Broseley C of E Primary School

Mathematics

At Broseley C of E Primary, we aim to nurture a genuine love and enjoyment of mathematics in all our children. Guided by our Christian values of Love, Trust, Hope, and Perseverance, we want pupils to be curious, confident, and willing to explore new concepts so they can discover the wonder of mathematics and recognise how it connects to their everyday lives. We encourage children to trust in their own thinking, show perseverance when faced with challenge, demonstrate love through collaboration and support for one another, and hold onto hope as they grow into capable, resilient mathematicians.

Our curriculum is built on the NCETM Teaching for Mastery approach and the Mastery Number programme. Grounded in effective research, this approach emphasises small, carefully sequenced steps that enable children to make meaningful connections and develop a deep, secure understanding. Manipulatives are used throughout the school to support conceptual understanding, and pupils are encouraged to value the mathematical process rather than focusing solely on the final answer.

The structure of our curriculum follows the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation materials, ensuring a cumulative sequence that allows for regular consolidation so that children remember more and build on prior learning. Our ambitious curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent mathematicians who approach challenges with perseverance and a sense of hope in their ability to succeed.

Language development is central to our maths teaching. By embedding precise mathematical vocabulary and the use of stem sentences, we provide pupils with the tools to articulate, reason, and explain their mathematical thinking clearly and confidently. This supports children in developing trust in their own voice and in the reasoning of others.

Please see our Long‑Term Plan for Maths for further information: Maths Long Term Plan

Mastery in Number – Fluency focus

Mastering Number aims to secure firm foundations in number sense for all children from EYFS through to Years 1 and 2. Over time, pupils leave KS1 with strong calculation fluency, alongside confidence and flexibility with number. Key knowledge and understanding are prioritised in EYFS, with carefully planned progression through KS1 to ensure long‑term success.

In KS2, number fluency continues to develop into Year 3 and becomes a central focus in Year 4, where secure knowledge of multiplication and division forms a gateway to later success. Mastering Number supports pupils in Years 4 and 5 to develop fluency in multiplication and division facts, as well as the confidence and flexibility that characterise strong number sense. In Year 6, pupils apply these fluency skills within arithmetic and wider mathematical learning.

Expert Reasoner

We want our children to become Expert Reasoners, following the NRICH progression in reasoning model. We place a strong emphasis on mathematical thinking, reasoning, and the use of effective representations, models, and images. By exposing mathematical structures through varied representations, we encourage pupils to develop their own models of proof. This deepens conceptual understanding and builds procedural fluency, supported by our values of trust in the reasoning process and perseverance when exploring complex ideas.

Maths in the Early Years

In EYFS, children take part in daily maths sessions using the Mastering Number materials. This forms the foundation of the curriculum and is complemented by mathematical learning embedded within continuous provision. Staff follow children’s interests to create meaningful opportunities to apply mathematical skills throughout the day. Children encounter different skills in different contexts, often through responsive, ‘in‑the‑moment’ planning that nurtures love of learning and hope in their growing abilities.

Support for Pupils with SEND

At the start of each unit, key knowledge is identified and explicitly taught to ensure that pupils with SEND can retain and build on essential concepts. SquareClub diagnostics help identify specific areas where pupils may need additional support. Scaffolding ensures that all children can work towards the same learning objective as their peers. This may include targeted adult support, increased access to manipulatives, pre‑teaching, and immediate, focused interventions. Our values underpin this support: love through care and inclusion, trust in each child’s potential, hope for progress, and perseverance in overcoming barriers.

Assessment

Each lesson begins with a ‘knowing more and remembering more’ task, assessing retained knowledge and reactivating key ideas needed for new learning. These may take the form of short questions, quizzes, or simple activities. Throughout lessons, teachers and TAs check understanding through discussion, questioning, and immediate intervention. When misconceptions arise, teachers refocus the class and reteach to ensure clarity.

Weekly independent questions linked to the current unit are used diagnostically through SquareClub assessments, enabling staff to monitor progress and identify where support is needed. Termly SquareClub assessments track progress over time and inform future planning. Summative assessments take place at the end of the academic year and are reported to parents. In EYFS, children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals, with a good level of development identified through achievement in Number and Numerical Patterns. National assessments take place at the end of KS1 and KS2, and pupils complete the Multiplication Tables Check in Year 4.