Maths

Intent

At The Laurels, we believe that every child is a mathematician in the making. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils develop a deep, secure, and adaptable understanding of mathematics. Our approach is underpinned by the belief that every child can achieve in maths. We work to break down the perception that maths is only for a select few, and instead nurture a positive classroom culture where mistakes are seen as valuable, questions are encouraged, and high quality-teaching and learning is our priority.

Our Maths curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that pupils gain a secure understanding of key concepts and procedures, revisiting and building on these over time. Lessons follow a small-steps approach, supporting children to move from concrete experiences using manipulatives, to pictorial representations, and finally to abstract understanding. Teachers use high-quality questioning, live marking and adaptive teaching to identify and address misconceptions swiftly, ensuring that all pupils are supported and challenged appropriately. Reasoning and problem-solving are woven through every sequence of learning, enabling children to apply their knowledge in a variety of contexts and explain their mathematical thinking with precision.

At The Laurels, we aim to develop confident, resilient and fluent mathematicians who can reason logically and solve problems both in school and in everyday life. We value the importance of mathematical talk, encouraging pupils to use accurate vocabulary and articulate their ideas clearly. Regular retrieval opportunities strengthen memory and long-term retention, while carefully planned enrichment activities, such as maths investigations, whole-school challenges and cross-curricular links, help children see the relevance and joy of mathematics beyond the classroom. By the time our pupils leave The Laurels, they are well-prepared for the next stage of their education and able to approach new mathematical ideas with curiosity, confidence and perseverance.

Implementation:

Our maths curriculum follows White Rose Maths and draws on high-quality resources, including NCETM materials, to support the teaching for mastery approach. The curriculum is carefully sequenced so that children progress in small, logical steps, revisiting key concepts regularly to build secure understanding over time. This ensures that learning is not only remembered but also applied confidently in new contexts.

Each year group dedicates regular time to fluency and arithmetic practice, helping pupils to master essential number facts and use them flexibly across all areas of the curriculum. Daily practice, alongside targeted intervention and challenge, enables children to develop strong number sense — the foundation for success in reasoning and problem-solving.

To deliver this vision, we adopt a mastery approach to teaching mathematics, informed by the latest educational research and in collaboration with the Maths Hub. Our teachers take part in ongoing professional development through the Hub, ensuring that our practice remains current and evidence-based.

The Five Big Ideas in Teaching for Mastery

Our curriculum is designed around the five key elements of mastery, as outlined by the NCETM:

• Coherence: Lessons are broken into small, connected steps that gradually unfold new concepts, allowing children to build on what they already know and understand.

• Representation and Structure: A range of concrete resources (such as counters, cubes and place value charts), pictorial representations and abstract methods are used to deepen understanding and reveal mathematical structures.

• Mathematical Thinking: Pupils are encouraged to reason, explain and make connections, developing their ability to think logically and communicate ideas effectively.

• Fluency: Children develop quick and accurate recall of key number facts and methods through regular practice and retrieval, allowing them to tackle more complex problems with confidence.

• Variation: Carefully chosen examples and questions expose key patterns, helping children to see relationships, make generalisations and secure deeper understanding.

Impact

Through the careful intent and implementation of mathematics throughout the school, we expect children to:

• Know more, remember more and understand more about key mathematical concepts and procedures

• Develop fluency in number, calculation and recall of key facts, enabling them to apply these efficiently across the curriculum

• Reason mathematically, using precise vocabulary to explain their thinking, justify answers and make generalisations

• Solve problems with confidence, choosing efficient strategies and applying knowledge to a range of real-life and abstract contexts

• Make meaningful connections between mathematical ideas, recognising patterns and relationships across different areas of maths

• Demonstrate resilience and curiosity, approaching challenges with perseverance and a positive attitude

See themselves as capable mathematicians, equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in the next stage of their education and in the wider worl