Work With Dave
Dave Godfrey’s training equips teachers to teach mathematics with deep understanding, clarity, enjoyment and creativity. His unique approach to mastery utilises the power of story, concrete resources, visualisation and media.
Dave Godfrey is a
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Primary Mathematics Consultant
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NCETM Professional Development Lead
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Experienced Primary Teacher
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Trainer & Keynote Speaker
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Author & Songwriter – creator of Number Fun

Dave has been working directly with us for the last 4 terms. He has had a tremendous impact on the teaching of mathematics within our school. His training has played a significant role in helping staff develop their own understanding of mathematics, which was a big issue for us. He has helped to shape both the way we both plan and teach our mathematics to reflect the Mastery approach. Both children and staff love his clarity of his training and the creative way in which he presents mathematics, particularly how he uses his Number Fun story characters to engage children in deep conceptual, fun-filled, brain-friendly and enjoyable learning. We heard about Dave from another school he’d worked with… I wholeheartedly recommend him to you.
Bev Burrows, Headteacher, St Elisabeth’s CE Primary, Stockport
I’ve known Dave for a long time. He presents and opens up mathematical concepts in a uniquely creative and engaging way. He helps children and teachers engage with and enjoy the subject, whilst helping them develop deep mathematical understanding. My staff warmly welcome Dave whenever he comes to school and his training has helped equip us to teach mathematics effectively.
Jonathan Green, Headteacher, Archbishop of York Church of England Primary, York
Dave spends his time …
- Delivering training
- Undertaking consultancy
- Working with children
- Creating powerful mathematical resources
During lockdown, Dave has been supporting schools and parents by providing engaging and fun-filled YouTube mathematical presentations. He has also been investing time in writing, delivering and recording a set of training courses to populate his new training website: teach.numberfun.com. Dave is available to visit schools and to provide training and consultancy support – either in person or remotely.
Dave has Covid-19 Risk Assessments and other procedures in place to enable him to support schools during the pandemic.
Mathematics Professional Development Training
Dave is an experienced trainer and an accredited PD Leader with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM).
Dave has taught across the primary age-range and he brings his wealth of experience to bear in his dynamic training programme. Dave’s training aims to help raise standards by increasing teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge, and by giving them tools to be creative and to enjoy the subject! Each course comes packed with engaging ideas alongside the foundation of relevant theory. All Dave’s CPD events are presented in a relevant, engaging, fun-filled and interactive style. Dave has particular passions for the teaching of calculation and the use of the Singapore Bar Model Approach.
Dave would be delighted to provide bespoke training for your school or cluster, or to present on any of the following themes:
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Mastery in Mathematics (incorporating aspects of the 2020 DfE & NCETM Mathematical Guidance)
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Mastering the use of Models and Images (The C.P.A. Approach)
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Bar Model – Mastering the use of the Singapore Bar Model Approach
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Developing Early Mathematical Understanding
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Number Fun – Using Story, Song and Video as Creative and Powerful Tools in Mathematics
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Revitalising Mathematics
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Number and Place Value
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Learning Key Facts and Counting Skills
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A Whole School Progression in Arithmetic and Written Calculation
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Embedding Mental Calculation across the Primary School
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Mastering Fractions through the use of Models and Images
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A Creative Approach to Problem Solving
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Reasoning and Talk Mathematics
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Extending More Able Pupils
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Embedding Mathematics across the Primary Curriculum
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CPD events are available in during half-day, full-day or twilight sessions, in person or via webinar.
The sessions were carefully planned and delivered, running just like a series of outstanding maths classes with clear objectives, pace and variety. In addition, there was a high level of enjoyment, even for our “reluctant learners”. The style was interactive and there were games and music. it really was active learning by example. I can wholeheartedly recommend Dave and his training package which was carefully tailored to our needs and adjusted in a flexible way over the training days as he saw necessary.
J. Day, Headteacher, Escola Inter Escola Internacional del Camp, Tarragona, Spain
The staff at Rose Court are absolutely buzzing following your Inset. What an excellent day it was! The training day increased our Maths subject knowledge and greatly improved our confidence in teaching Maths using your very creative, fun-filled and engaging ideas. The staff reported that your training had been stimulating, inspiring, thought provoking, energizing and non-threatening.
Roz – Headteacher, Leeds
I can honestly say that your training has been the most interesting, fun and most importantly useful training I have ever received. I have been the Numeracy coordinator for 3 years at my school and I feel now that I have the tools and contacts to make a real difference to the Maths teaching and learning. Following on from your training, I have put into practice the use of a range of practical resources to embed a secure understanding of mathematical concepts. The biggest difference has been the introduction of Reasoning and Using and Applying activities in school. We have redesigned the way our maths lessons work to ensure reasoning remains a top priority and as a result, our Y2 and Y6 results have improved and we have seen a huge impact across the whole school during observations of maths lessons in the confidence of the children. I hope that these network meetings continue, and I look forward to attending your training day at Stallingborough Primary this term.
S. Ranshaw at The Humberston C of E Primary School, England
Mathematics Consultancy
Dave has spent many years helping schools improve their teaching of mathematics through ongoing consultancy work.
Dave’s consultancy usually begins with a day-long audit of mathematics which aims to identify and celebrate strengths, as well as highlight key areas for improvement.

In the light of his findings, Dave then provides consultancy support to help the school develop their teaching of mathematics. This support typically includes helping teachers advance their own mathematical understanding and teaching of mathematics; encouraging the development of mathematically rich environments; and the establishment of structures and policies to provide a practical, consistent and powerful way forward for improving performance.
It was great to work with Dave on developing our maths teaching in school. He helped us identify key areas of development and then provided us with supportive resources and expertise to improve our maths teaching. Dave’s deep knowledge and passion in maths inspired our teaching which in turn developed our children’s mathematical understanding.
Neville Rice, Headteacher, Scartho Junior School, Grimsby
Dave Godfrey’s Number Fun consultancy work has transformed numeracy within all the schools in our Trust. We initially contacted Dave to support the staff at St Wilfrid’s CE whose math’s results were very poor and part of the reason for an Ofsted special measures judgement in 2015. Dave began working with our Trust based in St Wilfrid’s in 2016 and with his knowledge, support, encouragement and fun approach to number work he uplifted a demoralised staff and provided an engaging, inspiring and very practical approach to mathematics which staff and children alike both enjoyed and made great progress with. St Wilfrid’s CE has recently had a ‘good’ Ofsted judgement (March 2019) and the maths teaching across the school was commented on favourably: ‘The teachers and teaching assistants benefit from a rigorous programme of professional development, the impact of which is clearly reflected in their practice’
Quite simply, because the CPD and consultancy that Dave was providing was so inspiring, staff from the other schools in our Trust came along to the sessions based at St Wilfrid’s CE and we now have Number Fun policies, techniques and songs used across all schools in our Trust. Indeed, we have recently been asked to support another local school and the children and staff at St Elisabeth’s CE are also now benefitting from Dave’s input. From a Trust perspective this is great because it means that the calculation policy and teaching methods in all our Trust schools are similar and more importantly children across the Trust are enjoying mathematics and making good progress.
Matt Whitehead | Executive Head
St James and Emmanuel Academy Trust
Dave Godfrey/Number Fun has worked with our group of local authority maintained schools for two years now as a mathematics consultant. He has created innovative approaches to deliver the new curriculum and is always ready to tailor the training to suit the needs of the schools in the group. Great fun, lots of ideas and enjoyment alongside deepening understanding.
Libby Wragg, School Improvement Advisor, North East Lincolnshire.