Big ideas in the mathematics curriculum for older school students, especially those that are hard to learn and hard to teach, are covered in this book. It will be a first port of call for research about teaching big ideas for students from 9-19 and also has implications for a wider range of students. These are the ideas that really matter, that students get stuck on, and that can be obstacles to future learning. It shows how students learn, why they sometimes get things wrong, and the strengths and pitfalls of various teaching approaches. Contemporary high-profile topics like modelling are included. The authors are experienced teachers, researchers and mathematics educators, and many teachers and researchers have been involved in the thinking behind this book, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. An associated website, hosted by the Nuffield Foundation, summarises the key messages in the book and connects them to examples of classroom tasks that address important learning issues about particular mathematical ideas.

"I cannot commend this book highly enough. It is an essential addition to any mathematics educator's library. As a teacher educator I know I will refer to it frequently with both beginning teachers and experienced teachers." - Sue Pope, Mathematics Today

"This is likely to be a source of inspiration for teachers and researchers for many years to come. The book is informed by a wealth of research evidence which is fully referenced." - Sue Pope, Mathematics Today

"This combination of book and website is a great resource for any department looking to develop its teaching by addressing the key ideas in school mathematics based on research evidence." - Total Maths

"This is a most impressive book that offers detailed advice on the teaching of mathematics in the secondary sector." - Mark Pepper, Association of Maths Teachers