and The Death of Creativity?
TDaPE North West Conference Tickets: - 28th March, St Helens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 274: In the third instalment of Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools, James Radburn and Neil Almond step into one of the most provocative corners of the AI debate: music.
At the centre of the episode is a large, multi-study experiment on AI-generated songs that found something many people instinctively resist...
James and Neil use that evidence as a springboard to explore what “creativity” even means in an age of generative tools, and what schools should be thinking about when students can produce polished outputs quickly.
As ever, you won't get all the answers but you'll certainly have the opportunity to think deeply about the use of AI in schools...
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 - 38min - 289 - Avoiding Snake Oil: Using the Hype Curve to Make Better Tech Decisions with Dominic Bristow
Teachers Talk Connect Preview HERE - 14th March, Manchester
TDaPE North West Conference Tickets: - 28th March, St Helens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 273: This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Dominic Bristow (Stylus) to explore the Gartner Hype Curve and what it can teach schools about decision-making in the age of AI.
We unpack why schools so often swing between inflated expectations and total disillusionment, why “AI” isn’t one thing but a stack of overlapping hype curves, and what that means for leaders trying to spend money and staff time wisely. Dominic shares why credentials and co-creation with educators matter, why “show your workings” should be a red-line expectation for any provider, and how to spot the difference between a serious product and a thin “wrapper” around a chatbot.
If you’re trying to avoid confusing excitement with impact, this one will give you a practical lens, and a better set of questions, before you commit.
Sat, 21 Feb 2026 - 45min - 288 - That's the Good News: Phones, Inclusion Bases, and a Quiet Crisis in Early Language
Teachers Talk Connect Preview HERE - 14th March, Manchester
TDaPE North West Conference Tickets: - 28th March, St Helens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
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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Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 272: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran and Elliot return with February’s education stories worth your attention, plus the ones slipping under the radar. They unpack what “phone bans” are really trying to solve, dig into the government’s push for secondary-school “inclusion bases”, and flag a speech-and-language pilot that suggests far more need is being missed than many systems are set up to handle. They also share the best blog and Substack reads of the month, from mini whiteboards done properly to reading fluency, and finish with a quick TDaPE recap.
Sat, 14 Feb 2026 - 33min - 287 - Teacher Voice, Credibility, and the Confidence Trap with Tom Rogers
Teachers Talk Connect Preview HERE - 14th March, Manchester
TDaPE North West Conference Tickets: - 28th March, St Helens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
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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Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 271: This week is a crossover episode with Tom Rogers, host of Teachers Talk Radio, and it’s one that sits right in the tension at the heart of professional development.
We talk about teacher voice, and whether it’s genuinely missing in the places that shape what “good teaching” is supposed to look like. If you’ve ever thought, I’ve got something worth sharing, but I’m not sure I’m the sort of person who gets asked, this one is for you.
Wed, 11 Feb 2026 - 58min - 286 - Can an AI Tutor Reduce Maths Anxiety? Inside Third Space Learning’s “Skye”
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Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 270: What happens when high-impact maths tutoring meets agentic AI?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Candida Crawford (Third Space Learning) to explore Skye, a “Third Space” AI maths tutor built to deliver one-to-one style spoken tutoring at scale.
Candida explains:
The problem Skye is designed to tackle.
Why Third Space moved from human-delivered tutoring to AI now and what schools actually get.
What “AI-powered” really means in this context.
And much more...
If you’re a primary leader, maths lead, or classroom teacher trying to separate real learning impact from “Wizard of Oz” AI, this is an episode designed for your questions.
Key topics: AI tutoring • maths misconceptions • verbal reasoning • scaffolding • ZPD • teacher monitoring • impact evidence • EdTech evaluation
Sat, 07 Feb 2026 - 59min - 285 - January 2026: What Emerged Across the Conversations
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 269: January was a strong month for Thinking Deeply About Primary Education.
In this episode, I revisit the moments, ideas and questions from January 2026 that stayed with me longest.This is not a clip reel for the sake of it. It’s a chance to slow down, connect threads across conversations, and surface the professional ideas that feel most live right now, from classroom practice to leadership, curriculum and professional development.
If you missed any January episodes, this is your way in.
If you listened to them all, this is a chance to hear them differently.Wed, 04 Feb 2026 - 28min - 284 - Film, Review, Refine: A Practical Guide to Teacher Self-Coaching With Lesson Video
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 268: What if your most powerful coaching tool is already in your pocket?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Jake Cowling and Will McLoughlin to explore self-coaching: recording your own lessons to improve classroom practice with precision—without spiralling into self-criticism or turning professional development into performance management.
You’ll hear how lesson video helps you spot the tiny things that quietly shape learning: the timing of an instruction, the clarity of an explanation, classroom distractions you’ve stopped noticing, and the exact moment attention drifts. Will shares three reasons video is such a high-leverage habit (spot imperfections, understand student experience, and build shareable models for colleagues), while Jake breaks down how to keep reflection rigorous, not vibes-based—by triaging the highest-impact changes first.
They also get practical: using shared frameworks (like the Great Teaching Toolkit, StepLab, WalkThrus, Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction, and Teach Like a Champion) to anchor feedback, how to share video safely, and how to keep this work low-stakes, peer-led, and supportive.
If you care about getting “a little bit better every day,” this episode gives you a clear route to start tomorrow—camera, clarity, and all.
Key topics: self-coaching, video reflection, instructional coaching, direct instruction, classroom routines, mini-whiteboards, choral response, deliberate practice, evidence-informed teaching, safeguarding, professional development culture.
Sat, 31 Jan 2026 - 46min - 283 - School Done Smarter: The Headteacher Blueprint for Sustainable Change
This episode is brought to you in association with Learning by Questions. Find the report here: https://primary.lbq.org/hub/headteacher-guide-school-improvement-top-attainment
Episode 267: This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Andy Done, headteacher of Masefield Primary, to talk through his new report, School Done Smarter: A Blueprint for Headteachers.
