Mathematics

Nurturing Confident, Curious, and Capable Mathematicians

At Dane Bank Primary, we view mathematics as a deeply interconnected discipline that enables children to make sense of the world, reason logically, and solve problems with confidence. Our curriculum is designed to cultivate fluent, flexible, and curious mathematicians who can draw on strong conceptual understanding, secure number sense, and sophisticated problem-solving skills.

We are guided by the statutory expectations of the National Curriculum (2014) and the EYFS Framework, and our intent is aligned with the principles outlined in the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review (Nov 2025), which emphasises the importance of knowledge-rich, coherent, and cumulative curricula that equip pupils for both academic success and lifelong learning.

The National Curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

"...become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately."

"...reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language."

"...can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and nonroutine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions."

At Dane Bank Primary School, these three elements are embedded within Maths lessons and are developed over time. Maths is a rich and interconnected subject and our aim is to support children to move fluently between different concepts and different representations of Mathematical ideas, through both procedural and conceptual variation. Programmes of study are carefully designed to enable children to make these rich connections across mathematical ideas and to develop fluency, reasoning and their confidence to solve increasingly sophisticated problems.

We believe every child can succeed in mathematics. By combining structure, support, and challenge, we ensure that all pupils develop confidence, resilience, and the belief that they can excel. Our approach is underpinned by evidence-informed practice, drawing on:

EEF guidance on high-quality teaching, including coherent sequencing, explicit vocabulary instruction, and embedded reasoning opportunities.
NCETM research on early number sense and the use of structured representations.
Cognitive science principles, such as spaced practice, retrieval, and interleaving, to ensure durable learning.

A Coherent Mathematical Journey: Early Years to Year 6

Laying Foundations in the Early Years

Nursery
Mathematics in Nursery is embedded in story, play, and rich adult-child interaction. Our bespoke Story Time Maths programme, developed by our Maths Lead, introduces early number, pattern, spatial reasoning, and shape through high-quality books and hands-on exploration. Children develop subitising, counting principles, composition to five, and spatial awareness, supported by continuous provision and modelling of rich mathematical language. These experiences build early reasoning, vocabulary, and confidence in line with EYFS Early Learning Goals.

Reception
In Reception, the NCETM Mastering Number programme strengthens early numerical understanding, focusing on composition, comparison, fluency, and secure recall of number facts. White Rose-style materials supplement this for breadth of coverage. Teachers monitor progress using Learning Trajectories, ensuring that children enter Year 1 with robust number sense and readiness for more formal mathematics.

Progression Through Key Stages 1 and 2

From Year 1 onwards, pupils follow the Ark Maths curriculum, which provides a carefully sequenced, cumulative progression of knowledge and skills. Each concept is introduced in small, coherent steps, supported by precise modelling, consistent representations, and explicit vocabulary, enabling pupils to make meaningful connections across topics.

Daily fluency sessions ensure pupils consolidate learning:

Years 1–2: Mastering Number develops automaticity in subitising, number bonds, and counting patterns.
Years 3–6: Maths Meetings strengthen retrieval, fluency, vocabulary, and key facts.

This approach reflects the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which emphasises the need for a knowledge-rich, coherent curriculum with secure foundational skills as a prerequisite for advanced learning. Furthermore, these sessions align with EEF guidance on mastery and fluency, supporting pupils to retain and consolidate knowledge over time.

curriculum map year 1 6.pdf

Addition and Subtraction Progression Algebra Progression

Fractions Progression

Geometry: Position and Direction Progression

Geometry: Properties of Shape Progression

Measures Progression

Multiplication and Division Progression

Place Value Progression

Ratio and Proportion Progression

Statistics Progression

Supporting All Learners: Adaptive Practice and Targeted Intervention

Children access the same ambitious curriculum, but we adapt teaching to ensure equity of opportunity and success. Using the EEF’s Five a Day framework for adaptive teaching and inclusion, we implement strategies such as:

Concrete manipulatives and visual/pictorial representations
Structured scaffolds and guided tasks
Guided small-group work and targeted questioning
Vocabulary prompts and sentence stems to support reasoning

For pupils needing additional support, we deploy evidence-informed interventions:

"In the moment interventions" (EYFS): Targeted intervention based on the learning trajectories and children's next steps are done through targeted questioning in provision and small guided tasks where appropriate.
1stClass@Number (KS1): Strengthens early number skills for pupils struggling to keep up.
Ready to Progress interventions (KS2, and KS1 where appropriate): Consolidates fundamental concepts, addressing gaps before new learning.

We prioritise depth and mastery rather than acceleration, ensuring pupils develop secure conceptual understanding and reasoning skills.

Preparing Pupils for Future Success

Through this approach, pupils leave Dane Bank Primary as confident, articulate, and flexible mathematicians, able to:

Apply secure and efficient methods across contexts
Reason clearly and explain their thinking
Make meaningful connections across mathematical concepts
Solve problems with curiosity, persistence, and creativity
Approach mathematics with confidence and enjoyment

By combining coherent curriculum sequencing, evidence-informed pedagogy, adaptive support, and targeted intervention, we ensure pupils are exceptionally well prepared for future academic study, national assessments, and real-world problem-solving.

