Skip to content ↓

Maths

All students, regardless of race or gender, have equal access to the mathematics curriculum. They engage with content at an appropriate level that promotes rapid, measurable progress. Resources and learning environments are thoughtfully designed to ensure that all students can participate fully in their learning. Adaptive teaching strategies are used to support students who may struggle, while offering challenges to those who grasp concepts quickly, enabling them to work at greater depth. The mathematics curriculum is designed to be ambitious for students with SEND, ensuring they can engage with the content at their level and make progress toward clear, defined goals. Mathematical concepts are often connected to engaging topics, but the focus remains on teaching year group-specific skills that build progressively on prior learning, reinforcing, and embedding knowledge. Additionally, students participate in enrichment activities that give real-world context to their mathematical learning throughout the curriculum. 

Intent: What do we want our pupils to learn?  

At Thorpe Lea Nursery and Primary School, we offer a progressive mathematics curriculum that ensures all pupils:  

  • Become fluent in understanding numbers and place value through daily fluency practice  

  • Can apply their knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts  

  • Can confidently explain their mathematical thinking, using key mathematical vocabulary  

  • Are able to build on prior knowledge and make connections  

  • Complete work that is progressively challenging, starting with arithmetic and then problem-solving and reasoning   

  • Are provided with same-day interventions if necessary to further consolidate their understanding and to support developing their fluency  

Implementation: How do we plan and teach mathematics?  

Maths is taught daily from Nursery to Year 6. We follow the National Curriculum and use White Rose Scheme of Work as a guide to support teachers with their planning and assessment.  

To learn mathematics effectively, all year groups begin with learning Number and Place Value. Once children are secure, then the skills of learning how to add and subtract are taught. In key stage one and two, multiplication is taught by building on prior knowledge ‘repeated addition.’ Children will consistently develop their mathematical knowledge and make connections.  

Curriculum: 

Mathematics is a core subject of the National Curriculum. The knowledge, skills and understanding are set out in the “Mathematics Programmes of Study.” (See appendix for more details.) The programmes of study set out what pupils should be taught, and the attainment targets set out the expected standards of pupils’ performance. By using statutory curriculum criteria and other relevant planning documentation, we ensure that every year group covers the following key skills:  

· Number and Place Value  

· Addition and Subtraction  

· Multiplication and Division  

· Fractions, Decimals and Percentages  

· Measurement 

 · Geometry  

· Ratio and Proportion (Y6) 

 · Algebra (Y6)  

· Statistics 

The White Rose Scheme of Work plays a significant role in developing our students' mathematical understanding, using a Concrete, Pictorial, and Abstract (CPA) approach. This methodology ensures that children first explore mathematical concepts through hands-on, physical manipulatives (Concrete), followed by visual representations (Pictorial), before moving on to abstract symbols and notations (Abstract). The scheme encourages deep conceptual understanding, allowing students to build their learning step-by-step. To support this approach, a range of manipulatives and visual aids are used throughout lessons, making abstract concepts more accessible and helping students to develop a strong, foundational grasp of mathematical principles. 

In all year groups, pupils can be seen:  

  • Using real objects to model problems. For example, they might count the teddies that they can touch and see.  

  • Using a range of pictorial representations to relate to the concept. For example, they might draw objects and add them. This could be represented using base ten.  

  • Writing numerals and mathematical sentences. For example, they may use a formal written method like columnar addition.  

  • To recap and embed learning through daily fluency sessions (counting in EYFS/ KS1, TTRS and Number Sense Maths in KS2)   

  • Discussing mathematical concepts using key vocabulary  

The calculation policy is used to ensure consistency across all year groups in teaching the four operations (add, subtract, multiply and divide.)  

Assessment and Recording:

Teachers record and assess regularly and adapt their teaching to meet the needs of individual children and to ensure that all pupils have gained the intended understanding and unconscious competence in knowledge, concepts, and procedures necessary.  

Frequent pupil progress meetings with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) ensure that students are closely tracked, allowing for early identification of those who may be struggling or progressing more slowly. These students are then discussed, and appropriate interventions are implemented and reviewed. Teachers are aware of which students are eligible for pupil premium or have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ensuring that they receive the necessary support. Every SEND student has either a personalised SEN support plan or is included in the year group provision map. 

Reviewing prior learning allows teachers to identify any gaps in knowledge, which aspects of learning need to be revisited again, and which aspects have been fully mastered before they move on to new or more complex content.  

Our Early Years children will be assessed against the Early Years Learning Goals.  

Children are given daily challenges to move their learning further and common misunderstandings or misconceptions are addressed within the lesson. When children struggle to meet the Success Criteria, personalised Next Steps are given to pupils. Pupils’ progress and reflection is evident in books through the use of the pupils' self-marking in a purple pen.  

Testbase Assessments are completed in Autumn, Spring and Summer terms for Years 2-Y6.  Year 1 will take part from the Spring Term.  

Teacher observations in EYFS show a range of activities which cover fluency, reasoning and problem-solving.  

Impact: What do we want to achieve by delivering Mathematics in this way, and how will we know?  

  • Through discussion, pupils will talk enthusiastically about their maths lessons and about their passion for learning maths.  

  • Pupils can understand the purpose of what they are learning and make links to real world concepts.  

  • Pupils make excellent progress in the subject and are challenged  

  • Pupils display a growth mindset towards mathematics. They refer to ‘making mistakes as a part of our learning journey.’  

  • Pupils demonstrate a deeper understanding of maths by confidently drawing upon their knowledge and skills.  

  • Mathematical concepts or skills are mastered when a child can show them in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations. Pupils can discuss their reasoning, focusing on what they know using what they know to support their learning. 

Monitoring: Monitoring takes place regularly through sampling children’s work, pupil and staff voices, teacher planning, book scrutiny, learning walks and lesson visits. Strengths and areas of development are identified, and support is provided by the mathematics subject lead where necessary.  

Our maths books evidence works of a high standard of which children clearly take pride; the range of activities demonstrate excellent coverage of fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. Work in books and regular ongoing assessment is used as a measure of progress towards the identified end points. Pupils are given regular opportunities to recap and embed learning as well as applying their knowledge to solve a range of tasks and problems. Where gaps in learning are identified, the reasons for this are analysed and this information is used to plan further teaching or intervention activities where needed.  

SEND: Certain children may need additional assistance during or after lessons to fully grasp specific concepts or skills. This support should be provided promptly, ensuring they are able to engage with the following lesson without falling behind, rather than needing to "catch up." Teachers help these students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by offering targeted instruction, breaking down learning into manageable, step-by-step sequences that build progressively and systematically.