We start with something that’ll probably feel familiar: that instinct to jump straight into “fixing” things. Andy makes the case for slowing down first and properly diagnosing what’s going on — listening to pupils, staff and families, and trying to get to the root cause rather than treating the symptoms. He shares a moment from his first week that stopped him in his tracks.
From there, we get into culture and consistency: why culture beats strategy, why alignment matters more than compliance, and what it looks like in practice when a staff team is genuinely moving in the same direction. Andy talks about things like the teaching and learning handbook, curriculum structures that reduce workload and decision fatigue, retrieval routines (including “Flashback Fridays”), and using technology in a pedagogy-first way — including how they’ve used Learning by Questions to support assessment and feedback without adding to the burden.
We also talk about how Masefield tries to keep the bigger picture joined up: outcomes, staff wellbeing and pupil experience aren’t separate projects. Thrive, structured play, oracy and community-building all sit alongside the academic work, and the point is that they reinforce each other.
If you’re leading in school (or thinking about it), there’s a lot here that’s practical — the kind of ideas you can pinch and adapt straight away.
Wed, 28 Jan 2026 - 40min - 282 - That's the Good News: Inclusion, belonging, autonomy and more...
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 266: This week sees the launch of a new monthly format on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, as Kieran is joined by Elliot Morgan to make sense of what’s been happening across education over the past month.
Rather than chasing headlines, this episode slows things down. We look first at the stories that genuinely feel like progress, including new SEND funding signals, a national professional development programme focused on inclusive practice, the announcement of the National Year of Reading, and early conversations about the role AI might play in exam marking. Alongside optimism, there’s scepticism too, particularly around scale, delivery, and whether headline funding ever truly reaches classrooms.
The conversation then turns to a story that deserves far more attention than it’s getting: the sharp rise in elective home education. With a 15% increase in a single year, we explore what this trend might be telling us about inclusion, belonging, mental health, and the relationship between families and schools in a post-Covid system.
There’s space for lighter moments too. The introduction of new segments includes a nod to a friend of the podcast appearing on national television, and the revival of long-form educational writing. Elliot and Kieran recommend the most thought-provoking blogs and newsletters of the month, spanning cognition, leadership, autonomy, EAL provision, and the overlooked craft of running parents’ evenings well.
The episode closes with a reflection on a busy month for #TDaPE itself, including the London conference, recent podcast episodes, and what stood out most from conversations with teachers, leaders, and speakers.
A slower episode. A wider lens. And a reminder that there is still a lot worth paying attention to in education.
Sat, 24 Jan 2026 - 46min - 281 - The Hidden Barriers for Left-Handed Pupils (and what the Writing Framework means in practice)
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 265: Left-handed pupils are often judged on messy pages, slow fluency, and “awkward grips”—but what if the real issue isn’t the child… it’s the instruction?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Mark Stewart (Left n Write UK)—a contributor to the Writing Framework and long-time advocate for left-handed learners. Mark explains why left-handers face built-in challenges in left-to-right writing systems, and how small changes in paper angle, seating, grip, and modelling can remove barriers fast.
You’ll hear practical classroom strategies to prevent smudging, “hooked” writing, discomfort and fatigue, and copying difficulties—plus why teachers need to look beyond the finished page and focus on how writing is produced. Mark also shares two unforgettable letters: one from a 13-year-old whose writing changed after 10 minutes of guidance, and another from a woman in her 70s reflecting on a lifetime of unnecessary struggle.
If you teach EYFS/KS1 or support handwriting across primary, this episode is a must-listen for inclusive, evidence-informed practice.
Key themes: left-handed writing, handwriting technique, grip, letter formation, teacher training/CPD, cross-laterality, writing framework implications, classroom adaptations.
Sat, 17 Jan 2026 - 42min - 280 - Performance ≠ Learning: What recent research says about maths apps for struggling learners
TDaPE London Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-london-tickets-1852637682179?aff=oddtdtcreator
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 264: What happens when a maths app “works” in the moment… but pupils can’t do the same maths the next day on paper?
In this episode, Kieran Mackle and Stuart Welsh dig into a systematic review and meta-analysis on digital mathematics interventions for learners with mathematical learning difficulties/disabilities. They unpack what the evidence suggests (and what it doesn’t), why outcomes vary wildly across studies, and how schools can avoid buying into shiny “silver bullet” claims.
Key themes include:
Why “generally positive” results still hide a real risk of negative impact
The difference between performance in-app and learning that transfers
Mobile vs laptop: what the studies show (and what we’re only guessing)
A simple decision lens
What research still needs to answer so teachers aren’t forced to guess
If you’re a primary teacher, maths lead, SENCo, or school leader weighing up edtech spending, this conversation will help you be both evidence-aware and implementation-smart.
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 - 45min - 279 - TDaPE London: What Do You Go To When Everything Looks Good?
TDaPE London Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-london-tickets-1852637682179?aff=oddtdtcreator
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 263: This week is a proper behind-the-scenes look at TDaPE London.
I’m joined by Lacey Cousins and Natalie Stevenson from the Hawley and Eleanor Palmer Primary partnership, our host schools in Camden, to walk through the programme and talk honestly about how you choose sessions when everything looks brilliant on paper.
We get into what makes a day like this genuinely useful: not just big names, but specific ideas you can take back on Monday. Retrieval practice that actually improves assessment in foundation subjects. Professional development that helps teachers make better in-the-moment decisions. Number sense and what it really means in classrooms. AI, character education, continuous provision, early writing foundations, culture-setting, games for fluency, and why problem solving still gets squeezed out even when everyone agrees it matters.
