John Rubinstein
@jrub.bsky.social
Teacher of A level maths and further maths. Ex-principal of a sixth form college. Now a Londoner but still loyal to Hull.
@andrewhickey.500songs.com Interesting documentary last night on Sky Arts ‘I was a teenage Sex Pistol’, Glen Matlock’s story. A lot of talking heads and clips. A well done, informative and entertaining story. Still available on catch up.
November 7, 2025 at 8:17 AM
@andrewhickey.500songs.com Interesting documentary last night on Sky Arts ‘I was a teenage Sex Pistol’, Glen Matlock’s story. A lot of talking heads and clips. A well done, informative and entertaining story. Still available on catch up.
November 5, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I am teaching differentiation practical problems at the moment and wondering which area/volume formulae students need to know. For example, surface area of a cone? Is there a list somewhere of assumed knowledge for #AlevelMaths ?
#MathsToday
#MathsToday
October 22, 2025 at 9:44 AM
I am teaching differentiation practical problems at the moment and wondering which area/volume formulae students need to know. For example, surface area of a cone? Is there a list somewhere of assumed knowledge for #AlevelMaths ?
#MathsToday
#MathsToday
I gave my Y12 students a test today in #ALevelMaths . They complained afterwards that they didn’t know what a rhombus is.
I don’t teach GCSE: would you not expect students to know what a rhombus is at GCSE?
I don’t teach GCSE: would you not expect students to know what a rhombus is at GCSE?
October 7, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I gave my Y12 students a test today in #ALevelMaths . They complained afterwards that they didn’t know what a rhombus is.
I don’t teach GCSE: would you not expect students to know what a rhombus is at GCSE?
I don’t teach GCSE: would you not expect students to know what a rhombus is at GCSE?
Don’t you hate it when a student asks for help with part (iv) of a STEP question?
September 30, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Don’t you hate it when a student asks for help with part (iv) of a STEP question?
I recommend this movie. Thrilling and funny and entertaining. And incredible soundtrack.
September 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I recommend this movie. Thrilling and funny and entertaining. And incredible soundtrack.
Is it just me or was #OnlyConnect easier tonight?
September 15, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Is it just me or was #OnlyConnect easier tonight?
I am stuck if any kind soul can help. In the Edexcel Core 1 chapter on roots of polynomials Ex4C Q9, you end up with these four equations, which I haven’t been able to solve.
Solution bank just ‘spots’ the solution, which isn’t very satisfactory.
#ALevelMaths
Solution bank just ‘spots’ the solution, which isn’t very satisfactory.
#ALevelMaths
September 12, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I am stuck if any kind soul can help. In the Edexcel Core 1 chapter on roots of polynomials Ex4C Q9, you end up with these four equations, which I haven’t been able to solve.
Solution bank just ‘spots’ the solution, which isn’t very satisfactory.
#ALevelMaths
Solution bank just ‘spots’ the solution, which isn’t very satisfactory.
#ALevelMaths
If you are at all interested in WW2, in what Britain was like in the late 30s and during the war, in debunking some myths and learning some history, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
September 10, 2025 at 7:05 PM
If you are at all interested in WW2, in what Britain was like in the late 30s and during the war, in debunking some myths and learning some history, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Been on the beach four days in the last seven. Seen quite a few women reading books but only one man (and that was Jeffrey Archer so not sure if it counts).
August 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Been on the beach four days in the last seven. Seen quite a few women reading books but only one man (and that was Jeffrey Archer so not sure if it counts).
Lots of pleasing mathematical spirals in these plants in a garden in Cornwall.
August 26, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Lots of pleasing mathematical spirals in these plants in a garden in Cornwall.
Just read The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. Fantastic. About about a gay boy/man growing up in Ireland in the 50s/60s, later living in Amsterdam and New York before returning to Ireland. So passionate, powerful and moving, but also one of the funniest novels I have ever read.
August 24, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Just read The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. Fantastic. About about a gay boy/man growing up in Ireland in the 50s/60s, later living in Amsterdam and New York before returning to Ireland. So passionate, powerful and moving, but also one of the funniest novels I have ever read.
In case you’ve not seen enough of them today: A level Mathematics grade boundaries 2018-2025 for English exam boards
August 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Another year where entries for A level Mathematics are up to a record high, but where are most of those those entries being made? There’s only one board doing the heavy lifting. Entries overall have doubled in the last 20 years, but Edexcel’s are up by 233% in that time
August 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
258/300 or 86% for an A* in Edexcel #ALevelMaths is quite steep.
August 14, 2025 at 11:59 AM
258/300 or 86% for an A* in Edexcel #ALevelMaths is quite steep.
A recommendation for you @missradders.bsky.social : When the Cranes Fly South. Best book I have read this year.
www.foyles.co.uk/reviews/when...
www.foyles.co.uk/reviews/when...
www.foyles.co.uk
August 11, 2025 at 7:02 AM
A recommendation for you @missradders.bsky.social : When the Cranes Fly South. Best book I have read this year.
www.foyles.co.uk/reviews/when...
www.foyles.co.uk/reviews/when...
Interesting fact on Only Connect, that a day on Venus is longer than a year.
August 4, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Interesting fact on Only Connect, that a day on Venus is longer than a year.
Nice puzzles by Alex Bellos in the Guardian today.
July 26, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Nice puzzles by Alex Bellos in the Guardian today.
This is very neat. Better than the usual #ALevelMaths proof don’t you think?
July 14, 2025 at 5:53 PM
This is very neat. Better than the usual #ALevelMaths proof don’t you think?
Just had a meeting by with two senior people from Edexcel about #ALevelMaths Paper 2 this year in response to my concerns.
They stand by their decision to replace the original paper (for undisclosed reasons) with one from a future series (rather than a designed substitute). 1/n
They stand by their decision to replace the original paper (for undisclosed reasons) with one from a future series (rather than a designed substitute). 1/n
July 8, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Just had a meeting by with two senior people from Edexcel about #ALevelMaths Paper 2 this year in response to my concerns.
They stand by their decision to replace the original paper (for undisclosed reasons) with one from a future series (rather than a designed substitute). 1/n
They stand by their decision to replace the original paper (for undisclosed reasons) with one from a future series (rather than a designed substitute). 1/n
There is also the #ALevelMaths version House of Games quiz that someone devised. #EndofY12
docs.google.com/presentation...
docs.google.com/presentation...
House of Maths Games - short version even shorter.pptx
HOUSE GAMES OF
docs.google.com
July 5, 2025 at 8:28 AM
There is also the #ALevelMaths version House of Games quiz that someone devised. #EndofY12
docs.google.com/presentation...
docs.google.com/presentation...
Thinking of switching units in Edexcel Further #ALevelMaths from FM1 & FS1 to FM1 & FM2. Does anyone do FM2? The spec looks okay at first glance …
June 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Thinking of switching units in Edexcel Further #ALevelMaths from FM1 & FS1 to FM1 & FM2. Does anyone do FM2? The spec looks okay at first glance …
A heavily potato-influenced set of warm-up questions for the Edexcel applied #ALevelMaths paper.
drive.google.com/file/d/12AV7...
drive.google.com/file/d/12AV7...
Applied Maths Warm Up Questions.pdf
drive.google.com
June 16, 2025 at 9:18 AM
A heavily potato-influenced set of warm-up questions for the Edexcel applied #ALevelMaths paper.
drive.google.com/file/d/12AV7...
drive.google.com/file/d/12AV7...