About the Podcast

Practical conversations. Real leadership. Better maths outcomes for every child.

Leading Primary Maths is a practical, evidence-informed podcast for primary maths leaders, teachers and school leaders who want to strengthen mathematics teaching and improve outcomes for every child.

About the Podcast

Why we created this podcast

Leading mathematics in a primary school is challenging and complex. Every school has a different context, the demands on subject leaders are constant and the decisions maths leaders make can have a significant impact on teaching, learning and outcomes for children.

We created Leading Primary Maths to give primary maths leaders a place to reflect on those challenges throughout the academic year.

Through honest conversation, practical experience and evidence-informed thinking, Liz, Steve and Tom explore what effective primary maths leadership looks like in practice — sharing what they have learned, challenging thinking, celebrating success and providing practical support for the journey.

Our three pillars of primary maths leadership

Every episode explores the three key responsibilities of maths leadership. When we keep all three in view, real and lasting improvement is possible.

Judging Standards

Knowing how well our pupils are achieving in mathematics and understanding what the data and evidence are telling us.

Helping leaders build a clear and accurate picture of progress.

Evaluating Teaching

Understanding the quality of mathematics teaching across the school and how it impacts learning.

Exploring effective approaches to develop teaching and professional expertise.

Securing Improvement

Creating the conditions for sustainable improvement through effective leadership, collaboration and professional learning.

Turning insight into action that makes a lasting difference for all children.

Meet Liz, Steve and Tom

Liz Hopkins

Liz has worked in education for over 25 years. She has taught from Key Stage 1 to 4 and was a local authority mathematics consultant for more than 12 years. From this experience, she co-created CanDoMaths, a primary maths curriculum with resources to support schools with deepening and securing understanding in maths, structured specifically to build children’s confidence in maths. The CanDoMaths Club offers comprehensive planning approach which covers the whole curriculum for Years 1 – 6.

Liz also works as an independent consultant continuing to support and challenge primary schools to improve teaching and learning. She is passionate about encouraging teachers and children to think like mathematicians, rather than “do mathematics.”

Through her roles with various organisations, transition projects and partnership trusts, she has been working with teachers to ensure fluency, reasoning and problem solving are effective throughout their school.

Steve Lomax

Steve Lomax has been working with mathematics subject leaders, teachers and students for over twenty five years after gaining a First Class Degree in Mathematics. He currently works to improve outcomes for mathematics in primary and secondary schools and academies across the country, provides bespoke CPD through @MaxTheMaths Consultancy and is the leader of the GLOWMaths Hub (www.glowmathshub.com) and Balcarras Teaching School Community. He is passionate about fostering positive ‘can do’ attitudes and enthusing all pupils to enjoy and achieve in mathematics.

Through his current, and previous roles of Mathematics Adviser for Gloucestershire (4-19), NCETM Specialist Adviser for Secondary Mathematics, Mathematics Consultant, Mathematics Subject Leader, AST and SLE, Steve has a proven track record of leading change in mathematics education, raising standards, supporting schools to provide an exciting and relevant mathematics provision and improving the subject expertise of teachers. He is also an Associate Consultant and Accredited Professional CPD Lead for the NCETM, ex-Mathematics Subject Leader for the GITEP SCITT programme and co-founder of www.kangaroomaths.com and www.CanDoMaths.org. He can be found on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-lomax-a91b8624/

Tom Manners

Tom is a passionate maths educationalist with over 15 years experience, has enjoyed a variety of roles in both primary and secondary schools and believes strongly that we teach for understanding in maths. He is an Evidence Lead in Education representing St Matthew’s Research School within the Education Endowment Foundation, a Specialist Leader of Education, a PGCE tutor for Arthur Terry Teaching School Hub / Birmingham City University where he also facilitates the NPQ for Leading Primary Maths. He has twice been a multi-academy-trust lead for mathematics supporting primary and secondary schools in addition to being a maths lead for a primary alliance of schools across the midlands. Other roles have included Assistant Head and whole-school Lead Practitioner.

Following his master’s degree in School Improvement and Educational Leadership and as an NCETM Accredited School Development Lead, he supports and develops primary and secondary school leaders, aiming to inspire with infectious enthusiasm. He regularly shares his passion as a keynote speaker, blogs at tommanners.substack.com and shares maths pedagogy videos and interviews on www.tommanners.co.uk. Tom can be found on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tom-manners and on X at @mannermatics

What to expect

Honest conversations
Thoughtful discussions about the realities of leading mathematics in primary schools.

Practical ideas
Strategies and approaches you can use in your context, straight away.

Evidence informed
Drawing on experience, research and what works in the classroom.

Celebrate success
Sharing stories of impact, progress and the difference great leadership makes.

What should we talk about next?

Maths leadership rarely follows a neat plan. If there’s a challenge, question or topic you’d like Liz, Steve and Tom to explore, we’d love to hear it.