We also talk about the underestimated magic of conferences: the corridor conversations, the “happy accident” of ending up in the wrong room, and how a single session can re-energise your whole January.
Tickets are still on sale at the time of recording, lunch is sorted, the raffle is ready, and every speaker is giving their time to help us raise money for the Velindre Cancer Centre.
Sat, 10 Jan 2026 - 1h 00min - 278 - AI in Schools 2026: Predictions, Policy, and What Might Actually Scale
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 262: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools, James Radburn and Neil Almond start by looking back at “Education Technology Trends to Watch in 2025” and ask what truly moved, what stayed theoretical, and why AI-driven personalised learning still hasn’t landed at scale. They dig into a crucial question: what do we even mean by “personalised”—better sequencing and timing of knowledge, or just swapping examples based on interests?
Next, they run a fun (and revealing) experiment: asking multiple LLMs—ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek—what they predict about AI in schools, from AI detection dying off to AI showing up more in policy than classroom practice.
Then the hosts give their own six predictions for 2026, covering lots of possibilities for the next 12 months.
A practical, slightly sceptical, educator-first episode about what’s next—and how schools can innovate without getting governed by AI instead.
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 - 39min - 277 - Behaviour, Trust, Transparency: Leading in challenging circumstances
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 261: What does your first year in headship really look like when you inherit a school in special measures, with an unstable leadership history, significant behaviour challenges, and the pressure of Ofsted hanging over every decision?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Olivia Dempsey to unpack the tension every new head feels: make an instant impact to establish credibility… while also building prudent, sustainable systems that last beyond year one.
Olivia shares what she prioritised first (and what she refused to rush), why behaviour became the lever that unlocked everything else, and how radical transparency—about the budget, the strategy, and the hard realities—helped rebuild trust with staff. She also speaks candidly about redundancies, the emotional toll of leadership, and why modern headship increasingly includes safeguarding, community support, and “whatever it takes” problem-solving.
You’ll hear practical insights on:
building staff trust through purposeful listening
balancing quick wins with long-term strategy
improving behaviour to protect teaching and learning
recruiting and rebuilding teams under pressure
leading in contexts of high vulnerability and poverty
why headship can’t be done well without community networks
If you’re a new headteacher, aspiring head, senior leader, or a teacher curious about school improvement in real conditions, this one will land.
Sat, 03 Jan 2026 - 33min - 276 - The Honest DSL with Hannah Carter
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 260: In this episode, I’m joined by Hannah Carter, author of The Honest DSL, for a candid and thoughtful discussion about what the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead really involves beyond the statutory training and checklists.
We explore the emotional weight of the role, the cumulative impact of safeguarding work over time, and the professional isolation that many DSLs quietly carry. Hannah reflects on why honesty matters in safeguarding conversations, how hypervigilance can bleed into everyday practice, and why the role often has a shelf life that schools are reluctant to acknowledge.
This is not an episode about procedures or compliance. It is a conversation about responsibility, professional identity and what it means to hold safeguarding at the centre of school life while remaining human. Essential listening for DSLs, senior leaders and anyone who wants a more realistic understanding of the role.
Sat, 27 Dec 2025 - 42min - 275 - A Model for Collaborative Planning with Lewis Sargent and Matthew Lee
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 259: What happens if you stop asking every teacher to plan in isolation, stop relying on heroic individuals, and build a genuinely shared planning system across an international school?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Lewis Sargent and Matthew Lee from Wales International School in the UAE to dig into the nuts and bolts of collaborative planning, PLCs and teacher workload.
Lewis and Matt describe how they have moved from uneven, individualised planning to a system where subject teams plan ten days ahead, quality assurance is built in, and every teacher has protected time to adapt high quality plans for their classes. They talk through what their professional learning communities actually do, how cross phase observation works in practice, and why everything they have put in place is grounded in theory rather than hunch.
Across the conversation they explore:
Why planning across the school was so variable when they arrived, and why they wanted a single planning vehicle everyone could use
How the new planning cycle works, including ten day lead time, subject leader checks and sharing plans with parents in advance
What their PLCs look like week to week, and why previous experiences of PLCs often left teachers cold
The concrete impact on teacher workload, confidence and the quality of lessons
The challenges and unintended consequences of system change, including staff turnover, curriculum reform and supporting weaker teachers
Their advice for leaders who want to ringfence collaborative planning time without breaking timetables or budgets
If you are thinking about centralised planning, shared schemes, or how to make professional learning less random and more coherent, this episode offers a detailed case study from a busy international school context.
Sat, 20 Dec 2025 - 42min - 274 - Handwriting, the 2025 Writing Framework, and Reluctant Writers with Nicky Parr
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 258: Handwriting has quietly slipped into the shadows of reading and phonics, yet the new Writing Framework (July 2025) places it firmly back in view. It expects teachers to model good handwriting across the curriculum, not just in a weekly handwriting slot, and asks leaders to take responsibility for getting it right. But what does that actually look like in real classrooms, with real children and very real workload?
In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by handwriting specialist Nicky Parr to explore why handwriting still matters, how it connects to the new Writing Framework, and what schools can practically do for pupils who find writing physically and emotionally hard.
Drawing on her experience as a teacher, a parent of a neurodivergent child, and a consultant working in schools, Nicky unpicks the hidden complexity of handwriting. She explains why it is not a simple “neat or messy” issue, but a demanding motor and cognitive skill that draws heavily on attention, posture, paper position, pen hold and practice habits. Along the way, she tackles common assumptions, including the idea that typing has made handwriting obsolete, and the quiet shame many adults carry about their own handwriting.
