Gareth Metcalfe
@gareth-metcalfe.bsky.social
Helping all children to have intellectually and emotionally rich mathematical experiences. Director of I See Maths. More interests than time. Dad.
The Deconstructing Word Questions eBooks are Y2-Y6 because I wouldn't spend the same degree of time teaching word questions in Y1. However, there are a number of prompts to help children to understand context questions in the new I See Reasoning - Y1 (out on Sunday).
November 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
The Deconstructing Word Questions eBooks are Y2-Y6 because I wouldn't spend the same degree of time teaching word questions in Y1. However, there are a number of prompts to help children to understand context questions in the new I See Reasoning - Y1 (out on Sunday).
I See Reasoning for Y1 (365 prompts) and Y2 (392 prompts) is out SUNDAY 23rd NOVEMBER! Lots of techniques, including a huge emphasis on visuals as the basis for reasoning. More details to come this week!
November 16, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I See Reasoning for Y1 (365 prompts) and Y2 (392 prompts) is out SUNDAY 23rd NOVEMBER! Lots of techniques, including a huge emphasis on visuals as the basis for reasoning. More details to come this week!
Only 11 days to go!
The aim: build understanding, start conversations, generate curiosity and make KS1 maths more playful 🙌
Full details next week, this blog gives a taster: garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
The aim: build understanding, start conversations, generate curiosity and make KS1 maths more playful 🙌
Full details next week, this blog gives a taster: garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
November 12, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Only 11 days to go!
The aim: build understanding, start conversations, generate curiosity and make KS1 maths more playful 🙌
Full details next week, this blog gives a taster: garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
The aim: build understanding, start conversations, generate curiosity and make KS1 maths more playful 🙌
Full details next week, this blog gives a taster: garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
I See Reasoning - Y1 and Y2 needs about 2/3 weeks for me to finish. Any longer than that and I will release in January. Sorry for me being so slow! Life has a way of throwing urgent things in my path. Hope it will be worth the wait!
November 4, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I See Reasoning - Y1 and Y2 needs about 2/3 weeks for me to finish. Any longer than that and I will release in January. Sorry for me being so slow! Life has a way of throwing urgent things in my path. Hope it will be worth the wait!
Reposted by Gareth Metcalfe
Working with a Year 5/6 class & teachers in Oxford on this fantastic @gareth-metcalfe.bsky.social ‘Explore’ task. Children worked practically & commonly made connections between several concepts. They demonstrated varying degrees of mathematical reasoning, including in their journalling.
October 21, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Working with a Year 5/6 class & teachers in Oxford on this fantastic @gareth-metcalfe.bsky.social ‘Explore’ task. Children worked practically & commonly made connections between several concepts. They demonstrated varying degrees of mathematical reasoning, including in their journalling.
Loved my day today, working with a school to develop children as problem-solvers. I’m thinking a lot about how these values (especially the last 2) can be developed in maths lessons. How care is not just pastoral but is also evident in lesson design. My next big thing…
October 15, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Loved my day today, working with a school to develop children as problem-solvers. I’m thinking a lot about how these values (especially the last 2) can be developed in maths lessons. How care is not just pastoral but is also evident in lesson design. My next big thing…
Here are all the calculations needed to answer the final 5 questions of the 2025 SATS papers 2&3. For me, it says that the challenge lies in understanding the questions (rather than calculation fluency). I’m designing more resources to help with this!
October 1, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Here are all the calculations needed to answer the final 5 questions of the 2025 SATS papers 2&3. For me, it says that the challenge lies in understanding the questions (rather than calculation fluency). I’m designing more resources to help with this!
The EEF are looking for those involved at Primary & Secondary to complete this 12-min survey about your views on the teaching and learning of mathematics: forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Please share!
Please share!
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:11 PM
The EEF are looking for those involved at Primary & Secondary to complete this 12-min survey about your views on the teaching and learning of mathematics: forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Please share!
Please share!
I've finished I See Reasoning - Y1 and am most way with I See Reasoning - Y2! A range of techniques for getting children thinking, talking and being challenged. Lots of scope for creativity. I'm aiming for an October launch. Will share lots of examples soon😃
September 25, 2025 at 6:41 PM
I've finished I See Reasoning - Y1 and am most way with I See Reasoning - Y2! A range of techniques for getting children thinking, talking and being challenged. Lots of scope for creativity. I'm aiming for an October launch. Will share lots of examples soon😃
Really enjoyed this today, the extension used with a brilliant Y5 class:
September 23, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Really enjoyed this today, the extension used with a brilliant Y5 class:
Today, from Deconstructing Word Questions - Y6, looking at how questions that look very different can have similar/the same structure. Helping children to make connections:
September 22, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Today, from Deconstructing Word Questions - Y6, looking at how questions that look very different can have similar/the same structure. Helping children to make connections:
Reposted by Gareth Metcalfe
In #MathsToday I did this as a starter on estimation.
With the aim of getting pupils to consider which counters are the 'significant' ones.
