SATURDAY 15 MARCH 2025, BRACKNELL SATURDAY 21 JUNE 2025, NOTTINGHAM SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER 2025, MANCHESTER
Helen Maden-Sheridan
@fastmaths123.bsky.social
Creator of ‘Fast Maths’. 42 Maths/Spelling Books published by Educational Publisher - ‘Topical Resources’. Teacher for 34 years. Ex-Primary Headteacher. Now freelance SLE (Specialist Leader in Education for Maths/Spelling/Reading Fluency)
‘Mastery’ in Maths particularly - does it mean the same to everyone?
Mark McCourt@markmccourt.bsky.social · 2y agoThis old blog, from 2018, appears to remain popular. It is an in-depth discussion of the mastery approach and a thorough review of cognitive science. BLOG: Teaching for Mastery, Part 3 www.emaths.co.uk/blog/general...
Aged 14, I was assessed with a reading comprehension age of 6.6 years. I was at the top of the top set for Maths but could hardly read! My parents had me assessed and paid privately for me to have 1-1 lessons. I was lucky! Aged 16 - I passed my GCSE English first time - it was a miracle!
Tricia Millar 'That Reading Thing'@trttricia.bsky.social · 2y agoNew post: relieving the anxiety felt by struggling readers. Some hide their anxiety and suffer quietly while others express it in disruptive or self-harming behaviour. There are young people who panic at the sight of text in every secondary school. Read more... thatreadingthing.com/teens-anxiet...
This is a ‘real’ life teacher - seems to be in control and on top of things. 4 weeks in - many teachers pretend they are ok but are already ‘behind’. In our push to improve, we need to have ‘what it’s really like to be a teacher in 2024’ at the forefront of our mind: @patricebain.bsky.social
@andie1.bsky.social · 2y agoI finished my contributions to 2 EHCP reports, all my students have updated IEPs I’ve completed personal fire evacuation plans for my PMLD class and completed paperwork for a boy sent to hospital on Friday ( he’s okay ) Now have a working fridge and some chairs What a week
www.emaths.co.uk/images/Inter... @peterfoulds77.bsky.social @brunoreddy.bsky.social @jwrightmaths.bsky.social Only 14 minutes - it’s a must-listen - on @markmccourt.bsky.social book ‘Teaching for Mastery’. ‘Ah ha moments - pupils truly owning the knowledge’
emaths.co.uk
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoOctober’s Real PCD Maths Challenge - don’t wait until half term….. Only 14 minutes of your life - it’s a must-listen if you want to really make a difference. It’s all about kids getting those ‘ah ah’ moments and truly owning the knowledge. www.emaths.co.uk/images/Inter...
October’s Real PCD Maths Challenge - don’t wait until half term….. Only 14 minutes of your life - it’s a must-listen if you want to really make a difference. It’s all about kids getting those ‘ah ah’ moments and truly owning the knowledge. www.emaths.co.uk/images/Inter...
emaths.co.uk
Mark McCourt@markmccourt.bsky.social · 2y agoHere's a 14 minute podcast about my book Teaching for Mastery www.emaths.co.uk/images/Inter...
www.emaths.co.uk/images/Inter... @markmccourt.bsky.social new CPD maths book. Teaching for Mastery. Only 14 minutes Students getting those ‘ah ha’ moments - and truly owning the knowledge.
emaths.co.uk
Mark McCourt@markmccourt.bsky.social · 2y agoHere's a 14 minute podcast about my book Teaching for Mastery www.emaths.co.uk/images/Inter...
Wonderful from NCETM “Foulds and Thomas call for a curriculum that supports pupils to apply learning fluently before moving on. The NCETM, Maths Hubs and the thousands of teachers who have already embedded a mastery pedagogy agree and support this call for change.” www.ncetm.org.uk/features/ali...
Aligning curriculum reform and assessment with teaching for mastery in primary maths
Charlie Stripp and Debbie Morgan respond to a recent TES article by David Thomas and Peter Foulds regarding the primary curriculum and potential reform
ncetm.org.uk
This!
Josh Wright@jwrightmaths.bsky.social · 2y agoFor those who love testing against Countdown Numbers but never finish at a time to watch, this channel uploads daily, including the (now sadly defunct but very good) French version! You never know, may give inspiration for the odd starter www.youtube.com/@bjoern.gumb...
I am looking for someone to create a font for word, where: 1 - would be just a straight line 4 - would be opened not closed 9 - would be a c on top of a stick @brunoreddy.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoIs there anyone out there who could (or knows someone who could) create a font for word for handwritten numbers ? 1 4 9 Instead they would look like how we would like a youngsters to write these numbers.
Is there anyone out there who could (or knows someone who could) create a font for word for handwritten numbers ? 1 4 9 Instead they would look like how we would like a youngsters to write these numbers.
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoHave you ever considered that we are teaching children to write 2345 at the same time as cadog? These numbers starting at the top left and those letters starting at the top right? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Most schools use White Rose Maths which has some wonderful resources and a clear progression from one year to the next. Many academics have never actually taught using this scheme - so professionals who are teachers in the here & now, probably have much more idea of what does & doesn’t work.
Fluency Assessment Proposal Just like phonics…. MTC - Multiplication Tables Check Y4 Re-takes Y5 ATC - Addition Tables Check Y2 Re-takes Y3 @brunoreddy.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoI think a fluency of addition facts within 20 like the MTC would transform Maths results both at KS2 & GCSE. I’d go with Y2 - re-test in Y3 for those who weren’t quite ready in Y2. I think the MTC is ok in Y4 but there should be a retest in Y5. @brunoreddy.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Absolutely agree that fine motor control needs to be in place before any teaching of handwriting. Repeated and varied opportunities to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts and using small tools, with feedback and support from adults.
