We invited Nick Hamshaw, Founding Head at 1729 Maths School, to take part in a short Q&A so we could learn more about his background, inspirations and vision for Mathematics education. Having grown up in West Cornwall, he went on to study Mathematics at the University of Oxford before training as a teacher and building a career across a range of roles. Nick brings both broad educational experience and a commitment to helping young mathematicians develop understanding, fostering curiosity and a love of mathematics.
Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I grew up in West Cornwall and was state educated there until the end of A Levels. With two older brothers to lead me astray, we spent a lot of time outdoors, exploring the local countryside. But my schools also gave me the freedom to think and tended to trust me to work on things independently. I understood, from a pretty young age, how to learn things for myself but also how I could team up with my teachers to make the most of my subjects. I finally left Cornwall to study at Oxford, where I completed the 4-year Master of Mathematics degree. I stayed on at Oxford to complete teacher training and have worked in education ever since. Although I have taken on various roles in several schools, including pastoral leadership, operational management and leading departments, I always return to teaching with great pleasure. I am particularly drawn to the challenge of teaching students who have greater Maths potential then I ever had myself. It keeps me on my toes and keeps me learning. There is nothing more fun and fulfilling than guiding students through Calculus, Trigonometry or Complex Numbers for the first time. My most recent experience as Senior Deputy Head certainly broadened my perspective to what can be done in schools, of course. 1729 is a great combination of Maths for really bright students and wider school processes. It’s all very exciting!
What was your favourite subject when you were at school and why?
Maths has always been right up there, but I think anyone reading this would be surprised to see otherwise! But I’ve always loved Physics and Music, too. All three share elements of logic, structure and patterns, which are the things I love most when working academically.
Do you have any personal hobbies or activities that you enjoy after a busy school day?
I am a huge Classical Music obsessive. Something like 14,000 discs of late 19th and early 20th century music are physical proof of that! I spend of lot of time listening comparatively to different versions of given works and share a great deal of thinking about this online.
Who inspires you?
The great mathematician Leonhard Euler was a teacher’s kind of genius. Quite apart from the actual Maths he discovered and documented, he actually made the subject much more readable and structured. Many of the most important notations we will use were created by Euler and they all make it much easier for young people to see how things work. Euler produced textbooks and explanations aimed at beginners, not elites. His book Letters to a German Princess explains physics and mathematics in plain language, almost conversationally. He treated explanation as an art!
What made you want to work at 1729?
Having worked extensively with very bright young people I always knew I would return to something with a mathematical edge. But I also love working in schools with a perspective that’s much wider than it would be in a single department. The role at 1729 has made it possible for me to combine both things in a school that is exciting and new in every way.
What do you hope to achieve in a role at 1729 in the next few years?
I want 1729 to become the premiere destination for any children who are talented at Maths and for it to be considered a worthy choice alongside the very greatest of UK schools. I also want to make sure we build a community of people who are mutually supportive of one another as they learn mathematics.
What excites you most about the maths curriculum at 1729 Maths School?
That we are completely free to draw on the very best on offer from schools around the world because we have time to deliver it. We are able to allow our students to explore ideas in great depth and really grow as mathematicians. Being fast and accurate is one thing, but understanding the structure of this beautiful subject is what 1729 is really about. The great mathematicians of the future will take their time to explore and understand and that is what excites me about our approach.
How would you describe your philosophy of mathematics education?
I believe in depth of understanding and that no-one should learn any Maths without at least trying to find out why it works. But I also believe that no one area of study can really shine unless the whole child is fully considered. So, yes, I believe very much that specialism is necessary from a much earlier age than is generally available in the UK, but I also feel that should not come at the expense of wider involvement in life. My feelings about teaching are generally aligned with evidence-based thinking. Our experience as teachers is often important, but we must keep reminding ourselves that just because something appears to be the right thing for our students, it may not be good for them at all!
What was your first year of teaching like, and what was one of the biggest lessons you learned from that experience?
Somewhat bumpy! I was closer in age to many of my first students than I am to my own oldest brother and it was sometimes hard to keep the lines firmly drawn. I learned quickly that students value structure, clarity and carefully planning much more than you might imagine.