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Tom Button

@tombutton.bsky.social

Director for Data Science and Mathematics Technology at MEI - interested in using technology for learning maths, #ALevelMaths and #DataScienceEd - all views are my own or someone else's

1,203 Followers  |  321 Following  |  578 Posts  |  Joined: 26.07.2023  |  1.8983

Latest posts by tombutton.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Emulators - Casio Calculators We now offer free emulator software licences for UK & Ireland Maths Teachers. Just select your chosen calculator to get started.

ClassWiz+ is on ClassPad. If you already have a license, you don't need to request a new one. education.casio.co.uk/emulators-la...

03.02.2026 08:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Screenshot of a graphical calculator classroom task

Screenshot of a graphical calculator classroom task

New resources for #ALevelMaths on the @meimaths.bsky.social website - we've updated the Casio graphical calculator tasks with instructions for the CG100 mei.org.uk/resource/int...

30.01.2026 09:57 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
A flyer describing the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship at UCL, full details at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/work-us/school-and-college-partnerships/information-employing-schools-ucls-secondary-mathematics-teacher-degree-apprenticeship-tda

A flyer describing the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship at UCL, full details at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/work-us/school-and-college-partnerships/information-employing-schools-ucls-secondary-mathematics-teacher-degree-apprenticeship-tda

A flyer describing the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship at UCL, full details at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/work-us/school-and-college-partnerships/information-employing-schools-ucls-secondary-mathematics-teacher-degree-apprenticeship-tda

A flyer describing the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship at UCL, full details at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/work-us/school-and-college-partnerships/information-employing-schools-ucls-secondary-mathematics-teacher-degree-apprenticeship-tda

*This is a post for teachers in and around London.*

UCL is looking for schools who would be interested to find out more about the new Secondary Maths Teacher Degree Apprenticeship.

We have loads of students looking for a place but need more schools to work with us & employ them. /1

30.01.2026 13:46 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Screenshot of a graphical calculator classroom task

Screenshot of a graphical calculator classroom task

New resources for #ALevelMaths on the @meimaths.bsky.social website - we've updated the Casio graphical calculator tasks with instructions for the CG100 mei.org.uk/resource/int...

30.01.2026 09:57 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Digging deeper it looks like it's different for each of them:

AQA: "fg(x) notation is expected"

Edexcel: "the use of formal function notation is expected" (but it's not defined)

OCR: "Knowledge of function notation will not be required"

29.01.2026 14:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Apologies for the terseness of my response. I was trying to make the point that it seems odd that notation is being used in exams that isn't defined in the specifications.

29.01.2026 13:12 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

That's an exam paper. Where is it defined in the specifications?

29.01.2026 12:48 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

They keep drinks ridiculously hot. I had a coffee in one that I didn't touch for over an hour and it still burnt my mouth!

29.01.2026 09:19 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Is this notation defined in the GCSE specifications? I could find it in the A level ones but not the GCSE ones.

29.01.2026 08:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Screen shot from A level Mathematics specifications

Screen shot from A level Mathematics specifications

They write fg(x) - it's defined in the specifications:

28.01.2026 13:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I would love it if the next iterations of the #ALevelMaths specifications ditched the awful notation of writing fg(x) for f(g(x))

28.01.2026 08:58 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

... I meant fg(x) = f(g(x))

It was a typo (twice!) missing off the second bracket.

28.01.2026 08:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

As a British person I can confirm that we do write fg(x) to mean f(g(x). It's awful notation. It pains me every time I have to write it.

I always write
fg(x) = f(g(x)
as the first step and then continue from there.

28.01.2026 08:06 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0
Philip Glass - Sesame Street - Geometry of Circles.mp4
YouTube video by SamCam2011 Philip Glass - Sesame Street - Geometry of Circles.mp4

Kids love Philip Glass

youtu.be/4JWwOzEDGss?...

26.01.2026 20:03 β€” πŸ‘ 295    πŸ” 76    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 16
Post image Post image Post image

3 exciting new opportunities to come and work with me @meimaths.bsky.social 😁

mei.org.uk/about/careers/

23.01.2026 15:13 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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@meimaths.bsky.social What was going on when this was published!? πŸ˜‚
#MathsToday #AlevelMaths

21.01.2026 17:13 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3
Decorative image: Supporting your teaching journey with us.

Decorative image: Supporting your teaching journey with us.

New Resource

#ALevelMaths A H240

Alternative papers to the summer 2025 series now available on
Teach Cambridge.

Use alongside the original live series papers to review challenging topics.

#UKMathsChat
@cambridgeocr.bsky.social

21.01.2026 09:54 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2

#ALevelMaths B (MEI) H640 also available on Teach Cambridge.

21.01.2026 10:00 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I made a starter pack for KS5 maths (teachers, posters, and other people involved in it)
Most of the starter packs I've seen for maths teachers have been for all age groups, so this one is aimed towards sixth form (16-19 ish)
Please let me know if you'd like adding (or removing)!

go.bsky.app/znERv2

17.11.2024 10:18 β€” πŸ‘ 79    πŸ” 33    πŸ’¬ 28    πŸ“Œ 3

#ALevelMaths

19.01.2026 14:34 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Big change from Oxford University!

For 2027 entry onwards they will use the TMUA (October sitting) for maths and not the MAT.

I am off to update SUMS magazine for current Year 12 students πŸ˜‚

@meimaths.bsky.social

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/u...

19.01.2026 14:03 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 3

I have a colleague who has been doing this course and always comes in the day after a session raving about all the good ideas. So it’s definitely worth signing up for if you can! #ALevelMaths

16.01.2026 17:26 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes - all the sessions are recorded and available to teachers who sign-up.

16.01.2026 17:19 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Looking forward to attending my 25th MEI Conference this year!

16.01.2026 08:58 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
MEI Conference 2026 on 2-3 July at Keele University

MEI Conference 2026 on 2-3 July at Keele University

Want to find out what’s going on at the MEI Conference 2026?

The programme is available now: buff.ly/l7LdSxX

Check it out and choose your 2026 sessions!

#MEIConf26 #Mathematics

16.01.2026 08:01 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2
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#mathsky

15.01.2026 12:55 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
How MEI are helping develop adult numeracy in the Army Training tutors in a mastery approach means soldiers gain the maths qualifications they need to progress in their careers

New blog post: Developing a Level 3 Qualification in Data Science and AI

My response to proposals in the recent Curriculum and Assessment review.

mei.org.uk/insight/deve...

15.01.2026 14:54 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Why do mathematicians not like the number 288?

Because it's too gross.

15.01.2026 10:50 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

There are 4 tickets that I bought this summer that weren't used. The admin fee they'd have charged to refund them was the same amount as the cost of the tickets!

14.01.2026 15:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Bookings for the spring cohort of The Maths of Data Science and AI course for #ALevelMaths teachers will close soon.

Book now at amsp.org.uk/event/b23514... for 5 online sessions and a study day

... and there's a Β£350 bursary to help with travel/cover costs for the study day!

14.01.2026 09:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

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