VIEWS BBC BITESIZE The Devil is in the detail
COLLEEN YOUNG, Mathematics Adviser to BBC Bitesize, discusses why students need clear explanations to succeed in maths.
Let’s be frank: students can’t ‘blag’ their way to passing their GCSE Maths exam. Success in GCSE Maths requires a solid grasp of knowledge that students cover in primary school and Key Stage 3. And as teachers, we often underestimate what it means to sit GCSE Maths. There is a great deal of content for teachers to cover, and for students to learn and remember.
To help engage students, it is important to show how maths develops their critical thinking,
and develops transferable skills, whatever they go on to study in more depth in later years. While real-world examples are helpful, a thorough understanding of the underlying theory is the key to exam success. A significant number of students struggle with maths. So, we need to help them find ways to consolidate their practice and build confidence in their core number skills. Students often cling to ‘quick rules’ they’ve heard such as ‘two minuses make a plus’, but a misunderstood or half- remembered rule is not helpful.
What practical solutions can we put in place to help overcome the fear many students have of maths?
We need to teach with absolute clarity and simplicity of language, whilst still exposing students to correct mathematical vocabulary and notation. BBC Bitesize focuses on clear language and step-by-step visual guides. By offering bite-sized explanations, it helps students understand the method rather than just memorising a rule that might fail them in a complex exam question.
Whilst rules can be useful shortcuts, relying on them exclusively creates a fragile knowledge base. To access higher grades, students need to apply their knowledge to problem-solving type questions. Consider the
Pythagorean theorem, for example. A student who views this merely as a formulaic substitution may struggle to apply it to Coordinate Geometry problems, such as finding the distance between points or the length of a line segment. Students with a conceptual understanding of the method can transfer the underlying logic to this new context without needing a separate formula.
Furthermore, teaching methods over rules means that students are more likely to have the ability to validate their own results, enabling them to self-correct errors.
Students need to feel comfortable answering questions in their own time, without the worry of looking foolish in front of their peers or teachers, which is why BBC Bitesize provides quizzes for all GCSE guides. They provide useful feedback to quiz questions, helping students to understand how to get to the right answer.
Good resources can help students study independently. Look for resources which are easy to navigate, visually appealing, offer a variety of interactive activities, and are a good length to sustain a student’s attention. Resources of an appropriate length, with suggestions on related content, are helpful for students’ exam preparation as it makes it possible to cover a variety of topics in a revision session.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that some schools and colleges have found that phones or tablets are increasingly being used to access homework during commutes. Travelling to and from school is a good length of time for students to top-up their knowledge on a particular topic. This means that it is more useful than ever to direct students towards mobile-friendly resources, allowing them to tap into education on-the-go.
To access GCSE Maths resources, visit:
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize LGfL - The National Grid for Learning GenAI in the classroom Part 2: a safer start Comment by ALEX DAVE, Safeguarding Lead, LGfL-The National Grid for Learning.
Although the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) update to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, acknowledges that Generative AI (GenAI) has a place in school, it shouldn’t be mistaken for blanket approval of every tool or application. With risks ranging from data privacy to exposure to harmful content, schools must take a planned, cautious approach.
1. Agreeing an approach. School leaders must have discussions with all stakeholders to agree on the school’s approach to using GenAI. Ask: What purpose will it serve? How does it fit with our pedagogy as a school? How can it support the teaching and learning in our setting? What resources do we have to support the use of AI? 2. Review and add to policies. Policies around GenAI use should be embedded within a school’s policies, including in the online safety policy, acceptable use policies (AUPs) and data protection policy, amongst others. These need to make clear whether AI is permitted and for whom, which apps can be used, the process for approving new tools, how to report concerns and incident management procedures. 3. Procedure to approve GenAI. There should be an agreed process for approving new apps that fits with the school’s overall approach and where the due diligence is completed, to ensure that the DfE’s Product Safety Expectations are followed. Any new tool should have a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and rigorous testing and scrutiny, before being approved for use.
4. Reviewing existing apps. Schools should be aware that many of the platforms already in use now include AI functions. It’s important to review learning resources already in use, identify what GenAI capabilities are built in, and consider whether additional safeguards are required to protect students.
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5. Filtering. Schools should block GenAI websites by default and allow individual sites by exception; implement effective user authentication to block/allow GenAI for particular user groups; decrypt HTTPS to allow more specific blocking and allowing of content; ensure filtering works on ALL school-owned devices, including those that go off-site. 6. Monitoring. Alerts can flag inappropriate content, guide filtering decisions, and highlight students who may need pastoral or safeguarding support. Monitoring also provides insights to inform teaching online safety, RSHE and critical-thinking across the curriculum. 7. Staff training. Staff need ongoing professional development to ensure they are confident and equipped to use GenAI safely, and can support and protect students effectively. Training should cover policy, key processes and procedures, address major risks, the law, and data protection requirements. 8. Review curriculum. It’s crucial to ensure the curriculum is underpinned with strong digital literacy and critical thinking skills, giving students the tools to navigate and interact with GenAI apps safely. The new RSHE Guidance to come into effect by September 2026 has elements of AI use threaded throughout the primary and secondary curriculum. 9. Supporting parents. The majority of parents are further behind the knowledge curve than schools. Provide parents with regular updates about GenAI, potential harms, and how to reduce risks. 10. Check age restrictions. Age restrictions differ across GenAI apps - some are 18+ others 16+ or 13+ – creating a patchwork of guidelines. Schools must be mindful of these before allowing students access to any AI tools.
For information and support visit
genai.lgfl.net, and resources for parents –
https://lgfl.net/safeguarding/parentalsupport
January 2026
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