Mathematics

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalms 90:12

Intent

At Brindle St James School, our mathematics curriculum is rooted in our Christian ethos:
“A family rooted in God’s love.”

We aim to develop confident, resilient, and independent mathematicians through:

A mastery approach that ensures all pupils develop a deep and lasting understanding of mathematical concepts.
A Growth Mindset culture, where mistakes are embraced as learning opportunities.
A strong focus on mathematical talk, reasoning, and problem-solving.
A commitment to inclusive practice, ensuring all pupils—including those with SEND—access high-quality maths learning.

Our curriculum is designed to be coherent, ambitious, and sequenced, enabling pupils to build knowledge over time and make meaningful connections.

Implementation

We follow:

Master the Curriculum for Preschool
Power Maths for Reception, complemented by NCETM resources
Power Maths for Years 1–6

These schemes support:

Small-step progression and interleaved learning for long-term retention.
The Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) approach to deepen understanding.
Mixed-age teaching, with clear differentiation and progression across year groups.

In Preschool, children begin their mathematical journey through:

Carefully structured activities from Master the Curriculum, aligned with EYFS developmental stages.
A focus on early number sense, pattern, shape, and spatial reasoning.
Play-based learning that embeds mathematical language and thinking.

In Reception, the curriculum builds on this foundation using:

Power Maths and NCETM’s Mastering Number and Numberblocks resources.
Continuity of models and representations into Year 1 for smooth transition.

Key teaching strategies include:

Daily fluency sessions to embed recall and reasoning.
Use of manipulatives and visual models at all stages and abilities.
Collaborative learning, including mixed-ability and peer discussions.
Carefully crafted questioning to promote reasoning and multiple solution strategies.
Immediate feedback and targeted intervention, including pre-teaching and catch-up support.

SEND provision is tailored to individual needs, ensuring access to the curriculum through adapted resources and approaches.

Teachers use formative assessment daily and termly summative assessments to inform planning and ensure progression.

Impact

We measure impact through:

Pupil outcomes in assessments and books.
Pupil voice, demonstrating enjoyment, confidence, and resilience.
Subject leader monitoring, including learning walks and book looks.
Progress tracking, ensuring pupils are ready for the next stage.

By the end of Key Stage 2, our pupils:

Calculate confidently, using mental and written strategies appropriately.
Reason and problem-solve with independence.
Demonstrate a positive attitude and love for mathematics.

Our curriculum

Clearly articulating Intent, Implementation, and Impact.
Delivering a mastery-based curriculum that is coherent, inclusive, and ambitious.
Ensuring sequenced learning, assessment-informed teaching, and effective pedagogy.
Supporting mixed-age teaching with structured progression.
Embedding fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving as core components.
Using Master the Curriculum and NCETM guidance to strengthen early number sense and mastery in EYFS and Preschool.