Mathematics
Mathematics at Haslam Park Primary School
Intent
At Haslam Park Primary School, we are committed to a mastery approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics. We firmly believe that all children can achieve in mathematics. We do not accept that prior attainment defines potential; instead, we ensure that every child is supported and challenged to succeed. Maths is for everyone.
Our ambition is to develop resilient, confident and reflective learners who see themselves as mathematicians. We aim to deliver a curriculum that is engaging, inspiring and underpinned by high-quality teaching. Through our mastery approach, pupils develop deep, secure and adaptable understanding rather than superficial coverage of content.
We follow the White Rose Maths scheme of learning, which provides a coherent, carefully sequenced curriculum that builds cumulatively year on year. White Rose supports conceptual understanding through small, connected steps, ensuring that knowledge is secure before moving on. The scheme includes rich reasoning and problem-solving opportunities, alongside built-in stretch and challenge tasks, enabling all pupils — including higher attainers — to deepen their understanding.
We want children to be excited about maths. Developing a positive attitude towards mathematics is essential. Teachers promote curiosity, perseverance and the understanding that mistakes are part of learning. By building conceptual understanding before moving to abstract application, pupils gain the confidence to reason, problem-solve and apply mathematics in meaningful contexts.
As we believe: the only way to learn mathematics is by doing mathematics.
Implementation
Mathematics is taught daily and follows the carefully structured progression of the White Rose Maths scheme to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum. Lessons are sequenced into small, manageable steps that allow pupils to develop fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills systematically. We adapt resources to meet the needs of our learners and reflect our distinctive teaching and learning approach. This includes incorporating ‘I do, we do, you do’ language so that pupils clearly understand when to listen to direct instruction, collaborate with others, and independently apply their learning.
Every child, every day, begins their morning with Flashback 4 or similar resource. This retrieval practice activates prior learning, strengthens retention and ensures that key knowledge and skills are regularly revisited. This daily routine supports long-term memory and helps to prevent misconceptions from becoming embedded.
Our teaching follows the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) approach:
- Concrete – pupils use manipulatives and practical resources to explore mathematical ideas.
- Pictorial – visual representations help pupils make connections and explain their reasoning.
- Abstract – pupils apply their understanding using numbers, symbols and formal written methods.
This approach ensures depth of understanding and enables pupils to move confidently between representations.
Teachers use scaffolding, manipulatives and targeted questioning to ensure pupils with SEND can access the same ambitious curriculum.
White Rose provides high-quality teaching materials, reasoning prompts and challenge questions within each unit. Additional resources, such as NCETM and White Rose Infinity, are used to further enrich learning and provide stretch where appropriate. Our school calculation policy ensures consistency in the teaching of mathematical operations across all year groups. White Rose Infinity is specifically used to challenge, support retention and to deliver same-day interventions.
Staff engage in ongoing professional development, including collaboration with the Maths Hub and national programmes such as Mastering Number in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, which strengthens early number sense, fluency and flexibility with number facts.
Vigorous monitoring ensures that pupils who require additional support receive timely and targeted in class intervention, delivered by teachers or trained teaching assistants to ensure gaps are addressed swiftly.
Impact
Assessment is purposeful, responsive and designed to secure long-term learning. Regular retrieval practice and revisiting of key concepts ensure that knowledge is retained over time and applied in new contexts.Throughout lessons, formative assessment is continuous and includes questioning, feedback, pupil discussion and live marking. Daily Flashback 4 activities provide ongoing insight into retention and understanding.
At the end of each unit, White Rose assessments are used to identify misconceptions and gaps in learning. These assessments inform future planning and ensure that knowledge is secure before new learning is introduced. Where necessary, targeted reteaching takes place to strengthen understanding.
Leaders monitor the quality of education through lesson observations, book scrutinies, pupil voice and progress discussions. This ensures consistency, high expectations and continuous improvement.As a result of our coherent and ambitious curriculum, pupils at Haslam Park
- Demonstrate fluency in calculation
- Reason mathematically with increasing confidence
- Apply their knowledge to solve increasingly complex problems
- Retain and build upon prior learning
- Develop resilience and a positive attitude towards mathematics
By the time pupils leave Haslam Park Primary School, they are confident, capable mathematicians who are well prepared for the next stage of their education and equipped with the mathematical understanding needed for life beyond primary school.