Peter Foulds@handle.invalid · 2y agoI think more of a thing is making sure children do the right amount of fine motor work in EYFS so they can use pencils properly!
My biggest bug-bare is the printed 4 and 9 on worksheets….nothing like the way we are asking young children to write them. @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social @brunoreddy.bsky.social @jwrightmaths.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoHave you ever considered that we are teaching children to write 2345 at the same time as cadog? These numbers starting at the top left and those letters starting at the top right? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Only the other day - a colleague told me I was an absolute zealot where forming numbers correctly was concerned. I didn’t disagree! Have you ever considered that we are teaching children to write 2345 at the same time as cadog? Numbers start top left Those letters start top right?
Bruno Reddy@brunoreddy.bsky.social · 2y agoThat hasn’t particularly occurred to me and it’s first time I’ve heard it mentioned. Maybe it’s a thing? 🤷
I think it’s absolutely a thing. It’s something I discovered working in EYFS in 2017 and devised a programme to sort it out. Now I’m teaching Y7 - Y11 Incorrect handwriting of numbers I now see as a massive barrier to learning. Kids read their own numbers incorrectly and so make mistakes.
Bruno Reddy@brunoreddy.bsky.social · 2y agoThat hasn’t particularly occurred to me and it’s first time I’ve heard it mentioned. Maybe it’s a thing? 🤷
Key ideas about reading from @suchmo83.bsky.social It doesn’t stop at children being expert at phonics!
Christopher Such@suchmo83.bsky.social · 2y agoFollowing a few requests from teachers and school leaders, I've made a short video on the key ideas that I think teachers (and parents/carers) need to know about reading development, based on my reading concept map. youtu.be/JvtUxB5WM1k?...
After 1 is formed from top middle, 2345 from top left, 6890 are formed from top right, with 7 back to top left Is this causing cognitive confusion - especially as the letters caogd have the opposite staring point to 2345? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoIn maths - how young does cognitive confusion start? I believe when we are teaching children to form numbers at the same time as forming letters. Opposite starting points; opposite orientations: are we explicit? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
In maths - how young does cognitive confusion start? I believe when we are teaching children to form numbers at the same time as forming letters. Opposite starting points; opposite orientations: are we explicit? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y agoHave you ever considered that we are teaching children to write 2345 at the same time as cadog? These numbers starting at the top left and those letters starting at the top right? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Have you ever considered that we are teaching children to write 2345 at the same time as cadog? These numbers starting at the top left and those letters starting at the top right? @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y ago'Two negatives make a positive' - hard-wiring what’s not always correct? -10 + -3 = -13 Are teachers causing what I call ‘Cognitive Confusion’? Can we eradicate? @jwrightmaths.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @sarahjwaite.bsky.social
Absolutely agree that phonics without the teaching of the spelling of those others few thousand words that don’t work phonetically (about 50% of words in the English Language) is dire for kids learning to spell. @peterfoulds77.bsky.social
Peter Foulds@handle.invalid · 2y agoOf course it does. My daughter is away at uni with incredibly good grades but cannot spell. No underlying issues except one: she was in KS1 when phonics was first hammered and phonetic spelling was fine. Never recovered. Phonics is amazing for reading; dire for spelling.
In March this year, a set off on a solo walk across the entire length of Britain, from Land’s End to John O’Groats. It is the most extraordinary and life changing experience I’ve ever had. I published a daily video and blog documenting the journey. markwalks.com
Mark Walks – Walking from Land's End to John O'Groats
markwalks.com
'Two negatives make a positive' - hard-wiring what’s not always correct? -10 + -3 = -13 Are teachers causing what I call ‘Cognitive Confusion’? Can we eradicate? @jwrightmaths.bsky.social @peterfoulds77.bsky.social @brunoreddy.bsky.social @markmccourt.bsky.social @sarahjwaite.bsky.social
Helen Maden-Sheridan@fastmaths123.bsky.social · 2y ago 'Two negatives make a positive' - is it hard-wiring what’s not always correct? -3+-7=-10. Where’s the two negatives making a positive? Teachers causing what I call ‘Cognitive Confusion’? Does teaching phonics sometimes hard-wire & incuridge kids to spell incorrectly? @suchmo83.bsky.social
'Two negatives make a positive' - is it hard-wiring what’s not always correct? -3+-7=-10. Where’s the two negatives making a positive? Teachers causing what I call ‘Cognitive Confusion’? Does teaching phonics sometimes hard-wire & incuridge kids to spell incorrectly? @suchmo83.bsky.social
Andrew, I’m afraid I agree with @peterfoulds77.bsky.social “I guess that depends on how you interpret what you said; the way many have interpreted that order has led to appalling maths for many children with them sag doing problems they simply know they will get wrong.” @jwrightmaths.bsky.social
Andrew Stacey@mathforge.org · 2y agoI suspect (but don't know) that people forget the time nature of learning. We need to start with understanding, progress to mastery, and then to fluency. Aiming for fluency from the start (except as a long-term goal) is what leads to the rote learning and drilling that is rightly hated by all.
This is really good on how the primary maths curriculum could do less, but better. www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
How to fix the primary maths curriculum
‘Phonics’ for maths and more pleasure in the subject should be the aim of the primary maths curriculum, and this is how we achieve it, argue Peter Foulds and David Thomas
tes.com
“A must read for primary and maths teachers and leaders.” @peterfoulds77.bsky.social @brunoreddy.bsky.social
Jon Severs@jonsevers.bsky.social · 2y agoHow to fix the primary maths curriculum What should Labour do with primary maths? Prioritise fluency and pleasure, say @peterfoulds77.bsky.social and David Thomas - and here is a blueprint to do it. A good read for primary and maths teachers and leaders! www.tes.com/magazine/tea...