Sam Blatherwick
@blatherwicksam.bsky.social
Head of maths, head full of maths. In the corner of the fox county.
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logsandroots.wordpress.com
I am a head of maths
I look after post 16 qualifications at EMS Maths Hub
I love doing maths cpd and maths questions
I blog at logsandroots.wordpress.com
I look after post 16 qualifications at EMS Maths Hub
I love doing maths cpd and maths questions
I blog at logsandroots.wordpress.com
covered yr 7 in #mathstoday and got the pyramids out again, this time to teach simplifying expressions, was great fun
November 14, 2025 at 7:17 PM
covered yr 7 in #mathstoday and got the pyramids out again, this time to teach simplifying expressions, was great fun
spent last week thrashing out expanding brackets with a grid/area model last week with grade 1-3 yr 10s, felt like I was going nowhere fast and encountering lots of difficulties.
This morning did reverse process to factorise with same model. Insane success rate.
#mathstoday
This morning did reverse process to factorise with same model. Insane success rate.
#mathstoday
November 3, 2025 at 8:33 PM
spent last week thrashing out expanding brackets with a grid/area model last week with grade 1-3 yr 10s, felt like I was going nowhere fast and encountering lots of difficulties.
This morning did reverse process to factorise with same model. Insane success rate.
#mathstoday
This morning did reverse process to factorise with same model. Insane success rate.
#mathstoday
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
"We may not all be teachers of mathematics, but we are ALL teachers of math attitudes." @themathguru.bsky.social is delivering our closing keynote for today. 😍 #ATMNE25
October 30, 2025 at 6:57 PM
"We may not all be teachers of mathematics, but we are ALL teachers of math attitudes." @themathguru.bsky.social is delivering our closing keynote for today. 😍 #ATMNE25
Met with Further Education Mastery Specialists across our region today to think about how we can bridge the gaps for students between secondary and FE, and for teachers in our shared understanding of each others' sectors #mathstoday
October 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Met with Further Education Mastery Specialists across our region today to think about how we can bridge the gaps for students between secondary and FE, and for teachers in our shared understanding of each others' sectors #mathstoday
Nice little activity with further today, give them a function, eg f(x)=x²+1, {x:x<3}, and they have to say whether it is many to one or one to one, and if it is many to one a reason why (eg in this case f(-2)=f(2)), & if it is one to one to give the inverse function #alevelmaths #mathstoday
October 27, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Nice little activity with further today, give them a function, eg f(x)=x²+1, {x:x<3}, and they have to say whether it is many to one or one to one, and if it is many to one a reason why (eg in this case f(-2)=f(2)), & if it is one to one to give the inverse function #alevelmaths #mathstoday
When i was a student teacher (08/09) my placement school had such big portions for lunch it would be my main meal of the day during the week.
October 27, 2025 at 3:15 PM
When i was a student teacher (08/09) my placement school had such big portions for lunch it would be my main meal of the day during the week.
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
Circle(s) is the key, I think!
It seems like we don't even need those two angles (a, b) to be equal.
In this diagram, the shaded triangles are congruent (SAS) and so both bases are 5root2.
[Seems too simple - am I missing something??]
It seems like we don't even need those two angles (a, b) to be equal.
In this diagram, the shaded triangles are congruent (SAS) and so both bases are 5root2.
[Seems too simple - am I missing something??]
October 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Circle(s) is the key, I think!
It seems like we don't even need those two angles (a, b) to be equal.
In this diagram, the shaded triangles are congruent (SAS) and so both bases are 5root2.
[Seems too simple - am I missing something??]
It seems like we don't even need those two angles (a, b) to be equal.
In this diagram, the shaded triangles are congruent (SAS) and so both bases are 5root2.
[Seems too simple - am I missing something??]
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
Learning how to research is important
So much of life depends on what questions you ask and how you frame them.
As HoD, I've been asking "how do I get more 4+ in yr 11?" But now I'm asking "How do I use yr 9 to get all students 4+ ready?" Changes perspective and data and actions.
So much of life depends on what questions you ask and how you frame them.
As HoD, I've been asking "how do I get more 4+ in yr 11?" But now I'm asking "How do I use yr 9 to get all students 4+ ready?" Changes perspective and data and actions.
October 25, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Learning how to research is important
So much of life depends on what questions you ask and how you frame them.
As HoD, I've been asking "how do I get more 4+ in yr 11?" But now I'm asking "How do I use yr 9 to get all students 4+ ready?" Changes perspective and data and actions.
So much of life depends on what questions you ask and how you frame them.
As HoD, I've been asking "how do I get more 4+ in yr 11?" But now I'm asking "How do I use yr 9 to get all students 4+ ready?" Changes perspective and data and actions.
Enjoyed Q25 from the SMC and in particular liked that my own solution isnt one that is demonstrated in their videos
#mathschat #maths #alevelmaths
#mathschat #maths #alevelmaths
October 25, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Enjoyed Q25 from the SMC and in particular liked that my own solution isnt one that is demonstrated in their videos
#mathschat #maths #alevelmaths
#mathschat #maths #alevelmaths
Cat is home 🏡 thanks for the positive messages! ❤️
October 21, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Cat is home 🏡 thanks for the positive messages! ❤️
anyone got any positive missing cat stories? 😒
what's the longest yours has gone missing for? We are just over 48 hours 😪
what's the longest yours has gone missing for? We are just over 48 hours 😪
October 20, 2025 at 7:08 PM
anyone got any positive missing cat stories? 😒
what's the longest yours has gone missing for? We are just over 48 hours 😪
what's the longest yours has gone missing for? We are just over 48 hours 😪
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
“What is three-quarters, one-quarter of?”
My thinking to get to an answer was way more convoluted than it needed to be!