With the aim of getting pupils to consider which counters are the 'significant' ones.
September 22, 2025 at 4:43 PM
In #MathsToday I did this as a starter on estimation.
With the aim of getting pupils to consider which counters are the 'significant' ones.
With the aim of getting pupils to consider which counters are the 'significant' ones.
Enjoyed trialling a problem-solving task around flexible partitioning. Finished with this image, to show how being able to partition 342 in different ways is useful when subtracting:
September 17, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Enjoyed trialling a problem-solving task around flexible partitioning. Finished with this image, to show how being able to partition 342 in different ways is useful when subtracting:
The all-new I See Reasoning for Y1 and Y2 will be out in October! Final stretches of the writing/trialling now. Very different to the original. After that, I'm going to start on a 4-year writing project developing sequences of problem-solving tasks, with some really diverse, extended challenges.
September 15, 2025 at 6:58 PM
The all-new I See Reasoning for Y1 and Y2 will be out in October! Final stretches of the writing/trialling now. Very different to the original. After that, I'm going to start on a 4-year writing project developing sequences of problem-solving tasks, with some really diverse, extended challenges.
I'm off social media now for the summer. Everyone, have a great break. Lots of plans for 25/26, including the release of I See Reasoning - Y1 and Y2.
After that, more divergent problem-solving tasks coming for Y5 and Y6.
Much love - Gareth
After that, more divergent problem-solving tasks coming for Y5 and Y6.
Much love - Gareth
July 17, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I'm off social media now for the summer. Everyone, have a great break. Lots of plans for 25/26, including the release of I See Reasoning - Y1 and Y2.
After that, more divergent problem-solving tasks coming for Y5 and Y6.
Much love - Gareth
After that, more divergent problem-solving tasks coming for Y5 and Y6.
Much love - Gareth
When you have a pair of word questions that are subtly different, a spotlight is shone on those 'key words', the key differences:
July 14, 2025 at 6:40 PM
When you have a pair of word questions that are subtly different, a spotlight is shone on those 'key words', the key differences:
Final call: 90 minutes, how to teach children to break down multi-step word questions. Join live or use the recording any time:
July 10, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Final call: 90 minutes, how to teach children to break down multi-step word questions. Join live or use the recording any time:
A big part of the Deconstructing Word Questions resources are the 'Which Picture' discussion prompts. Examples below from the Y2 and Y6 resources:
July 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
A big part of the Deconstructing Word Questions resources are the 'Which Picture' discussion prompts. Examples below from the Y2 and Y6 resources:
To finish this year, a series of 7 posts from me looking at the Deconstructing Word Questions techniques. Firstly, 'Which Bar Model'. The discussion is better for having a number removed so children don't simply say what the answer is.
July 7, 2025 at 6:43 PM
To finish this year, a series of 7 posts from me looking at the Deconstructing Word Questions techniques. Firstly, 'Which Bar Model'. The discussion is better for having a number removed so children don't simply say what the answer is.
The four videos on this page, each about 3 mins, explain the key principles for helping children to break down word questions. So many great classroom moments for me!
July 1, 2025 at 6:27 PM
The four videos on this page, each about 3 mins, explain the key principles for helping children to break down word questions. So many great classroom moments for me!
The Maths Horizons report gives a clear, compelling vision for the future of maths education. I've draw out 3 points. Firstly, the broad recommendations:
June 29, 2025 at 6:40 PM
The Maths Horizons report gives a clear, compelling vision for the future of maths education. I've draw out 3 points. Firstly, the broad recommendations:
I See Reasoning - Y1 will have LOADS of examples of questions that can be answered in different ways, lead to discussion, lead to practical exploration. Making progress every day! garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
June 26, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I See Reasoning - Y1 will have LOADS of examples of questions that can be answered in different ways, lead to discussion, lead to practical exploration. Making progress every day! garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
A 6 year-old blog that I hope is timeless! Some great multiplication investigations: garethmetcalfe.com/2019/11/01/a...
A favourite multiplication investigation
Here’s a multiplication investigation that I used with a mixed-age Y5/6 class. Before the task we recapped on the grid method (it will become apparent why the grid method was used). Then, the…
garethmetcalfe.com
June 24, 2025 at 6:21 PM
A 6 year-old blog that I hope is timeless! Some great multiplication investigations: garethmetcalfe.com/2019/11/01/a...
The pie chart SATS question from this year - using my resources to understand the big idea behind the question:
June 23, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The pie chart SATS question from this year - using my resources to understand the big idea behind the question:
I've got to page 94 on I See Reasoning - Y1. Extremely visual and introducing children to a wide range of reasoning techniques. Lots to discuss, laying the crucial reasoning foundations: garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...
June 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I've got to page 94 on I See Reasoning - Y1. Extremely visual and introducing children to a wide range of reasoning techniques. Lots to discuss, laying the crucial reasoning foundations: garethmetcalfe.com/2025/06/09/i...