Mathematics

Mathematics at East Stour Primary School
At East Stour Primary School, we place great emphasis on a Mastery approach to Mathematics. Our carefully designed maths curriculum is fully aligned with the National Curriculum (2014) and is guided by the White Rose Maths resources, which support high-
quality planning and progression.
We teach mathematics in small, carefully sequenced steps, allowing children to develop a secure and deep understanding of key concepts, particularly number. Concepts are revisited regularly so that learning is embedded over time, ensuring all pupils gain confidence and fluency before moving on.
Alongside our mastery curriculum, we work collaboratively with other schools to continually reflect on and refine our teaching. This ensures our maths curriculum is adaptable, inclusive and responsive to the needs of all pupils at East Stour Primary School. We encourage both breadth and depth of learning, supporting children to apply their mathematical understanding in a wide range of contexts.

What does this look like in practice?
Children are challenged through carefully selected problem-solving and reasoning activities, many of which are open-ended. These tasks encourage pupils to think deeply, make connections and explain their thinking clearly and confidently.
Our aim is to provide a maths curriculum that is robust, engaging and ambitious for all learners, regardless of their starting point. We want every child to feel motivated, curious and successful in mathematics.

Our Maths Curriculum
Our curriculum is underpinned by the White Rose Maths planning units, which ensure consistency, progression and coverage across the school. These provide the building blocks for a rich and balanced maths experience. However, the real impact comes from our skilled teachers, who use these resources flexibly to plan high-quality, sequential lessons that focus on conceptual understanding. Each child is supported on their own unique mathematical learning journey.

Why do we use a Mastery approach?
Mastery in mathematics means developing a deep, secure, long-term and flexible understanding of mathematical concepts. This joined-up approach enables children to make meaningful connections between different areas of maths and understand why mathematical skills are important.
By learning in this way, children are better equipped to apply their maths to real-life situations and develop confidence in their abilities.

Nursery and Early Years
Our Early Years provision plays a vital role in nurturing confident, enthusiastic and capable mathematicians. We provide children with memorable, hands-on mathematical experiences through play-based and real-life learning opportunities.
Children are encouraged to explore, talk about and manipulate numbers and mathematical ideas in meaningful ways. Skilled adults support learning through carefully planned activities and effective questioning, tailored to each child’s stage of development and next
steps. Above all, maths in Early Years is practical, hands-on and fun, helping children develop a positive attitude towards the subject from the very start.

Our Goal: “I am a mathematician”

At East Stour Primary School, we believe that all children can succeed in mathematics. We do not believe that some children are ‘good at maths’ and others are not. Instead, we foster a positive, resilient mindset and strong subject knowledge. We are committed to developing every child’s deep, long-term and flexible understanding of mathematics, ensuring they leave our school confident in their abilities and proud to say:
“I am a mathematician.”