Mathematics

At Monkspath School, we believe that mathematics is a vital part of every child’s education. It helps children make sense of the world around them, develop logical thinking, and build problem-solving skills that will serve them throughout life.

Our maths curriculum is designed to be engaging, inclusive, and ambitious for all learners—from our youngest children in Early Years (starting from age 2) through to Year 6. We follow the National Curriculum for Mathematics, which aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry
• Solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of contexts

Our Approach

Rather than following a single scheme, our teachers draw on a wide range of high-quality resources to tailor learning to the needs of their pupils. These include:

• The Mastering Number programme aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. In Years 3-6 we further develop children’s knowledge of fluency facts which allows students to automatically recall basic maths facts freeing up working memory for more complex problem solving. Fluent in Five and a strong focus on arithmetic to build speed and accuracy in mental and written calculations.
• Daily Fluent in 5 practice helps children to secure strong arithmetic skills.
• Use of visual representations and manipulatives to support conceptual understanding and reasoning.
• Carefully selected resources from White Rose, NCETM, Third Space Learning, and other trusted sources to enrich and deepen learning.

Regular discussion of mathematical problems helps children:

• Clarify their thinking,
• Make connections between concepts,
• Move from surface-level to deeper understanding.

When children explain their reasoning aloud, they consolidate their learning and develop conceptual understanding and not just procedural knowledge.

Our teaching is underpinned by the principles of mastery, ensuring that all pupils develop a secure and lasting understanding of mathematics. We place a strong emphasis on mathematical talk, problem-solving, and reasoning, helping children to explain their thinking and apply their knowledge in a variety of contexts.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In our Early Years provision, children begin to explore mathematical concepts through play, exploration, and hands-on activities. The EYFS framework encourages children to develop a strong grounding in number, shape, space, and measures. We focus on:

• Counting and understanding numbers
• Recognising patterns and relationships
• Exploring shapes and spatial awareness
• Using mathematical language in everyday contexts

These early experiences lay the foundation for confident, curious learners who are ready to progress into Key Stage 1.

Key Stages 1 and 2

As children move through the school, they build on their early experiences with a structured and progressive curriculum. We teach maths daily, ensuring children develop deep understanding and secure knowledge. Our lessons include:

• Number and place value
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Fractions, decimals and percentages
• Measurement, geometry and statistics

We also encourage children to explain their thinking, work collaboratively, and apply their skills in real-life contexts.

Supporting Every Learner

We believe that a positive attitude towards mathematics is key to success. Our classrooms are inclusive, supportive, and engaging, where mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn and every child is encouraged to persevere and take pride in their progress.

We recognise that every child learns differently. Our teachers use a range of strategies and resources to support all learners, including those who need extra help and those who are ready for greater challenge. We also work closely with parents to support learning at home and celebrate progress.

Whether your child is just beginning their mathematical journey or preparing for secondary school, we are committed to providing them with the skills, confidence, and enthusiasm they need to thrive.

Strong Outcomes

We are proud of our consistently strong outcomes in mathematics:

• Our pupils make excellent progress in mathematics as they move through school.
• Our pupils perform exceptionally well in the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), reflecting their fluency and recall of key number facts.
• At the end of Key Stage 2, our SATs results in mathematics are above national averages, demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach and the hard work of our pupils and staff.

Curriculum

Please click on the links below for curriculum information.

EYFS to Year 6 Progression Framework