Woodthorpe Church of England Primary SchoolMaths
At Woodthorpe, mathematics helps children make sense of the world, solve problems and develop confidence in their own thinking. We want every child to build secure mathematical foundations and to see themselves as a capable mathematician.
We believe children learn mathematics best when important knowledge is taught clearly, practised regularly and revisited over time. The Woodthorpe Way creates consistent expectations across school, reducing cognitive overload so children can focus on understanding, reasoning and applying what they know.
Our approach combines White Rose Maths as the main lesson sequence in Years 1–6 with Mastering Number to strengthen number sense and fluency. In EYFS, Mastering Number is the main structure for mathematics. Across every year group, foundational knowledge is prioritised so gaps are identified early, addressed explicitly and revisited until learning is secure.
Intent
At Woodthorpe, our intent is to provide children with a strong foundation in number, reasoning, logical thinking, and problem-solving, so they are fully prepared for future challenges. We aim for all children to develop a lifelong positive relationship with mathematics, appreciating its value in everyday life.
We adopt a Mastery approach, and are proud to be part of the NCETM Primary Teaching for Mastery Work Group and Maths Hub, strengthening our approach to mathematics across the school. Having successfully embedded Mastering Number in EYFS and Key Stage 1 over the past few years, we are now excited to build on this strong foundation by taking part in the KS2 rollout. This will support our focus on securing strong foundational knowledge and greater consistency, helping pupils develop secure number sense, fluency and confidence throughout their mathematical journey.
We strive to ensure that every child, regardless of starting point, can achieve success in maths. By promoting HQAT, we encourage all pupils to build resilience and confidence. We believe all children can succeed in maths with practice, support, and perseverance — the focus is always on keeping up, not catching up.
Implementation
At Woodthorpe, we follow the White Rose Maths scheme, which supports a mastery approach to teaching and learning. The scheme is carefully designed to develop fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving through small, logical steps. White Rose Maths promotes depth of understanding, encouraging children to make connections between different mathematical concepts.
There is a strong emphasis on whole-class teaching, where all pupils work on the same key learning, ensuring no child is left behind. Lessons are carefully structured and sequenced, with significant time given to developing deep understanding of fundamental ideas that underpin future learning.
In the Foundation Stage, maths teaching follows the Early Learning Goals, focusing on developing number sense through play and exploration. In Key Stages 1 and 2, maths is taught daily through engaging lessons using practical equipment, visual models, and real-life contexts. Teachers use a range of strategies and representations to ensure concepts are fully understood before moving on. Over time, children are encouraged to select efficient strategies independently and apply their skills to a variety of problems.
We want our children to:
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Understand key mathematical concepts and relationships
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Develop fluency in number facts and operations
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Apply their skills to solve problems and explain their reasoning clearly
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Approach challenges with confidence and perseverance
Mathematics National Curriculum for KS1 and KS2
White Rose Maths Vocabulary and Overview
Click on the following document to access the progression of vocabulary in Maths at our school following the White Rose curriculum.
Here you can find our calculation policy from EYFS through to Year 6
Below are our long term plans for Maths by year group:
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Foundational Knowledge
At Woodthorpe, we help children build strong foundations in maths so they can approach new learning with confidence. Our maths curriculum follows DDAT Trust guidance and is informed by research from the EEF and NCETM.
Learning is carefully built step by step, with teachers using practical resources, visual representations and scaffolds to support children when needed. Our aim is for every child to develop secure mathematical knowledge, make connections and become an increasingly confident, independent mathematician.
Times Table Rockstars
Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables! To be a Times Table Rock Star you need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds! Each child will be given a Rock Speed and Status based on how quickly they can answer questions and how many they can answer correctly. The goal is for all participating rockers to be a Times Tables Rock Star after 20 weeks!
Reception to Year 1 children can access Numbots, an interactive number bonds game.
The Rock Speeds and Statuses
By answering a question in the given times below, these are the statuses you can achieve!
Rock Hero – 1 second per question or less
Rock Legend – 2 seconds per question or less
Rock Star – 3 seconds per question or less
Headliner – 4 seconds per question or less
Support Act – 5 seconds per question or less
Breakthrough Artist – 6 seconds per question or less
Unsigned Act – 7 seconds per question or less
Gigger – 8 seconds per question or less
Busker – 9 seconds per question or less
Garage Rocker – 10 seconds per question or less
Wannabe – more than 10 seconds per question
Game Types
There are 5 games that you can play online:
Garage
– Single player
– Teacher sets the times tables
– Games are 1, 2 or 3 minutes long, you can choose!
– 10 coins per correct answer
Studio
– Lots of questions – 12×12
– Improve your Rock Speed and Status on this game!
– Games are 1 minute long
– 1 coin per correct answer
Arena
– Multiplayer
– Teacher sets the times tables
– Compete against your friends in the class
– Games are 1 minute long
– Earn 1 coin per correct answer
Festival
– Play against children from around the world!
– Lots of questions – 12×12
– Games are 1 minute long
– Earn 1 coin per correct answer
Soundcheck
– Emulator – 20 questions with a 6 second time limit for each
– Multiplication only
– Earn 5 coins per correct answer
Remember, the more you play and the more questions you get correct, the more coins you can earn for your Avatar! Can you master your Times Tables and become a Rock Star?
More to come soon! Keep checking for updates on competitions and leader boards!
You can download a free app for I pads from the Apple Store.
Have Fun!
Some Useful Links:
BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
The Curriculum explained, for parents: https://www.theschoolrun.com/what-your-child-learns-key-stage-2-maths
Maths Frame: https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/22/most-popular