Maths at St James
Intent
At St James, our intent is to ensure that every child develops a deep, secure and connected understanding of Mathematics. We believe that all pupils can succeed in Maths when given high-quality teaching, time to think deeply and opportunities to build strong foundations.
Our curriculum is shaped by:
- White Rose Maths, which provides a structured mastery curriculum built around carefully sequenced small steps, supporting conceptual understanding, fluency, reasoning and problem‑solving.
- A commitment to the Teaching for Mastery approach, which emphasises deep, secure knowledge for all learners and promotes high expectations, mathematical thinking and the use of structured models.
- Partnership work with the Jurassic Maths Hub, enabling staff to deepen subject knowledge, collaborate with specialists and engage in professional development that strengthens our mastery pedagogy.
- Alignment with NCETM small steps, ensuring progression is incremental, coherent and sustainable for all pupils.
Our aim is for children to become confident, inquisitive mathematicians who can reason, make connections and apply their learning to new and unfamiliar contexts.
Implementation
We deliver our Maths curriculum through a consistent mastery approach informed by White Rose and NCETM guidance. This includes:
Curriculum Structure
- We follow the White Rose Maths long‑ and medium‑term sequencing, ensuring statutory National Curriculum coverage while breaking learning into small, achievable steps that build deep understanding over time.
- Lessons incorporate fluency, reasoning and problem-solving to secure conceptual understanding and stretch thinking.
Pedagogy & Professional Development
- Teachers engage regularly with the Jurassic Maths Hub to strengthen mastery practice, engage in research groups and benefit from expert-led CPD.
- NCETM’s small step progression underpins lesson design, ensuring concepts are revisited and built on through interleaving and intelligent practice, reflecting White Rose’s mastery journey.
Classroom Practice
- A whole‑class teaching approach ensures all pupils access the same rich curriculum content, with additional support or challenge provided through scaffolding and extension tasks rather than lowering expectations.
- Teachers use questioning, stem sentences, manipulatives and precise mathematical language to deepen understanding.
- Misconceptions are explored and used as learning opportunities, supporting a positive attitude towards challenge and mistakes.
Impact
By the time pupils leave St James, they will:
- Have a deep and secure understanding of key mathematical concepts, built gradually through the small steps approach of White Rose and NCETM guidance.
- Be confident, resilient problem‑solvers who can apply their understanding to a wide range of contexts, using mathematical reasoning to justify their thinking.
- Demonstrate fluency with number facts, efficient calculation strategies and strong conceptual understanding supported by mastery frameworks.
- Show positive attitudes towards mathematics, recognising the value of perseverance and the importance of mathematical thinking in everyday life and future learning.
- Be well‑prepared for the next stage of their education with secure foundations for secondary mathematics, supported by expert teaching and the high‑quality professional development enabled through the Jurassic Maths Hub.