The connections between critical pedagogy, living theory and participatory action research (PAR) are discussed to explore their combined strength for empowering students, positively impacting on their attitudes towards their mathematics learning and creating social change in their primary-secondary mathematics transitions. This transition is recognised as creating social inequalities which existing transition research has failed to resolve. The interpretation of critical pedagogy, living theory and PAR are described before a summary of their application in a small scale, two-year study in a British curriculum school in Muscat, Oman. Critical pedagogy combined with living theory and PAR provides the theoretical and methodological framework to empower the students epistemologically. This paper gives an example of how PAR with students was conducted within the framework of critical pedagogy theory and living theory methodology. This account provides a valuable reference for participatory action researchers. The paper concludes that the combination of critical pedagogy, living theory and PAR can empower students to create social change.