Maths | Frenchwood Community Primary School

Maths Curriculum

Intent

At Frenchwood Community Primary School we aim to inspire all children to reach their full academic potential. In Maths, this means ensuring a curriculum that is fully inclusive and:

Promotes enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning through practical activity, cross curricular learning, exploration and discussion;
Develops competence and confidence in mathematical knowledge, concepts, skills and vocabulary in line with the National Curriculum Programmes of Study;
Develops the ability to think mathematically, solve problems through decision making, to reason, to think logically and to work systematically and accurately;
Develops communication skills and the ability to work independently and in co-operation with others;
Explores features of shape and space, and develop measuring skills in a range of contexts;
Understands the importance of mathematics in everyday life and promote mathematical thinking as a life skill.

Implementation

Throughout school, we use Red Rose Maths Mastery as our core scheme. This ‘mastery’ curriculum rejects the idea that a large proportion of people ‘just can’t do maths’ (NCETM 2016) and instead focuses on the idea that all pupils can achieve depth in their learning which can be accomplished by using key principles including:

Representation and structure (effective pedagogies for modelling, concrete-pictorial-abstract approaches, effective use of manipulatives and transition between them)
Coherence (curriculum design, progression of objectives, sequencing learning, small steps, contextualising learning between different areas of mathematics)
Mathematical thinking (effective questioning, identifying patterns and relationships, deep understanding through reasoning and problem solving, supporting children to achieve
Deeper learning where appropriate)
Variation (progression through representations using conceptual variation, progression through questioning using procedural variation)
Fluency (efficiency, accuracy, flexibility, developing unconscious competence)

These elements of effective mathematics teaching are supported in both the National Curriculum and the Ofsted Inspection Framework.

The scheme provides teachers with comprehensive planning materials for each lesson including teaching resources, detailed planning guidance and children’s task sheets, including deeper learning tasks to challenge more able mathematicians.

Impact

The expected impact of following our Red Rose Maths scheme of work is that children will:

Help children develop a growth mindset and a deep understanding of mathematical concepts.
Help children succeed in math by using a variety of teaching strategies and assessment methods.
Help children to develop fluency by learning key number facts and to practice them regularly.
An ability to solve problem, to reason, to think logically and to work systematically and accurately.
Initiative and an ability to work both independently and in cooperation with others.
An ability to communicate mathematics and mathematically.
An ability to use and apply mathematics across the curriculum and in real life.
An understanding of mathematics through a process of enquiry and experiment

