In this episode of the NCETM Maths Podcast, Jane Hawkins, the NCETM’s Assistant Director for Secondary, speaks to Geoff Barton, chair of the Oracy Education Commission. The conversation dives into the importance of oracy in the classroom, especially in mathematics, exploring how it can transform learning and teaching. They discuss the current state of oracy education, its potential to close the disadvantage attainment gap, and specific recommendations for embedding oracy into professional development for teachers. Geoff references valuable insights and case studies, including contributions from experts such as Tim Oates and David Thomas, as well as practical examples from schools successfully implementing oracy strategies.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

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• Geoff Barton, Chair of the Oracy Education Commission
• Jane Hawkins, Assistant Director for Secondary Mathematics, NCETM
• Julia Thomson, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager, NCETM.

• 00:00 Introduction to the NCETM Maths Podcast
• 01:22 Meet Jane Hawkins and Geoff Barton
• 01:50 The importance of oracy in education
• 03:19 Disciplinary oracy in mathematics
• 04:17 Revelations about oracy from maths
• 06:49 Challenges and solutions in teaching maths
• 12:13 The role of teachers in oracy-rich classrooms
• 15:04 The impact of oracy on student behaviour and engagement
• 19:53 Assessment and the future of oracy
• 27:48 Oracy and disadvantaged pupils
• 36:46 Teacher professional development in oracy
• 49:46 Conclusion and further resources.

• Oracy Education Commission report – We need to talk (October 2024)
• The Commission Conversations – Tim Oates
• The Commission Conversations – David Thomas
• Discover more from the Commission Conversations podcast archive
• NCETM feature: We need to talk (about maths) (February 2025)
• Maths Hubs Research and Innovation Work Groups
• Bullock Report: A Language for Life (HMSO, 1975)
• EEF Secondary Maths Practice Review (June 2024)
• The NCETM Maths Podcast – Oracy in the maths classroom
• NCETM: The role of oracy in the context of teaching for mastery
• All-Party Parliamentary Group Report, Speak for Change
• Voice 21 Oracy Framework
• TES article: Neil Mercer: Oracy is still not properly understood (May 2025)
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive.

In this episode, the NCETM’s Dr Jen Shearman, Paul Rowlandson and Sue Evans discuss the upcoming EEF-funded trials of two important Maths Hubs programmes in 2025/26. The conversation explores the role of external evaluation, the challenges of conducting randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and what the findings could mean for maths education.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

• Jen Shearman, Director for Evaluation and Impact, NCETM
• Sue Evans, Assistant Director for Primary, NCETM
• Paul Rowlandson, Assistant Director for School and Professional Development, NCETM
• Julia Thomson, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager, NCETM.

• 00:00 Introduction and welcome
• 01:12 Meet the team and overview of the EEF trials
• 01:57 Understanding the EEF and its role
• 03:31 The NCETM's involvement with the EEF
• 06:11 Introduction to the SKTM Secondary Non-specialist Teachers Programme
• 09:28 Introduction to the Mastering Number at Reception and KS1 Programme
• 12:02 Challenges in conducting the trials
• 22:01 Hopes and expectations from the trials
• 31:04 Conclusion and how to get involved.

• Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics Secondary Non-specialist Teachers Programme
• Mastering Number at Reception and KS1
• Mastering Number at KS2
• Blog post on the EEF trials: Going for gold standard
• Evaluating our programmes in 2025/26
• EEF trial of the Secondary Non-specialist Teachers SKTM Programme
• EEF trial of the Mastering Number at Reception and KS1 Programme
• TIMMS 2023 Report
• Coordinating mathematical success: the mathematics subject report (2023)
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive.

