Our goal for Maths education is that children are able to solve increasingly complex routine and non-routine problems by developing:
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deep, secure and adaptable conceptual understanding;
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fluency with mathematical fundamentals and procedures; and
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proficiency with reasoning, application and use of mathematical vocabulary.
We believe that all children can achieve well in maths and the curriculum is carefully designed in order to give children opportunities to become confident and flexible mathematicians. The Knowledge and Skills Progression document, on the lozenge to the right, shows the objectives that are taught each week across each academic year. We work closely with our local Maths Hub (London Central and North West) and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) to keep our teaching of maths up to date with latest research. Our maths lead is a Mastery Specialist and Professional Development Lead, which benefits the professional development of all the teachers and teaching assistants in the school.
The Five Big Ideas are the fundamental characteristics of Teaching for Mastery and run through all maths lessons.
Fluency
To support our pupils to develop their confidence in arithmetic, we follow the NCETM Mastering Number Programme in KS1 and KS2. The KS1 programme starts in Reception and is designed to build children’s confidence and fluency of the addition and subtraction number facts up to 20. Mastering Number at KS2 supports children to develop a strong conceptual understanding of the multiplication and division facts up to 12 x 12. We offer a free subscription to Numbots (Years 1, 2 & 3) and Times Table Rock Stars (Years 3, 4, 5 & 6) for children to practise their arithmetical fluency at home.
Mathematical Thinking
Children are encouraged to make connections between areas of maths and to explain their thinking in order to deepen their understanding of the maths.
Representation and Structure
Representations are used to expose the structure of the maths and are gradually reduced when the structure is fully understood
Coherence
Our curriculum is designed to allow for teachers to plan lessons with deliberately small steps in the learning to ensure that knowledge is retained and all children are able to access the learning.
Variation
Variation provides the opportunity for children to see a concept more clearly by presenting them in a range of ways, including examples and non-examples.
It also provides the opportunity for children to think more carefully about the structure of the maths that they are learning.
Mathematical Thinking
Lessons involve opportunities to make links between areas of maths. Fluency is put into practice and pupils are encouraged to use their logical thinking and reasoning skills regularly. We encourage the use of talk partners for children to discuss and further their thinking. Explanation of a concept is a demonstration of understanding. Stem sentences are used to support the articulation of their understanding. Children are given opportunities to view concepts in different ways to make links and to deepen their thinking about maths.
Enrichment Opportunities
We are proud of the wide range of opportunities we offer to challenge and inspire children in mathematics. Alongside high-quality teaching in the classroom - where all children engage in the same rich and challenging tasks - there are also many chances to enjoy maths beyond the curriculum.
Each year, we hold the following events:
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Number Facts Bee – for Years 1 to 3
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Multiplication Bee – for Years 4 to 6
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First Maths Challenge (June) – for Years 3 and 4, run by the Mathematical Association
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Primary Maths Challenge (November) – for Years 5 and 6, also run by the Mathematical Association
In 2025, we also took part in the UK Mathematics Trust’s Primary Kangaroo – an exciting national competition that stretches young mathematicians even further.
These enrichment activities help to foster a love of maths, build confidence, and give children the opportunity to shine.
Practice at Home
We know that regular, repeated practice is essential for children to develop and retain fluency in arithmetic. To support this, we strongly encourage children to practise their number facts at home.
In Key Stage 1, all children have access to Numbots, an engaging online resource designed to help them become confident with number facts up to 5, 10, 20, and eventually 100.
We recommend that children play for just 3 minutes, five times a week, and aim to move up one level each day. This consistent short burst of practice can make a big difference in building strong number sense and confidence with mental maths.
In Key Stage 2, all children have access to Times Table Rockstars, a fun platform where children can practise their multiplication and division facts regularly. We know that when children have confidence in their times tables it reduces the cognitive load when learning new areas of maths.
