Mastery: Solving the problems of maths?

Earlier this year I was invited to watch a demonstration maths lesson delivered by a visiting teacher from Shanghai. The lesson was to take place in a Year One classroom. I was interested to see the approach in action, largely because the term “mastery” is bandied around so much these days. It even features in the DfE’s proposed (and highly criticised) changes to the maths ELGs. Whilst the proposed 0-10 focus is warmly welcomed, the focus on automatic recall of abstract number facts and complete removal of Shape, space and measure has been controversial to say the least. 

With all this in mind, I was  keen to see what this very popular mastery teaching approach looked like in Yr1. I am a trainer and author with a passion for early maths as well as still being a Yr1 teacher myself. 

Upon entering the classroom I was greeted by tables in rows, with pencils and worksheets ready. No other resources. 

The children came in and sat down ready for their lesson in silence. The teacher demonstrating began a call and response type session based around bonds to 10. This could soon be the national expectation for our 4 year olds.  Some children readily recalled the facts, others copied friends, some moved lips to attempt looking like they knew what to say, some desperately searched for answers on the walls and some didn’t say anything.

The lesson focussed on a step by step approach to adding through ten. Lots of questions asked, hands went up and were picked for answers. Sometimes correct. Sometimes not. Many never raising hands. Many never chosen. 

I found myself sat next to a young man of 5 and a half who we will name *Robbie. Robbie tried to look interested and do what was expected but clearly didn’t understand. 

In the silent classroom I found myself doing what I do in my own (definitely not so silent) classroom. I began teaching *Robbie. Scaffolding. Encouraging. Modelling. Explaining. Demonstrating. 

I glanced around the room. Some children stifling yawns (have to say have never seen such young children do this). Others completely switched off. Some were engaged. So this wasn’t for everyone. This wasn’t mastery for all. Just a few. 

The instructions kept coming and I continued to talk quietly to Robbie, helping him to understand, drawing pictures, talking and explaining. He told me he was so glad it was Friday as he had football tomorrow. I later discovered from his teacher he was a talented footballer. 

More instructions and more steps came. More hands went up and questions were answered sometimes correctly, sometimes not. Some children were picked multiple times to answer, explain and demonstrate. Others never asked. 

Pencils were picked up and boxes filled in worksheets as a whole group. Power point slides moved through. I kept supporting *Robbie. Encouraging. Scaffolding. Explaining. Teaching.

Then it happened. Something clicked. He got it. His face lit up. Eyes wide. “Go on! Put your hand up” I whispered. He did. Almost about to burst. He had got it. He knew it. It had clicked.

The demonstrating teacher who had seen me supporting him, glanced over, past us and picked someone who had been picked before. And so it went on. More questions. His hand shot up. Someone else picked. Again and again. Finally the teacher came to our table... and asked the girl next to him. This girl had been listening to our discussions and learning with us too. I saw his body slouch as she gave the answers he had discovered  first in the magical moment. The magical moment learning made sense. The moment that wouldn’t have happened without my teaching, my interaction. 

That isn’t to criticise the visiting teacher but how could she possibly scaffold in the way I had when at the front of a class of 30? 

The lesson continued step by step. Worksheet completed. No checking of work. Just filling the forms. 

After an hour- yes an hour-an hour of bums on seats listening and chanting with pencils and worksheets, the lesson ended. The teacher praised the children and told them “Well done. Now you can all do (whatever the learning objective was)”. But could they? How could she really say they could? She’d been at the front. She hadn’t been working with individuals. She’d been at the front talking through a process and engaging with some children. What I had seen had benefitted some. But I fail to see how it made many of those children masters of maths.  

Now let me be clear here. I’m not criticising this teacher. I’m not criticising maths mastery for older children. Maybe this works back in Shanghai. But we aren’t in Shanghai. We live in a society where many is us have maths anxiety, many of us  feel like failures at this essential subject, and where many will openly say “I’m rubbish at maths” and what I saw did little if anything to tackle this crisis. In fact it may even deepen the crisis as young children quickly learn they too are “rubbish” at maths.  