My thinking to get to an answer was way more convoluted than it needed to be!
October 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
“What is three-quarters, one-quarter of?”
My thinking to get to an answer was way more convoluted than it needed to be!
My thinking to get to an answer was way more convoluted than it needed to be!
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
Can't say I'd thought to do this before. #mathstoday
October 18, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Can't say I'd thought to do this before. #mathstoday
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
Does anyone teach #coremaths OCR B? First year teaching this and finding it challenging, could really use some advice from someone who has taught it before.
October 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Does anyone teach #coremaths OCR B? First year teaching this and finding it challenging, could really use some advice from someone who has taught it before.
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
New blog post: 'Thinking About Perpendicular Bisectors'
Looks at an approach for teaching compass and ruler constructions by using GeoGebra to support understanding.
wp.me/p9t8DE-r0
#UKMathsChat #Mathsky
Looks at an approach for teaching compass and ruler constructions by using GeoGebra to support understanding.
wp.me/p9t8DE-r0
#UKMathsChat #Mathsky
Thinking About Perpendicular Bisectors
This blog post explores how GeoGebra (or other dynamic geometry software) can support the teaching of compass and ruler constructions. In particular, I’ll be reflecting on how my approach to teachi…
wp.me
October 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
New blog post: 'Thinking About Perpendicular Bisectors'
Looks at an approach for teaching compass and ruler constructions by using GeoGebra to support understanding.
wp.me/p9t8DE-r0
#UKMathsChat #Mathsky
Looks at an approach for teaching compass and ruler constructions by using GeoGebra to support understanding.
wp.me/p9t8DE-r0
#UKMathsChat #Mathsky
at the maths challenge club i run we have just finished senior maths challenge prep. Next stop is ritangle, but is there anything right now that year 7s or 8s or 9s could be getting on with?
#mathschat #maths #mathstoday #mathsteaching #mtbos
#mathschat #maths #mathstoday #mathsteaching #mtbos
October 12, 2025 at 9:09 AM
at the maths challenge club i run we have just finished senior maths challenge prep. Next stop is ritangle, but is there anything right now that year 7s or 8s or 9s could be getting on with?
#mathschat #maths #mathstoday #mathsteaching #mtbos
#mathschat #maths #mathstoday #mathsteaching #mtbos
any good reading on primary to secondary transition in maths? #maths ##mathstoday @mathsjem.bsky.social @jemmaths.bsky.social @mrmattock.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
any good reading on primary to secondary transition in maths? #maths ##mathstoday @mathsjem.bsky.social @jemmaths.bsky.social @mrmattock.bsky.social
74.6% this week 💪
we broke 70% of all our students getting 100% on Sparx this week for the first time ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
All homework, no in school completion shenanigans
All homework, no in school completion shenanigans
October 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
74.6% this week 💪
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
#Mathstoday
Year 11 looked at Magic squares today. Which leads onto factorising quadratics. Next lesson will be just factorising quadratics.
(For some reason rotating won't work)
Year 11 looked at Magic squares today. Which leads onto factorising quadratics. Next lesson will be just factorising quadratics.
(For some reason rotating won't work)
October 7, 2025 at 2:32 PM
#Mathstoday
Year 11 looked at Magic squares today. Which leads onto factorising quadratics. Next lesson will be just factorising quadratics.
(For some reason rotating won't work)
Year 11 looked at Magic squares today. Which leads onto factorising quadratics. Next lesson will be just factorising quadratics.
(For some reason rotating won't work)
we broke 70% of all our students getting 100% on Sparx this week for the first time ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
All homework, no in school completion shenanigans
All homework, no in school completion shenanigans
October 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
we broke 70% of all our students getting 100% on Sparx this week for the first time ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
All homework, no in school completion shenanigans
All homework, no in school completion shenanigans
anyone found ways (as a teacher or head of maths) to come out of a week feeling positive about the difference they've made rather than exhausted by the endless unfinished jobs? #maths
September 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
anyone found ways (as a teacher or head of maths) to come out of a week feeling positive about the difference they've made rather than exhausted by the endless unfinished jobs? #maths
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
A vital maxim in education is richer kids will generally be fine, but if you screw up it's disadvantaged kids that suffer.
September 22, 2025 at 5:37 PM
A vital maxim in education is richer kids will generally be fine, but if you screw up it's disadvantaged kids that suffer.
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
@adamboxereducation.bsky.social whilst I agree with a lot of the changes in the 2010s it’s a shame to hear NG describe grid method multiplication as a nonsense method.
It’s grounded in understanding the structure of the maths and is based on an area model - the most concrete example we have.
It’s grounded in understanding the structure of the maths and is based on an area model - the most concrete example we have.
September 22, 2025 at 6:25 PM
@adamboxereducation.bsky.social whilst I agree with a lot of the changes in the 2010s it’s a shame to hear NG describe grid method multiplication as a nonsense method.
It’s grounded in understanding the structure of the maths and is based on an area model - the most concrete example we have.
It’s grounded in understanding the structure of the maths and is based on an area model - the most concrete example we have.
Reposted by Sam Blatherwick
Join Prof Dr Stuart Kime as he dives deep into the research on motivation and belonging, exploring how this fundamental human need directly impacts learning outcomes.
Sign up for this webinar: https://chartered.pulse.ly/cdk6mi1bvq
#Belonging
Sign up for this webinar: https://chartered.pulse.ly/cdk6mi1bvq
#Belonging
September 14, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Join Prof Dr Stuart Kime as he dives deep into the research on motivation and belonging, exploring how this fundamental human need directly impacts learning outcomes.
Sign up for this webinar: https://chartered.pulse.ly/cdk6mi1bvq
#Belonging
Sign up for this webinar: https://chartered.pulse.ly/cdk6mi1bvq
#Belonging