Best Jon Cripwell Podcasts (2025)

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AfterMaths: Christmas by the Numbers- A Festive Aftermaths Special 34:11

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2d ago34:11

34:11

Christmas Is Just One Long Maths Problem (A Festive Aftermaths) There’s no interview this week, no school talk, and absolutely no mention of lesson objectives. Instead, Jon and Becky settle in for a festive Aftermaths special — a lighter, reflective end-of-term episode full of Christmas maths, curious statistics, questionable guesses, and the kind …

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AfterMaths: Fractions, Fatigue & the Future of Teaching 40:36

6d ago40:36

40:36

As the autumn term finally draws to a close, Jon and Becky reflect on teacher fatigue, festive chaos, and the sense of relief that comes with making it to the holidays. This week’s Aftermaths dives into fractions — why they’re such a sticking point for pupils (and adults), and how misunderstandings often stem from losing sight of the whole. Jon sha…

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Making Thinking Visible: Oracy at Every Stage of a Maths Lesson with Mike Gardner 57:04

9d ago57:04

57:04

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

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AfterMaths: Spotify Wrapped, Financial Education & The Learning Pit 34:15

13d ago34:15

34:15

In this week’s Aftermaths, Jon and Becky unpack a festive mix of maths chat, listener questions, curriculum reflections and some unexpectedly delightful Spotify Wrapped stats. 🎧 In This Episode A listener question on probability, independence and why a coin can land heads 999 times in a row… yet still be 50/50 on the next flip. Jon explains just ho…

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Ep 37: Rebuilding Teacher Confidence in Maths - Insights from Patrick Renouf 54:45

16d ago54:45

54:45

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

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AfterMaths: Maths Misused - Our Favourite Everyday Errors 36:35

25d ago36:35

36:35

In this week’s Aftermaths, Jon and Becky dive into the wonderfully frustrating world of mathematical misuses in everyday life, inspired by a brilliant email from listener Sam Asplund, a Year 4 teacher and maths lead from Ketten Primary School. After a pupil requested a “cheese square” during snack time — while pointing out that Dairylea “triangles”…

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How to See Maths Everywhere - Rob Eastaway’s Guide for Teachers 55:51

28d ago55:51

55:51

In this episode, Jon is joined by the brilliant Rob Eastaway, whose books, puzzles and radio appearances have helped hundreds of thousands of people see the beauty in everyday maths. They explore how curiosity drives mathematical thinking, why written methods can sometimes obscure understanding, and what we can learn from the history of numbers — f…

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AfterMaths: Six of the Toughest Maths Concepts - Our Definitive Countdown 51:34

1M ago51:34

51:34

In this week’s AfterMaths episode, Jon and Becky reunite (voice fully restored!) and unpack a packed agenda: a bit of history, a lot of maths, and some classic year-group trauma. Jon kicks things off with a brilliant history of maths segment — the surprisingly dramatic story of the equals sign, invented in 1557 by Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde…

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From Stuck to Successful: Building Problem-Solving Classrooms with Phil Herd 1:03:44

1M ago1:03:44

1:03:44

In this episode, Jon sits down with Phil Herd -, maths specialist, and long-time champion of teaching for understanding - to unpick what problem solving really means in primary maths, and why it remains one of the most misunderstood strands of our curriculum. Together they explore why problem solving is far more than a final question on a worksheet…

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AfterMaths: A Trillion Cornflakes! 41:08

1M ago41:08

41:08

In this Aftermaths episode, Jon is joined once again by Sally Cole (standing in heroically for Becky!) for a wide-ranging Friday debrief. Together they unpack a huge week in maths education, from the launch of the brand-new Twinkl Maths app on iOS to the University of Nottingham’s State of the Nation review — plus a Maths of Life segment that dives…

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The Hidden Logic Behind Great Maths Tasks with John Bee 44:07

1M ago44:07

44:07

In this episode, Jon is joined by maths advisor, Primary Mastery Specialist and author John Bee, whose new book Teaching Maths for Mastery: Practical Strategies for Primary Schools digs deep into what great maths teaching really looks like. Together they explore variation theory: what it is, what it isn’t, and why it is often misunderstood in prima…

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AfterMaths: Times Tables, Roman Numerals and Golf! 31:36

2M ago31:36

31:36

In this week’s Aftermaths episode, Jon is joined by two special guests from the Twinkl team. Michelle Windridge, National Education Lead for EYFS and returning guest from last week’s episode, and Ashleigh Morris, National Education Lead for Secondary Science and host of the STEM Conversations podcast. Together they dive into the week’s interview wi…

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Why Times Tables Still Matter and How to Teach Them Better with Cate Fearn 48:51

2M ago48:51

48:51

Few areas of primary maths cause as much debate as times tables. We all agree they matter, but how pupils develop fluency, understanding and confidence is still up for discussion. In this episode, Jon Cripwell talks to Cate Fearn — primary educator, maths specialist and creator of Table Stick, a classroom tool designed to make multiplication practi…

