Bernie Westacott
@berniewestacott.bsky.social
Full time 1973-2012 Head of Maths. Now Part time intervention teacher. Introduced Singapore Maths in school 2006. Independent consultant 2012 - current. Oxford University Press maths consultant 2015-2020. Teach Monster game maths consultant 2020 - current.
Pinned
Craig Barton and me
Craig Barton's one and only vlog was with me. Introducing Craig to all the manipulatives!
t.co
The separate videos of the vlog I did with @mrbartonmaths
(on Twitter) in 2018 can now be found here in a Playlist on my YouTube channel t.co/umIiJkywrx
(on Twitter) in 2018 can now be found here in a Playlist on my YouTube channel t.co/umIiJkywrx
Great to meet with OCR staff Amy Dai @miss-agd.bsky.social Sarah Gotting and Mary Fisher online yesterday to discuss the feasibility of 'maths mastery' approaches, including manipulatives and bar models, being integrated into GCSE maths examinations. Lots of issues with this and much to discuss...
August 1, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Great to meet with OCR staff Amy Dai @miss-agd.bsky.social Sarah Gotting and Mary Fisher online yesterday to discuss the feasibility of 'maths mastery' approaches, including manipulatives and bar models, being integrated into GCSE maths examinations. Lots of issues with this and much to discuss...
Made me chuckle!
July 21, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Made me chuckle!
A new UK study which has tracked nearly 6,000 children for more than a decade has provided solid evidence about what parenting style is associated with the best outcomes. And the answer is: “authoritative”. seed.natcen.ac.uk?_ga=2.107965...
SEED
seed.natcen.ac.uk
July 18, 2025 at 5:27 PM
A new UK study which has tracked nearly 6,000 children for more than a decade has provided solid evidence about what parenting style is associated with the best outcomes. And the answer is: “authoritative”. seed.natcen.ac.uk?_ga=2.107965...
View of the Victoria Nile from the Black Lantern restaurant, Bujagali, Uganda. An evening of relaxation after a full-on week with schools out here.??
July 13, 2025 at 3:52 PM
View of the Victoria Nile from the Black Lantern restaurant, Bujagali, Uganda. An evening of relaxation after a full-on week with schools out here.??
1/n Thought we had done our last Jinja Educational Trust (JET) trip, but they persuaded me and Karen to go again. We have spent the week travelling into JET schools, some 'off road' a long way from Jinja. Lots to share: children are stunning - so calm, focussed and well-behaved.
July 13, 2025 at 9:50 AM
1/n Thought we had done our last Jinja Educational Trust (JET) trip, but they persuaded me and Karen to go again. We have spent the week travelling into JET schools, some 'off road' a long way from Jinja. Lots to share: children are stunning - so calm, focussed and well-behaved.
Using algebra tiles app to help Y10 understand what 'completing the square' looks like as we work on calculating intercepts on axes and turning points.
July 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Using algebra tiles app to help Y10 understand what 'completing the square' looks like as we work on calculating intercepts on axes and turning points.
This is still one of my favourite videos I have made. A presentation I did for @lasalleed.bsky.social in 2023. Using @mathspadjames.bsky.social Decimals Blocks app. Fractals in action. I love apps that enable users to zoom in and out and to appreciate scale and connections.
June 30, 2025 at 2:27 PM
This is still one of my favourite videos I have made. A presentation I did for @lasalleed.bsky.social in 2023. Using @mathspadjames.bsky.social Decimals Blocks app. Fractals in action. I love apps that enable users to zoom in and out and to appreciate scale and connections.
Huge shout out to @draustinmaths.com for her resources free online. These were so useful for Y10 consolidation and practice this week. They are so well constructed 😍
June 28, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Huge shout out to @draustinmaths.com for her resources free online. These were so useful for Y10 consolidation and practice this week. They are so well constructed 😍
Great question from a Singapore Maths competition for Primary 6. Requires a careful and systematic approach and also has triangular numbers within that analysis.😍
June 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Great question from a Singapore Maths competition for Primary 6. Requires a careful and systematic approach and also has triangular numbers within that analysis.😍
Great problem solving for Y3 and Y4 pupils. I also use some of these questions for my Y2 Maths Enrichment Club.