Progression through Using and Applying Mathematics

	Solving Problems	Representing	Enquiring	Reasoning	Communicating
FS	Use developing mathematical, ideas and methods to solve practical problems.	Match sets of objects to numerals that represent the number of objects.	Sort objects, making choices and justifying decisions.	Talk about, recognise and recreate simple patterns.	Describe solutions to practical problems, drawing on experience, talking about their own ideas, methods and choices.
Year 1	Solve problems involving counting, adding, subtracting, doubling or halving in the context of numbers, measures or money, for example to ‘pay’ and ‘give change’.	Describe a puzzle or problem using numbers, practical materials and diagrams; use these to solve the problem and set the solution in the original context.	Answer a question by selecting and using suitable equipment, and sorting information, shapes or objects; display results using tables and pictures.	Describe simple patterns and relationships involving numbers or shapes; decide whether examples satisfy given conditions.	Describe ways of solving puzzles and problems, explaining choices and decisions orally or using pictures.
Year 2	Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication or division in contexts of numbers, measures or pounds and pence.	Identify and record the information or calculation needed to solve a puzzle or problem; carry out the steps or calculations and check the solution in the context of the problem.	Follow a line of enquiry; answer questions by choosing and using suitable equipment and selecting, organising and presenting information in lists, tables and simple diagrams.	Describe patterns and relationships involving numbers or shapes; make predictions and test these with examples.	Present solutions to puzzles and problems in an organised way; explain decisions, methods and results in pictorial, spoken or written form, using mathematical language and number sentences.
Year 3	Solve one-step and two-step problems involving numbers, money or measures, including time, choosing and carrying out appropriate calculations.	Represent the information in a puzzle or problem using numbers, images or diagrams; use these to find a solution and present it in context, where appropriate using £.p notation or units of measure.	Follow a line of enquiry by deciding what information is important; make and use lists, tables and graphs to organise and interpret the information.	Use patterns and relationships involving numbers or shapes, and use these to solve problems.	Describe and explain methods, choices and solutions to puzzles and problems, orally and in writing, using pictures and diagrams.
Year 4	Solve one-step and two-step problems involving numbers, money or measures, including time; choose and carry out appropriate calculations, using calculator methods where appropriate.	Represent a puzzle or problem using number sentences, statements or diagrams; use these to solve the problem; present and interpret the solution in the context of the problem.	Suggest a line of enquiry and the strategy needed to follow it; collect, organise and interpret selected information to find answers.	Identify and use patterns, relationships and properties of numbers or shapes; investigate a statement involving numbers and test it with examples.	Report solutions to puzzles and problems, giving explanations and reasoning orally and in writing, using diagrams and symbols.
Year 5	Solve one-step and two-step problems involving whole numbers and decimals and all four operations, choosing and using appropriate calculation strategies, including calculator use.	Represent a puzzle or problem by identifying and recording the information or calculations needed to solve it; find possible solutions and confirm them in the context of the problem.	Plan and pursue an enquiry; present evidence by collecting, organising and interpreting information; suggest extensions to the enquiry.	Explore patterns, properties and relationships, and propose a general statement involving numbers or shapes; identify examples for which the statement is true or false.	Explain reasoning using diagrams, graphs and text; refine ways of recording using images and symbols.
Year 6	Solve multistep problems, and problems involving fractions, decimals and percentages; choose and use appropriate calculation strategies at each stage, including calculator use.	Tabulate systematically the information in a puzzle or problem; identify and record the steps or calculation needed to solve it, using symbols where appropriate; interpret solutions in the original context and check their accuracy.	Suggest, plan and develop lines of enquiry; collect, organise and represent information, interpret results and review methods; identify and answer related questions.	Represent and interpret sequences, patterns and relationships involving numbers and shapes; suggest and test hypotheses; construct and use simple expressions and formulae in words then symbols (e.g. the cost of c pens at 15 pence each is 15c test pence).	Explain reasoning and conclusions, using words, symbols or diagrams as appropriate.
Year 6 Progression to Year 7	Solve problems by breaking down complex calculations into simpler steps, choose and use operations and calculation strategies appropriate to the numbers and context; try alternative approaches to overcome difficulties; present, interpret and compare solutions.	Represent information or unknown numbers in a problem, for example in a table, formula or equation; explain solutions in the context of the problem.	Develop and evaluate lines of enquiry; identify, collect, organise and analyse relevant information; decide how best to represent conclusions and what further questions to ask.	Generate sequences and describe the general term; use letters and symbols to represent unknown numbers or variables; represent simple relationships as graphs.	Explain and justify reasoning and conclusions, using notation, symbols and diagrams; find a counterexample to disprove a conjecture; use step-by-step deductions to solve problems involving shapes.

Subject Leadership

My name is Farhana Desai, and I’m proud to be the Maths Subject Leader at Frenchwood Community Primary School. Leading maths is something I genuinely enjoy, as it allows me to shape how our children experience and engage with this essential subject.

At Frenchwood, we’ve created a fun, creative, and inclusive maths curriculum that helps children explore numbers, shapes, patterns, and problem-solving in ways that feel exciting rather than intimidating. It’s incredibly rewarding to see pupils’ confidence grow as they begin to grasp new concepts and realise their potential.

I believe that mathematics is a vital life skill, and we are committed to developing a positive attitude, competence, and confidence in every child. Our aim is to ensure that all learners feel empowered to use maths in everyday life and future learning.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my role is supporting other teachers and staff. I love sharing ideas, resources, and strategies that make maths lessons engaging and effective. Whether it’s through hands-on activities, collaborative games, or innovative teaching tools, I enjoy working with colleagues to bring maths to life across the school.

Being a subject leader also means I’m constantly learning and growing. Staying up to date with best practices helps me bring fresh ideas into the classroom and ensures our pupils receive the very best maths education.

It’s a role that combines my passion for teaching with my love for maths—and that’s what makes it so rewarding!