Teaching Matters | 60s kids, Dressing up & Frying up GCSE Maths

Teaching Matters | 60s kids, Dressing up & Frying up GCSE Maths

From Education Matters by Education Matters

March 9, 2026 · 60 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the changing nature of childhood and education, focusing on resilience and curriculum reform with experts John Gibbs and Shane Leaning.

Education is changing quickly. Childhood looks different. Reading habits are shifting and even the structure of GCSE mathematics is under debate. Paul Hazzard is joined by education experts John Gibbs and Shane Leaning for a wide-ranging discussion about resilience, literacy and curriculum reform, and what these changes mean for teachers, schools and learners. A familiar question starts the conversation. Did children growing up in the 1960s and 1970s develop a kind of resilience that many young people today struggle to build? Earlier generations often spent hours outdoors, negotiated friendships without constant adult supervision and learned independence through unstructured play. Many educators argue those experiences helped build confidence. Paul invites John and Shane to reflect on whether that idea holds up. Childhood has clearly changed. Digital technology shapes how young people spend their time. Families face different pressures. Schools also operate in a far more complex social and cultural landscape. John reflects on how earlier childhood experiences involved negotiating boredom, creating games and building friendships in local communities. Shane adds another…

People in this episode

Guests: John Gibbs, Shane Leaning

Topics covered

  • education
  • resilience
  • literacy
  • curriculum reform
  • childhood experiences

Keywords

  • GCSE Maths
  • digital technology
  • independence
  • unstructured play

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: GCSE

Places: UK

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