ALL SAINTS’ CATHOLIC PRIMARY MATHS POLICY

OVERVIEW

At All Saints RC Primary, we teach Maths because it is essential for understanding the patterns, structures, and relationships that shape the world around us. Our curriculum is designed to develop fluency in mathematical concepts through practice and application, ensuring that children gain confidence in using number, shape, and measures with accuracy and efficiency.  We will use the National Curriculum for Mathematics Guidelines as the basis for our scheme of work. Our aim is to ignite curiosity and a love for Maths, equipping children with the skills to explore, question, and apply their knowledge in a rapidly changing world.

INTENT

The whole school long-term mathematics plan is carefully structured to provide children with a deep and connected understanding of mathematical concepts, ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum. The knowledge and skills developed in each phase build progressively, providing a strong foundation for future learning. Staff will use their expertise and understanding of pupils to tailor lessons, using a variety of representations and structures to support understanding and promote mathematical thinking. Our mathematics progression maps for both knowledge and skills provide clear and specific learning objectives, ensuring that understanding is embedded and applied fluently.

The aim of this framework is to:

• Develop all children’s fluency in number, calculation, and problem-solving, ensuring they can recall and apply mathematical knowledge with confidence.
• Encourage pupils to explore mathematical structures and representations, making connections between different areas of maths.
• Foster mathematical thinking by promoting reasoning, justification, and problem-solving across different contexts.
• Use variation to deepen understanding by exposing children to multiple methods, question types, and real-world applications.
• Ensure coherence in learning so that mathematical concepts are introduced in a logical and progressive sequence, supporting long-term retention and mastery.

IMPLEMENTATION

To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in mathematics, we provide structured learning opportunities through the adapted use of Power Maths – linked with White Rose. In our ambition to further improving our teaching of mathematics, we will enter a transitional phase with the end goal of using and adapting `Curriculum Prioritisation Small Step learning` delivered with the aid of Oak Academy. The `Five Big Ideas in Teaching for Mastery` and Rosenshein’s 10 principles of instruction will underpin the structure of our lessons.

To allow pupils to become engaged in learning, and have the opportunity to build competency in the variety of mathematical concepts, they will approach this by taking the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach.

Concrete – pupils should have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand what they are doing.

Pictorial – pupils should then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations. These representations can then be used to reason and solve problems.

Abstract – with the foundations firmly laid, pupils should be able to move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence

New learning builds upon prior knowledge, with frequent opportunities for guided and independent practice to promote fluency and retention. We aim for children to master key mathematical concepts, narrowing the gap between the most and least able learners. Pupils are encouraged to articulate their reasoning, justify their answers, and engage in mathematical discussions to develop a deeper understanding. Through structured talk, sentence stems, and exploratory dialogue.

• We will start the teaching of Mathematics in the Foundation Stage. The children will begin developing their knowledge and skills in ‘Mathematics`  by focusing on developing a strong foundation in number skills, including counting, understanding numbers to 10, and exploring patterns and shapes through practical, engaging activities.
• Displays / Working Walls – They will serve as reference points to support children's learning, encouraging independence and reinforcing key concepts. Working walls will be regularly updated to reflect current learning, enabling children to actively use them as a resource.
• Stem sentences – these will support the children’s thinking, explanations, reasoning, justifications and discussions when approaching mathematical concepts. For example, prompts like "I noticed that..." or "The pattern shows..." encourage deeper mathematical thinking and clear communication.
• Concrete resources- children will have manipulatives to support their mathematical explorations.
• Vocabulary – revision and introduction of vocabulary is identified in our ‘Vocabulary Progression Map’ Vocabulary will be introduced and revisited in every lesson
• Quiz / Knowledge Recall Teachers will devote between five and eight minutes at the start of a lesson, to review previous learning.  (Rosenshein’s 10 Principles of Instruction)
• Mind Mapping - mapping to help children retain knowledge taught, it can help improve memory. The mind maps will also help teachers complete their Teacher Assessment.
• Technology – Children will have access to a range of technology such as iPads and laptops. These will be used to further develop the application of fluency skills.
• Mathematical Awards – Certificates will be given every week to children who have shown excellent resilience in their learning.
• Times Table Competitions – Children will use TT Rockstars to practise and test the knowledge of their times tables. The use of nationwide and school based competitions with provide opportunity for the children to strive to achieve the best of their abilities.
• Mastering Number in Early Years and KS1 to support the essential building of the children’s fluency skills.

IMPACT

The Maths Curriculum at All Saints’ Catholic Primary will help pupils develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and how they apply to real-life situations. A strong foundation in maths enables children to build fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving skills across different areas of the subject. Pupils will explore mathematical patterns, relationships, and connections, fostering curiosity and resilience in their learning. This approach makes maths engaging, relevant, and memorable, helping children to become confident, logical thinkers who can apply their skills in everyday life. At All Saints we firmly believe that maths is an important life skill and having the values of `it’s safe to fail` allows children to become less afraid of maths and instead foster a love of learning. Maths will be celebrated throughout the school with interactive displays, challenges, competitions, and cross-curricular links.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment for Learning is fundamental to raising standards and enabling children to reach their potential. Assessment has a very important role in informing the teachers learning to ensure that each child receive learning tailored to their needs. Assessment in mathematics takes place daily using a range of strategies such as feedback and verbal discussions with children. We use a variety of strategies to evaluate the knowledge, skills and understanding that our children gain as they progress from Nursery to Year 6:

• Regular feedback and pupil voice feedback
• Subject monitoring, including planning scrutiny, book looks and learning walks
• Regular quizzing in lessons
• Standardised tests to support our teachers’ assessment Parents are kept informed of topics that are being covered through half-termly newsletters. During Parents' Evenings curricular targets are shared and a written report is completed annually in the Summer Term. Homework is set each week.

EARLY YEARS

In line with the Development Matters guidance, our EYFS department support children in developing their understanding of mathematics in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding. Mathematical development for younger children grows through their play and exploration, active engagement, creative and critical thinking, serve and return interactions with adults, their embodied experiences and, essentially, their schematic patterns of thinking, such as interest in trajectories (horizontal and vertical straight lines) and transporting (moving things from one place to another), where they gradually come to understand concepts of length, distance, spatial awareness, speed, motion, direction, time, pattern, order, angles, sequencing and weight. Mathematical understanding can be developed through stories, songs, games, routine, questioning, imaginative play, child-initiated learning and structured teaching.

It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes.

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

All Saints’ Catholic Primary School, our aim is for all children to have access to a broad and balanced curriculum, meeting their educational, emotional, social and spiritual needs. All children will have Quality First Teaching. Any children with identified SEND or in receipt of pupil premium funding may have work additional to and different from their peers in order to access the curriculum dependent upon their needs.

Teachers encourage all pupils to reach their full potential through varied provisions and adaptive teaching.  Teachers use a range of strategies in line with the school’s SEND policy to ensure accessibility of the curriculum and provide appropriate challenges tailored to individuals’ needs. 

 

Revised and adopted by the Governing Body          Date - September 2025

Review Date - September 2026