Maths
Intent
Our aim is for all pupils to develop a deep and lasting understanding of mathematics and to view themselves as successful mathematicians. We foster positive attitudes towards challenge and encourage children to take risks, learn from mistakes and explain their thinking clearly.
At St Catharine’s, we provide a high-quality mathematics curriculum that enables every child to become a confident, fluent and resilient mathematician. Our curriculum is designed in line with the support of White Rose Maths Hub materials, although these have been adapted and amended in order to ensure each year group meets the National Curriculum expectations.
We believe that mathematics equips children with essential life skills and develops logical thinking, curiosity and perseverance. Our curriculum ensures that all pupils, regardless of their starting points, build secure mathematical understanding and are prepared for the next stage of their education and for everyday life.
Developing Fluent Mathematicians
The National Curriculum states that children should:
“become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.”
At St Catharine’s, we develop two key types of fluency:
- Conceptual fluency – understanding mathematical concepts deeply, such as place value, equivalent fractions and interpreting data in different representations.
- Procedural fluency – carrying out mathematical procedures accurately and efficiently, including calculation methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with whole numbers, fractions and decimals.
Through carefully sequenced lessons and regular practice, pupils develop secure understanding and confidence in using mathematical methods accurately.
Maths Is Fun
“Good Mathematics is not about how many answers you know, but about how you behave when you don’t know.”
Developing Reasoning Mathematicians
The National Curriculum states that children should:
“reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.”
At St Catharine’s, pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking, justify their methods and use precise mathematical vocabulary. They are given opportunities to:
- Explore patterns and relationships.
- Make conjectures, such as “If I add two odd numbers, the answer is always even.”
- Decide whether statements are true or false.
- Prove and justify their answers.
- Spot mistakes and explain misconceptions.
- Consider whether statements are sometimes, always or never true.
These activities help children think critically and communicate mathematically with confidence.
Developing Problem-Solving Mathematicians
The National Curriculum states that children should:
“solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.”
At St Catharine’s, problem solving is at the heart of our mathematics curriculum. Pupils apply their fluency and reasoning skills to unfamiliar contexts and increasingly complex challenges. We provide opportunities to tackle a range of problem types, including:
- Two- and three-step word problems, including the use of bar models.
- Finding all possible solutions.
- Identifying rules and describing patterns.
- Diagram problems and visual puzzles.
- Logic problems.
Through this approach, children learn to select efficient strategies, think systematically and persevere when faced with challenge.
Implementation
At St Catharine’s CE Primary School, our mathematics curriculum is carefully sequenced to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding from the Early Years Foundation Stage through to the end of Year 6. We aim to ensure that all children build secure mathematical foundations and become fluent, confident mathematicians who can reason, solve problems and apply their learning in a wide range of contexts.
To support high-quality planning, teaching and assessment, we follow the Department for Education National Curriculum for Mathematics and use the White Rose Maths Schemes of Learning as the basis for our long-term and medium-term planning. These schemes are adapted, where appropriate, to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, needs of our pupils and to reflect the context of our school.
Our school’s Calculation Policy ensures a consistent and progressive approach to teaching the four operations. It sets out the mathematical vocabulary, representations and formal written methods that pupils are taught across each year group, enabling children to build on prior knowledge with confidence and accuracy.
Lesson Structure
Mathematics lessons in EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 follow a clear and consistent structure to support progression and deepen understanding. This can be seen in our Mathematics policy by clicking on the link below.
This consistent lesson structure ensures that every child can access the curriculum and make meaningful progress. Lessons are adapted where necessary to meet individual needs.
Inclusion and Support
We are committed to meeting the needs of all learners. Our planning and teaching strategies support pupils to develop independence and metacognitive skills, enabling them to approach mathematics with increasing confidence.
- Additional support within lessons may include:
- Manipulatives and practical resources
- Worked and partially worked examples
- Templates, tables and charts
- Focused teacher support
- Re-teaching and overlearning opportunities
Developing Fluency and Long-Term Recall
To ensure children can accurately recall number facts, calculation methods and key concepts across all areas of mathematics, prior learning is revisited regularly and deliberately transferred into long-term memory through flashbacks 4’s which are completed throughout the week.
We place a high priority on:
- Daily or regular Spaced Retrieval Practice
- Arithmetic sessions
- Rapid recall of multiplication and division facts (counting)
- Opportunities to select efficient mental, jotting and written strategies
These approaches help pupils develop automaticity and confidence, freeing cognitive capacity for reasoning and problem solving.
Cross-Curricular Links
Wherever possible, mathematics is connected to other curriculum areas to provide meaningful contexts for learning and to strengthen understanding.
Examples include:
- Science – statistics, data analysis, classification, timers and thermometers
- History – chronology and understanding BC/AD
- Geography – time zones, compass points, graphs and temperature
- Computing – coding and programming
- Design and Technology – accurate measuring and scale
Impact
At St Catharine’s CE Primary School, our mathematics curriculum is carefully designed to enable every child to become a successful and confident mathematician. Through a well-sequenced programme of learning and high-quality teaching, pupils build secure mathematical knowledge and skills from their individual starting points. Over time, they develop increasing fluency in recalling key facts, reasoning logically and applying their understanding to solve a wide range of problems with confidence.
Assessment is central to effective teaching and learning in mathematics and plays a vital role in shaping future planning. Teachers use ongoing formative assessment throughout lessons through questioning, observations, discussions and the evaluation of pupils’ work. This allows misconceptions to be identified swiftly, teaching to be adapted accordingly and targeted next steps to be planned for both individuals and groups.
Pupils are also given regular opportunities to evaluate their own learning and that of their peers. This encourages independence, perseverance and a greater sense of responsibility for their progress. Feedback is purposeful and constructive, in line with the school’s marking and feedback policy, and supports pupils in strengthening their understanding and developing deeper mathematical thinking.
Assessment
Summative assessment is carried out termly using NFER Assessments. Outcomes are analysed carefully and recorded on Arbour to identify trends, celebrate achievement and target support for individuals and groups of pupils. Statutory assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 are administered in line with current Standards and Testing Agency guidance.
The impact of mathematics teaching is monitored regularly through our whole-school monitoring cycle.
The information gathered is used to evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum, identify strengths and priorities for development, and inform tailored professional development for staff.
As a result of our mathematics curriculum, pupils at St Catharine’s CE:
- Make strong progress from their starting points
- Demonstrate increasing fluency and accuracy in mathematical procedures
- Use mathematical vocabulary confidently
- Apply their knowledge to reasoning and problem-solving tasks
- Show resilience and independence when tackling challenges
- Are well prepared for the next stage of their education
Through rigorous assessment, reflective practice and a commitment to continual improvement, we ensure that all pupils experience success in mathematics and develop the skills they need for everyday life and future learning.
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