Researchers and policy makers agree that all children can learn mathematics and that teachers play an important role in student learning. This phenomenological study interviewed 12 primary school teachers, providing insights into their experience and perspectives of mathematics education, highlighting the challenges and successes experienced by teachers. These insights provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the relationships and tensions between teachers, students and context, and promote conversations about what success in mathematics looks like and how it can be best supported. It is hoped that this could ultimately be of benefit for student outcomes.