Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Kieran Mackle

Welcome to Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, the podcast that gives you a peek inside the minds of some truly inspirational primary teachers. Whether you're new to the profession or a school leader with tons of experience this podcast is a must listen. For references, links and extended cut video episodes head over to www.thinkingdeeply.info

  1. Succeeding as Deputy Head with Chris Passey and Adam Kohlbeck

    3 DAYS AGO

    Succeeding as Deputy Head with Chris Passey and Adam Kohlbeck

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 254: In this episode I am joined by Adam Kohlbeck and Chris Passey to talk about the messy, human reality of deputy headship and the work they are doing and their forthcoming book. We dig into why the move from classroom teacher to senior leader can feel like a shock to the system, what it means to hold decency and high standards together, and how deputies can build cultures where staff and students actually thrive rather than simply survive policy changes and external pressures. Across the conversation we explore: The origin story of why Adam and Chris wanted a more nuanced, less binary space to talk about leadership The mindset shift from “my class, my room” to “our school, our culture”. How deputy heads can lead through relationships without becoming everyone’s fixer or emotional sponge. The role of vulnerability, boundaries and “being yourself” in leadership, rather than performing a caricature of a deputy head. Working with tricky dynamics, including resistant headteachers and complex teams, without losing your sense of purpose. What they hope readers will take from their book, including the idea of deputy headship as a long, evolving craft rather than a short stop on the way to headship If you are a deputy head, assistant head, aspiring leader or simply someone who cares about the culture of schools, this is a wide ranging, honest conversation about leadership, relationships and staying decent in the middle of it all.

    1h 18m
  2. Play Time: Neurodivergence, psychological safety and creativity in the classroom

    8 NOV

    Play Time: Neurodivergence, psychological safety and creativity in the classroom

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 253: This conversation sits at the intersection of television, creativity and education. We look at Playtime as a cultural artefact that foregrounds neurodivergent voices and make psychological safety visible to a mainstream audience. Writer-director Céin McGillicuddy and editor-writer Andy Kinnear take us behind the scenes, sharing how small production choices invite bolder contributions. If you are curious about inclusion, student voice and the role of play in learning, you will find thoughtful parallels and fresh language to take back to your team. Not a how-to guide, but a thoughtful listen for anyone who enjoys ideas that travel. neurodiversity in schools, psychologically safe classroom, student voice, inclusive teaching strategies, classroom culture, primary education CPD, improvisation in education, creativity in learning.

    50 min
  3. Iterative Lesson Design: A Practical Cycle for Teacher Growth with Stuart Welsh

    1 NOV

    Iterative Lesson Design: A Practical Cycle for Teacher Growth with Stuart Welsh

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Greater Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923 For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 252: In this episode, Stuart Welsh walks through a compact, morning-long cycle that helps teachers refine one element of practice through plan–teach–reflect–reteach loops with small groups. We unpack what to hold constant, what to vary on purpose, how to build psychological safety, and how schools timetable the model without derailing the week. We also touch on scaling from six students to a full class and why a termly cadence delivers real movement without overload.

    30 min
  4. What We Asked. What We Learned: TDaPE in Term One 2025

    25 OCT

    What We Asked. What We Learned: TDaPE in Term One 2025

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923 For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 251: In this special highlights episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, we pause to reflect on Term One—six conversations that challenged assumptions, deepened understanding, and reminded us why professional dialogue matters. Each question featured here captures a moment of genuine inquiry: the kind that sits between classroom practice, research, and lived experience. You’ll hear from:• Adam Lowing on balancing assessment readiness with creative freedom• Lucy Crehan on what the North of Ireland’s approach might teach its neighbours• Doug Lemov on connecting fluency, comprehension, and the FASE approach• John Jackson on defining and developing arithmetic fluency• Andy McHugh on the purpose of Teacher Writers• Amy How on whether mathematical talk reveals or constructs understanding No summaries. No soundbites. Just the questions that sparked our most interesting conversations this term.

