Maths
Intent
At Woodlands Primary School, our intent is for all children to develop a genuine passion and curiosity for mathematics, alongside the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.
We follow the National Curriculum for mathematics, using White Rose Maths as our core scheme to provide a carefully sequenced, small-steps approach that builds understanding and confidence over time. To complement this, we use additional high-quality resources such as the NCETM’s Mastering Number programme, enabling our pupils to develop fluency and flexibility with number facts from an early stage. By drawing on a range of resources, we are able to adapt and enrich our curriculum so that it meets the needs of all learners.
We teach mathematics through a mastery approach because we believe all children can achieve success in maths. Pupils are encouraged to spend time securing a deep and lasting understanding of concepts, exploring and applying their knowledge in different contexts. This supports them to learn more, remember more, and build strong foundations for future learning.
Our teaching reflects our core Woodlands values of respect, resilience, empathy, self-awareness, botherdness (passion for learning), excellence, communication, and teamwork. We nurture positive attitudes and confidence so that every child knows that everyone can do maths.
By the time children leave Woodlands Primary, our aim is that they will:
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become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, developing conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately;
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reason mathematically by following lines of enquiry, making conjectures, and using mathematical language to justify and prove their thinking;
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solve problems by applying their mathematics to a range of increasingly sophisticated problems, including those in unfamiliar contexts and real-life situations.
Through this approach, we aspire to prepare all children to continue their mathematical journey confidently and successfully into the next stage of their education and beyond.
Implementation
At Woodlands Primary, we implement our mathematics curriculum through a carefully structured and progressive approach, guided by the White Rose Maths scheme and underpinned by the aims of the National Curriculum: fluency, reasoning, and problem solving.
Our curriculum follows a mastery approach, which enables all children to develop a secure, deep and lasting understanding of mathematical concepts. To achieve this, we teach in small, carefully sequenced steps so that pupils can fully explore and embed each topic before moving on. This approach helps children to make connections between mathematical ideas and build on what they already know.
A key element of our teaching is the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) approach:
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Concrete: children use practical resources (such as counters, bead strings, base-10 equipment and clocks) to physically represent mathematical ideas.
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Pictorial: children then use visual representations (such as number lines, part–whole models, bar models and diagrams) to deepen their understanding.
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Abstract: finally, children move to formal written methods and symbolic representations.
By following this approach, children are supported to move from hands-on exploration towards confident use of abstract methods, ensuring a secure and meaningful understanding rather than just procedural knowledge.
Althought we use the White Rose Maths long-term plan and small-step progression as our core framework, teachers at Woodlands take professional ownership of their class's curriculum journey. This means that the pacing and order of units can be adapted to best meet the needs of our pupils, ensuring that gaps are addressed and strengths are built upon.
To enrich and broaden our provision, we supplement our teaching with high-quality resources and activities from other reputable sources, including:
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NCETM (including the Mastering Number programme) to build early fluency and number sense
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First4Maths for additional reasoning activities
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I See Reasoning to deepen conceptual understanding and encourage pupils to think critically
Together, this approach ensures that every pupil at Woodlands has the opportunity to become fluent, confident and resilient mathematicians who enjoy exploring, reasoning and solving problems.
Impact
At Woodlands Primary, the impact of our carefully designed mathematics curriculum is that all pupils become confident, fluent and resilient mathematicians who enjoy exploring, reasoning and problem solving.
By teaching through a mastery approach, supported by the White Rose Maths scheme, NCETM’s Mastering Number programme and other carefully chosen resources, we ensure that children develop:
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a deep and secure understanding of mathematical concepts
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the ability to apply their knowledge confidently to a range of contexts, including real-life situations
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the skills to communicate their mathematical thinking clearly and accurately, using appropriate vocabulary
We measure the impact of our mathematics teaching through:
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regular formative assessment in lessons, including questioning, discussion and quick checks to identify gaps and address misconceptions promptly
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end-of-unit assessments and termly summative tests, which help track progress against National Curriculum objectives
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ongoing teacher assessment, informed by pupils’ written work, practical tasks and reasoning discussions
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pupil voice, which show that children can talk confidently about their learning and demonstrate enthusiasm for the subject
Assessment data is used proactively to plan targeted interventions and support, ensuring that pupils who need additional help can make progress. We also offer invite-only academic clubs to provide further challenge and enrichment for those who would benefit from deepening and extending their mathematical understanding.
As a result of this approach, children at Woodlands make good progress from their starting points, and leave our school equipped with the mathematical knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the next stage of their education and beyond.
Most importantly, our pupils see themselves as capable mathematicians who enjoy the challenge of mathematics and understand its relevance to the wider world.