Across the conversation they discuss:
How Nicky’s journey with her son’s coordination and attention needs led her into specialist handwriting work
Why so many children become reluctant writers because handwriting is painful, effortful or a source of embarrassment
What the 2025 Writing Framework actually says about modelling handwriting and leadership responsibility
The key things Nicky looks for when she walks into a classroom: pen grip, paper and book position, posture, use of lines and the children who are quietly hiding
Why we have “pitched handwriting and typing against each other” and what a more balanced, research-informed view looks like
How schools can build simple, sustainable routines that support handwriting without overwhelming staff
If you are a literacy lead, class teacher or school leader wondering how to respond to the new Writing Framework, or you have a nagging sense that handwriting is holding some pupils back from showing what they can do, this episode offers both reassurance and clear next steps.
Sat, 13 Dec 2025 - 1h 00min - 273 - Building a Whole School EAL System for Multilingual Learners with Dr Robert Sharples
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Learn more about Heddle - https://www.heddle-eal.com/
Visit Heddle.link/TDAPE to go straight to the free Heddle community.
Episode 257: Supporting multilingual learners is never just about one intervention or one brilliant teacher. It lives or dies in the systems that sit behind every lesson, every admission and every decision a school makes.
In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Dr Robert Sharples to unpack the Heddle System, a whole school approach to English as an Additional Language (EAL) that ties together admissions, assessment, classroom practice and targeted support into one coherent framework.
Drawing on Rob’s work as an academic, author and co founder of Heddle, they explore what it really takes to build EAL provision that works for every multilingual learner, not just the ones who shout loudest for attention.
Across the conversation they dig into questions such as:
What are the expectations every teacher should meet for multilingual learners in their classroom?
How can schools design tiered EAL provision that does not leave the EAL team doing everything for everyone?
Where should you start if your current EAL offer is fragmented, informal or entirely dependent on one heroic colleague?
How can admissions, assessment and record keeping stop being a black hole and start becoming the engine of effective support?
What is a sensible, evidence informed stance on AI translation tools for students, staff and families?
If you are an EAL lead, SENCo, senior leader or classroom teacher who wants to move from well intentioned bolt ons to a joined up system for multilingual learners, this episode gives you a practical blueprint for what to focus on next.
Sat, 06 Dec 2025 - 51min - 272 - Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools: Alpha School
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Episode 256: This week, I am delighted to launch a new #TDaPE series, Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools. Landing on the first Wednesday of each English school term, this format will see Neil Almond and James Radburn tackle the biggest questions facing schools about artificial intelligence in a period of constant change and pressure for the sector.
In this pilot edition, Neil and James turn their attention to Alpha School, the much-talked-about AI-powered private school. Is it a passing fad, or the first glimpse of a new era in education?
Listen in to find out what it might mean for schools like yours and join the conversation in the comments, wherever you are listening.
Sat, 29 Nov 2025 - 34min - 271 - It’s the Thought that Counts: Why Learning to Count Is More Complex Than You Think
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 22 Nov 2025 - 22min - 270 - Succeeding as Deputy Head with Chris Passey and Adam Kohlbeck
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 15 Nov 2025 - 1h 18min - 269 - Play Time: Neurodivergence, psychological safety and creativity in the classroom
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 08 Nov 2025 - 50min - 268 - Iterative Lesson Design: A Practical Cycle for Teacher Growth with Stuart Welsh
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
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 01 Nov 2025 - 29min - 267 - What We Asked. What We Learned: TDaPE in Term One 2025
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 (Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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 understandingNo summaries. No soundbites. Just the questions that sparked our most interesting conversations this term.
Sat, 25 Oct 2025 - 54min - 266 - The Power of Maths Journaling with Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond
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 (Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923
For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 18 Oct 2025 - 33min - 265 - Mathematical Talk: The Heartbeat of Classroom Thinking (with Amy How)
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 support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 11 Oct 2025 - 35min - 264 - Teacher Writers with Andy McHugh
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 04 Oct 2025 - 34min - 263 - Accessible by Default: In Action
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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...
Mon, 29 Sep 2025 - 43min - 262 - What the science of learning teaches us about arithmetic fluency with John Jackson
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
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.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 - 41min - 261 - The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading
Social Media Links:
Doug
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglemov
· X: @Doug_Lemov ; https://x.com/doug_lemov?lang=en
· Blog: https://teachlikeachampion.org/blog/
Erica
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-woolway-44901130/
· X: https://x.com/ericawoolway?lang=en
Colleen
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-driggs-09903559/
· X: https://x.com/colleendriggs?lang=en
TLAC guide to TSOR Links:
Buy the book: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Teach+Like+a+Champion+Guide+to+the+Science+of+Reading%3A+Translating+Research+to+Reignite+Joy+and+Meaning+in+the+Classroom-p-9781394305995
Pilot the Reading Reconsidered Curriculum – available to purchase just one unit for £590 : https://teachlikeachampion.org/reading-reconsidered-curriculum/
Come to our workshops: https://teachlikeachampion.org/training/workshops/
Have us come lead training for you (in-person or remotely): https://share.hsforms.com/1w8SlL9vPRuq30hsy_6JUWgs3y4d?__hstc=65301169.251c3eb934a8f6dab79aeafc7cae4ab1.1727899617348.1757098518554.1757340098147.227&__hssc=65301169.2.1757340098147&__hsfp=3474073941
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 support@alta-education.com
Episode 245: This week on TDaPE, Kieran is joined by Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, Erica Woolway and Chris Such for an exploration of the "Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading."
They discuss, fluent reading as a gateway to understanding, how small, well chosen knowledge moves support demanding texts, lesson design that keeps eyes on the page and thinking on the author’s words, and much, much more...
When fluency, knowledge and text choice are aligned, comprehension accelerates, discussion deepens and planning gets lighter, lesson by lesson.
This episode is recommended listening for classroom teachers, literacy leads and senior leaders who want reading lessons that do more with less noise, and anyone reshaping curricula so students read harder texts with greater confidence.
