Andrew B
@mathsenby.bsky.social
Secondary/sixth form maths teacher and EPQ Coordinator in Lancashire with a penchant for books, videogames, pop music and inclusive rugby. Uncomfortably tall. 🏳️🌈
They/them 💛🤍💜🖤
They/them 💛🤍💜🖤
I've added Gordon to my classroom #UKTeaching
October 4, 2025 at 1:10 PM
I've added Gordon to my classroom #UKTeaching
Top tip for any trainee teachers out there on #edusky: don't pay full price for new ties! Pop into your local charity shop/thrift store and find some unique bargains instead. These were a quid each in our local hospice shop!
September 13, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Top tip for any trainee teachers out there on #edusky: don't pay full price for new ties! Pop into your local charity shop/thrift store and find some unique bargains instead. These were a quid each in our local hospice shop!
In #MathsToday (or more accurately, yesterday evening) I've been trying to re-think how to introduce logarithms to my A Level group. Turns out there's a resource that does it through double-number lines!
classroom.amplify.com/activity/681...
classroom.amplify.com/activity/681...
A level pedagogy logarithms - from Alex
A representational approach to developing a conceptual understanding of logarithms using a double number line
classroom.amplify.com
September 10, 2025 at 4:35 PM
In #MathsToday (or more accurately, yesterday evening) I've been trying to re-think how to introduce logarithms to my A Level group. Turns out there's a resource that does it through double-number lines!
classroom.amplify.com/activity/681...
classroom.amplify.com/activity/681...
I haven't been engaging with much maths over the break, but I have just finished reading 'Math in Drag' by Kyne Santos. An excellent read which connects queer identity and the joy of maths!
Here is a thought provoking quote from the end of the book, which I finished today #MathsToday
Here is a thought provoking quote from the end of the book, which I finished today #MathsToday
August 31, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I haven't been engaging with much maths over the break, but I have just finished reading 'Math in Drag' by Kyne Santos. An excellent read which connects queer identity and the joy of maths!
Here is a thought provoking quote from the end of the book, which I finished today #MathsToday
Here is a thought provoking quote from the end of the book, which I finished today #MathsToday
I have neglected this account AGAIN but that's because summer was for sipping cocktails, being ill/injured, and occasionally spending time with lovely people.
Anyway, wishing you all the best for next week if you're returning to teaching in the UK. We've got this!
Anyway, wishing you all the best for next week if you're returning to teaching in the UK. We've got this!
August 31, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I have neglected this account AGAIN but that's because summer was for sipping cocktails, being ill/injured, and occasionally spending time with lovely people.
Anyway, wishing you all the best for next week if you're returning to teaching in the UK. We've got this!
Anyway, wishing you all the best for next week if you're returning to teaching in the UK. We've got this!
It's been a while! Exam season has really worn me down this year. Definitely not helped by one of my groups under-performing in their exams. I've worked hard with them and I'm not sure that has been reciprocated.
June 12, 2025 at 7:07 PM
It's been a while! Exam season has really worn me down this year. Definitely not helped by one of my groups under-performing in their exams. I've worked hard with them and I'm not sure that has been reciprocated.
I feel like this is probably a good place to ask: I'd like to get more into cryptic crosswords. Any advice of where to begin (beyond the excellent minute cryptic)?
April 5, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I feel like this is probably a good place to ask: I'd like to get more into cryptic crosswords. Any advice of where to begin (beyond the excellent minute cryptic)?
In #mathstoday we took 2 teams to our local AMSP Maths Feast competition at @lancasteruni.bsky.social - our kids had a great time and came 5th overall. Not bad for a team from 2nd set!
March 27, 2025 at 5:20 PM
In #mathstoday we took 2 teams to our local AMSP Maths Feast competition at @lancasteruni.bsky.social - our kids had a great time and came 5th overall. Not bad for a team from 2nd set!
Year 11 reports written! We are truly in "digging deep to just keep going until the end of term" season!
March 21, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Year 11 reports written! We are truly in "digging deep to just keep going until the end of term" season!
Haven't posted much because this term has truly been insane. After having just completed year 11 mocks, I'm really thrilled to see 2 of my students getting grade 9s, and another cluster getting 8s. They've been working super hard, and it's excellent to see it start paying off!
March 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Haven't posted much because this term has truly been insane. After having just completed year 11 mocks, I'm really thrilled to see 2 of my students getting grade 9s, and another cluster getting 8s. They've been working super hard, and it's excellent to see it start paying off!
#ukmathschat - looks like the Girls' Grammar school down the road from me is hiring a full time maths teacher. ECTs welcome!
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/jobs/teacher...
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/jobs/teacher...
Teacher of Maths - Lancaster Girls' Grammar School
Teacher of Maths job from Lancaster Girls' Grammar School. Apply by 24 Mar 2025.
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk
March 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
#ukmathschat - looks like the Girls' Grammar school down the road from me is hiring a full time maths teacher. ECTs welcome!
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/jobs/teacher...
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/jobs/teacher...
Churning through some year 7 maths papers today (I know how to have the most exciting half term imaginable!) and it's fascinating seeing which misconceptions crop up.
For instance: 60 / 0.3 = 60 × 3. Totally understandable to see where it comes from, but something to actively "unteach"! #mathstoday
For instance: 60 / 0.3 = 60 × 3. Totally understandable to see where it comes from, but something to actively "unteach"! #mathstoday
February 19, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Churning through some year 7 maths papers today (I know how to have the most exciting half term imaginable!) and it's fascinating seeing which misconceptions crop up.