So back to the lesson. The many visitors who had observed the session with me were asked to share their feedback with the visiting teacher. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive from these colleagues, many of whom were ks2 experienced maths leads. The observers thought it was amazing how the children learned the procedure. They said the small steps approach was great and could definitely be taken back to their schools for their Year one children. The engagement was amazing some commented. I’m not sure Dr Ferre Laevers would have agreed to be honest if he’d been there using his well being and involvement scales. 

So then it came to me for my feedback. 

I asked the teacher a simple question;

“Would you do this lesson back in Shanghai  with 5 and 6 year olds?”

She smiled, giggled and replied “Oh no that’s far too young. Probably at 7 or maybe 6 the youngest. But not 5. No.”

So why here? 


Why are our government advocating (and investing heavily) in an approach for our young children which wouldn’t be used in the place it was developed in? Is this approach to mastery really the way to inspire young minds, build confidence and a solid understanding of a subject which evokes anxiety in so many? 

Part 2 to follow soon....

Year One: The Adventure Continues...

Last year after seeing the amazing impact of a child centred, in the moment approach for our EYFS children, we decided to take the brave step of extending those essential principles in to Year One.  It was a busy and exhausting year with challenges and successes.  We all worked hard to make sure that our children's EYFS adventures continued well beyond the reception door into our Year One classrooms (inside and out).  I need to be clear before I go any further.  I am not saying we made Year One into EYFS.  Year One is Year One...it isn't Nursery or Reception...but the principles of the very best EYFS practice are essential far beyond the ripe old age of 5...a mere 60 months of existence. 

As a nursery nurse who studied child development and the power of play (from birth to 8 years) I knew this was the right thing to do.  I thought about the following:

• Why are so many of our children thrust into a formal, developmentally inappropriate, pedagogically irresponsible learning environment...just because they are no longer under the protective umbrella of the statutory EYFS framework?  
• Why do those crucial and proven effective learning characteristics no longer remain statutory...just because our children have moved into KS1?  Yet many schools choose to introduce "learning behaviours up to Yr6?
• What about the unique child? 
• What about the enabling environment? 
• What about the power of positive relationships? 
• Do these principles only matter from birth to 5 years old?  Surely that includes the majority of Year One children who join year one classes at 5 years old..perhaps just turning 5 in August?  

The truth of the matter is that these principles matter beyond Year 1, beyond Year 2...beyond Year 6! These are principles for lifelong learning; principles for life.  Surely its no surprise that so many of our children are switched off from learning at a young age and suffer from poor mental health? Surely it's because we stop giving them what they need, what they deserve...what they are entitled to. Surely it is clear that quite sadly our children are being failed by a system that simply does not understand (or care) how they learn and develop or what they need to thrive.  But we DO understand how they learn and develop and what they need.  So surely we have a duty to them to give them exactly what they need to succeed, not just "get through" phonics screening or SATs...but for life! We don't want children who merely cope, who just survive..we want, and our world needs, children who thrive!

In my school we decided to make a change to Year One. Take a leap. Was it a perfect year? No of course not...there are things that we need to reflect upon for the next cohort, but it was a good start, and all journeys begin with a start!  

In July we waved goodbye to an amazing set of parents and carers who have seen the power of this approach for their children.  For those with older children the Year One experience for their younger child was a world away from their older child's experience.  We waved goodbye to a cohort of happy, settled children. A group of children with solid foundations in personal, social and emotional development, language and physical development as well as academic learning too. A group of children who I believe didn't just recall facts because they had been told to. I honestly believe these children know and understand the things we learned together.  I honestly believe that learning wasn't just poured into their brains, it was in their bones.  My evidence for such a bold statement?  Well if I think of maths, my particular passion, these children used and applied the maths we learned in their own activities. We explored halves and quarters..but they wanted to know about thirds.  We counted to 100 in 10s...but they went to 500 because they saw the pattern, they felt the pattern. These amazing children not only learned what the curriculum says they must, but things they wanted to learn to: origami, playing instruments, speaking french, the names of a 12 sided 3d shapes...the list goes on! 