Sat, 13 Sep 2025 - 51min - 260 - Curriculum Thinking: International Perspectives with Lucy Crehan
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 support@alta-education.com
Episode 244: This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Lucy Crehan, author of Cleverlands and international education consultant. Together they explore the unique features of the curriculum in the north of Ireland, the historical and political context that shaped it, and the lessons it might hold for systems elsewhere. The conversation ranges from curriculum design and teacher autonomy to international comparisons, providing both depth and practical insights for teachers and leaders seeking to understand how education systems evolve. Whether you are interested in the north of Ireland specifically or in the broader question of what makes a curriculum effective, this episode will give you plenty to think about.
Sat, 06 Sep 2025 - 46min - 259 - Implementing the Writing Framework with Care and Balance
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
Click for tickets to TDaPE Conference Cymru
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Episode 243: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Kieran is joined by Adam Lowing to unpack the DfE’s Writing Framework. They cut through the noise to clarify what it actually says, how to transition without chaos, and why sentence-level precision and transcription fluency strengthen, rather than stifle, imagination. Across implementation, assessment pressures and subject leadership, they share a balanced, practical path to building confident writers.
Sat, 30 Aug 2025 - 36min - 258 - Calm, Consistent, and Certain: Building Better Behaviour in Primary
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Episode 242: What does it take to create classrooms where students feel safe, calm, and ready to learn every day? In this conversation, Liv Dempsey, Tom Oakley, and Charles Bankovitz join Kieran Mackle to explore the principles and practices that make behaviour systems effective and sustainable. They discuss why certainty matters more than severity, how to use language that de-escalates without lowering expectations, and the routines that prevent issues before they arise. The panel also unpick common misconceptions around trauma-informed approaches, the leadership decisions that reassure staff they will be backed, and the culture that reduces teacher stress. Packed with insights from research and lived experience, this episode is for anyone seeking behaviour approaches that work reliably in the day-to-day reality of primary classrooms.
Sat, 23 Aug 2025 - 56min - 257 - Accessible by Default: An Inclusive Teaching Discussion
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Episode 241: This week on #TDaPE, Kieran and Chris speak with Peps Mccreaand Jen Barkerabout their new discussion paper with Josh Goodrich, exploring how to make classroom teaching accessible by default.
They examine the pressures in the system, why broad labels and generic interventions miss the mark, and how better core instruction reduces the need for downstream fixes.
Along the way the team touch on equity of access to provision, the Ofsted framework, and what it would take for policy, assessment, and inspection to pull in the same direction.
In this episode: teacher workload and confidence, diagnosis versus teaching quality, the limits of fidget spinners and coloured overlays, early maths learning trajectories, and why small presentational choices make a big difference to students with reading difficulties or specific needs.
Sat, 16 Aug 2025 - 1h 12min - 256 - Reforming Lessons: Sir Nick Gibb on Evidence, Policy, and Change in Education
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 support@alta-education.com
Episode 240: In this special episode, Kieran Mackle is joined by the Right Honourable Sir Nick Gibb to discuss his remarkable tenure as Schools Minister and the ideas behind his new book, Reforming Lessons.
Together, they explore the political and personal journey that led him to the Department for Education, the challenges of implementing reform in the face of entrenched ideologies, and the principles that have guided his approach to raising educational standards. From the battle against low expectations to the importance of evidence-informed policy, Sir Nick offers candid reflections on more than a decade of shaping England’s education system.
This is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the most influential figures in recent education history, in his own words.
Sat, 09 Aug 2025 - 1h 06min - 255 - The Illustrated Guide to Pedagogy with Fin Wilson and Jane Miller
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 support@alta-education.com
Episode 239: In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Fin Wilson and Jane Miller of Impact Wales. Together they explore the shifting educational landscapes in England and Wales, the ongoing debates around the science of teaching reading, and the professional development needs of teachers navigating new curricula. The conversation ranges from the role of cognitive science in shaping pedagogy to the challenges of implementing reform across different national contexts. With references to key texts and experiences in the classroom, the discussion highlights both the opportunities and the frustrations that educators face when research, policy, and practice do not always align.
Sat, 02 Aug 2025 - 52min - 254 - More Than Flags and Rainbows: Part Two – From Foundations to Implementation
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For maths curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Episode 238: In this second part of our conversation with Ian Timbrell, Thinking Deeply about Primary Education shifts from theory to action. After laying the groundwork for meaningful inclusion in Part One, this episode explores what successful implementation looks like in schools and classrooms.
Kieran and Ian unpick the practical side of inclusive education – how to move from well-meaning intentions to tangible change. They explore:
What makes implementation meaningful, not just performative
The difference between school-level and classroom-level approaches
How to support staff confidence while respecting professional boundaries
The role of leadership and modelling in shaping inclusive cultures
If you’re wondering how to embed inclusion authentically this episode provides thoughtful, experience-based insight.
Sat, 26 Jul 2025 - 41min - 253 - More Than Flags and Rainbows: Meaningful LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Schools with Ian Timbrell
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Episode 237: What does meaningful LGBTQ+ inclusion look like in a primary school setting? In this thought-provoking episode, Kieran is joined by educator, consultant and author Ian Timbrell to unpack a topic which, if we're not careful, can often be reduced to symbolic gestures and one-off lessons. Drawing on his recent book More Than Flags and Rainbows, Ian explores how schools can move beyond superficial displays of support to embed authentic, consistent inclusion across curriculum, culture and community.
Together, they tackle the most common misconceptions about LGBTQ+ representation in education, the barriers that prevent teachers from feeling confident in this area, and the strategies schools can use to ensure every student feels seen, safe and valued. This conversation offers practical advice for teachers and leaders at all stages of their journey, and highlights the importance of visibility, curriculum integration, and ongoing reflection.
Whether your school is just starting to think about LGBTQ+ inclusion or is already embedding this work, Ian’s clarity, honesty and deep understanding will leave you better equipped to take action that makes a difference.