    55 min
  5. The Power of Maths Journaling with Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond

    18 OCT

    The Power of Maths Journaling with Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⁠⁠⁠Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics⁠⁠⁠ (Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923 For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 250: In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond to explore the power of mathematical journaling — a classroom approach that helps students think, talk and write like mathematicians. Drawing on their experiences as teachers and researchers, Kirsten and Holly discuss how journaling can transform classroom culture, deepen conceptual understanding, and combat the maths anxiety that still shapes far too many learners’ experiences. We unpack how journaling encourages metacognition and self-regulation, supports disciplinary literacy, and builds students’ mathematical identity by making thinking visible. From early mark-making and sentence stems to brain dumps and reflective entries, Kirsten and Holly show how this approach sits at the heart of instruction rather than existing as a bolt-on. Whether you’re curious about talk, reflection, or building confident mathematicians, this conversation captures what happens when maths teaching moves beyond answers — and becomes about understanding, communication and joy.

    34 min
  6. Mathematical Talk: The Heartbeat of Classroom Thinking (with Amy How)

    11 OCT

    Mathematical Talk: The Heartbeat of Classroom Thinking (with Amy How)

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⁠⁠Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics⁠⁠ (London, Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923 For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 249: In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Amy How to explore one of the most powerful yet misunderstood elements of classroom practice: mathematical talk. We discuss why talk sits at the centre of deep mathematical thinking and how it helps students construct, refine, and communicate their understanding. Amy shares her insights on the delicate balance between talk as a means of reasoning and talk as a window into students’ thinking, addressing the common worry that discussion can become superficial or time-consuming. Together, we unpack what distinguishes high-quality mathematical talk from general classroom discussion, explore the conditions that allow students to share incomplete or tentative ideas safely, and identify practical strategies that teachers can use to prompt rich, purposeful dialogue. If you’ve ever wondered how to make talk the engine of mathematical reasoning—without losing structure, pace, or inclusivity—this conversation will give you the clarity and confidence to start tomorrow.

    36 min
  7. Teacher Writers with Andy McHugh

    4 OCT

    Teacher Writers with Andy McHugh

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⁠Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics⁠ (London, Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923 For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 248: This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Andy McHugh, teacher, editor, writer, and founder of Teacher Writers, to explore the place of teacher voice in education, and how writing can serve as a form of professional development, influence, and impact. We discuss Andy’s journey from leading an RE department to editing HWRK Magazine and founding a publishing platform dedicated to amplifying teacher voices. Our conversation touches on the challenges teachers face when translating classroom expertise into writing, the skills and confidence required to make that leap, and the opportunities that open up when teachers engage in writing as professional practice. Key themes include: Why teachers should see writing as a legitimate form of professional development The tension between accessibility and depth in educational publishing The role of community in supporting new writers How Teacher Writers is creating space for diverse teacher perspectives As always, the goal is to make time and space for deep reflection on teaching, learning, and professional growth — and this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in broadening the scope of their professional influence.

    35 min
  8. Accessible by Default: In Action

    29 SEPT

    Accessible by Default: In Action

    For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe Tickets for Challenge and Depth in Primary Mathematics (London, Coventry, Manchester) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/alta-education-73676136923 For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Episode 247: This week Kieran is joined by Lloyd Williams Jones and Shannen Doherty to discuss the practicalities of Accessible by Default and what it means for their schools as we begin the academic year. We explore the bottlenecks in the current system that leave too many students dependent on downstream fixes, the importance of clarity in teacher talk and presentation, and why generic labels and interventions often miss the mark. [Apologetic Disclaimer] This episode was recorded in-person during the summer break but the video didn't render properly and we lost the last 30 minutes while fixing it. Therefore it is exactly 4 weeks late and stops abruptly. It's still great though...

    44 min
See All (270)

4.9
out of 5
69 Ratings

About

Welcome to Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, the podcast that gives you a peek inside the minds of some truly inspirational primary teachers. Whether you're new to the profession or a school leader with tons of experience this podcast is a must listen. For references, links and extended cut video episodes head over to www.thinkingdeeply.info

Information

You Might Also Like