Routines, timetables and the environment changed gradually throughout the year...but those essential principles remained at the heart throughout. Were they our highest achieving ever cohort because of this approach? Was their data off the chart?  Well if there was data for creativity, imagination, connection making, problem solving, thinking, love of learning, engagement and sheer perseverance then they would have been. Unfortunately in our system its only reading, writing and maths that matter.  BUT... I know that even those children who aren't quite writing yet, or aren't reading at the expected level, or who do not yet know numbers bonds to 20...have had another year of foundation building, a year of exploration, talk and play inside and out.  A year of  nurture, nature, understanding, scaffolding, time to be and develop at their own pace; a year of exactly what they needed. And when their brains and bodies are ready...that is when they will be off the chart!

So back to now. What's happening this year?  Well over the summer there have been exciting developments! The walls which divided our 2 classrooms and communal art area have been removed! We now have a fluid open plan year one base. Today my colleague popped in and excitedly sent me some photos. (see below). My initial thoughts.. "Aaahh it's table city!!!" Our lovely cleaners have put everything back in the rooms for us... and by the end of the year we did have enough tables and chairs for each child to have a place. But that was July and we are heading back to the beginning of the year, so when I go in next week...the tables will be going! The clutter will be cleared out. "Less is more" will be our mantra.  The photos below show our environment before we have done anything to it!

The journey continues..watch this space.  Be the tortoise, not the hare.  So back to the title of this blog "Year One the journey continues"..the journey will be continuing but not just for our children, but for us too as practitioners. Who knows what will happen, but if you want to find out, stick with me to watch it unfold.  

Communal art area

One half of our new open plan Year One base

The other half

If you are feeling brave and fired up then my top tips for inspirational reading are:

Anna Ephgrave's bestselling Year One in action.

Julie Fishers brilliant transitions book

If you haven't joined Keeping Early Years Unique then come on over. There are 35,000+ of us over there waiting for you to join our mission! We need you!

If you like what you have read, join the campaign here! Every child deserves the best start...not just the lucky few!

Any questions or comment, please get involved below. I would love to hear from you!

Come and be a part of the EYs revolution!

When I first set up the Facebook group "Keeping Early Years Unique" back in March 2015, that was exactly what it was.  A Facebook group for those working in Early Years who wanted a haven from the world of craziness of EYs social media.

Two years later, 30,000 members strong, and KEYU is far more than just another EYs facebook group. It's a global phenomenon. A movement. An agent for change. A community leading change around the world.  A community where like minded practitioners find they are not alone even when it feels as if they are.

KEYU group photo. London 2015

Through the group I have met so many people and have made some life long friends.  It is these friends who continue to inspire me each day and our friendship has led to even more exciting projects, such as the KEYU book...which I am currently editing and also our very own national KEYU EYs conference tour. The first leg was entitled "Less is More" and offers the chance to hear from 6 of KEYUs leading voices. The next set of events, beginning with Brighton will be entitled "Right from the start" and will include workshop options.

KEYU Speakers L-R: Ruth Moore, Kym Scott, Elaine Bennett, Anna Ephgrave, Kathryn Solly, Sue Allingham, Leah Morris

So far the tour has visited London, Leeds, Bristol an Belfast.  In July we will be visiting Manchester and Birmingham. In Autumn we will be in Brighton and Newcastle. And in Spring we are heading home to my town Southend, and also visiting Guildford and hopefully Nottingham too!

These events not only offer the chance to hear from some of KEYU's leading voices, but also the chance to network, put faces to those names with whom you often chat, or who have given you support and encouragement on your trickiest days through their posts and comments.

These events are really something very special and the feedback from our delegates tells stories of inspiring, buzzy, practice affirming celebrations of the very best Early Years thinking!

Enjoying a KEYU bag photo opportunity!

Having a good chat with a cuppa and piece of cake!

We promise you will have an inspirational day and will leave with your KEYU bag on your shoulder. Have a look at our carefully chosen stalls and maybe win a prize in the draw!

Early Education

Community Playthings

So come and join us!  We'd love to see you! Student discounts are available with valid ID.   Help us spread the word.  We are not a large company, just a group of passionate practitioners who have been brought together by KEYU.  We do not have marketing tools at our disposal.  Our events fill up through the power of the KEYU community...and we are always looking for ways to spread word to those who are not on Facebook. So can you help us?

Don't miss out! Come and see what all the fuss is about and book your places NOW. Just click on this link... 

We are ready and waiting, don't be late!

Have a look at our  fliers to find out details of the events!
All bookings made through Eventbrite. Payment by invoice is available.