Sat, 19 Jul 2025 - 47min - 252 - Inside the 2025 Writing Framework: Jane Considine on the Future of Writing Instruction
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Episode 236: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Jane Considine, creator of The Write Stuff and one of the architects behind the new national writing framework. Together, they explore what the framework means for classroom practice, how teachers can navigate the shift confidently, and why Jane believes writing deserves our urgent attention.
With over 17 years of experience in teaching and leading writing improvement in thousands of schools, Jane brings passion, clarity, and practical insight to a conversation that could not be more timely. Whether you're a classroom teacher, school leader, or literacy lead, this episode offers the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.
🖋️ Why the new writing framework could be a game-changer
📚 Common misconceptions about writing instruction
👩🏫 Practical steps to raise standards in every classroom
🔎 What Jane wishes every teacher knew about teaching writingDon't miss this deep dive into writing pedagogy, curriculum leadership, and the future of literacy in primary schools.
Sat, 12 Jul 2025 - 57min - 251 - Time for Reflection: Disciplinary literacy, supporting new literacy leads and the role of coaching in the school-improvement eco-system
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In Episode 235 of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we look back at three of the questions that really got me thinking in the first half of 2025. Covering themes from disciplinary literacy with Juli Ryzop, to supporting new literacy leads with Chris Such, all the way to the role of coaching in the school-improvement eco-system with Alex Gingell. It's extremely difficult to choose three questions from the hundred or so I have asked already this year but hopefully they can act as an opportunity for reflection as we all arrive at the end of the academic year.
Sat, 05 Jul 2025 - 40min - 250 - A Language Pedagogy Deep Dive: Teaching Welsh in English-Medium Schools
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In Episode 234 of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Matthias Maurer to explore the teaching of Welsh as a second language in English-medium primary schools. Drawing on Matthias’s extensive classroom experience and expertise in language pedagogy, the conversation examines:
The challenges and opportunities of teaching Welsh in non-Welsh-speaking contexts
What effective second language instruction looks like at primary level
How cultural identity and curriculum design intersect in language learning
The implications for language policy and planning across the UK and beyond
Whether you're a classroom teacher, a curriculum leader, or simply curious about multilingualism in education, this episode offers thoughtful insights and practical takeaways.
📌 Subscribe, share, and join the conversation.
Sat, 28 Jun 2025 - 53min - 249 - From Maths Anxiety to Maths Advocacy: Leading Sustainable Change in Schools
In Episode 233 of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Jon Cripwell, Primary Maths National Education Lead at Twinkl and long-time collaborator with the NCETM. Together they explore Jon’s unconventional path into teaching, how struggling with maths led him to become a passionate advocate for the subject, and the vital role of empathy in subject leadership. The conversation offers powerful insights into supporting anxious teachers, fostering meaningful CPD, and sustaining curricular change across school contexts.
Listeners will gain:
First-hand reflections on transforming maths anxiety into instructional strength
Practical strategies for building confidence in colleagues reluctant to teach upper Key Stage 2 maths
Lessons on sustaining professional growth beyond formal roles
Whether you're a school leader, maths lead, or CPD enthusiast, this episode offers a grounded look at what it really takes to lead meaningful, lasting change.
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 curriculum questions contact us here or via support@alta-education.com
Support TDaPE: www.ko‑fi.com/tdape
Sat, 21 Jun 2025 - 49min - 248 - Conceptual Clarity: A Conversation with Pete Mattock
Episode 232: 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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This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we’re joined by Pete Mattock, author of Visible Maths, Conceptual Maths, and Leading Maths. Together we explore what it really means to understand mathematics conceptually, what leaders need to know to support that understanding.
With nearly two decades in the classroom, involvement with the NCETM's first cohort of Mastery Specialists, and a deep commitment to making mathematics meaningful, Pete offers insights that bridge both primary and secondary contexts. We discuss planning, the importance of coherence, and what mathematics education might look like when clarity and purpose come first.
Whether you’re a new teacher, an experienced leader, or simply passionate about mathematics education, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Sat, 14 Jun 2025 - 47min - 247 - Curriculum Coherence or Curricular Chaos?
Episode 231:
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In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we explore the 2025 paper "Curriculum and Mathematical Coherence" , a thought-provoking critique of how early number is introduced in national curricula.
The paper argues that modern mathematics curricula (on a national level) lean too heavily on counting as the dominant conceptual foundation for number, often at the expense of coherence and conceptual progression. It draws a direct line from mid-20th century "New Math" reforms to today’s fragmented curriculum structures, raising questions about what we teach, how we sequence it, and what this means for the learners in front of us.
We discuss:
Why “counting ≠ the whole story” when it comes to early number
How and when coherence was lost, and what we can do to recover it
The persistent tension between curriculum design and classroom practice
What their analysis means for subject leaders
Practical implications for primary teachers, maths leads, and those developing or critiquing maths schemes
Whether you’re a curriculum thinker, subject lead, or classroom teacher keen to understand the research shaping mathematics education, this episode offers critical reflection and concrete takeaways.
Sat, 07 Jun 2025 - 35min - 246 - From the Classroom to Leadership: Building Cultures that Thrive
Episode 230:
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In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Stuart Welsh is joined by Sana Syed, an experienced Early Years educator and school leader, for a conversation that explores the journey from classroom practitioner to influential team leader.
With over a decade of experience, including more than ten years at NGS and a formative stint teaching seven-year-olds, Sana shares the pivotal moments that shaped her approach to teaching and leadership. We delve into what inspired her to step into leadership, the values that guide her practice, and the importance of creating a reflective, supportive school culture where mistakes are seen as opportunities to grow.
