Maths
School Vision for Mathematics
At Cottingley Village Primary School, we are committed to fostering a deep and lasting understanding of mathematics for all our pupils. We believe that a strong foundation in the four operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—is essential for children to become confident, fluent, and agile with their number facts. This fluency underpins their ability to solve problems proficiently and apply mathematical skills effectively in everyday life.
Through our use of the White Rose Maths scheme, we ensure comprehensive and well-rounded coverage of the national curriculum. Key to our approach is integrating daily opportunities for pupils to think deeply about their learning, encouraging curiosity and resilience in problem-solving. We place high value on oracy skills, enabling children to articulate their mathematical thinking clearly and confidently.
We aim to instil a love of maths in our pupils by creating a vibrant and enjoyable learning environment. By seeing the relevance and importance of mathematics in the world around them, our children will develop a positive attitude and a growth mindset towards the subject. We encourage our children to explore problems and develop their understanding that making mistakes helps us to learn and grow our mathematical minds.
At Cottingley Village Primary, we are dedicated to equipping our pupils with the mathematical skills and understanding they need to succeed, ensuring they are prepared to navigate the challenges of life with confidence and creativity.
Intent
At Cottingley Village Primary, our intent is to deliver a high-quality mathematics curriculum that inspires curiosity, builds confidence, and develops fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving skills in all our pupils. We aim to ensure that every child leaves our school with a deep, secure, and adaptable understanding of mathematical concepts, ready for the next stage of their education and life beyond the classroom.
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced and fully aligned with the National Curriculum for Mathematics, providing a strong foundation in all areas of Maths. We believe that all children can achieve in mathematics, and we are committed to an approach that promotes depth of understanding.
Through a consistent, structured, and inclusive approach, we seek to:
- Foster a positive attitude towards mathematics and challenge the idea that only some people can be ‘good at maths’.
- Ensure conceptual understanding through the use of concrete, pictorial, and abstract representations.
- Encourage resilience and independence in solving mathematical problems.
- Develop mathematical language and communication to articulate ideas clearly and confidently.
- Make meaningful connections across the curriculum and with real-world contexts.
Implementation
At Cottingley Village Primary we implement a consistent, progressive, and inclusive mathematics curriculum that builds deep understanding and fluency for all of our learners. We follow the White Rose Maths scheme of learning, which provides a coherent, small-steps progression through the National Curriculum.
Lessons are taught daily and include a balance of fluency, reasoning, and problem solving. Our teaching approach is underpinned by the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) model, allowing children to explore and represent mathematical concepts in meaningful ways.
To enhance arithmetic fluency and recall, we incorporate a daily arithmetic session, in addition to Maths lessons known as 'Daily Drilling'. This focused session gives pupils regular and repeated practice in key number facts and written methods, reinforcing accuracy and enabling children to recall these methods with increasing automaticity.
Problem solving is embedded daily, with all pupils exposed to rich mathematical tasks and reasoning challenges that encourage resilience, critical thinking, and deeper understanding. These opportunities are designed to help children apply their mathematical knowledge in a variety of contexts.
To further support fluency in multiplication and division, children in Key Stage 2 regularly use Times Table Rock Stars, which helps ensure rapid recall of times tables.
Impact
The impact of our mathematics curriculum is that children at Cottingley become confident, fluent, and resilient mathematicians who enjoy the subject and leave us well-prepared for the next stage of their education.
Through our carefully structured approach and consistent use of the White Rose Maths scheme, children develop a secure and deep understanding of key mathematical concepts. Regular opportunities for fluency practice and problem solving ensure that pupils not only master arithmetic fluency but also apply their learning in varied and meaningful ways.
Pupils demonstrate quick and accurate recall of number facts, particularly times tables, supported by their regular engagement with Times Table Rock Stars. They can articulate their thinking using appropriate mathematical vocabulary and explain their reasoning clearly and confidently.
Assessment for learning is embedded throughout lessons, enabling teachers to swiftly identify misconceptions and adapt teaching accordingly. Summative assessments are used termly through White Rose to monitor progress and inform next steps, ensuring that all pupils, including those with SEND or who are disadvantaged, are supported and challenged appropriately.
By the time they leave our school, pupils have developed strong number sense, a positive attitude towards maths, and the problem-solving skills needed to thrive in secondary school and beyond.