Mathematics

At Daresbury, we have a passion for high standards in mathematics and believe that every child can become a confident and successful mathematician. Mathematics is taught daily, with a strong focus on developing fluency, reasoning, problem-solving and a genuine curiosity about numbers and patterns.

Our Approach to Mathematics

We use Maths — No Problem! to support our teaching of mathematics. This mastery approach enables children to develop a secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts, rather than simply learning procedures or moving quickly onto new content.

Throughout their learning, children move flexibly between concrete resources, pictorial representations and abstract mathematics. Practical equipment and visual representations help children to explore new concepts, make connections and develop secure understanding before applying their learning using mathematical symbols and notation.

Children also have opportunities to journal their mathematical thinking, allowing them to represent, explain and reflect on their ideas and demonstrate their understanding in different ways.

Developing Mathematical Thinking

At Daresbury, we believe that the method and process are just as important as the answer. Children are encouraged to talk about mathematics, explain their thinking, compare different approaches and learn from one another.

Teachers use purposeful questioning to deepen children's understanding, asking questions such as:

How did you work that out?          Can you prove it?

Is there another way?                     What do you notice?

Rather than accelerating children onto the next area of mathematics, we provide opportunities for them to deepen their understanding, make connections and apply their knowledge in increasingly challenging contexts.

Mathematical vocabulary is at the heart of our lessons. Children are explicitly taught the language they need to explain their thinking, reason effectively and communicate mathematically with confidence.

Fluency and Number Sense

Alongside developing conceptual understanding, we place a strong emphasis on fluency and automaticity, with a progressive approach as children move through school.

• EYFS to Year 3 – Mastering Number: Children develop strong number sense, fluency and confidence with key number facts and relationships, building secure foundations for future mathematical learning.

• Year 4 – Times Tables: There is a strong focus on developing fluent and accurate recall of multiplication and corresponding division facts. By the end of Year 4, children are expected to confidently recall all multiplication facts up to 12 × 12. Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) is used both in school and at home to support regular practice and rapid recall.

• Years 5 and 6 – Arithmetic: Children build on these secure foundations through regular arithmetic practice, developing accuracy, efficiency and confidence when applying their number knowledge and calculation strategies.

This progressive approach ensures that children develop the fluency and automaticity needed to access increasingly complex mathematics with confidence.

Mathematics for Everyone

We have high expectations for all children and believe that every pupil should have the opportunity to succeed in mathematics. Teaching is carefully adapted where needed, while maintaining ambitious mathematical learning for everyone.

Through discussion, practical exploration, reasoning, problem-solving and purposeful practice, we aim to develop children who are not only fluent mathematicians but also confident, independent thinkers who enjoy mathematics and are willing to challenge themselves.