Birmingham Event July 2017

Manchester Event July 2017

Brighton November 2017

October 2017

Buckle up...Time to board EYs Air for the long haul!

Well by this time next week, we will probably know the future of the Government here in the UK and our Prime Minister.  So many questions to be answered....

• Will we be led by a Government who recognises the importance of early years and education?  
• Will there be investment in our schools and settings?  
• Will the cuts keep coming? 
• Will our children be tucking into a 7p breakfast to set them up for the day? 
• How exactly will the "f*** funding 30hr  fiasco" move forwards?  
• Will we get a Government who listens to the 4000 voices of EYs and the plentiful evidence and research of Early Excellence's "The Hundred Review"

So many questions.  So many reasons we MUST vote. But when all is said and done, who ever the Government, whatever their agenda and values...one thing remains the same:

"Our children deserve the very best start, and whether we finally start to see the funding we so desperately need or not, we will all keep fighting to give our children the start we know they are entitled to"

Those of you who are already members of the Facebook Group "Keeping Early Years Unique" will know it is our mission to battle together to make sure that we fight on to protect the early years of a child's life.  We fight to protect our children from damaging top down pressures, too much too soon, do-it-sooner formal approaches, developmentally inappropriate practice and pedagogically irresponsible approaches. 



In the short term such approaches might give the narrow outcomes (numbers) so many leaders feel pressured to get. Sometimes leaders believe these outcomes really matter.  However usually they feel the pressure because their pay, reputation and schools standing (even perhaps its physical standing) rests on the  measures set by a Government who continues to compare schools based on flawed test results. 

If you have not already bought this amazing book...buy it now!

The thing is though...I did not become a teacher for the short journey and short term effects I may have upon a child's life.  I did not become a teacher to just get young children through tests.  I became a teacher for the long journey and the footprint I hope to leave on a child's life. I became a teacher to make a difference, to help set children on a path not just through reception or year one but through life.  Maybe that sounds fluffy and idealistic to some readers.  Of course it is my job to help them to achieve academically, to learn to read, write and learn maths...but if that is all I am doing, then I am failing them as a teacher and I am failing myself.  Life is not just about reading, writing and maths, please do not run away with this and believe that I am saying its acceptable for children to be illiterate and innumerate.  I am not. Children must learn the 3 R's. But life is also about being a member of society who plays their part, a member of society who in their own way makes a difference, who understands, respects and tolerates others, who creates and invents, who bounces back in the face of adversity, who knows right from wrong and ultimately who understands and respects the world they live in...and their place within it.

So now back to the classroom-in the run up to the phonics screening there will be schools whose children are doing endless phonics screening practice papers.  The chances are their children will in the short term outperform mine and score more highly in this test.  My children will do well, we have given them the grounding they need beyond the phonics test, we have played some silly games, I have tried to make reading nonsense words as interesting and engaging as possible...although fluently reading 5 and 6 year olds do not know why they are having to read "meep" and "jang"....surely if they are aliens names they should have a capital they tell me.  So in the short term maybe I have failed.   We will be compared to other schools and maybe I will be asked what I will be doing differently next year.   Well a change of Government could ironically put the phonic screening test in the metaphorical dustbin where it so clearly belongs- along with Obb's words (if you know what I am talking about, then you are clearly playing the same games literally and metaphorically).  But if things don't change in Government...what will I change? Absolutely nothing.  My children love books, they love to read, they happily write, no one says or thinks they can't.  As I said I am a teacher who plays the long game.  And I always will. 


I recently asked the members of Keeping Early Years Unique whether we should discuss politics on the page in the run up to the election. The answer was a resounding yes.  Politics affects us all...but it will never change the teacher that I am. Governments and their ideologies come and go. But right now no matter what pressures I am under, I am not going anywhere.

So next Thursday, use your vote. Make it count.  Maybe things will get better, maybe things will get worse. Who knows. Maybe you think your little vote can't make any difference.  It can!

All I know is that whatever happens, I will never jump on board that short haul flight.  I am long haul all the way..there will be turbulence and it will get very bumpy, but I am buckled up and ready! What about you?

Nursery World Election Special: How the Election might affect you

Can you relate to these messages?  Are you in your seat fastened and ready to go?  


