Mathematics at Priorswood:
Our Vision
At Priorswood, we want every child to develop a deep understanding of mathematics, alongside the confidence and fluency to use it successfully in everyday life and in future learning.
We believe that all children can achieve in mathematics when they are given the right opportunities, appropriate support and sufficient time to develop their understanding. Our mathematics curriculum is designed to build secure foundations, develop mathematical fluency and encourage children to reason, make connections and solve problems with increasing independence.
We aim for our children to become confident, resilient and curious mathematicians who are able to explain their thinking, learn from mistakes and apply their mathematical knowledge in unfamiliar situations.
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced so that new learning builds upon what children already know. We prioritise depth of understanding over simply moving on to the next objective, ensuring that children have regular opportunities to revisit, practise and apply important mathematical knowledge and skills.
We want children to leave our school with:
· secure and flexible knowledge of number and calculation
· strong fluency with key mathematical facts
· the ability to reason mathematically and explain their thinking
· confidence when solving a range of mathematical problems
· the ability to make connections between different areas of mathematics
· resilience when faced with challenging or unfamiliar problems
· a positive attitude towards mathematics and a belief that they can succeed.
Curriculum Intent
Our mathematics curriculum is designed around the principle that children need secure foundations before moving on to more complex mathematical ideas. We use the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation materials across the school to support a carefully sequenced and coherent curriculum.
The mapping of the NCETM materials ensures that learning is carefully ordered, with important concepts revisited and developed over time. This supports children in making connections between mathematical ideas and allows teachers to identify and address gaps before they become barriers to future learning.
Alongside the main mathematics curriculum, we place a particular emphasis on developing number fluency. In EYFS and KS1, we use Mastering Number to develop children’s understanding of number, composition, subitising and additive structures.
In KS2, we use Ashley Downs to support the development of multiplicative fluency and secure children’s recall and application of multiplication and division facts.
We recognise that fluency is not developed through repetition alone. Children need opportunities to understand why mathematical procedures work and to apply their knowledge in different contexts. Therefore, our curriculum develops the three interconnected aspects of mathematics: fluency, reasoning and problem solving.
Regular retrieval and practice are an important part of our approach. A daily ‘4 in 4’ gives children a short, focused opportunity to revisit previously taught learning, typically including examples involving the four operations. This supports retention, identifies areas that may need further teaching and helps children develop confidence and efficiency.
In KS2, children also complete weekly arithmetic quizzes. These provide teachers with useful information about children’s fluency and understanding, allowing us to identify misconceptions, plan targeted intervention and determine future teaching and learning priorities.
Ultimately, our intent is to ensure that children develop deep, connected and lasting mathematical understanding, rather than simply learning procedures for individual topics.
Curriculum Implementation
Mathematics is taught daily across the school through a carefully planned and sequenced curriculum.
Our teachers use the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation materials to support the planning and mapping of learning from EYFS through to KS2. This provides consistency in the progression of mathematical knowledge and ensures that key concepts are revisited and developed throughout a child’s time at our school.
Daily Mathematics Lessons
Every child takes part in a daily mathematics lesson. Lessons are carefully structured to build on prior learning and develop new mathematical understanding.
Mathematical vocabulary is an important part of every lesson. Key vocabulary is identified and introduced at the beginning of the learning, ensuring that children understand the language associated with the mathematical concept being taught. Teachers model the correct use of this vocabulary and deliberately revisit and use the key terms throughout the session. Children are encouraged to use the vocabulary themselves when explaining their methods, reasoning and ideas, helping them to develop confidence and precision when communicating mathematically.
Teachers use a range of representations, practical resources and mathematical language to help children develop conceptual understanding. Children are
encouraged to explain their thinking, make connections, reason mathematically and apply their knowledge to increasingly challenging problems.
Teachers continually assess children’s understanding during lessons and adapt teaching where necessary. Misconceptions are addressed promptly and children are given opportunities to secure their understanding before moving forward.
Developing Fluency
Fluency is deliberately developed alongside conceptual understanding and reasoning.
In EYFS and KS1, children take part in daily Mastering Number sessions. These sessions provide regular, structured opportunities to develop strong foundations in number, including subitising, composition, comparison and additive fluency.
In KS2, children take part in daily Ashley Downs multiplication practice, supporting the development of secure multiplicative fluency. This regular practice helps children develop confidence and automaticity with multiplication and division facts, enabling them to use these facts efficiently when tackling more complex mathematics.
Daily Retrieval – ‘4 in 4’
Across the school, children also complete a daily ‘4 in 4’ activity. This provides a short, purposeful opportunity to retrieve and practise previously taught mathematical knowledge and skills.
Questions typically include examples involving the four operations, alongside other areas of learning where appropriate. The activity supports children’s ability to retain important knowledge over time and gives teachers an ongoing insight into areas that may require further practice or teaching.
Assessment and Responsive Teaching
Assessment is an integral part of our mathematics curriculum. Teachers use questioning, discussion, children’s work and ongoing assessment during lessons to identify misconceptions and gaps in understanding.
In KS2, weekly arithmetic quizzes provide an additional, focused assessment of children’s fluency. The information gathered is used to:
· identify individual misconceptions and gaps
· provide targeted intervention where appropriate
· inform subsequent teaching
· identify areas that require further whole-class practice
· shape future learning and retrieval opportunities.
Assessment therefore directly informs teaching rather than being an activity separate from the learning process.
Supporting Every Child
We are committed to ensuring that all children can access and succeed in mathematics. We use assessment information to identify children who require additional support and provide appropriate intervention and scaffolding.
Where children have not yet secured an important concept, teachers prioritise addressing this through responsive teaching and targeted support. Children who demonstrate secure understanding are provided with opportunities to deepen their thinking through reasoning, problem solving and making connections, rather than simply being moved on to new content.
Our approach aims to ensure that children develop the confidence, knowledge and resilience they need to become successful mathematicians.
