The Multiplication Tables Check goes live for children in year 4 today, with schools being required to administer it this week or next week (but the following week being allowed if necessary). My opinions are: This test is a horrific atrocity from a government that doesn’t consult in any meaningful way on education policy and makes all…
Rebuilding plans A few weeks ago I was loving teaching post-covid maths recovery in schools, I was working hard on my petition about the multiplication tables check and I was fully committed to my YouTube channel. Then I had a brain seizure. I’m well again now, but one consequence of this is that I’ve lost…
Much has been written about the poor quality of ‘research reviews’ published by Ofsted recently, however the Mathematics research review published in May 2021 broke so many rules in the standards usually applied to reviewing research that, rather than having been written by authors with experience in research, it appears to have been created by experts skilled…
When the government announced its intention to develop a test to encourage schools in England to focus on ensuring children learn their times tables, few people complained because it is clearly the case that children benefit from knowing these results. Support for such a test was based on the assumption that any statutory assessment that…
Over the years I’ve got into the habit of stopping to write aims for my work at the beginning of each year. This has been so chaotic that I found it startling and reassuring to find that I had tried to meet all my objectives set in January 2021, had managed to deliver most of…
Much more detail in my Frank and Stan Chat See their “Frank and Stan Chat” YouTube channel. It is the video Frank and Stan Chat SPOTLIGHT No. 25: The Rebecca Hanson critique on Attainment 8released April 2026 Note that the title reflects the fact that the interview covers Attainment 8 as well as Progress 8
This is my submission to the Numeracy for Live Consultation. It focuses on the experiences of our lowest attaining 25% of students. While there are many things which could, and should, be done to address seemingly endless time they spend failing in schools, this submission focuses on two simple changes that offer substantial improvements to…
Please send comments by end Friday 5 December. This response focuses on two recommendations I think are deliverable, and would make a big positive difference to the lives of many students who are struggling with maths at secondary school. Rebecca
UPDATE Sun 23 Feb 2025 : Following substantial feedback, my draft report which was here has now been replaced with my final report. I’d like to express my deepest thanks to all who have helped. Previous post: I’m back teaching maths in secondary schools on supply these days and I’m working in a lot of…
Because I have caring responsibilities, I am tutoring online rather than working in schools. Services available include: FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDER 10 YEARS OLD (WITH A PARENT/CARER/TUTOR): UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT MATHS YOUR CHILD NEEDS AND HOW TO WORK WITH THEM 2 x 2 hour online sessions for parents and children together Both sessions are…
In my previous post, I published my personal response to this Ofsted report. The Joint Primary Working Group for the ‘Association of Teachers of Mathematics’ and the ‘Mathematics Association’ have now published a response which covers several more issues than those I wrote about in my response. Their work is available here.
This report is available to download here: https://rebeccathemathslady.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/July-2023-Ofsted-Report-Analysis-1.docx
Complaint sent Wed 15th June 2022 All children in year 4 in England are being required to take a new compulsory exam just now. This is a truly horrific exam that was never consulted and is entirely the fetish of one minister. Nobody who knows anything about maths teaching at all is supporting it. It…