Our Mathematics Curriculum 

“At Highfields Primary School, we love to explore with curiosity and let our creativity shine. We enjoy taking on challenges, working together through collaboration, and caring for our community – because that’s what makes Highfields special!” 

Mathematics Curriculum Intent 

At Highfields Primary School, our intent is to develop confident, curious and resilient mathematicians who enjoy exploring and making sense of the world through mathematics. We aim for all pupils to experience success in mathematics and to develop the fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills required to apply their learning in a range of real-life contexts, including money, measurement, time and data interpretation. Our curriculum prepares pupils not only for the next stage of their education, but for life beyond the classroom. 

We aim for pupils to develop a secure and deep conceptual understanding of mathematics, alongside the ability to reason mathematically, make connections and apply knowledge with increasing independence. Pupils are encouraged to approach challenges with curiosity and resilience, learning from mistakes and developing confidence over time. 

At Highfields, all pupils are entitled to an ambitious, inclusive and coherently sequenced mathematics curriculum. High expectations are maintained for all learners, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, ensuring full access to a knowledge-rich curriculum and enabling all pupils to achieve their full potential in mathematics. 

Our intent also reflects our core values, which shape how children learn and experience mathematics every day:  

• Curiosity leads to discovery – Pupils explore ideas, ask questions and investigate mathematical patterns.  

• Creativity flourishes – Children express mathematical thinking in varied ways and develop imaginative approaches to problem-solving.  

• Collaboration is key – Mathematical talk, shared reasoning and teamwork are central to learning.  

• Challenge is embraced – Pupils develop resilience, perseverance and confidence when tackling demanding tasks.  

• Community matters – Every child is valued, included and supported as part of a shared learning journey.  

Our aim is for all pupils to develop strong number sense, secure understanding of mathematical structures, the ability to reason and justify their thinking, and the confidence to apply knowledge in a range of contexts by the time they leave us in Year 6. We also intend for pupils to develop digital literacy that enhances their mathematical learning, enabling them to use technology confidently, responsibly and purposefully as a tool for exploration, representation and independent practice.  

Through this intent, we ensure that every child at Highfields becomes a capable, enthusiastic and empowered mathematician who is well prepared for secondary school and life beyond primary education. 

How is the mathematics curriculum implemented?  

At Highfields Primary School, mathematics is taught using the White Rose Maths scheme, which provides a structured, well sequenced and cumulative approach to learning. Concepts are introduced in small, meaningful steps so pupils develop deep, secure understanding over time. Every lesson focuses on developing fluency in mathematical skills, reasoning through exploration and questioning, and applying knowledge to problem-solving situations. This three-pronged approach ensures that children not only understand mathematical concepts but can apply them confidently in varied contexts. Lessons follow a mastery approach, where all pupils move through learning together, supported by clear modelling, mathematical talk and opportunities for exploration.  

Our staff regularly engage in professional development to deepen their understanding of the White Rose approach, enabling them to deliver lessons with confidence and ensure consistent, high-quality teaching across all year groups. 

Progression of skills and knowledge 

The mathematics curriculum is carefully mapped from EYFS to Year 6 to ensure clear progression in knowledge, skills and vocabulary. In the early years and Key Stage 1, securing strong foundations in number is a priority. Pupils develop deep understanding of numbers to 10 and 20 through daily opportunities to subitise, compare quantities, explore number composition and use manipulatives confidently. Core ideas such as counting, number bonds, place value and part–whole relationships are revisited frequently so pupils build secure number sense before moving on.  

To support this, we track number fluency through clear milestones across EYFS and KS1, including subitising, number bonds, counting patterns, doubles and halves, and early times table recall. This enables teachers to identify gaps early and provide targeted support so pupils leave Key Stage 1 with strong, secure foundations.  

