At HWCE, we use creative and engaging approaches to teaching mathematics, including practical and outdoor learning, to enhance pupils’ experiences and deepen understanding. A growth mindset is embedded across all lessons, encouraging resilience, perseverance, and confidence when tackling challenges.

We provide regular opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical knowledge across the wider curriculum and through key events, ensuring that mathematics is seen as meaningful and relevant to everyday life.

Every child receives five one-hour mathematics lessons each week, following a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge and skills progressively from EYFS to Year 6. This sequencing follows the White Rose Maths small steps to ensure coherence, progression, and full coverage of the National Curriculum. Lessons typically begin with a short retrieval-based starter, such as Think Pink, Flashback 4, times tables practice, arithmetic fluency, or reasoning/problem-solving tasks. These activities enable pupils to revisit prior learning, strengthen recall, and build fluency, ensuring knowledge is embedded over time.

Homework is set via Mathseeds (EYFS/Year 1)/Mathletics (Year 2 and KS2) and Times Tables Rock Stars, supporting pupils to consolidate classroom learning, practise key skills, and develop fluency.

At the heart of our teaching is a focus on fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving, consistent with the Teaching for Mastery approach. Lessons are structured in small, connected steps, using a balance of concrete, pictorial, and abstract representations to secure deep understanding. Adaptive teaching ensures that all pupils are supported and challenged appropriately.

Assessment is integral to our implementation of mathematics. Teachers use ongoing formative assessment within lessons to identify misconceptions and adapt teaching in the moment. Fluency checks, and reasoning tasks are used to review understanding of recently taught content, while termly summative assessments provide an overview of pupil progress against age-related expectations. Assessment information is used to inform planning, target support, and ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND and those working at greater depth, make sustained progress. Times Tables Rock Stars is also used to monitor and develop recall of multiplication and division facts.

Implementation of mathematics at HWCE is fully aligned with the EYFS Framework and the National Curriculum. In EYFS, children develop strong foundations in number, subitising, composition and spatial reasoning through play, exploration and practical experiences. In Key Stage 1, teaching focuses on fluency with whole numbers, number bonds and place value, alongside the early development of shape, measure and problem solving. In Key Stage 2, pupils become increasingly fluent with the four operations and extend their understanding of fractions, decimals, percentages, geometry, measures and algebra. Across all phases, pupils are encouraged to reason mathematically, solve problems with increasing sophistication, and use accurate mathematical vocabulary. By the end of Year 6, pupils are fluent, confident and resilient mathematicians, fully prepared for transition to Key Stage 3.