At Abbey Park Primary School, our mathematics curriculum enables pupils to become confident, resilient and competent mathematicians. Through a mastery approach to teaching and learning, children develop fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills that help them make sense of the world around them. Our curriculum is underpinned by the school’s curriculum drivers of sustainability and identity and equity, helping pupils understand how mathematics is used in everyday life and across the wider world.

What children learn

Our mathematics curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure pupils develop a deep and secure understanding of mathematical concepts over time. Learning is built around the three key areas of mastery:

• fluency in number and calculation
• mathematical reasoning
• problem solving and application

Pupils learn how mathematical ideas are connected and how they can be applied in different contexts. Across the school, children revisit and deepen understanding of key concepts such as:

• number and place value
• calculation and arithmetic
• fractions, decimals and percentages
• measurement, geometry and statistics
• pattern, relationships and algebraic thinking

These ideas are revisited throughout each year group so that pupils build confidence, accuracy and flexibility in their mathematical thinking.

Building knowledge over time

Mathematics is taught progressively from Early Years to Year 7, enabling pupils to build strong foundations and deepen understanding over time.

• In Early Years, children develop early number sense through practical exploration, counting, pattern and mathematical talk.
• In Key Stage 1, pupils build fluency with number facts and begin to apply mathematical skills to solve simple problems.
• In Key Stage 2, pupils develop increasingly efficient methods, reason mathematically and apply their knowledge to more complex problems and real-life situations.
• In Year 7, pupils continue to deepen their understanding of number, algebra, geometry, statistics and proportional reasoning through increasingly complex problem-solving and reasoning activities.

Prior learning is regularly revisited through retrieval activities and carefully sequenced teaching to ensure knowledge is retained and embedded into long-term memory.

Thinking like a mathematician

In addition to learning mathematical knowledge, pupils are taught how to think and work mathematically. This includes:

• explaining their thinking clearly
• making connections between concepts
• identifying patterns and relationships
• choosing efficient methods and strategies
• reasoning and justifying answers
• solving problems systematically and logically

Children are encouraged to explore, discuss and investigate mathematics so that they develop confidence, resilience and independence as learners.

Language, vocabulary and communication

Developing mathematical language is an important part of our curriculum. Pupils are taught to use subject-specific vocabulary accurately when discussing, explaining and recording their ideas.

Opportunities for mathematical talk are built into lessons so that pupils can:

• explain methods and strategies
• justify answers using reasoning
• discuss patterns and relationships
• communicate ideas using precise mathematical vocabulary

Working walls, sentence stems and mathematical representations support pupils in articulating their thinking clearly and confidently.

Making connections

Where appropriate, mathematics is linked to other curriculum subjects and real-life contexts to deepen understanding and demonstrate relevance.

Pupils apply their mathematical knowledge through:

• investigations and practical activities
• everyday problem-solving situations
• links to science, computing and geography
• interpreting data and information
• understanding money, time and measure in real-world contexts

This helps pupils understand the importance of mathematics beyond the classroom and prepares them for everyday life.

Applying learning

Pupils are given regular opportunities to apply and deepen their understanding through:

• fluency practice and recall
• reasoning tasks and mathematical discussion
• problem-solving investigations
• practical and pictorial representations
• independent and collaborative learning activities

Lessons are carefully structured to support pupils in moving from concrete understanding to abstract thinking, enabling all children to achieve success in mathematics.

Assessment and progress

Assessment in mathematics is ongoing and used to inform teaching and support progress. Teachers:

• check understanding through questioning and retrieval practice
• assess fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills
• identify misconceptions and adapt teaching accordingly
• monitor progress through formative and summative assessment

Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) and regular times table practice help pupils develop automatic recall and secure foundational knowledge.

What pupils achieve

By the end of Year 7, pupils at Abbey Park Primary School:

• demonstrate fluency in key mathematical concepts and calculations
• reason mathematically using appropriate vocabulary
• apply their understanding to solve a range of problems
• explain and justify their thinking clearly
• show resilience, confidence and independence in mathematics

They leave primary school as capable and enthusiastic mathematicians, well prepared for the next stage of their education and for using mathematics in everyday life.

Inclusion

Our mathematics curriculum is designed so that all pupils can access and succeed in learning. Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of all learners through:

• scaffolding and practical support
• concrete and pictorial representations
• careful questioning and modelling
• targeted intervention and challenge
• opportunities for deeper thinking and reasoning

This inclusive mastery approach ensures that every child can develop confidence and achieve success in mathematics, regardless of their starting point.