The FMC starts today! For children aged 7-9. Schools can still take part in the challenge by Friday 27th June - bookings close on Wednesday 25th June. buff.ly/NrZM8fL
June 16, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Great problem solving for Y3 and Y4 pupils. I also use some of these questions for my Y2 Maths Enrichment Club.
‘Learning that does not last was never really learning, it was mere exposure’. Another cracker from @markmccourt.bsky.social. In my role as an intervention teacher and as a tutor preparing pupils for GCSE I see this issue day in, day out.
June 14, 2025 at 10:56 AM
‘Learning that does not last was never really learning, it was mere exposure’. Another cracker from @markmccourt.bsky.social. In my role as an intervention teacher and as a tutor preparing pupils for GCSE I see this issue day in, day out.
It has been interesting helping some of our Y3 and Y4 pupils look at ways of solving these sorts of problems - this one is taken from a Grade 3 international maths competition.
May 31, 2025 at 4:04 PM
It has been interesting helping some of our Y3 and Y4 pupils look at ways of solving these sorts of problems - this one is taken from a Grade 3 international maths competition.
Very excited to be asked to go out to Uganda this summer holiday to help the Jinja Educational Trust jinjaedtrust.com once again. They have recently taken on several new schools, so there is an increased need for support and training. Just booked flights 😁
Home
jinjaedtrust.com
May 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Very excited to be asked to go out to Uganda this summer holiday to help the Jinja Educational Trust jinjaedtrust.com once again. They have recently taken on several new schools, so there is an increased need for support and training. Just booked flights 😁
Early number and counting are complex. I love this overview of key elements of the number and counting trajectory from @gfletchy Progression of Early Number and Counting youtu.be/BX9RH8MLOp8?si… via @YouTube
Progression of Early Number and Counting
YouTube video by Graham Fletcher (gfletchy)
https://youtu.be/BX9RH8MLOp8?si…
May 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Early number and counting are complex. I love this overview of key elements of the number and counting trajectory from @gfletchy Progression of Early Number and Counting youtu.be/BX9RH8MLOp8?si… via @YouTube
The disastrous periodic 'revolution' so beloved of snake oil salesmen i.e. politicians et al desperate to leave a legacy - which they do, but mostly not in a good way 😱 - as opposed to the careful 'evolution' model of other successful jurisdictions. As always, Mark hits the nail bang on the head!
NEW BLOG: Educational Amnesia: Why England Is Sleepwalking into a Scottish Mistake
www.emaths.co.uk/blog/general...
www.emaths.co.uk/blog/general...
Emaths - Educational Amnesia: Why England Is Sleepwalking into a Scottish Mistake
Resources and support for improving mathematics education in schools and colleges
www.emaths.co.uk
May 20, 2025 at 10:17 AM
The disastrous periodic 'revolution' so beloved of snake oil salesmen i.e. politicians et al desperate to leave a legacy - which they do, but mostly not in a good way 😱 - as opposed to the careful 'evolution' model of other successful jurisdictions. As always, Mark hits the nail bang on the head!
(1) When we first introduced the Singapore maths pedagogy into our school in 2006, we realised very quickly how we needed to concretise the 'groups' in 'groups and items' as bits of paper. This made the groups something distinct from the items and they could be manipulated.
May 19, 2025 at 7:07 PM
(1) When we first introduced the Singapore maths pedagogy into our school in 2006, we realised very quickly how we needed to concretise the 'groups' in 'groups and items' as bits of paper. This made the groups something distinct from the items and they could be manipulated.
The words of a wise man who knows a LOT about teaching and learning.Too often I see an overcrowded maths programme being gone through at a ridiculous pace leaving many pupils trailing in its wake.
May 18, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The words of a wise man who knows a LOT about teaching and learning.Too often I see an overcrowded maths programme being gone through at a ridiculous pace leaving many pupils trailing in its wake.
Using MS Whiteboard to make interactive prepared online apps to model directly content in the WRMH scheme. This unit from Y3 Autumn has the the videos, the workbook pages and links to app boards I have already set up and stored via links/codes.