Come and join 30,000 of us on Facebook in the Keeping Early Years Unique community

Come and join us at our national events visiting Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Brighton this year! Seats on the KEYU jet are filling fast! See you there.

EYFSP Moderation Myth Busting and Top Tips!

As those of us working in Reception classes find ourselves being moderated as part of the EYFSP national moderation process- I wanted to bust a few myths...many of which I have heard on my travels, many of which I am contacted and asked about and many of which I see being discussed on social media.

All of what I am going to say comes from little old me....an experienced nursery nurse, EYFS teacher, an accredited moderator and then LA moderation manager. 

In my role as LA Moderation manager, despite only being in post one day a week, we had an external visit from STA who highly praised the moderation plan put in place. 

So here goes my top tips and EYFSP moderation myth busting blog:

1. Have the moderation handbook and exemplifications printed and KNOW the handbook well. You may even know it better than the moderators. You need to be ready to ask "can you show me where it says that in the statutory guidance please?" There is helpful guidance around evidence, practice and making judgments. 

2. Moderating teams have to have a clear appeals/complaints procedure which they are expected share with you. This is where you go if you are not happy with your moderation. Ask about it if they do not share it with you!

3. Children are judged as either: "emerging", "expected" or "exceeding". There is no "emerging expected", "within expected" or "secure expected". The discussions with your year one colleagues will be where you discuss the children's individual development and achievement of the goal.

3. No where in any of the literacy goals does it say which specific level of phonics or bands of reading books needs to be achieved to be expected..this is because there is no prescribed level! TO BE AN EXCEEDING WRITER DOES NOT REQUIRE A FOUR OR FIVE YEAR OLD TO WRITE WAR AND PEACE ON NARROW LINES WITH PERFECT PUNCTUATION AND SPELLING IN CURSIVE WITH PERFECT FORMATION...

4. Children can achieve exceeding! Of course not all of them...these are your "above and beyond" learners. Those children that you know are clearly beyond the ELG. They do not need to be performing like an A level student or ks2 child. They are 4 or 5 years old!!!EXCEEDING SIMPLY MEANS THEY ARE BEYOND THE EARLY LEARNING GOAL!!!!

5. The exceeding descriptors are guidance. Perhaps Johnny doesn't skip to music but he can ride a 2 wheeler bike and dribble a ball like Ronaldo!!! This along with other evidence could make him exceeding! 

6. Evidence....no requirement for piles of evidence. Yes of course you need evidence but a prime source of evidence is your knowledge!!! The handbook clearly tells us this!  

7. It's all about best fit! Do not break down and tick off ELGs. Look at them. Look at the evidence. Think of the child...where do they fit best??? E.g in shape, space and measure  they may talk more confidently about some aspects than others...that's fine... IT'S BEST FIT!!! Children do not need to have equal mastery of all aspects to achieve the ELG.  

8. Make sure you keep the maths ELG developmentally appropriate for 4 and 5 year olds! To achieve the ELG for number children do not need to be recording number sentences or be adding/subtracting by marking jumps on a number line.  To achieve the shape and space ELG they do not need to be telling the time to o clock or using a ruler  to measure in centimetres.  Any children doing things like this may well be exceeding...

9. There is no expectation for children in reception to have maths and literacy books.  Evidence towards ELGs must come predominantly from child led activity! 

10. Finally remember...these are YOUR children,so you know them better than whoever visits to ask you about them....(except their families obviously 😜) You will be expected to talk about their Characteristics of Effective Learning- so use this dialogue to demonstrate how well you don't just know WHAT your children know, but HOW they know it too!

Please feel free to add myths or questions below in the comment...lets do some myth busting and empower ourselves!

Hope these documents might be of use to you all.

Download the EYFSP handbook 2017 here
Download the ELG exemplification materials here
Download the EYFSP 2017 Assessment and Reporting Arrangements here...
A useful document by Oxford LA exploring exceeding and expected

Stop the EYs bandwagon...I want to get off!

Sometimes I am absolutely shocked at the nonsense thrown at us in the world of EYs.

Today I have come across Ofsted publications being sold online, role play masks of current political leaders you can download for a price, t shirts practitioners can wear covered in phonics and numbers, the entire EYFS printed on minuscule cards to be carried around and cards telling us what to say to children...