In this episode, the NCETM’s Dr. Jen Shearman and Carol Knights discuss the EEF’s Secondary maths practice review. The review identifies some of the challenges facing leaders of maths in English schools, including the national shortage of maths teachers, the widening gap between disadvantaged students and their peers, the need for greater focus on students in KS3, and the ways maths departments are approaching these challenges. Jen and Carol also touch upon the implications for the NCETM and the Maths Hubs Programme, and the projects underway to address the issues highlighted in the review.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

• Carol Knights, Director for Secondary Maths, NCETM
• Dr. Jen Shearman, Director for Evaluation and Impact, NCETM
• Julia Thomson, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager, NCETM.

• 00:00 Introduction and welcome
• 01:19 Overview of the EEF Secondary maths practice review
• 03:02 Key findings: teacher skills and expertise
• 04:24 Addressing the shortage of maths teachers
• 05:11 Impact of COVID on disadvantaged students
• 07:35 The importance of mathematical talk
• 10:01 Integrating problem-solving in maths lessons
• 13:02 Use of representations and manipulatives in secondary maths
• 16:16 NCETM and Maths Hubs professional development
• 18:39 Future directions and recommendations
• 22:43 Conclusion and final thoughts.

• EEF Secondary maths practice review (2024)
• Maths Hubs Securing Foundations in Year 7 project
• Maths Hubs Secondary Non-specialist Teachers (SKTM) Programme
• Maths Hubs Years 5-8 Continuity project
• Oracy Education Commission We Need to Talk (2024)
• Ofsted Coordinating Mathematical Success: the mathematics subject report (2023).
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive.

In this episode, we talk to Liz Woodham, Primary Coordinator at NRICH, about the Problem-solving Schools initiative and its aims to support the development of reasoning and problem-solving skills for pupils and students from Reception to post-16. Liz shares insights into the initiative's process, including the use of webinars and rich tasks to support schools, and we also look at the relationship between problem-solving and reasoning and their importance in a well-rounded maths education.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

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• Liz Woodham, Primary Coordinator, NRICH, University of Cambridge
• Julia Thomson, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager, NCETM.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 04:00 Problem-solving Schools initiative
• 05:08 The Kilpatrick Rope Model
• 08:39 The Five Big Ideas in Teaching for Mastery
• 10:26 Framework and goals of the Problem-solving Schools initiative
• 17:22 ‘NRICH-style’ problems and SATs-style problems
• 20:05 Developing a ‘productive disposition’
• 22:16 Making time for problem-solving
• 26:12 What is reasoning and problem-solving?
• 29:52 Exploring and noticing
• 37:26 Conclusion and how to get involved.

• NRICH Problem-solving Schools initiative
• NRICH Kilpatrick Rope Model
• NRICH game mentioned in podcast: Make 37
• Previous NCETM Maths Podcast discussion with NRICH: Episode 77 - Maths Games
• Mentioned by Julia: Five Big Ideas in Teaching for Mastery
• Feature on RIWGs: Research and Innovation in the Maths Hubs Network
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive.

In Part 2 of our episode on oracy with Jane Hawkins from the NCETM and Kathleen McBride from Voice 21, we explore the impact of the Maths Hubs’ Research and Innovation Work Groups (RIWGs), strategies for implementing oracy in both primary and secondary education, and the importance of oracy for enhancing student learning and engagement.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

• Kathleen McBride, Senior Learning and Innovation Lead, Voice 21
• Jane Hawkins, Assistant Director for Secondary, NCETM, and Assistant Maths Hub Lead, Jurassic Maths Hub
• Julia Thomson, Communications Manager, NCETM.

• 00:06 Welcome and introductions
• 00:51 Research and Innovation Work Groups (RIWGs)
• 02:28 Impact of Oracy RIWGs
• 04:41 Talk strategies
• 08:25 What does successful oracy look like?
• 10:58 The teacher’s role
• 12:18 Different types of talk
• 18:35 Oracy in secondary education
• 22:17 Ideas for teachers
• 25:44 Misconceptions about oracy
• 28:52 Resources and further reading
• 30:31 Conclusion.