May 15, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Using MS Whiteboard to make interactive prepared online apps to model directly content in the WRMH scheme. This unit from Y3 Autumn has the the videos, the workbook pages and links to app boards I have already set up and stored via links/codes.
Working with Y3 and Y4 Maths Clubs this week: as well as some UK First Maths Challenge questions, I will also share some Grade 2 and 3 problems from Singapore Maths competitions such as these: Grade 2 then Grade 3 - medium difficulty from the middle section of the papers. #UKMathsChat #MathsToday
May 13, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Working with Y3 and Y4 Maths Clubs this week: as well as some UK First Maths Challenge questions, I will also share some Grade 2 and 3 problems from Singapore Maths competitions such as these: Grade 2 then Grade 3 - medium difficulty from the middle section of the papers. #UKMathsChat #MathsToday
Working with some of our Y2 pupils this week on problem solving. Used some questions from the
@mathematicala.bsky.social First Maths Challenge. We could have used the answers given, or trial and improvement, but instead we built on their knowledge of bar models, and number rods. Polypad app.
@mathematicala.bsky.social First Maths Challenge. We could have used the answers given, or trial and improvement, but instead we built on their knowledge of bar models, and number rods. Polypad app.
May 9, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Working with some of our Y2 pupils this week on problem solving. Used some questions from the
@mathematicala.bsky.social First Maths Challenge. We could have used the answers given, or trial and improvement, but instead we built on their knowledge of bar models, and number rods. Polypad app.
@mathematicala.bsky.social First Maths Challenge. We could have used the answers given, or trial and improvement, but instead we built on their knowledge of bar models, and number rods. Polypad app.
Love using mathsbot.com Bar Modelling app from the mighty @studymaths.bsky.social for quickly making bar models. Perfect for this @mathematicala.bsky.social First Maths Challenge question I am doing with some Y2 pupils. Shines a light on the underlying connections. #UKMathsChat #MathsToday
May 6, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Love using mathsbot.com Bar Modelling app from the mighty @studymaths.bsky.social for quickly making bar models. Perfect for this @mathematicala.bsky.social First Maths Challenge question I am doing with some Y2 pupils. Shines a light on the underlying connections. #UKMathsChat #MathsToday
Great work from all the people at UKMT posting on their YouTube channel the solutions to all the Junior Maths Challenge 2025 problems. Already downloaded and shared with my pupils in Y6/7/8, many of whom are too young to be on YouTube. SO helpful and really appreciated🙏 #UKMathsChat
May 3, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Great work from all the people at UKMT posting on their YouTube channel the solutions to all the Junior Maths Challenge 2025 problems. Already downloaded and shared with my pupils in Y6/7/8, many of whom are too young to be on YouTube. SO helpful and really appreciated🙏 #UKMathsChat
A colleague in school wrote this down to share with me today. What are the odds! 😮 #UKMathsChat #MathsToday
April 30, 2025 at 8:16 AM
A colleague in school wrote this down to share with me today. What are the odds! 😮 #UKMathsChat #MathsToday
Great resource for compasses and ruler CONSTRUCTION. There are other variations of the ones they demonstrate, but it's still useful. #UKMathsChat #iTeachMath #MathsToday #https://mathsisfun.com/geometry/constructions.html
Geometric Constructions
mathsisfun.com
April 28, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Great resource for compasses and ruler CONSTRUCTION. There are other variations of the ones they demonstrate, but it's still useful. #UKMathsChat #iTeachMath #MathsToday #https://mathsisfun.com/geometry/constructions.html
The Interim Report does not say much about KS1 maths, but it does note that the curriculum at KS1 and 2 can 'lead to a struggle to cover all content with sufficient depth and negatively affects pupils’ ability to master foundational concepts' assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e6b4...
April 26, 2025 at 6:47 AM
The Interim Report does not say much about KS1 maths, but it does note that the curriculum at KS1 and 2 can 'lead to a struggle to cover all content with sufficient depth and negatively affects pupils’ ability to master foundational concepts' assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e6b4...