At Beacon View Primary Academy, we believe that every child can be successful in mathematics. Our aim is for all pupils to leave our school with the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to use maths in everyday life and throughout their future education.
We want our children to see themselves as mathematicians who are willing to have a go, learn from mistakes and persevere when faced with a challenge. Through engaging lessons and carefully planned learning opportunities, pupils develop a secure understanding of mathematical concepts and learn how to explain their thinking using appropriate mathematical vocabulary.
We follow the White Rose Maths Scheme of Learning, which provides a clear progression of knowledge and skills from Reception to Year 6. Learning is carefully sequenced in small steps, allowing children to build on what they already know and make strong connections across different areas of mathematics.
At Beacon View, we believe that children learn best when they can see and experience mathematical concepts. Lessons regularly include the use of practical equipment and visual representations to help pupils develop a deep understanding before moving on to more abstract methods. Children are given regular opportunities to practise key skills, develop fluency and apply their learning to solve a range of problems.
Throughout their time at Beacon View, children develop their understanding of:
- Number and place value
- Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
- Fractions, decimals and percentages
- Geometry, including shape and position
- Measures
- Statistics
- Algebra
As their confidence grows, pupils are encouraged to apply their knowledge in different contexts, make connections between areas of maths and explain the reasoning behind their answers. We place great value on mathematical discussion, helping children to develop the language needed to justify their thinking and communicate their ideas clearly.
Our mathematics curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils make strong progress from their individual starting points. By the end of Year 6, children have developed fluency in number, confidence in problem solving and the ability to reason mathematically. Most importantly, we aim to foster a positive attitude towards mathematics and a belief that success comes through effort, practice and perseverance.
Mastering Number
In addition to the National Curriculum, children in Reception through to Year 5 take part in the NCETM Mastering Number programme.
Mastering Number helps children develop a strong understanding of number and builds confidence with key mathematical facts. The programme focuses on helping pupils develop fluency with number relationships, number bonds and calculation strategies so that they can recall them quickly and apply them with confidence.
Through short daily sessions, children learn to think flexibly about numbers, spot patterns and explain their thinking. This secure understanding supports future learning and helps pupils develop the strong number sense that underpins success across all areas of mathematics.
By developing these essential foundations from an early age, Mastering Number helps children become confident, fluent and resilient mathematicians who are well prepared for the next stages of their learning.
Supporting Learning at Home
We encourage families to support mathematics learning at home through regular practice of number facts and times tables, as well as by exploring how maths is used in everyday life. Activities such as shopping, cooking, telling the time and discussing money all provide valuable opportunities for children to apply their mathematical understanding in meaningful contexts.
For additional support and resources, parents can access the White Rose Maths materials available online: Whiterosemaths - Maths with Michael