We also discuss:
How school leaders can cultivate trust and collaboration within their teams
The role of ongoing professional learning in sustaining motivation and joy
Advice for emerging leaders ready to make a broader impact
Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a seasoned practitioner, or someone passionate about the Early Years, this episode offers rich insights into what it means to lead with purpose, curiosity, and care.
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, or consider supporting the podcast via www.ko-fi.com/tdape. You can also join the conversation in our Discord community, where educators from around the world share ideas and questions.
Sat, 31 May 2025 - 32min - 245 - Beyond Sentence Stems: Deep Scaffolding for Inclusive Literacy
Episode 229:
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In this instalment of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I welcome Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb back to the podcast to explore scaffolding in reading, writing and oracy. Drawing on insights from their forthcoming book The Scaffolding Effect: Supporting All Students to Succeed (Routledge, July 2025) Routledge, the conversation unpicks how purposeful, time-limited support can elevate both oracy and literacy. We delve into:
why structured talk is the gateway to high-quality writing
practical routines that fade, rather than fossilise, support
aligning scaffolds with cognitive load theory and adaptive teaching
avoiding common misconceptions such as over-prompts and dependency traps
actionable takeaways that busy teachers can try on Monday morning
Whether you are refining sentence-level work or nurturing whole-class dialogue, this episode offers a research-informed blueprint for helping every pupil find their voice on the page and in the room.
Sat, 24 May 2025 - 51min - 244 - Three Lessons Learned from Three Years in Deputy Headship
Episode 228: Three Lessons Learned from Three Years in Deputy Headship
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In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Tom Oakley as he reflects on three years in deputy headship and the lessons that have shaped his thinking as a school leader.
Across the episode, Tom explores what it means to support teachers through sustained change, manage growth in a dynamic school environment, and address the real (rather than ideal) needs of a school community. From navigating an Ofsted inspection to leading a growing school through difficult data and complex transitions, Tom shares the leadership insights forged in the realities of everyday school life.
We discuss:
The power of coaching in supporting teacher development
Designing and implementing a Wellbeing Curriculum from the ground up
Lessons learned about leadership, change management, and meeting context-specific challenges
The gap between what leaders want to happen and what actually needs to happen
Whether you’re an aspiring leader, new to senior leadership, or supporting leaders within your school, this is an honest, reflective conversation that bridges theory and the lived experience of leadership in primary schools.
If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to leave a review, subscribe to the YouTube channel, or join the conversation on our Discord server.
Sat, 17 May 2025 - 47min - 243 - Lessons learned from a classroom sabbatical with Lisa Coe
Archive 011+2: In this archive edition of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, primary mathematics expert, Lisa Coe returns to share the lessons she learned by taking a break from the classroom to work for a company supporting schools and teachers with their mathematics professional development.
Whether you’re new to teaching or a seasoned professional, this conversation offers a gateway into the kind of learning that can take place on an education sabbatical.
Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a rating and review to help fellow educators discover the show. We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your reflections wherever you listen.
#PrimaryEducation #EducationalResearch #TeacherDevelopment #EvidenceInformedPractice #EducationPodcast #ElementaryEducation
Wed, 14 May 2025 - 09min - 242 - Thinking Deeply about Conceptual Understanding
Episode 227: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by mathematics educator and doctoral researcher Will Mcloughlin to explore the complex and vital theme of conceptual understanding in mathematics education. Drawing on his teaching experience in the UAE and his academic research into how conceptual understanding develops, particularly through the use of animations, Will shares insights that challenge surface-level thinking and encourage educators to think more deeply about the knowledge their students are building.
We discuss:
– What conceptual understanding really means and why definitions matter
– How Will developed his own definition through doctoral research
– The challenges of developing conceptual understanding in the classroom
– The potential role of visual tools and animations in fostering deeper comprehension
– Practical implications for classroom teachers and curriculum designersIf you’ve ever wondered whether your students are truly making connections or simply memorising procedures, this episode will offer food for thought and practical guidance to support your professional thinking.
If you enjoy this episode, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or making a donation via www.ko-fi.com/tdape. You can also join our community on Discord, where conversations like this continue throughout the week.
For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the What You Reading Fornewsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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Sat, 10 May 2025 - 39min - 241 - School-wide maths improvement with Lisa Coe
Archive 012: In this archive edition of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, primary mathematics expert, Lisa Coe returns to share her thoughts on implementing change on a school-wide level.
Whether you’re new to teaching or a seasoned professional, this conversation offers a gateway into the kind of thinking that shapes high-quality classroom practice across the globe.
Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a rating and review to help fellow educators discover the show. We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your reflections wherever you listen.
#PrimaryEducation #EducationalResearch #TeacherDevelopment #EvidenceInformedPractice #EducationPodcast #TeachingTips #ElementaryEducation
Wed, 07 May 2025 - 07min - 240 - Literacy Leadership, Testing and Disciplinary Reading with Chris Such
In this special episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Chris Such returns to tackle three brilliant questions from our listeners, exploring the intersection of pedagogy, leadership, and literacy development. Drawing on years of research and classroom experience, we dive into some of the most commonly debated areas of primary practice:
Should we go through test papers with the whole class a few days after the assessment?
How might we support a new literacy lead during their first twelve weeks, ensuring fidelity to new reading structures while maintaining teacher ownership?
What routines support disciplinary reading once decoding is fluent, and how can we embed these without narrowing the curriculum?If you're a classroom teacher, subject leader, or school leader with an interest in making reading instruction as effective and inclusive as possible, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
If you enjoy this episode, please consider subscribing on your favourite platform, leaving a review, or supporting us via ko-fi.com/tdape. Join the conversation on our Discord server and never miss an unseen question submission!
Click for tickets to TDaPE Conference Cymru
Sat, 03 May 2025 - 31min - 239 - The One Paper Every Primary Teacher Should Read – with Lloyd Williams-Jones
Archive Episode 011:
In this archive edition of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, expert leader and education research enjoyer, Lloyd Williams-Jones returns to share the research paper he believes every primary teacher should read. More than just a recommendation, Lloyd breaks down why this paper matters, how it connects to everyday classroom practice, and what makes it so transformative for teachers at all stages of their careers.
