Mathematics

At Tolleshunt D’Arcy St Nicholas Primary Academy, we believe that every child is a mathematician. Our aim is to nurture curiosity, creativity and confidence in mathematics through a supportive and engaging learning environment where children are encouraged to think deeply, explore ideas and enjoy the challenge of mathematical discovery.

We want all pupils to become complete mathematicians – fluent, confident and reflective learners who value the reasoning and thinking behind their answers as much as the final result. We promote a growth mindset, helping children see mistakes as opportunities, persevere through challenges and take pride in their progress as they build mathematical resilience.

Curriculum

Our curriculum is ambitious, progressive and carefully planned to develop strong mathematical foundations from the earliest stages of learning. To support this, we use the White Rose scheme of learning in KS1 and KS2. In Reception Mastering number is used. In KS1 and Year 3, White Rose is enhanced by the Mastering Number programme, giving pupils a deep understanding of number, pattern and structure from the very start.

Aligned with the National Curriculum, our approach focuses on three core strands:

• Fluency: developing secure understanding, rapid recall and automaticity

• Reasoning: encouraging children to explore, explain and justify their thinking

• Problem Solving: empowering pupils to approach both familiar and unfamiliar challenges with creativity and determination

We embrace the CPA approach (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) to help children make meaningful connections between ideas and representations. Through this, they learn to recognise patterns, build links across concepts and apply their understanding with confidence in new situations.

Canonium Trust Links

As part of the Canonium Learning Trust, we share the commitment to provide every child with the best possible education. In mathematics, this means equipping all learners with the competence, curiosity and resilience to use maths throughout their lives, as thinkers, problem-solvers and confident citizens in an ever-changing world.