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Mathematics

 

Intent 

At Alkerden, we believe that a high-quality mathematics education is an essential foundation for everyday life and crucial for our learners’ future. We aim for every learner to: 

  • Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics.  

  • Be able to reason mathematically: to spot patterns, make connections, and explain their thinking.  

  • Solve problems by applying mathematics to real-life and unfamiliar situations.  

  • See mathematics as more than just numbers, to appreciate its beauty, power and importance in the world.  

We are committed to developing each learner’s curiosity and confidence in mathematics. Through consistent, carefully planned teaching, we want learners to enjoy their mathematical journey, feel successful and view mathematics as a subject where perseverance and exploration are valued.  

 

Implementation 

 

  • Our curriculum follows the statutory National Curriculum for mathematics, ensuring full coverage across all year groups.  

  • Regular formative assessment and careful questioning help teachers identify where learners need support or further challenge, enabling timely intervention and extension.  

  • We differentiate and adapt teaching so all learners, including those with additional needs, can access the maths curriculum. Where necessary, we provide additional support to ensure success.  

  • Lessons are designed to include variation, consolidation, and opportunities for deeper thinking. This ensures learners build both procedural fluency and conceptual depth.  

  • We use concrete resources (manipulatives), especially in early years and Key Stage 1 to help learners build secure, conceptual understanding. As learners progress, they move from concrete to pictorial and abstract representations.  

  • New concepts are often introduced through engaging starting points or real-life problems to stimulate discussion, reasoning and understanding before moving to formal methods.  

Impact 

At Alkerden C of E Academy, the impact of our mathematics curriculum is seen in learners who are confident, resilient and fluent mathematicians. Through carefully sequenced teaching, rich mathematical experiences and consistent use of concrete - pictorial - abstract approaches, learners develop a secure conceptual understanding that they can apply across a wide range of contexts. 

 

Mathematics Across the Stages 

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 

In the Early Years, learners will begin their mathematical journey by: 

  • Recognising numbers up to 10 and understanding their relationships.  

  • Subitising small quantities (e.g. to 5), counting beyond 20, and understanding basic number bonds.  

  • Beginning to understand doubling, sharing, and simple addition/subtraction through practical tasks using manipulatives.  

  • Exploring 2D and 3D shapes, space, measures, and patterns, laying early foundations for geometry, measurement and spatial reasoning.  

  • Developing a positive attitude towards mathematics: learners are encouraged to notice patterns, talk about what they see, make mistakes and learn from them, seeing maths as a creative, exploratory subject.  

We embed mathematics throughout daily routines and play-based activities to help to understand become natural and intuitive.  

Key Stage 1 (Years 1-2) 

As learners move into Key Stage 1 they will: 

  • Build on early number knowledge and place value, exploring numbers up to at least 100.  

  • Use and apply mathematics in practical contexts, including counting, calculating, measuring and simple data handling.  

  • Develop efficient strategies for addition, subtraction, and begin formal written methods as appropriate.  

  • Begin to explore multiplication and division, and understand the properties of shapes, position, movement and measures (time, length, volume etc.).  

  • Use mathematics across the curriculum and in everyday life contexts,  embedding the idea that maths is everywhere.  

Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6) 

During Key Stage 2, learners will progress to: 

  • Increasingly complex numbers work: place value, large numbers, decimals, fractions, negative numbers where appropriate.  

  • Efficient mental and formal written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  

  • Applying their mathematical knowledge to more complex problems, including time, money, measurement, geometry (shape, angles, space), data handling, and basic algebraic thinking.  

  • Reasoning mathematically, making generalisations, solving multistep problems, and applying maths across other subjects (e.g. science, computing, design & technology).  

  • Developing fluency, accuracy and confidence so they are prepared for secondary school and beyond.  

Inclusion & Support 

At Alkerden, we recognise that each learner is unique. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all, including those who may need additional support. We adapt teaching, provide targeted interventions, and use a flexible approach,  ensuring that every learner can access the mathematics curriculum and succeed.  

Enrichment & Beyond the Curriculum 

We believe mathematics is not only for the classroom, it’s a life skill. We encourage learners to see maths in everyday life, explore its beauty, and enjoy discovering patterns and solving problems. As they grow, they will become more confident, resilient and creative thinkers, equipped not just with skills, but with a positive and curious attitude towards mathematics.  

For families seeking additional practice or enrichment, we recommend a range of online resources and games that support fluency and enjoyment. (For example: educational maths websites, mental-arithmetic games, times-tables practice activities.) 

Extra Resources

 

Further Mathematics Help

 

Fun Mathematics Games