Intent

At St John’s, we follow the White Rose Maths scheme to deliver a high-quality, ambitious, and fully inclusive mathematics curriculum. Our intent is to develop confident, fluent, and resilient mathematicians who can reason mathematically, solve problems, and apply their knowledge to real-life situations.

The White Rose Maths curriculum is designed around the principles of mastery, ensuring that all pupils acquire a deep, long-term, secure understanding of mathematical concepts. Through carefully sequenced small steps, children build their knowledge over time, with opportunities to explore, question, and make connections across different areas of maths.

Our aims are to ensure that all pupils:

• Develop a strong foundation in number and place value
• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practice
• Reason mathematically using mathematical language with increasing precision
• Solve problems by applying their understanding in a range of contexts
• Develop confidence and perseverance when tackling challenging concepts

Implementation

We implement our maths curriculum using the White Rose Maths scheme, which provides a carefully sequenced and structured progression from Early Years through to Year 6. The curriculum is designed to build mathematical understanding through small, coherent steps that allow all learners to master key concepts before moving on.

Each block of learning is broken into manageable units, with lessons that follow a consistent six part structure: 

1. retrieval to build fluency and recall
2. vocabulary which is explicitly taught through visuals, examples and non-examples
3. new learning broken down into I do, we do, you do; clear teacher modelling, worked examples and scaffolds
4. talk task with stem sentences including accurate vocabulary
5. develop learning where concepts are applied to reasoning and problem solving
6. independent task with appropriate adaptations for all children (scaffolds and rich tweaks)
7. plenary to consolidate learning

Daily maths lessons are supported by a range of high-quality resources, including visual representations, manipulatives, and interactive tools, which help children to develop a secure and adaptable understanding of number, shape, space, and measure. Teachers use the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach to support conceptual understanding at every stage.

Teachers use formative assessment strategies within lessons to inform responsive teaching. Interventions are planned accordingly, including maths pre-teach groups and number fluency groups. 

Impact

The impact of our mathematics curriculum is reflected in the strong mathematical understanding, fluency, and confidence developed by our pupils. Children are able to explain their reasoning, apply their skills in a variety of contexts, and approach challenges with a positive and resilient attitude.

Through consistent use of small-step progression, regular retrieval practice, and the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach, pupils build secure and deep understanding of core mathematical concepts. This is evident in their ability to:

• Recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately
• Use mathematical language effectively to articulate their thinking
• Solve problems systematically and reason with confidence
• Make connections across areas of maths and between real-world situations

Ongoing assessment is used to track progress, address gaps swiftly, and inform future planning. Pupils are regularly given opportunities to revisit and consolidate prior learning, helping to secure knowledge in long-term memory.

Pupil voice and work in books show that children enjoy maths, are engaged in their learning, and feel well-supported to succeed. The inclusive, mastery-based approach ensures that all learners—including those with SEND—are appropriately challenged and can achieve well.

As a result, our pupils leave each key stage with a strong mathematical foundation, well-prepared for the next stage of their education and equipped with the skills and mindset to use maths confidently in everyday life.

Maths Long Term Planning 2024 – 2025

Calculation Policy 2024

How can I support my child at home?

When children are fluent, they have the flexibility to select efficient strategies depending on the question and the context. They are more likely to be accurate. When children are not fluent, they can spend a lot of time and effort working through each small step of a calculation or problem and are likely to make mistakes.

Examples of fluency: 

6 + 7  – children should use knowledge of near doubles (6 + 6 +1), rather than counting on

99 + 99 – children should use adjustment (100 + 100 – 2), rather than the column method

Here are apps/websites that support fluency:

White Rose 1 minute maths app – subitising, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

Numbots – subitising, number bonds, addition and subtraction

Times Tables Rock Stars – times tables