Authors

David Thomas

David Thomas is CEO of Axiom Maths, a charity that works to improve mathematical excellence through school and online programmes.

David is a former headteacher, trust regional director and senior policy adviser to the education secretary.

All articles by David Thomas
The ‘bad at maths’ badge of honour holds back pupils’ progress
No one would boast about being bad at reading, but inadequacy in maths has become a kind of social currency – and this is a major problem for students, warns David Thomas
Secondary
17 July 2026
Broken pencil on top of a page with a maths problem
Why children stop enjoying maths in Year 7
By the summer term of Year 7, students are far less likely to say they enjoy maths than they were in Year 6, writes David Thomas, but schools can take steps to tackle this trend
Secondary
21 May 2026
Boy working out math problem
England’s lost mathematicians should concern us all
New research shows how many disadvantaged students have their enjoyment of maths quashed in secondary school, and it’s a problem that everyone should find alarming
Secondary
20 September 2025
Many young people are losing enjoyment in maths, despite strong skills
Timss: 3 maths issues revealed that schools need to tackle
Geometry, reasoning and low attainers need greater attention within schools to help drive England’s international performance in maths even higher, says David Thomas
General
4 December 2024
Pie chart
How to fix the primary maths curriculum
‘Phonics’ for maths and more pleasure in the subject should be the aim of the primary maths curriculum, and this is how we achieve it, argue Peter Foulds and David Thomas
Primary
18 September 2024
Stacked numbers
Why we should mark maths problems like English essays
Traditional methods of marking in maths can miss students who are brilliant problem-solvers, says David Thomas, who suggests a new approach
Secondary
8 August 2024
Math equation