How we teach it

At Uplands Infant School, staff hold a strong belief that all children can achieve mathematical success. This belief nurtures a positive attitude towards maths from the very beginning of each child’s learning journey. We follow a mastery approach, where every child is given the opportunity to explore mathematical ideas deeply, supported through responsive interventions and ongoing adult interaction.

Learning is broken down into small, manageable steps, allowing children to build secure foundations in key mathematical concepts, structures and early procedures. Manipulatives, concrete and pictorial representations are used consistently to help children understand abstract ideas and secure their conceptual knowledge.

Our approach is rooted in inclusive maths practice, ensuring that every learner can participate meaningfully in mathematics. Children with SEND receive carefully tailored support, including adapted tasks, additional scaffolding and the use of personalised resources. We incorporate advice from specialist staff to ensure that barriers are removed and all children experience success, confidence and enjoyment in mathematics.

We follow an I Do, We Do, You Do model for teaching maths. This includes clear modelling of small sequenced steps. The teacher models their reasoning out loud to support children’s metacognition. This is followed by guided worked examples and key questions to support children’s understanding and teachers’ assessment for learning prior to children’s independent learning.

In EYFS the key concepts are introduced through direct teach sessions, play and routines. These concepts are revisited regularly, allowing children to return to ideas over time, gradually embedding and strengthening their knowledge.

In Key Stage 1, direct teach sessions guide children step by step so they can develop secure conceptual understanding and confidently apply their knowledge to a wide range of mathematical problems. Reasoning is woven throughout lessons, with pupils encouraged to talk through their ideas, compare methods, justify their answers and use precise mathematical vocabulary as their confidence grows.

We use Power Maths, the NCETM guidance and White Rose as tools to support teaching for mastery.

What pupils have learnt

Teacher judgement is used to assess children’s progress in different mathematical areas within lessons and at the end of each topic.  This is used to adapt and refine teaching. This is reviewed throughout the year as a part of PPA and pupil progress.

By the end of EYFS, children at Uplands Infant School develop a strong foundation in early mathematical understanding. They:

• Show enjoyment and curiosity in mathematics, viewing themselves as capable learners.
• Build a strong understanding of counting and cardinality of numbers to 10.
• Build a secure understanding of the composition of numbers to 10 and confidence when exploring mathematical ideas including comparing quantities.
• Demonstrate a growing ability in using language to begin to describe shape, space, measure and explore patterns.
• Apply their mathematical thinking independently within play and real-life contexts.
• Demonstrate a growing ability to problem-solve, reason and explain their ideas.

By the end of KS1, children become confident, fluent and resilient mathematicians who:

• Approach mathematics with enthusiasm and confidence, knowing they can succeed and make progress.
• Build a strong understanding of number and place value of numbers to 100.
• Build a secure understanding of addition and subtraction and multiplication and division within 100.
• Develop a secure understanding of properties and names of 2D and 3D shapes, measurement, time and statistics.
• Explain their thinking using precise mathematical vocabulary and reasoning skills.
• Demonstrate growing independence, accuracy and efficiency in their mathematical work.
• Make connections between mathematical ideas, strengthening their long-term understanding.