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Aftermaths: Sharing, Grouping, and Getting It Wrong (Why Division Trips Us Up) 26:32

2M ago26:32

26:32

This week’s Aftermaths dives deep into one of the trickiest topics in the primary maths curriculum — division. Why do so many pupils (and teachers) find it difficult? Jon and Becky unpack the cognitive, linguistic and conceptual challenges behind division and explore what teachers can do to make it more meaningful. They also reflect on the Curricul…

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Emergency Episode: Curriculum & Assessment Review Special 32:17

2M ago32:17

32:17

In this special emergency episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon is joined by Becky, Sally and first-time guest Lisa to unpack the government’s newly released Curriculum and Assessment Review – and the official response that landed alongside it. Together, they explore: Why the review was commissioned and what it aims to achieve The key takeaways…

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Counting, Comparing and Cooking: How Maths Really Works in EYFS With Michelle Windridge 39:48

2M ago39:48

39:48

This week, Jon is joined by Michelle Windridge, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for School-Based EYFS, for a deep dive into what early years maths really looks like - and what it definitely doesn’t. Even the most confident maths leads can find EYFS a bit of a mystery, so Jon and Michelle unpack the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, explore t…

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Number Sense, PIN Codes and Peer Power 30:08

2M ago30:08

30:08

This week, Jon and Becky are back for a half-term special that explores the foundations of mathematical understanding — and the curious maths behind our PIN codes. Jon unpacks what number sense really means, why it underpins everything else in maths, and how fragile number sense can often go unnoticed until it becomes a barrier to progress. They di…

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Aftermaths: 6, 7, Pi and AI 31:18

2M ago31:18

31:18

In this week’s AfterMaths, Jon and Becky unpack the curious rise of the “6-7” meme and how teachers can turn it into a quick-fire classroom maths challenge. From there, Becky’s etymathsology segment dives into the origins of circle-related vocabulary – from circumference to radius – revealing a few surprises along the way. They then debrief Jon’s c…

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Fractions, Feedback and the Future: What AI Means for Primary Teachers 41:04

2M ago41:04

41:04

Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now. But what does it actually mean for the teacher standing in front of a class on a rainy Tuesday afternoon trying to explain fractions? In this episode, Jon is joined by Simon Bond, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for AI, to unpack what AI really is, how it works, and what it might offer teachers: par…

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AfterMaths: Traitors, Trust and Timesing 35:06

2M ago35:06

35:06

This week’s Aftermaths episode takes an unexpectedly statistical turn as Jon and Becky explore the mathematics behind The Traitors. From probability and ratios to real-world data on win rates, they uncover why being a traitor is statistically the smartest move. Along the way, they reveal how signal-to-noise problems, conditional probability and hum…

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Making Thinking Visible: How Maths Journalling Builds Confident Learners With Kirsten Fenton & Holly Drummond 53:40

3M ago53:40

53:40

In this episode, Jon is joined by Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond, two experienced primary practitioners from Scotland who have been at the forefront of exploring how maths journalling can change the way pupils think, talk and feel about mathematics. Kirsten and Holly are co-creators of the PACE framework and their research on oracy, curriculu…

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AfterMaths: Curriculum, Crossovers and Colin Firth 30:05

3M ago30:05

30:05

In this week’s Aftermaths episode, Jon and Becky dive into a listener question from Amy in Nottinghamshire: What would you change about the maths curriculum? The discussion ranges from curriculum overload to the role of problem solving, exploring whether maths could ever follow pupils’ interests in the same way as history or science. Jon argues tha…

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Exploding Rainbows - Connecting Science and Maths with Leonie Briggs 37:13

3M ago37:13

37:13

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Aftermaths: Babies, Benchmarks and Becky’s Latin 39:34

3M ago39:34

39:34

Welcome to the very first official edition of The Aftermaths, our new Friday format where Jon and Becky unpack the week’s big ideas, share some classroom-ready reflections, and go off on the occasional mathematical tangent. This week, Jon starts with an unexpected sideline into baby growth charts after overhearing a throwaway comment at his daughte…

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Songs, Smoots, and Spatial Reasoning 29:35

3M ago29:35

29:35

Welcome to Episode 16 of The Primary Maths Podcast. This week is one of our shorter Friday editions, where instead of a full guest interview we pick up listener comments, share a little research, and reflect on the big themes from the week. Becky is away, so I am joined by Sally Cole for a lively conversation that takes us from tractors to spatial …

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SEND in the Maths Experts! Inclusive Practice with Georgina Durrant 44:23

3M ago44:23

44:23

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, host Jon Cripwell, Twinkl’s National Education Lead for Primary Maths, is joined by Georgina Durrant, Twinkl’s National Inclusion Lead. Georgina is a qualified teacher, former SENDCO, and author who has written widely on supporting learners with additional needs. She also hosts the SEND in the Experts p…