Retrieval practice is embedded through daily review, discussion, questioning and practice tasks that revisit prior content, strengthening memory and deepening understanding. To prevent pupils from forgetting key facts over the summer break, we ensure strong automaticity before the end of the year and provide summer fluency packs alongside continued access to digital platforms such as TT Rockstars, Numbots and One Minute Maths. At the start of Key Stage 2, teachers revisit key number concepts and use short diagnostic tasks to identify any gaps, ensuring pupils begin the next phase of learning with refreshed and secure foundations.  

Assessment for learning plays a key role in supporting progression. Regular formative assessments are embedded within lessons to gauge pupils’ understanding and inform future teaching. Teachers use questioning, quizzes and mini-assessments to identify misconceptions early, enabling timely interventions. Termly assessments provide a summative overview of pupil progress, aligned with the White Rose scheme’s assessment tools, ensuring that learning builds securely and pupils are ready for the next stage.

Progression of skills and knowledge 

The mathematics curriculum is carefully mapped from EYFS to Year 6 to ensure clear progression in knowledge, skills and vocabulary. In the early years and Key Stage 1, securing strong foundations in number is a priority. Pupils develop deep understanding of numbers to 10 and 20 through daily opportunities to subitise, compare quantities, explore number composition and use manipulatives confidently. Core ideas such as counting, number bonds, place value and part–whole relationships are revisited frequently so pupils build secure number sense before moving on.  

To support this, we track number fluency through clear milestones across EYFS and KS1, including subitising, number bonds, counting patterns, doubles and halves, and early times table recall. This enables teachers to identify gaps early and provide targeted support so pupils leave Key Stage 1 with strong, secure foundations.  

Retrieval practice is embedded through daily review, discussion, questioning and practice tasks that revisit prior content, strengthening memory and deepening understanding. To prevent pupils from forgetting key facts over the summer break, we ensure strong automaticity before the end of the year and provide summer fluency packs alongside continued access to digital platforms such as TT Rockstars, Numbots and One Minute Maths. At the start of Key Stage 2, teachers revisit key number concepts and use short diagnostic tasks to identify any gaps, ensuring pupils begin the next phase of learning with refreshed and secure foundations.  

Assessment for learning plays a key role in supporting progression. Regular formative assessments are embedded within lessons to gauge pupils’ understanding and inform future teaching. Teachers use questioning, quizzes and mini-assessments to identify misconceptions early, enabling timely interventions. Termly assessments provide a summative overview of pupil progress, aligned with the White Rose scheme’s assessment tools, ensuring that learning builds securely and pupils are ready for the next stage.

How do we make Mathematics real and relevant? 

Mathematics at Highfields is rooted in real-life contexts so pupils understand the purpose and value of what they learn. Children apply mathematical skills to meaningful situations such as managing money, measuring, interpreting data, telling the time and solving everyday problems. Lessons include opportunities to explore patterns, investigate ideas and use mathematics to make sense of the world.   

Mathematics is embedded across the curriculum to provide purposeful opportunities for pupils to apply and deepen their learning in meaningful contexts. In the Early Years, children develop early number, measure and mathematical language through play, practical exploration, role play and activities such as cooking, construction and pattern work in art and music. In Key Stage 1, pupils use mathematics in science to measure and record data, in geography to collect and interpret information such as weather, and in art and design technology to explore shape, pattern and accurate measurement. In Key Stage 2, pupils apply mathematical skills more analytically, using precise measurement, tables and graphs in science, scale and coordinates in geography, timelines in history, data handling in computing and timing and comparison in PE. 

As a result, pupils understand the relevance of mathematics beyond discrete lessons, confidently apply their skills across subjects, use mathematical vocabulary accurately and demonstrate strong problem-solving and data interpretation skills. By connecting learning to practical experiences, pupils develop curiosity, motivation and a genuine enjoyment of mathematics.   

How do we make Mathematics accessible to all pupils? 

