At St. Marys, our Mathematics curriculum is designed to foster a deep, lasting understanding of mathematical concepts, instilling numerical confidence and a genuine enthusiasm for problem-solving. To achieve this, we follow the scheme of work developed by White Rose Maths, which is built on the principles of mastery learning. We believe that every child can succeed in mathematics, and our curriculum ensures that key mathematical ideas are broken down into small, sequential steps, allowing all pupils to build strong foundations and progress together without leaving essential knowledge behind.

Central to our approach is the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) framework:

• Concrete: Pupils begin new concepts by exploring physical manipulatives—such as Base 10 blocks, counters, place value counters, and Cuisinaire rods—to make abstract ideas tangible and intuitive.

• Pictorial: As understanding grows, children transition to visual representations, utilising bar models, part-whole models, number lines, and diagrams to reason through problems visually.

• Abstract: Finally, pupils apply their conceptual understanding directly to symbolic mathematics, standard formal algorithms, and mental methods.

To develop well-rounded mathematicians, our daily lessons integrate three core strands:

1. Fluency: Children develop swift, accurate recall of key facts, such as times-tables, number bonds, and arithmetic procedures, ensuring working memory is free for higher-level thinking.

2. Mathematical Reasoning: Pupils are encouraged to explain why an answer is correct, articulate their thinking using precise mathematical vocabulary, and justify their approaches through rich mathematical discussion.

3. Problem- Solving: Children apply their knowledge to non-routine, real-world problems and mathematical investigations, learning to identify patterns, evaluate strategies, and persevere through challenge.

Through regular retrieval practice and carefully structured, spiral revisit opportunities, our White Rose curriculum ensures that pupils retain key knowledge over time, develop resilient problem-solving skills, and leave primary school equipped with the mathematical fluency needed for secondary education and everyday life.