Our Mathematics Curriculum at Hilperton

We believe that mathematics is an adventure for children that allows them to explore, question, apply, solve and most importantly enjoy a wide range of mathematical problems. We broadly follow the White Rose Mathematics scheme for our main maths lessons. Lessons are supplemented with 'fluent-in-five' and 'flash-back-fours' to allow daily revisiting opportunities. Mastering number is taught in KS1, ensuring children revisit key concepts and have a solid foundation with numbers. In KS2, the children practice times tables daily through chanting, as well as following times table booklets, introducing new facts as well as those previously taught.

We teach mathematics using a mastery approach designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in maths. Our lessons are carefully sequenced to support children's understanding of core concepts and build their mathematical confidence. Each lesson allows the children to revisit prior learning through a mathematical starter. The children are then taken on a journey through discovery, sharing of ideas, scaffolded practice, independent practice and reflection. This embeds growth mindset and problem solving to equip children with a deep conceptual understanding and a passion for mathematics.

Hilperton Primary School Mathematics Policy.

2025-2026

Review date: September 2026

Statement of Intent:

At Hilperton Primary School we want a mathematics curriculum which is accessible to all and will maximise the development of every child’s ability and academic achievement. We want children to see the ‘magic and mystery’ behind mathematics by making maths creative and exciting. We strive to ensure every child has the entitlement to build fluency and build understanding, articulating thinking before tackling problems and using rich vocabulary to inform answers. We want to ensure the children are embedding these concepts by revisiting learning frequently through interleaving and checkpoints.  We have chosen White Rose as we feel that this encompasses the values we want to instil in children as they learn maths.

We want children to make rich connections, discuss strategies and make mistakes when exploring mathematical reasoning and when solving increasingly sophisticated problems. We intend for our pupils to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge to other subjects, making sure that we have cross-curricular links where possible in our planning.  We want children to realise that mathematics has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems, it is not just something we learn because we have to. We want them to know that it is essential to everyday life, ensuring that problems are based around real life contexts. As our pupil’s progress, we intend for our pupils to be able to articulate what they are learning, using the correct vocabulary to demonstrate a clear understanding, have the ability to reason mathematically, and show a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject by asking questions and actively seeking answers and new challenges within the lesson.

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• • 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.
  • reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
  • can 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.

Implementation:
Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children can achieve high standards in mathematics.

• Most of the children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace, using the mastery for all approach that White Rose provides. Where this is not possible appropriate interventions/ appropriately pitched learning is put in place.
• Differentiation is achieved by establishing children’s start and end points through assessment for learning and delivering tasks that can deepen children’s understanding. The children able to explain what they need to do to progress.

• Teaching is underpinned by carefully mapped out medium term plans that show a clear sense of progression and pace. This is supplemented with carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge.
• Practice and consolidation play a central role- with fluency taking an important role in ensuring children are embedding understanding, alongside reasoning and problem solving, this builds an understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.
• Teachers use a range of AFL strategies within their lessons including precise questioning to test conceptual and procedural knowledge, talk partner support and in class marking allowing for immediate feedback. This allows teachers to assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention, so that no child is left behind.
• Teachers will be responsible for having a working wall that includes key vocabulary, modelled strategies discussed during the lesson, visual representations and problems that relate to a real- life context.

To ensure consistency and progression, the school currently uses the White Rose mathematics scheme. This provides a clear structure to plan from.

Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time with concepts being revisited on a regular basis. Each lesson phase provides the means for every child to understand the learning objective, with higher prior attainers being offered rich and sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks, within the lesson as appropriate.

A CPA approach, explored through a variety of resources including concrete manipulatives, are being used to allow children to develop a deep conceptual understanding of the mathematics they are learning.

The school recognises that immersing children in maths is important to all to deepen understanding however, it is also important to provide opportunities for interleaving. To ensure fluency, we have introduced math’s tasks into our early morning activities. We have implemented daily sessions in all classes where children will have the chance to practice previous skills. Fluent in five and flashback four is used in all year groups, mastering number is used in KS1.  KS2 practice their timetables under low stakes testing environments -chanting tables daily and working through set columns under timed conditions each day.

Children who need to embed learning further or need to revisit prerequisite criteria will receive support within the classroom, assessed through AFL or receive one on one support to revisit concepts and address misconceptions with our learning support assistants.

Calculations Policy

This calculation policy taken from White Rose, is being developed and agreed with all staff, including learning support assistants and supply, using the National Curriculum objectives and methods.

We recognise that mathematics can only be used effectively when the user understands the tool and has ownership of it.  With our calculation policy, we can be confident throughout school, that the hard work we all put into teaching the children each year to calculate, will be consolidated and extended the following year building year on year on the skills they have been taught allowing us to address gaps in learning quickly and build on concepts rather than revisit them.

By agreeing on the use of strategies and mathematical language that the children will be taught, this allows us to teach in a consistent way in all classes, developing their understanding as they progress through school.  This will hopefully cause less confusion for the children and ensure they have the necessary strategies and scaffolding to enable them to solve mathematical problems. Children will be encouraged to use the calculation strategies they are secure with, whether done mentally, using pencil and paper methods or by using the resources available.

• In KS2, each day at the beginning of our math lessons, we do chanting followed by x table booklets.
• Each booklet works progressively through learning a times table:
  • Practice the first part of the new times table
  • Practice the second part of the new times table
  • Practice all the facts from the new times table
  • Mix these times table with previously learnt times table facts
• The booklets have been written to learn the times tables in this order: 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9. Children repeat this order each year.

At the end of Year 4, children sit the Multiplication Check. This is a national test undertaken in June. The test is computer based and consists of 25 multiplication questions. Children have 6 seconds to answer each question. There is currently no official pass mark for this test.

Mastering Number

Mastering Number is a UK-based maths program designed to build strong foundational number sense in primary school children from Reception to Year 2, helping them become fluent and flexible with numbers. It uses a consistent approach, including visual aids and manipulatives, and focuses on concepts like subitising (instantly knowing the number of objects) and number composition/decomposition. The program aims to improve children's confidence and ability to articulate their mathematical thinking through consistent, whole-class lessons and teacher support.