We are committed to ensuring every child can succeed in mathematics. All pupils — including those with SEND or from disadvantaged backgrounds — access the same ambitious curriculum. White Rose Maths provides flexibility so lessons can be adapted to meet diverse needs, including those with SEND and higher attainers. Teaching is adapted through scaffolding, targeted questioning, guided support and varied resources to remove barriers without reducing challenge. In some instances, pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), follow personalised learning plans to ensure that individual needs are met and that learning remains meaningful, accessible and appropriately challenging. Targeted interventions, including the use of Number Stacks, are used to close gaps in understanding so pupils remain on track with their learning. For these pupils, progress is measured through carefully identified small steps that reflect their individual starting points. Personalised targets, regular review and close collaboration with SEND staff ensure that progress is meaningful and sustained. Our aim is that every child makes measurable improvement in fluency, confidence and independence.  

We also use the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) model to strengthen conceptual understanding for all learners. Pupils begin with concrete manipulatives, move to pictorial representations and progress to abstract methods when ready. This structured progression supports secure understanding and enables pupils to represent and explain their thinking confidently. Advanced learners deepen their understanding through reasoning, generalisation and rich problem-solving tasks, ensuring that every child is challenged appropriately and able to keep up rather than catch up.

How do we integrate technology to enhance teaching and learning? 

Technology is used purposefully to strengthen mathematical understanding and develop digital literacy. Pupils use digital tools to practise fluency, model solutions, explore ideas and apply learning independently. Platforms such as TT Rockstars, White Rose digital resources and One Minute Maths support recall, fluency and confidence. In upper Key Stage 2, pupils use laptops to access tasks, represent thinking and prepare for the digital demands of secondary school. Technology enhances high-quality teaching by providing immediate feedback, supporting independence and offering additional opportunities for practice and exploration.  

Digital manipulatives on iPads and the interactive whiteboard accelerate pupils’ understanding of maths by allowing them to explore concepts dynamically and visualise ideas These interactive tools help pupils model, test and adjust their thinking in real time, making abstract concepts more concrete and accessible. 

How do we measure the impact of our Mathematics Curriculum? 

Our pupils develop a positive sense of self in mathematics, believing they can succeed and approach challenges with confidence. They see themselves as capable mathematicians who are willing to have a go, learn from mistakes and persevere when work is challenging. The White Rose Maths curriculum supports this through a carefully sequenced, mastery-based approach that builds understanding step by step and secures key mathematical knowledge over time. 

We see this in the way pupils approach learning. They engage confidently with challenge, explain their thinking clearly and use mathematical vocabulary accurately. Pupils are increasingly willing to share ideas in discussion and understand that mistakes support deeper learning. They show independence in selecting manipulatives to support their thinking, take pride in their work and talk about their learning with growing confidence. Pupil voice reflects enjoyment of mathematics and a growing belief in their own ability. 

Pupils are confident and resilient mathematicians who can clearly explain their thinking. In a lively, lived-in classroom where ideas are shared, tested and refined, they use practical resources and visual models to deepen understanding. They engage in mathematical discussions with confidence, using secure vocabulary and stem sentences such as “I know this because…” and “The pattern I notice is…” to structure and justify their reasoning. Over time, pupils become more fluent in explaining and reasoning mathematically, learning from one another and building on shared ideas. As a result, they develop a secure understanding of key concepts and are well prepared for the next stage of their mathematical learning. 

Pupils use concrete resources and mathematical models to support understanding and engage regularly in reasoning and problem-solving. Structured discussion develops precise mathematical vocabulary and supports increasing independence in explaining thinking. The curriculum builds confidence, resilience, and secure conceptual understanding for all learners. 

We measure the impact of our maths curriculum through monitoring, ongoing assessment, and pupils’ day-to-day experiences in lessons. This includes formative assessment such as questioning, live feedback, and self- and peer-assessment, alongside end-of-unit assessments, termly summative assessments, and teacher judgements based on White Rose Maths small-step progression. Standardised assessments and whole-school data analysis provide further evidence of attainment and progress over time. Together, these ensure an accurate picture of pupil achievement and progress. 

The subject leader uses pupil voice, work scrutiny, lesson visits, and data analysis to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Findings are shared with leaders and governors to ensure accountability and inform next steps.