On top of this we are sold schemes and fads galore promising to get our children doing this, that or the other better and quicker if we just buy this or that or follow this or that approach. Our children don't need any of this nonsense and neither do we! We are skilled, knowledgeable experts...who don't always have the faith in ourselves we should have.

If our practice is based on what we KNOW matters...If our practice is based on what RESEARCH and EVIDENCE tells us matters....In short if our practice is built on what we HEAR  from those leading early years pioneers such eg Froebel, Montessori, Isaacs, Vygotsky, the MacMillians (to name a few) and their contemporaries such as Tina Bruce, Julie Fisher, Ferre Laevers, Anna Ephgrave, (again  amongst others)...then we are not just promoting hoop jumping, short term outcomes but learning (and good mental health) for life.

I have been criticised in the past for using the term fancy pants...but to me it describes some of the absolute flash-in-the-pan, style over substance, unfounded gimmicks I hear about and read about each and every day.

Children don't need specifically planned fine motor sessions, they don't need to swing play dough around their heads or thread cereals on a piece of spaghetti against a timer...if the provision is right.

Children MUST NOT be sat for 45 minutes a day having phonics poured into their heads, when they should be reading, writing and TALKING in an enabling environment.

Children do not need a maths mastery scheme to follow and a maths book to record in when they are counting, measuring, comparing, exploring, using pattern,  problem solving and PROBLEM FINDING in a mathematically rich emotional and physical environment.

I guess what I'm saying in these days of print and go, the days when anyone can be an expert and write a blog saying anything they like with no evidence (I hope you can see I do have evidence).  In these days when social media can make you feel a total failure for not having a pristine mud kitchen made from palettes with working sink and perhaps your cable reels don't look like they deserve a place in the Tate gallery...it's OK! It is OK just to do what is right: plain, simple, back to basics. It is OK not to be all singing and dancing.

We need to just take a breath. Less is more. Our children don't need sparkles and twinkles to learn. They need REAL environments and adults who understand and tune into them. They need space and time.  They need all the things children have always needed...long before these days of the commercialisation of education. They need educators who know WHY they do WHAT they do instead of those who follow blindly and chase to climb aboard the latest bandwagon in a desperate bid to reach outcomes, be outstanding (thanks go out to OFSTED for their constant mythbusting), or even just to feel accepted.  

If I have offended, I apologise but we just need to get back to what matters here...children and their development.  If you are chasing that bandwagon, stop running, turn around and run the other way.  If you are on the bandwagon, politely ask it to stop and climb off. It it won't stop, then jump off! Be brave. Take the risk...take the leap.  It will be bumpy and it won't be easy, but in the long term it will be the best thing you ever did and the adults of tomorrow will thank you! 


Trust me. I know. I jumped...and I have never looked back.

Come and join the Early Years Facebook revolution!

It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new blog for me....and I'm feeling good! (So watch out world!)

Just last night I posted some thoughts on the Facebook page Keeping Early Year Unique...a group of 30,000 Early year voices standing up for what REALLY matters in the Early Years of education. 

Within 2 hours over 500 of our members had liked and loved it. The comments were flooding in of people who realised they were not alone in what they believed.  It is the next morning now and over 700 stand with me, commenting, nodding their heads in agreement and yelling a resounding "YES" from their keyboard!

Now the problem with a Facebook post is that it can very quickly get lost in the world of posts, questions, debates, memes, surveys and photos...all of which are very important! So when someone asked me if I have a blog, I realised I have been missing a very simple point here.  I DO have a blog.  IT IS HERE!!! 

I have been viewing this blog as something extra and different, something I need to find time to do. It ISN'T'!  From this day on this blog is going to be a place where I will start sharing my most talked about posts..so that they can be accessed and shared more widely.

Is this a risk? Yes.  I am stepping out of the comfort zone of a 30k strong community who are on my page (quite literally) and bringing my straight from the heart musings to the world outside.  Some of whom will agree, and some of whom will not.  But for all those who may not agree, I hope there will be those people new to Keeping Early Years Unique who will find the reassurance, confidence and affirmation that so many of us have on that one little Facebook page! So get involved and watch this space! And to these people I say...WELCOME HOME!

Come and join the revolution!