Mathematics

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School, mathematics is taught through practical activity, visual models and discussion, helping children build secure understanding over time. Children learn maths through doing, seeing, talking and reasoning, so that ideas make sense and can be remembered and applied confidently. Our aim is for all children to enjoy mathematics, feel confident to explain their thinking, and understand how maths helps them make sense of the world.

Intent

Our mathematics curriculum is designed so that all pupils:

Develop a secure understanding of number and number relationships
Become fluent in key facts and methods through repeated, purposeful practice
Use mathematical reasoning to explain, justify and prove their thinking
Apply mathematics confidently to solve problems in a wide range of contexts

The curriculum follows the National Curriculum for Mathematics and is carefully sequenced so that learning builds step by step from Early Years to Year 6. Reasoning and practice are deliberately intertwined so that pupils do not just remember procedures but understand how and when to use them.

Implementation

Mathematics is taught daily using a consistent and structured approach across the school.

Concrete, pictorial and abstract learning

Children are supported to understand mathematics through:

Physical resources such as base ten blocks, Numicon, bead strings and place value counters
Visual representations such as bar models, part–whole models, arrays and number lines
A considered move towards abstract recording, once understanding is secure

These models and resources are used consistently so pupils can return to them whenever needed to support understanding.

Deliberate practice

Deliberate practice is built into lessons to help learning become secure and automatic. This includes:

Regular retrieval of previously taught facts and methods
Carefully chosen practice that focuses on one idea at a time
Opportunities to practise the same concept in different ways

This ensures pupils remember key learning, build confidence, and are ready to apply knowledge to new situations.

Consistent language and models

eachers use consistent mathematical language and representations across the school. This helps pupils:

Recognise familiar models from year to year
Understand new learning more quickly
Explain their thinking clearly and accurately

Reasoning within maths

Opportunities for mathematical reasoning are deliberately built into mathematics teaching across the curriculum. At appropriate points within lessons, pupils are encouraged to:

Explain how they know an answer is correct
Compare different methods or representations
Look for patterns and make general statements
Justify their thinking and discuss mistakes

Reasoning is an important part of mathematics learning for all pupils, helping children to develop deeper understanding alongside fluency and problem-solving.

Fluency and multiplication tables

There is a strong focus on developing fluency in number facts and methods. In particular:

Pupils regularly practise multiplication and division facts
Learning is carefully sequenced towards the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC)
Children are encouraged to rehearse tables both in school and at home so recall becomes quick and secure

Impact

By the end of their time at Aycliffe Drive, pupils should:

Be fluent and confident with number facts, including multiplication tables
Use practical and visual strategies independently to support thinking
Explain and justify their reasoning using accurate mathematical language
Apply mathematics flexibly to solve problems
Show confidence, resilience and enjoyment when tackling mathematical challenges