Blog

Life without Paddington Bear wouldn’t be the same in our house right now. My two-year-old is completely obsessed…we even had a Paddington-themed birthday party. She loves watching The Adventures of Paddington. And yes, sometimes that bit of screen time is exactly what we both need at the end of a…

I was reading a great post [on LinkedIn] by Nathan Burns earlier about the use of bought-in curricula and the challenges around them. I found myself nodding along to the post and the replies while drinking my morning brew (Yorkshire Tea, of course) and it got me thinking. As someone…

Rethink Maths has been awarded funding from The Richmond Project, a charity set up by Akshata Murty and Rishi Sunak, to trial two new early maths programmes in nurseries and schools across England. The funding will support national trials of two linked, structured programmes designed to strengthen early number development,…

We’re delighted to share that James Lansdale-Clegg will be joining us from the start of January as our Director of Educational Projects. James joins the leadership team to drive the delivery of our expanding portfolio of projects. He will play a key role in turning ideas into reality and ensure we…

We’re absolutely delighted to share that two incredible educators are joining Rethink Maths as we continue shaping what comes next for maths education. We’re thrilled to welcome Kate Henshall as our Education Director. Kate will lead our education strategy and our work with schools and teachers. She brings a huge…

At Rethink Maths we can’t wait to celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Week (WNRW) taking place on 10th to 14th November 2025. WNRW is a wonderful celebration of the songs and rhymes that so many of us grew up with. But nursery rhymes aren’t just fun little tunes, they’re powerful early…

I’ve taken a couple of days to reflect before sharing my thoughts on the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review. It’s an important piece of work with a lot to take in, and as someone deeply invested in maths education, several points really stood out to me. “We must promote high…

It’s been a big week for education. After months of speculation, the Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report is finally here and, for once, it feels like we’re pointing in the right direction. There’s plenty to welcome. We now have a clearer sense of purpose for each key stage and,…

There’s been a lot of noise in the news lately about a new national target – 90 per cent of children reading fluently by the end of Year 2. It’s an ambitious goal, and rightly so. Every teacher I know wants children to leave Key Stage 1 with the joy…

Last month marked an anniversary that didn’t get much of a mention. Before you start frantically checking your calendar, no, you didn’t miss my birthday or anything. It’s been ten years since Ofsted released their report, Key Stage 3: The Wasted Years? Remember that one? Over the last decade, I’ve…

By overwhelming popular demand (and by that, I mean the same two friends who keep asking), Tony’s Angle has officially been recommissioned for its humble return. Welcome back to Series 2. The powers-that-be have trusted me with a blockbuster run of eight – count ’em, eight – whole episodes this…

Today I was so inspired by a conversation with Kate Henshall that I had the urge to share it! It reminded me to take a step back and think carefully and deeply about using ‘concrete’ materials and the way children learn. When we talk about the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) approach in…

I’m really excited to be stepping into the role of Managing Director at Rethink Maths. This is so much more than a job for me. It’s about helping to change the way the world sees and learns maths. Why maths matters to me I grew up in a deprived background…

We’re really excited to share that Rethink Maths has joined BESA (the British Educational Suppliers Association) as Launchpad members. This feels a bit like coming home for us. We know the BESA team well and have huge respect for the work they do to support schools and the wider education…

Something’s happening with maths confidence… and it’s not all good. I’ve been digging into the TIMSS data again for a video I’m working on. Last week, I shared a post about the widening gap between the highest and lowest achievers in England. This week, it’s confidence I want to highlight….

We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that Mary-Kate Connolly is joining Rethink Maths as our new Managing Director! Mary-Kate brings a wealth of experience in education, leadership, and curriculum development and more importantly, she brings the kind of deep-rooted passion for mathematics that aligns perfectly with everything we stand for. Mary-Kate…

England’s maths progress and the questions the TIMSS data leaves us with. I’ve finally had the chance to dive a bit deeper into the latest TIMSS report (as you do!). Partly because I’m researching for some videos I’m putting together for Rethink Maths, but also because I’ve always found these…

Mathematics is more than just numbers, formulas, and procedures – it’s a way of thinking. At its core, maths is about problem-solving: breaking down complex situations, identifying patterns, and applying logical reasoning to find solutions. It is great to see problem solving as a core focus of our national curriculum…

Well, some good news and some bad news to kick off the week. The bad? This is the final Tony’s Angle of the season. The good? The network suits have seen the light and commissioned a second series! We’ll be back in the Autumn. I can sense the excitement now!…

If I had a pound for every time a student said, “When will I ever need this in real life?”, I’d have… well, I’d be a millionaire I reckon. Here’s the thing. It’s not just teenagers muttering it under their breath – it’s adults too. Politicians. Journalists. Your mate who…

It’s my birthday today (written on 30th June if you want to save the date for next year). No balloons. No surprise party (that I am aware of anyway). Just a quiet moment with a coffee and a cake. I trained to be a teacher in the late 90s. What…

Just Because It Sparkles… Let’s get something straight. A well-designed PowerPoint or beautifully crafted worksheet doesn’t teach children maths. We all say it. We all know it. But… sometimes we forget to act on it. Occasionally we assume the quality of the resource will carry the lesson. But the truth…

Let me tell you something I’ve come to believe with the kind of certainty usually reserved for death, taxes and the knowledge that a Year 7, fresh from primary, will ask whether they should write in pen or pencil – like it’s the biggest decision of their lives. We talk…

Let’s talk about something we all quietly know… but don’t talk about enough. In my opinion, we’re still treating early maths like the warm-up act at a primary school talent show. Meanwhile, phonics for reading is headlining Glastonbury. Spelling walls. Flashcards. Badges. Parent updates. Full-blown rituals. Picture the Scene A…

When we chose the word Rethink, it wasn’t just a brand decision, it was a mindset. It’s a word that’s been quietly sitting at the centre of my thinking for a long time. As a leader. As a teacher. As a woman in education. And now, as someone building something…