At Wolsey House Primary School, we are committed to delivering a high-quality mathematics curriculum that enables all pupils to become confident, fluent and deep thinkers. Our approach is rooted in the Teaching for Mastery philosophy, supported by the NCETM’s Five Big Ideas: coherence, representation and structure, mathematical thinking, fluency, and variation. These underpin our planning, teaching and assessment of mathematics across all year groups.

The mastery approach is fully inclusive and based on the belief that all children can succeed in mathematics. Lessons are carefully designed to ensure that every child can access the curriculum, develop a secure understanding, and make sustained progress. We follow the White Rose Maths scheme as the foundation for our long, medium, and short-term planning. While this provides structure and progression, it is not followed rigidly.

Lesson Structure Benefits
Following a consistent structure of hinge question → I do, we do, you do → 3 stations (Maths Talk, Reasoning, Problem Solving) ensures high-quality teaching and learning in mathematics by:

• Checking understanding early – the hinge question identifies misconceptions before new learning is developed.
• Building clarity and confidence – the “I do, we do, you do” model provides clear teacher modelling, guided practice, and independent application.
• Deepening mathematical thinking – the station model gives pupils opportunities to discuss ideas (Maths Talk), develop reasoning skills, and apply knowledge to problem solving.
• Maximising teacher impact – with the teacher leading Maths Talk, high-quality questioning and feedback support pupils in making connections.
• Providing inclusion – stations offer varied entry points and challenge levels, enabling all learners to access, practise, and extend their understanding.
• Promoting independence and collaboration – pupils rotate through structured tasks that encourage both self-regulation and teamwork.

We place a strong emphasis on developing mathematical fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving. Through the use of activities such as ‘Flashback 4’, weekly arithmetic and times tables tests, and the Fluency Bee programme, we ensure pupils gain accurate and automatic recall of number facts. From Reception to Year 4, Fluency Bee supports number composition and additive facts, then multiplication and division facts. In 2024/25, we introduced a new Times Table Challenge, motivating pupils to recall all multiplication facts up to 12x12 by the end of Year 4 through a progressive reward-based system.

Mathematical vocabulary and stem sentences are modelled and used consistently by teachers and pupils to enable precise communication of reasoning. Lessons are interactive and collaborative, with opportunities for pupils to discuss, explain, and challenge each other’s thinking. Problem-solving activities often involve group work, encouraging the development of mathematical thinking, communication and resilience.

In Nursery and Reception, maths is taught through purposeful play, high-quality interactions, and planned learning experiences. We follow the Development Matters statements to build strong foundations in number, shape, space and measures, using everyday routines and indoor and outdoor provision to make maths meaningful and enjoyable.

Practitioners model mathematical language, ask probing questions, and provide representations that help children deepen their understanding. Observations and assessments guide next steps, ensuring that learning is matched to each child’s stage of development.

Our approach ensures children are well-prepared to achieve the Early Learning Goals, developing confidence, curiosity and a secure grasp of early mathematical concepts as they move into Key Stage 1.