At Inkpen Primary School, we offer a rich and relevant mathematics curriculum, that aims to teach children the mathematical skills they require for success in everyday life and develop their confidence and ability to apply these skills in practical situations.

Maths is taught through a daily numeracy lesson where number and calculations make up much of the main focus of the learning. We know that children need to develop quick recall of number facts, including multiplication tables, to enable them to solve progressively complex problems with confidence. For this reason, there is also an emphasis on the development of mental arithmetic, through varied and repeated practice, and giving opportunities for children to use and apply maths in real life situations.

In the Foundation Stage, children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum for number and numerical patterns. Learning for these areas is carefully planned using the White Rose scheme of work and is delivered in an engaging way through a range of different experiences both inside and outdoors. We provide the children with frequent and varied opportunities to build a strong understanding of numbers up to 10 using a range of manipulatives and provide rich experiences for children to develop their spatial reasoning. 

We follow the CPA (concrete, pictorial, abstract) approach at Inkpen Primary School, giving children of all ages and abilities the opportunity to use a range of manipulatives and representations to support and develop their understanding of different mathematical concepts. Practical activities are an important part of the development of mathematical skills and continue to be used throughout the school. Opportunities to develop and apply key skills in other curriculum areas, especially science, are sought out.

At Inkpen, we follow the White Rose scheme of work and progress through their "small steps" at a rate that is appropriate to all of our learners. We are aware that children make different amounts of progress at different points in their school life, so our teachers use their professional judgement to supplement the teaching and resources from this scheme in order to meet the needs of our children whilst still showing fidelity to the programme.