Intention Statement
At Saint Mary’s, we are ambitious for all pupils and aim to develop a life-long love for mathematics through the delivery of engaging, high-quality lessons that are inclusive, coherent and carefully sequenced. We recognise that pupils arrive with diverse starting points and experiences, and we are committed to ensuring that all children—including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), pupils learning English as an Additional Language (EAL), and those eligible for Pupil Premium—are supported to achieve highly.
We place a strong emphasis on developing secure conceptual understanding alongside fluent procedural knowledge. Our mathematics curriculum prioritises problem-solving and reasoning, enabling pupils to think mathematically, explain their thinking using subject specific vocabulary and apply their learning in a range of contexts. Lessons provide a range of problem-solving and reasoning tasks, which are carefully adapted to remove barriers to learning while maintaining high expectations for all pupils.
Teaching is informed by the principles of the White Rose Maths scheme and makes consistent use of the concrete, pictorial and abstract (CPA) approach. This ensures that learning is accessible to all pupils, particularly those with SEND and EAL, through the use of manipulatives, visual representations, structured talk and pre-teaching of key vocabulary. Targeted scaffolding, timely intervention and appropriate challenge enable pupils to make strong progress from their individual starting points. Daily fluency through the use of Flashback 4 starters, supports automaticity and confidence, including number bonds in Key Stage 1 and multiplication and related division fact recall in Key Stage 2.
Our progressive curriculum is designed to build knowledge and skills over time, ensuring continuity and coherence as pupils move through the school. We aim for all pupils to meet end-of-year expectations where possible, and for all pupils—including disadvantaged learners—to achieve well and be prepared for the next stage of their education.
Our ultimate aim is that pupils leave Saint Mary’s as confident, resilient and fluent problem-solving mathematicians, equipped with the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in secondary education and in later life. We are committed to providing an equitable mathematics curriculum that promotes inclusion, removes barriers to learning and enables every child at Saint Mary’s to fulfil their potential.
Mathematics Subject Leader: Miss Nicholls
Implementation
At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, the Mathematics curriculum is delivered through engaging, high-quality lessons that build strong mathematical foundations and foster a life-long love of learning. Teaching follows a coherent and progressive structure, broadly based on the White Rose Maths scheme, ensuring that children encounter a carefully sequenced curriculum that supports cumulative development of knowledge and skills.
Across all year groups, mathematics lessons are designed to integrate fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. Children develop conceptual understanding alongside procedural skills through varied fluency practice, including daily drills such as number bonds in Key Stage 1 and multiplication and related division facts in Key Stage 2.
Teachers plan learning that builds on prior knowledge, using progression documents such as long-term plans and policy frameworks to ensure consistency and clarity. Lessons include opportunities for children to apply and deepen understanding through problem-solving tasks, discussions and rich mathematical experiences. Regular opportunities to practise and revisit key concepts help pupils secure foundational skills and grow in confidence.
Supportive resources, including calculation and year-group overviews, underpin classroom practice and enable both independent work and targeted support where needed. This ensures that all children, including those requiring additional help, are supported to make progress and achieve age-related expectations.
Impact
The Mathematics curriculum at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School ensures pupils develop secure mathematical knowledge, confidence and resilience. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum and regular opportunities to practise and revisit key concepts, pupils build strong fluency in number and calculation, enabling them to apply their understanding effectively across a range of contexts.
Pupils demonstrate increasing competence in reasoning and problem-solving, using precise mathematical language to explain their thinking and justify their methods. They are able to make connections between different areas of mathematics and apply strategies independently, reflecting a deepening conceptual understanding.
As a result, children make good progress from their starting points and achieve age-related expectations by the end of each key stage. Pupils leave St Mary’s well prepared for the mathematical demands of secondary education and everyday life, with a positive attitude towards mathematics and the confidence to tackle new challenges.
Documentation
Maths LTP (Y1-Y6): CLICK HERE
EYFS Maths LTP: CLICK HERE
Homework
All pupils across Years 2-6 are asked to practice their times tables at home on TTRS. No additional maths homework is compulsory but can be given at the class teacher’s discretion.
Certificates for those achieving well on TTRS across Years 2-6 are awarded in line with the Maths Certificates for the pupil of the week.
Useful Websites
Please see the websites below for resources and activities that your child across all year groups can do at home. All resources/activities are free.
White Rose Maths – curriculum resources for Maths for all year groups – https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Third Space Learning – resources to help parents with Maths at home – https://bit.ly/3dvv7hL
The Maths Factor – maths lessons with Carol Vorderman – https://www.themathsfactor.com/
Numberblocks – CBeebies number programme for small children – https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks
BBC Teach Resources – all subject resources including Maths – Primary Maths teaching resources
Topmarks – Maths games (including Hit the Button) – https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/
NRICH – Maths games to play together – https://nrich.maths.org/fortwo
