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Born in 1962 ...
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Period: to
My life in Maths
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Joint Mathematical Council formed
....to improve the teaching of mathematics in UK schools. -
...moved to America ...
... by boat, as it was the cheap way to travel. Then traveled around by Greyhound Bus ..... and saw The Beatles. -
...then came back to Exeter ....
... which had a lot to live up to. Fortunately the school I was about to go to had great teachers... -
... and went to Stoke Hill Junior.
where we were all very happy .... and dreamt of playing for Exeter City ! -
“Black Papers” published
The first of the “Black Papers” published, which criticises what the authors believed was excessive progressivism in education. -
Margaret Thatcher appointed Education Secretary
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The Conservatives replace Circular 10/65
... with Circular 10/70, leaving LEAs to decide future of secondary education in their areas. -
Mrs Thatcher "Milk Snatcher"
... abolishes milk for the over-sevens. -
Things got tricky ....
Parents got divorced, which was unfashionable back then. -
Decimal Day
As this was simpler than the previous system less time started being spent on numerical calculations at school. (The Metric system has curtailed lengthy calculations as well.) -
The school-leaving age is raised to 16
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... so boarded at Exeter Cathedral School ...
Where, incidentally I was Head of the "Voluntary" Choir, which was a surprise, as I can not sing to save my life ! But at least it created some (unwarranted) confidence and self-esteem, which every young person deserves and needs ! -
... with the best teacher ever: Bob Tanner
Mr Tanner was a bit "old skool", handing out the odd clip around the ear, if you were not trying ... but also throwing Quality Street - the absolute pinnacle of "treats", when doing something really well ... which felt great (as you tried to catch it, coming towards you at high speed.) One thing we really got was "number sense" ! -
Ken Barlow quits teaching
Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow quits teaching for a better-paid job as a warehouse administrator. The Houghton Report increases teachers’ pay by 30 per cent. -
A black paper proposes exams at 7, 11 & 14
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I then went onto a minor Public School ....
As a famous alumni said "sent to this resolutely philistine school, the idea of which was to turn the sons of Somerset farmers and Devon estate agents into Christian gentlemen. It was hell. But all the people I know who were there reacted against it and became poncy aesthetes like me. It took me 27 years before I could go back to Taunton - not to the school, mind you, just the town. I found it so distressing." -
“Great Debate” on education.
Prime minister James Callaghan’s Ruskin College speech launches the “Great Debate” on education. -
HMI criticises teaching of Maths
HMI criticises teaching of maths, science and languages and calls for political education for all 11 to 16-year-olds. A TES poll finds most teachers in favour of caning, tests at 7, 11 and 15, and grammar schools. -
... from which I was expelled ....
This was no big loss .... the teaching was, at best, unmemorable.
However the truth is some of it was truly diabolical (with teachers reading word for word from the text book, trying to learn it at the same time as us). -
Electronic calculators introduced
Electronic calculators began to be owned at school from the early 1980s, becoming widespread from the mid-1980s. Parents and teachers believed that calculators would diminish abilities of mental arithmetic. Scientific calculators came to the aid for those working out logarithms and trigonometric functions -
... so "had" to do my A-levels in a year.
This was OK .... I was having too much fun, but the Maths class I was put in ( for those resitting A-levels, even though I had not completed lower 6th, on a different syllabus) was solidly, traditionally taught. -
Government launches "a computer in every school"
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Went to Kent Uni to do Electronics ....
But they were all hobbyists, other than me ... and the Maths was probably too "pure". I missed a lot of lectures! -
Ineffective teachers should be sacked
Sir Keith Joseph, education secretary under Margaret Thatcher, demands that “ineffective” teachers are sacked. -
got slung out and went North ...
To do a weird, early, very progressive Marketing & Engineering degree. -
Schools Council is replaced
The Schools Council is replaced by the Secondary Examinations Council and School Curriculum Development Committee. -
and spent a great year at HP ...
Hewlett- Packard was then regarded as one of the best employers on the planet ... and encouraged me to take on risks and challenges ! -
... which got me onto a Computing MSc.
At Loughborough, where the teaching was great and the level of Maths fine. (Possibly a bit "pure" for my liking.) -
The GCSE is introduced, replacing O-levels and CSEs.
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I then did the Accountancy exams ....
and the Maths element was an absolute doddle; just basic applied stuff and a bit of problem-solving. -
The Education Reform Act
The Education Reform Act ushers in the national curriculum; national testing at 7, 11 and 14; Ofsted; local management of school budgets; grant maintained schools and city technology colleges. -
The first teacher supply agency, Time Plan, is launched
Education secretary Kenneth Baker sets out plans for articled teachers who would train on the job after university rather than taking a PGCE. -
I then got lucky ....
As big companies were implementing mega systems, known as ERPs and needed people who claimed to understand computing and finance to do it. -
Computers integrated into Maths
From the 1990s, mainly the late 1990s, computers became integrated into mathematics education at primary and secondary levels in the UK. -
General National Vocational qualifications introduced
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The NASUWT teaching union achieves a landmark victory
.... when the Appeal Court rules its boycott of national curriculum tests is a legitimate trade dispute. Education secretary John Patten announces that tests will be slimmed down. -
... and traveled around "problem-solving".
Designing, building and implementing global systems, for big firms, such as Nike. I was supported by Mangers who empowered and challenged me. (Thank you Eugene Augustin !) I then moved into telecoms, which was booming like crazy. -
The General Teaching Councils begin registering teachers.
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New AS levels are introduced
.... as a result of Curriculum 2000. Alastair Campbell, the prime minister’s press secretary, announces that the days of “the bog standard comprehensive” are over. -
A row over grading of the A2 and AS levels
... leads to changes in results for 10,000 students. -
The first academies open their doors
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Jamie Oliver campaigns for better school dinners.
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Des Smith is caught ....
The former headteacher and member of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, is caught promising an undercover reporter that businessmen could gain a peerage by sponsoring an academy. -
The technology boom went bust ....
I was working in Holland and we were taken over by the French and all made redundant. -
The Department for Education and Skills is split
... with schools moved into the Department for Children, Schools and Families. -
... so got a local job, running a Pension Fund ....
... which was more interesting than you make think, as it covers a wide range of activities ( and associated problems!) -
Major problems with key stage 2 and 3 marking
Ed Balls, then schools secretary, later announces he is scrapping KS3 tests. -
Ex-city workers targeted to become teachers
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... which was just a lot of problem solving.
Getting everything from investments to pensioner payments working properly -
The Academies Act becomes law
... signalling the way for the transformation of the landscape of English education. -
Michael Gove's DfE plans to rethink GCSEs
... originally planning to rebrand them O-levels. -
The new National Curriculum is published
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Michael Gove is reshuffled out of the DfE
... and replaced by Nicky Morgan. -
I have wanted to be Maths Teacher, for a long while ...
Apparently I told my Mum,over 30 years ago anyone can do Maths, if they have a really good teacher !
(While I am now not quite so certain there is only one way to find out !) -
... and now I need to get on with it!
I want to work with people who dread Maths, to make it fun and interesting.