In this episode, you'll find out:
Which research paper Lloyd believes is essential reading for all primary educators.
How the ideas within it translate to real-world classroom impact.
Why engaging with educational research is vital for professional growth in the UK, the US, and internationally.
Whether you’re new to teaching or a seasoned professional, this conversation offers a gateway into the kind of research that shapes high-quality classroom practice across the globe.
Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a rating and review to help fellow educators discover the show. We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your reflections wherever you listen.
#PrimaryEducation #EducationalResearch #TeacherDevelopment #EvidenceInformedPractice #EducationPodcast #TeachingTips #ElementaryEducation
Wed, 30 Apr 2025 - 11min - 238 - From Planning to Practice: Mastering Professional Development Design
Episode 225: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Stuart Welsh to explore what it takes to design effective professional development sessions that truly make an impact.
We discuss the thought processes behind planning professional development episodes, the models that can scaffold effective session design, common mistakes to avoid, and the essential ingredients for creating professional development that resonates with teachers and leads to lasting change.
Whether you're a school leader, professional development facilitator, or teacher interested in improving how professional learning is delivered, this conversation is packed with practical insights and reflections from Stuart’s experience.
If you enjoy this episode, please consider subscribing on your favourite platform, leaving a review, or supporting us via ko-fi.com/tdape. Join the conversation on our Discord server and never miss an unseen question submission!
Sat, 26 Apr 2025 - 30min - 237 - Driving School-Wide Change with Lloyd Williams-Jones
Archive 010:
In this archive episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we revisit a powerful response to a question about school-wide change with education leader Lloyd Williams-Jones. Lloyd explores exactly what it means - and takes - to successfully instigate and sustain meaningful change across an entire school community. Drawing from extensive leadership experience, Lloyd provides practical insights into managing school-wide improvements effectively.
Whether you're an educator or school leader in the UK, US, or beyond, this episode offers invaluable guidance for creating lasting improvements in your educational environment.
Enjoying the podcast? Leave a rating and review - it helps educators worldwide discover our content. Share your feedback wherever you listen!
#PrimaryEducation #SchoolLeadership #ChangeManagement #EducationPodcast #TeachingTips #InternationalSchools #ElementaryEducation
Wed, 23 Apr 2025 - 12min - 236 - Standing Room Only – Deconstructing Word Problems by Gareth Metcalfe
Episode 224: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we bring you a special "Standing Room Only" session led by Gareth Metcalfe. Following last week's discussion, Gareth returns to walk us through the thinking and practicalities behind his project Deconstructing Word Problems.
In this CPD-style talk, Gareth shares:
The rationale behind deconstructing word problems and the need for a consistent approach.How slow reveal, minimally different examples, and visual representations can help pupils process mathematical structure more effectively.The importance of carefully designed variation and redundant information in promoting deeper understanding.How his classroom-tested materials are structured and how teachers can implement them meaningfully in classroomsThis episode is ideal for teachers, maths leads, and school leaders interested in deepening mathematical reasoning and improving outcomes through carefully designed problem-solving experiences.
For more info, visit: https://iseemaths.com/deconwq2
To watch on YouTube click here
Vision page: https://www.iseemaths.com/problemsolvers/
If you enjoy this episode, please support the podcast by subscribing on YouTube, leaving a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or making a donation via www.ko-fi.com/tdape. Join the conversation over on our Discord server.
Sat, 19 Apr 2025 - 29min - 235 - Deconstructing Word Problems with Gareth Metcalfe
Episode 223: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Gareth Metcalfe and Elliot Morgan to explore the ideas behind Gareth's latest project: Deconstructing Word Problems. After three years of development and classroom testing, Gareth shares the thinking and pedagogy that underpin his approach to designing word problems that genuinely help students understand mathematical structures—not just guess at operations.
We discuss:
The process of breaking down worded questions so that children can process them more effectively.
How to design lessons that go beyond isolated word problems and towards connected, meaningful experiences.
The role of visual modelling, slow reveal tasks, and redundant information in developing mathematical thinking.
Pitfalls teachers often encounter when adapting word problems and how to avoid them.
How teachers and schools can get the most out of Gareth’s new resources at icmaths.com/deconwq2.
Whether you’re a teacher looking to refine your use of word problems or a maths lead developing school-wide consistency, this episode is packed with practical insight and classroom-tested strategies.
If you enjoy this episode, please support us by subscribing to our YouTube channel, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or making a donation via www.ko-fi.com/tdape.
Join the discussion on Discord via our unseen question submission channel.
Sat, 12 Apr 2025 - 39min - 234 - Teaching Through Comparison: What Works and When?
This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Emma Lindley-Thompson and John Jackson dive into a landmark study by Bethany Rittle-Johnson and Jon Star: Does comparing solution methods facilitate conceptual and procedural knowledge?
We explore:
The premise of the study and how the researchers tested their hypothesis through equation-solving tasks.
Key findings that shed light on the benefits and challenges of comparing solution methods.
Where the responsibility lies—should the teacher or the curriculum initiate comparison-based learning?
Whether and how teachers can balance direct instruction with opportunities for pupils to explore and compare independently.
How we might adapt these findings for the primary classroom, ensuring comparisons support learning without overwhelming students.
This episode offers valuable insights for anyone teaching mathematics, developing curriculum, or interested in research-informed approaches to deepening conceptual understanding.
If you enjoy this episode, please support us by subscribing to our YouTube channel, leaving a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or making a donation via www.ko-fi.com/tdape. Join the discussion on our Discord server!
Sat, 05 Apr 2025 - 1h 00min
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