At Blessed Edward Jones High School, a Catholic comprehensive in Rhyl, north-east Wales, we had a good English teacher, a good history teacher and a brilliant maths teacher - Mr Parry. He was an extraordinary teacher because he was very, very, very clear. He understood maths and he knew how to teach it.
The school had two sets for maths - the top and the bottom. Mr Parry had 36 pupils in the top set and they took O-level maths. The bottom set did CSE.
He taught us maths to O-level standard a year before we took the exam. He always gave us past papers; he was very keen on those past papers. I used to finish them early and he would always advise me to double-check my answers. He used to say: “There’s a fourth ‘r’ Miss Vorderman, and it’s rigour.” He was absolutely rigorous with us, and I loved it because I loved being pushed.
If you have somebody who challenges you, you will rise to that challenge. But if you never have a challenge, then you will never rise. Nothing changes unless something changes. Every single one of the kids in his class got an O level in maths and most got an A grade. It wasn’t easy, because there was a lot of calculus in the exam.
Mr Parry made us do our homework and he taught maths well. He didn’t just teach the algorithm, he explained exactly why the algorithm was the right one. He explained it because he knew it.
‘Numbers were my friends’
Maths was easily my favourite subject. I loved it. Numbers were my friends and they can be friends with everybody. When it is taught clearly, maths is very simple. Most people who say it’s hard have been told endlessly by their parents and the media that it’s hard, and they have not been taught well - 96 per cent of primary school teachers gave up maths at 16.
Mr Parry was like an army officer in the way that he walked and held himself: very chest-out. He always wore boots with steel toecaps and if he was clicking his way down the corridor, as we lined up waiting for him to open the classroom door, we’d be absolutely on our best behaviour, because he was strict.
He once crossed two marks off one of my exam papers; I’ll never forget it. I was 12 at the time. A girl in my class who was very bright and like a sparring partner for me got 100 per cent and I got 98 per cent. I argued for the two extra marks, but he said: “No, no, two marks off.” I said: “No, Mr Parry, that’s not fair!” He giggled. He had this fantastic giggle and his whole body would shake.
Mr Parry had a mop of brown curly hair and a lovely, open face. He was very slim, not overly tall but not small, and I think in his thirties when he taught us. We absolutely loved him because he was amazing. He was like the maths equivalent of Robin Williams’ English teacher in Dead Poets Society - eccentric and extraordinary.
I took my O levels at 15 and got 13. One was in computer studies. I thought I could have a future in computers and went to the careers officer for advice. She said to me: “Don’t do A levels, leave school now and go to Wrexham Technical College to do an HND in computers.” I thought: “Nah.”
In contrast, Mr Parry encouraged me to apply to the University of Cambridge. I wouldn’t have got there without him. Once I got in, a lad in my class applied for a place at the university. So, from that one year, two of us got into Cambridge; I got in a year ahead. I always say to people, “Just do it, don’t let anybody restrict you, don’t let people put bars around you.”
I spent seven years at Blessed Edward Jones High and was on free school meals. I went to Cambridge aged 17, in 1978, after getting three A levels in economics, maths and physics. About 20 years after I left, I was the subject of ITV’s This Is Your Life and Mr Parry came on the programme. I had a lot to thank him for. That was the last time I saw him.
Carol Vorderman was speaking to Adeline Iziren. She is a bestselling children’s education author and her new study guide, Help Your Kids with Study Skills, published by DK, is out now, priced at £14.99.
Born 24 December 1960.
Education Blessed Edward Jones High School in Rhyl, north-east Wales and Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge, where she obtained a degree in engineering.
Career Former co-presenter of Countdown and host of TV shows including Tomorrow’s World and Better Homes. Since 1999, she has hosted the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards on ITV. In addition, she has written numerous textbooks, including Maths Made Easy, and runs her own online maths school, themathsfactor.com.
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