Year 1 Maths Lessons Overview

Year 2 Maths Lessons Overview

Year 3 Maths Lessons Overview

Year 4 Maths Lessons Overview

Year 5 Maths Lessons Overview

Year 6 Maths Lessons Overview

Our Maths lesson structure

Lessons are carefully designed around teaching one small step within a teaching point and they are a balance of explicit instruction, collaboration and dialogue. Our aim is to unpick the small idea the lesson is based around using procedural and conceptual variation so that all children have a deep understanding before they move on to the next small step. Each lesson phase promotes the means to achieve at greater depth, with children who show a deeper level of understanding than their peers being offered rich and sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks within the lesson as appropriate. In line with the school’s work around metacognition and retrieval, each part of the lesson allows children to develop these skills.

Mathematics lessons from Years 1–6 follow a structured, six-part model, providing clarity and consistency for pupils and teachers alike. Each element is grounded in evidence-informed practice, supporting understanding, fluency, and reasoning:

1. Do Now – Retrieval of Prior Knowledge

Short, targeted tasks at the start of the lesson help pupils revisit previous learning and surface misconceptions.
Examples include mental calculations, number facts, or visual prompts requiring identification of key concepts.
Teachers use this time diagnostically to determine whether scaffolding or recap is needed.

2. New Learning – Explicit Introduction of Key Concepts

Teachers present the lesson’s focus using precise mathematical language, concrete, pictorial, and abstract representations, and step-by-step modelling.
New concepts are introduced in small, coherent steps, following a Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) progression, supporting pupils to internalise and understand the mathematics.

3. Talk Task – Structured Mathematical Discussion

Pupils work in pairs or small groups to discuss the new concept, practise vocabulary, and articulate reasoning.
Talk frames, sentence stems, and prompts scaffold discussion and encourage deeper thinking, aligned with NCETM guidance on language-rich mathematics teaching.

4.Develop Learning – Guided Practice and Variation

Tasks are sequenced to deepen understanding and provide variation.
Teachers circulate, providing feedback, correcting misconceptions, and adjusting scaffolds as needed.
Pupils learn to generalise concepts and apply principles across different contexts.

5. Independent Task – Applying Learning

Pupils practise the new learning independently through sequenced exercises that allow access for all while providing challenge for those ready to explore greater depth.
Differentiation is achieved through task design rather than acceleration, ensuring that all pupils engage with the same core content.

6. Plenary – Reflection and Consolidation

Lessons conclude with a short reflective session to consolidate learning, address misconceptions, and highlight key ideas.
Teachers use this time to plan the next steps, ensuring continuity and progression.

Oracy within the Maths Curriculum

oracy in maths curriculum.pdf

Mastering Number – Reception, Year 1, Year 2

As an additional element to their daily Maths curriculum lessons, our children in KS1 also participate in a 15 minute Mastering Number session 4 days a week. The Mastering Number materials have been developed by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) and supplement the main Maths curriculum. The sessions aim to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. The aim over time is that children will develop strong fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number. Attention will be given to key knowledge and understanding needed in Reception classes, and progression through KS1 to support success in the future.

reception mastering number overview.pdf

y1 mastering number overview.pdf

y2 mastering number overview.pdf

Maths Meetings – KS2

In addition to their daily Maths curriculum lessons, our children in KS2 also participate in a daily 15 minute "Maths Meeting" sessions. Maths Meetings are a vital part of the Mathematics Mastery programme and are used to consolidate key learning outside of the maths lesson. Maths Meetings provide an opportunity to teach and revise ‘general knowledge maths’ which may not explicitly be covered during the maths lesson. This enables pupils to practise applying concepts and skills on a regular basis, meaning they are continually building on their mastery of these concepts.

Supporting Fluency at Home

Children are further supported to develop their early number fluency through the “NumBots” app which provides a fun and engaging way in which children can participate in spaced practice to develop their early number fluency both in school and at home. Following on from this, children are encouraged to learn Times Tables from Years 2 – 6. Times Tables Rockstars is used to provide children with an engaging and interactive online resource, that they access both in school and at home, to practise and learn. Children who have learnt specific times tables are able to achieve bronze, silver, gold or Olympic badges. We also run frequent inter-class and school competitions and an annual Trust-wide competition.

Dane Bank Primary School

Mathematics

Nurturing Confident, Curious, and Capable Mathematicians

A Coherent Mathematical Journey: Early Years to Year 6

Laying Foundations in the Early Years

Progression Through Key Stages 1 and 2

Supporting All Learners: Adaptive Practice and Targeted Intervention

Preparing Pupils for Future Success

Our Maths lesson structure

Oracy within the Maths Curriculum

Mastering Number – Reception, Year 1, Year 2

Maths Meetings – KS2

Supporting Fluency at Home

Progressions in Calculations

Y1 Parent Booklets

Y2 Parent Booklets

Y3 Parent Booklets

Y4 Parent Booklets

Y5 Parent Booklets

Y6 Parent Booklets

The Changing Lives in Collaboration (CLIC)