For instance: 60 / 0.3 = 60 × 3. Totally understandable to see where it comes from, but something to actively "unteach"! #mathstoday
For instance: 60 / 0.3 = 60 × 3. Totally understandable to see where it comes from, but something to actively "unteach"! #mathstoday
Half term is very important! What a treat it is to take a rest.
February 17, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Half term is very important! What a treat it is to take a rest.
In #MathsToday I survived running through the A level mock papers our upper sixth formers sat at the start of term. I find post-exam feedback lessons a real pain - I just hope the pupils find them a good use of time...
January 28, 2025 at 6:59 PM
In #MathsToday I survived running through the A level mock papers our upper sixth formers sat at the start of term. I find post-exam feedback lessons a real pain - I just hope the pupils find them a good use of time...
Hello lovely #ALevelMaths people, does anyone have any recommended resources for teaching forces and motion in the lower sixth? I have some ideas of how to approach this topic, but any other ideas would be fabulous.
January 9, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Hello lovely #ALevelMaths people, does anyone have any recommended resources for teaching forces and motion in the lower sixth? I have some ideas of how to approach this topic, but any other ideas would be fabulous.
Applied to be an examiner for Edexcel GCSE maths on Monday.
Received an appointment letter on Tuesday.
...there may be a shortage of examiners
Received an appointment letter on Tuesday.
...there may be a shortage of examiners
January 8, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Applied to be an examiner for Edexcel GCSE maths on Monday.
Received an appointment letter on Tuesday.
...there may be a shortage of examiners
Received an appointment letter on Tuesday.
...there may be a shortage of examiners
Feeling very grateful to have an Inset Day tomorrow to get fully ready for the first day of term proper on Tuesday. Sending positivity, strength, and good brain days to everyone starting again this week!
January 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Feeling very grateful to have an Inset Day tomorrow to get fully ready for the first day of term proper on Tuesday. Sending positivity, strength, and good brain days to everyone starting again this week!
I AM SORRY - 8 pages on the mark scheme for one 12 mark question?!?! Deeply regretting not printing this out and trying to read it from my phone!
November 28, 2024 at 6:23 PM
I AM SORRY - 8 pages on the mark scheme for one 12 mark question?!?! Deeply regretting not printing this out and trying to read it from my phone!
Marking differentiation tests as part of #ALevelMaths and I'm quite surprised at how lenient the Edexcel mark schemes are for notation slips and theoretical errors for proof from first principles. One student followed half the process correctly, tried to divide by 0 and still earned 3 of 5 marks!
November 27, 2024 at 5:10 PM
Marking differentiation tests as part of #ALevelMaths and I'm quite surprised at how lenient the Edexcel mark schemes are for notation slips and theoretical errors for proof from first principles. One student followed half the process correctly, tried to divide by 0 and still earned 3 of 5 marks!
Just about to switch off my brain with some meditation via headspace. Sorely needed in a busy week. Teachers in the UK can get access to it for free!
November 26, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Just about to switch off my brain with some meditation via headspace. Sorely needed in a busy week. Teachers in the UK can get access to it for free!
In year 8 #MathsToday we encountered curves after looking at straight lines for a few weeks. It was a lot of fun whipping out Desmos and displaying equations of graphs that they came up with! Interestingly, someone from both classes wanted to see y=x^x, and one class stumbled upon a circle!
November 20, 2024 at 10:29 PM
In year 8 #MathsToday we encountered curves after looking at straight lines for a few weeks. It was a lot of fun whipping out Desmos and displaying equations of graphs that they came up with! Interestingly, someone from both classes wanted to see y=x^x, and one class stumbled upon a circle!
It was cute to hear one of my #ALevelMaths students say, "I like maths when I know what's going on."
...I certainly didn't think that when I was planning this lesson on points of inflection!
#MathsToday
...I certainly didn't think that when I was planning this lesson on points of inflection!
#MathsToday
November 19, 2024 at 7:25 PM
It was cute to hear one of my #ALevelMaths students say, "I like maths when I know what's going on."
...I certainly didn't think that when I was planning this lesson on points of inflection!
#MathsToday
...I certainly didn't think that when I was planning this lesson on points of inflection!
#MathsToday
In #mathstoday I used this VERY juicy frequency trees question with my high ability year 10s: a cocktail of dividing in a given ratio, calculating percent of and percentage increase.
November 18, 2024 at 9:23 PM
In #mathstoday I used this VERY juicy frequency trees question with my high ability year 10s: a cocktail of dividing in a given ratio, calculating percent of and percentage increase.
One nice thing about reaching 2nd year of teaching #ALevelMaths is that you can redo parts of the 1st year course with the experience you've gained. For example, when talking about increasing/decreasing functions, I now discuss the gradient of the tangent to the point, instead of dy/dx.
November 15, 2024 at 11:16 PM
One nice thing about reaching 2nd year of teaching #ALevelMaths is that you can redo parts of the 1st year course with the experience you've gained. For example, when talking about increasing/decreasing functions, I now discuss the gradient of the tangent to the point, instead of dy/dx.
Here's an interesting observation from one of my year 10s: the surface area of a sphere with radius r matches the surface area of 3/4 of a sphere with radius r (kind of like a pac-man shape thing).
My brain, literally on the floor.
My brain, literally on the floor.
November 12, 2024 at 10:02 PM
Here's an interesting observation from one of my year 10s: the surface area of a sphere with radius r matches the surface area of 3/4 of a sphere with radius r (kind of like a pac-man shape thing).
My brain, literally on the floor.
My brain, literally on the floor.