Mathematics

Our curriculum will teach the following mathematical concepts, taught as discrete units throughout the year.: 

• Number
• Statistics
• Geometry
• Measure

Pupils will learn about the following substantive concepts through our spiral curriculum, units will return to these same big ideas year on year. 

Intent:

The purpose of this document is to clarify the ‘how, why and what’ of maths teaching at Harris Primary Academy South Kenton. This is to be used by staff to clarify expectations, highlight the resources that we have access to, and to ensure that a high-quality maths curriculum is taught to all pupils in our academy. At South Kenton, we want our children to be confident, fluent mathematicians, as well as problem solvers. We teach maths for mastery which means that we are teaching our children to have a deep conceptual understanding. Children are encouraged to explain how they got an answer, why that answer is correct, and what might happen if a particular variable was changed.

We emphasise:

Retrieval practice - knowing more- remembering more! Daily retrieval practice to consolidate prior learning and practice.

Language – communicating ideas, proof, clarity and development of mathematical concepts.

Thinking – questioning and task design to promote mathematical thinking.

Understanding – using the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach to deepen conceptual understanding and making connections to previous learning, to other subjects.

Problem Solving – to be mathematical is to solve mathematical problems. Problem solving is both why and how we learn mathematics.

Arithmetic – daily arithmetic sessions from Years 1-6 with emphasis on explicit teaching, rehearsal and retrieval of multiplication facts to secure automaticity.  

Implementation:

What does maths look like at Harris Primary Academy South Kenton?

At Harris Primary Academy South Kenton, mathematics is taught through carefully sequenced units that build knowledge and understanding over time. We follow the Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract (CPA) approach to develop deep mathematical understanding and confidence.

Children are first introduced to concepts through concrete resources, using physical objects and manipulatives to explore mathematical ideas. They then move on to the pictorial stage, where they represent their thinking through drawings, diagrams and visual models. Finally, they progress to the abstract stage, applying their understanding using mathematical symbols, numbers and formal methods independently.

This approach enables all pupils to develop secure conceptual understanding, fluency in key skills, and the ability to reason and solve problems with confidence.

Maths Curriculum at Harris Primary Academy South Kenton

For our pupils:

Harris Primary Academy South Kenton uses the White Rose Maths scheme of learning from EYFS to Year 6 to ensure a robust, comprehensive, and high-quality approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics.

This aligns with Ofsted’s standards for effective teaching and learning.

The systematic nature of the White Rose Maths scheme underpins the importance of conceptual understanding. Rather than rushing to provide quick fixes or rote learning methods, White Rose allows our pupils to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of mathematical concepts.

This aligns with Ofsted's emphasis on deep learning, wherein pupils should understand and apply the underlying principles and connections within their learning.

Each White Rose Maths unit provides a 'small steps' progression framework, ensuring a pedagogically sound sequence of mathematical learning that we at Harris Primary South Kenton have adapted to best fit the needs of our pupils. This approach allows concepts to be broken down into manageable chunks, giving learners the opportunity to fully grasp each new skill or concept before moving on.

This fits within Ofsted's recommendation that schools offer a curriculum with appropriate sequencing, which provides a strong foundation for cumulative learning.

The White Rose Maths scheme comprehensively covers the breadth of the national curriculum. It provides a coherent, structured and detailed scheme of learning that ensures all necessary topics are covered systematically.

This aligns with Ofsted's requirement that the school curriculum should be broad, balanced and provide the requisite knowledge and skills for future learning and employment.

The White Rose scheme is a spiral curriculum, where children continuously build on their previous learning, ensuring readiness for the next steps in their mathematical education.

This complies with Ofsted’s expectations of effective progression and curriculum planning, helping pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding over time.

By adapting the White Rose Maths scheme, Harris Primary Academy South Kenton demonstrates a commitment to a high-quality mathematics education that is personalised for the needs of all our pupils. White Rose equips our pupils with the necessary mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding to excel in their future academic and personal endeavours and develop a love of mathematics.

For our staff:

Teachers at Harris Primary Academy South Kenton adapt the White Rose Maths scheme of learning. Our objective is to ensure that our staff are empowered with comprehensive teaching resources, pupils are provided with engaging and challenging mathematical learning, and that our collective commitment to staff wellbeing and manageability of workload is maintained.

The resources provided by White Rose are comprehensive, efficient, and tailored to assist our staff in planning and teaching outstanding maths lessons. The vast array of resources and schemes of learning that White Rose offers aligns with our commitment to ensure that our staff's workload remains manageable. They provide teachers with ready-made, high-quality resources, reducing planning time and relieving workload pressure.

Our commitment to the continuous professional development of our staff is reflected in our regular CPD sessions on the White Rose Maths scheme. These sessions enable our staff to stay abreast of new strategies and resources, continually improving their teaching practices and thereby our pupils' learning experiences.

‘Adapt not adopt’

Teachers are encouraged to ‘adapt not adopt’ which is determined by the needs of each individual class. When planning a unit, teachers have access to a wide range of resources and guidance to support high-quality mathematics teaching. Additional slides and activities are incorporated to explicitly teach mathematical vocabulary and provide regular opportunities for partner talk and mathematical discussion. These elements help pupils articulate their thinking, deepen their understanding and develop confidence in communicating mathematically.

Typical Daily Lesson

Individual classes have different needs, and teachers use their professional judgement to adapt their teaching accordingly. Every maths lesson begins with an arithmetic starter, focusing on times tables, counting or mental calculation strategies. Plenaries are used where appropriate to consolidate learning, deepen understanding and address any misconceptions that arise during the lesson.

A typical lesson across the school might look like this:

Teach and Partner Talk: The teacher introduces new learning using teaching slides and other appropriate resources. Throughout the input, pupils are given regular opportunities to discuss ideas with their partners, practise new skills and apply their understanding through short tasks. This approach helps to identify and address misconceptions while maintaining high levels of engagement.

Extended Partner Practice- During extended partner practice, pupils apply the day's new learning through carefully planned activities. These may include mathematical games, tasks that mirror the teaching input using different numbers, or practical activities involving concrete resources to solve problems. This provides pupils with the opportunity to master the concept being taught, explain their thinking and develop confidence. During this time, the teacher circulates the classroom to assess understanding, provide support and address misconceptions. Mini-plenaries are used where necessary to clarify learning, reinforce key concepts and move pupils' understanding forward.

Written Task: Following the teaching input and partner practice, pupils work independently to complete task stickers which are linked to the lesson's learning objectives. The teacher continues to monitor learning, provide support where needed and address misconceptions. Mini-plenaries are used where appropriate to reinforce key learning and move understanding forward.

Four Sticker Progression

Most lessons will follow the 4 sticker progression format (see below) however there will be opportunities for practical task which will be evidenced using photos.

Assessment

Teachers use formative assessment throughout lessons to identify pupils’ understanding, inform next steps in learning, and ensure appropriate support and challenge for all learners.

Staff recognise that strong performance during a lesson does not always reflect long-term learning. Therefore, regular low-stakes quizzes and spaced retrieval activities are used to assess how well knowledge has been retained over time. These opportunities also help pupils strengthen their memory of key concepts, develop greater fluency in mathematics and embed mathematical vocabulary.

Pupils complete three standardised assessments throughout the academic year. These assessments enable teachers and leaders to identify strengths and gaps in learning, track progress over time, and inform future teaching and intervention priorities. In Year 6, pupils also complete the end of Key Stage 2 statutory assessments (SATs), which provide an additional measure of attainment.