Mathematics at Chipping Warden Primary Academy

Mathematics at Chipping Warden equips children with essential life skills, develops logical thinking, and builds the courage and resilience to tackle challenges – preparing them for future success.

Our Vision for Mathematics

At Chipping Warden, we believe every child can succeed in mathematics. We use a Teaching for Mastery approach where all pupils develop deep, secure understanding of mathematical concepts. Mastery means knowing why as well as knowing how – children can use their knowledge flexibly, creatively and apply it to new situations.

Our Aims

We follow the National Curriculum aims to ensure all pupils:

• Become fluent in mathematical fundamentals through varied, frequent practice
• Reason mathematically by exploring patterns, making connections and justifying their thinking
• Solve problems by applying mathematics to routine and complex challenges with increasing sophistication

Our Values in Mathematics

Mathematics at Chipping Warden develops our core values and British values:

Our Six Values:

• Community – collaborating, discussing and learning from each other
• Courage – tackling challenges, learning from mistakes and persevering
• Creativity – exploring different methods and approaches to solve problems
• Enjoyment – celebrating success and finding joy in mathematical discovery
• Respect – valuing different strategies and listening to others' reasoning
• Responsibility – taking ownership of learning and checking our work

British Values:

• Democracy – sharing ideas and choosing appropriate methods
• The rule of law – following mathematical rules and conventions
• Individual liberty – selecting strategies that work for each learner
• Mutual respect and tolerance – appreciating different approaches and explanations

Our Teaching Approach

Key Features of Every Lesson:

Fluency practice – daily mental/oral starters to build quick recall

CPA approach – Concrete (equipment), Pictorial (drawings), Abstract (numbers/symbols) to show mathematical structures

Stem sentences – supporting reasoning and explanation:

• "I know it is ___ because..."
• "I know it is not ___ because..."

Mathematical talk – discussing, explaining and justifying thinking in every lesson

Varied tasks – fluency, reasoning and problem-solving combined

Learning from mistakes – using misconceptions to deepen understanding

Deep exploration – approaching concepts in multiple ways using different equipment, methods and contexts

Real-life contexts – relating mathematics to everyday life

Differentiation from the core:

• Core task – accessible to all pupils
• Support – scaffolding to help pupils access the core learning
• Challenge – applying core learning to unfamiliar situations and making connections

High-quality questioning – probing understanding and developing thinking

What You'll See in Lessons

• Children using equipment and drawing pictures to support their thinking
• Making connections and spotting patterns
• Explaining their reasoning using mathematical language
• Working collaboratively and independently
• Tackling increasingly complex problems
• Celebrating effort and perseverance

What You'll See in Books

• Progression through carefully sequenced questions
• Pictorial representations supporting calculations
• Written explanations showing reasoning
• Neat, organised presentation
• Challenge tasks developing deeper understanding
• Evidence of learning from errors

Inclusion

All children access the same core curriculum with appropriate support or challenge. We believe mathematical ability is not fixed – with the right support, every child can achieve. We adapt our teaching to ensure all learners, including those with SEND, can participate fully and make progress.