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From Trust-Wide Leadership to Classroom Lesson Design with Tom Isherwood 57:24

3M ago57:24

57:24

What happens when you’ve spent nearly two decades thinking hard about maths, taught in one school for most of your career, and then suddenly find yourself shaping maths teaching across more than 30 schools in a trust? That’s exactly the journey my guest, Tom Isherwood, has been on. Tom is the Lead Practitioner for Maths at the Flying High Trust, as…

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Primary Maths CPD That Works! Collaborative Planning with Lewis Horsley 1:15:01

3M ago1:15:01

1:15:01

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

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From Year 6 to Year 7: Why Transition Matters in Maths with Pete Mattock 1:17:36

4M ago1:17:36

1:17:36

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

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The Final Summer Special: Puzzles, Pop Songs, and Polygons 35:28

4M ago35:28

35:28

In the final episode of our summer specials, Jon and Becky wrap up the holidays with a mix of puzzles, pop culture, and polygon talk. Becky recounts her weekend at the Rubik’s Cube UK Championship, where maths hides in everything from official timing rules to the mysterious “God’s Number.” Jon takes us from the beach (counting grains of sand!) to t…

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Summer Special: How far can you get from the sea in the UK? And early maths notation 33:04

4M ago33:04

33:04

This week’s bite-sized summer special takes us from the sun-drenched costas of Spain to the seagull-infested arcades of Whitby, with some fascinating insights into how young children record their maths along the way. Jon and Becky swap holiday stories and uncover the surprising maths that follows you everywhere – even when you’re meant to be switch…

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Summer Special: Leading Maths - Why Subject Leadership Matters More Than Ever 27:11

4M ago27:11

27:11

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

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Summer Special: Making Sense of Time: Why Teaching Time Is Harder Than You Think 29:20

5M ago29:20

29:20

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

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How Big Is a Billion? And Can You Plan Around a Scheme Without Losing Yourself? 39:36

5M ago39:36

39:36

Summer Special #2: Mastery Schemes vs Teacher Subject Knowledge – and the Maths of Big Numbers This week, Sally Cole joins Jon as guest co-host while Becky continues her well-earned beach break. Sally is an Education Content Lead at Twinkl, working on digital maths resources including the Twinkl Maths app. In this second summer special, Jon and Sal…

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Summer Special: The Surprising History of School Holidays – and a Maths Question Answered 18:13

5M ago18:13

18:13

This week on The Primary Maths Podcast, we're kicking off a special run of summer episodes with something a little different. I’m digging into the history of school summer holidays – where they came from, how they’ve changed, and whether they were really designed so children could help with the harvest. (Spoiler: not quite.) Along the way, I explor…

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Metacognition in Maths: The Secret To Building Resilient Learners - with Nathan Burns 1:23:26

5M ago1:23:26

1:23:26

How do we help children become confident, independent mathematical thinkers, not just answer-getters? In this episode of the Primary Maths Podcast, Jon Cripwell and Becky Brown explore the surprisingly powerful concept of metacognition and what it looks like in real classrooms, from early years to upper Key Stage 2. Jon also explains why a 12-inch …

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Kate Frood Taught Maths Every Week as a Headteacher - Here's Why 1:19:41

6M ago1:19:41

1:19:41

What happens when a headteacher keeps teaching? This week, Jon and Becky speak to Kate Frood OBE – a former headteacher who spent 22 years teaching weekly maths lessons alongside school leadership. Kate shares how her “Mrs Frood Maths” lessons became a model for coaching and inclusion, why stealth differentiation works better than labels, and how t…

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How Number Talks Transformed Teaching from Nursery to Year 6 (with Omar Jennings) 1:15:19

6M ago1:15:19

1:15:19

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon speaks with headteacher and mastery specialist Omar Jennings about how Number Talks have transformed teaching and learning across his school – from Nursery to Year 6. We explore: ✔️ What Number Talks are and why they matter ✔️ How they boost fluency, reasoning and oracy ✔️ Practical tips for rolling…

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Teaching Maths in Small Schools: Mixed-Age Classes, Mastery and Oracy 1:14:55

6M ago1:14:55

1:14:55

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

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What Makes Great Teaching? – Lessons from John Tomsett 1:19:24

6M ago1:19:24

1:19:24

In this episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky are joined by John Tomsett, renowned education consultant, former headteacher of Huntington School, and author of influential books such as "This Much I Know About Great Teaching". John brings decades of educational leadership and classroom experience to an insightful conversation about th…

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Talking Maths Anxiety and Confidence with Dr Heidi Kirkland 1:03:50

7M ago1:03:50

1:03:50

In our very first episode, we’re joined by Dr Heidi Kirkland - teacher, researcher, and co-author of Maths Anxiety: Solving the Equation - to explore why even confident mathematicians can feel anxious about maths, and what we can do about it in the classroom. We chat about: Why self-belief matters more than ability What anxiety might look like in a…