• Listen to Part 1 of this podcast episode
• All-Party Parliamentary Group Report: Speak for Change (2021)
• Voice 21 website
• Voice 21 Talk Tactics and How to develop independent student discussion
• Voice 21 Talking Point publication (2023)
• Voice 21 Oracy Benchmarks report (2019)
• Voice 21 Impact Report (2022-23)
• NCETM Primary Curriculum Prioritisation materials
• NCETM Checkpoints for KS3
• Interthinking: Putting Talk to Work by Karen Littleton & Neil Mercer (Routledge, 2013)
• Talking Points: Discussion Activities in the Primary Classroom by Lynn Dawes (Routledge, 2012)
• Find your local Maths Hub
• Maths Hubs Research and Innovation Work Groups (RIWGs)
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive
• The NCETM Maths Podcast on Instagram.

In Part 1 of our discussion with Kathleen McBride from Voice 21 and Jane Hawkins from the NCETM’s Secondary Team and Jurassic Maths Hub, we discuss the definition of oracy, its significance for students' mathematical development, behaviour and overall well-being, and the role of Research and Innovation Work Groups (RIWGs) in exploring oracy's impact in classrooms. We also take a look at Voice 21’s Oracy Framework for schools and teachers.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

• Kathleen McBride, Senior Learning and Innovation Lead, Voice 21
• Jane Hawkins, Assistant Director for Secondary, NCETM, and Assistant Maths Hub Lead, Jurassic Maths Hub
• Julia Thomson, Communications Manager, NCETM.

• 00:06 Welcome and introductions
• 03:03 Definition, importance and research
• 08:58 Oracy challenges and misconceptions
• 13:01 Oracy Research and Innovation Work Groups
• 14:21 Oracy’s impact on learning
• 15:54 Purposeful talk
• 17:07 The Oracy Framework
• 19:54 Oracy in the maths classroom
• 28:33 Reflecting on teaching practice
• 30:15 Conclusion.

• All-Party Parliamentary Group Report Speak for Change
• Voice 21 Impact Report 2022-2023
• Voice 21 Oracy Framework
• Maths Hubs Research and Innovation Work Groups
• Bullock Report: A Language for Life (Bullock, 1975)
• EEF Dialogic Teaching Report (2017, 2022)
• School 21 and University of Cambridge Oracy Programme Pilot (2013/14)
• Coordinating Mathematical Success: the mathematics subject report (Ofsted, 2023)
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive
• The NCETM Maths Podcast on Instagram.

The NCETM Maths Podcast invites teachers, maths experts and anyone with a passion for teaching maths to talk about topics that shine a light on great maths teaching. With ideas for classroom activities, inspirational stories of careers in maths, and lively debates on contemporary topics, the NCETM podcast has something for everyone.

Most episodes are around 20 minutes long – perfect for your journey to work. So, if you like what you hear, hit subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

You can also find The NCETM Maths Podcast on Instagram: @themathspodcast. Be the first to hear about new episodes, and join in with the debate.

If there is a topic you would like to hear us discuss on the podcast, let us know at: info@ncetm.org.uk.

In this episode, Early Career Teachers from primary and secondary schools talk about their experiences of training to teach with Teach First, how they have honed their maths teaching skills, and what they have learned in their first years in the classroom.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

• Emily Dixon, Year 1 teacher at Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy, Sheffield
• Lauren Garrigos, maths teacher at Heartlands High School, Haringey, London
• Beth Goodliff, Senior Communications Manager, NCETM.

• 00:06 Introduction and welcome
• 00:40 Meet the guests
• 01:14 The journey to becoming a teacher: decisions and backgrounds
• 02:35 Training with Teach First
• 06:30 Overcoming challenges in the classroom
• 09:24 Celebrating successes: positive moments in teaching
• 12:12 Professional development in the first years of teaching
• 14:22 Advice.

• Teach First teacher training programme
• Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics: Primary Early Career Teachers Programme
• Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics: Secondary Early Career Teachers Programme
• Teaching for Mastery
• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive
• The NCETM Maths Podcast on Instagram.