Maths
Mathematics Overview
At Valley Invicta Primary School at East Borough, we believe that strong mathematical knowledge and skills are essential for success in everyday life. Staff have high aspirations for all pupils and are committed to ensuring that every child makes strong progress from their individual starting points.
Our Mathematics curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and coherently sequenced in line with the National Curriculum. We use the White Rose Maths scheme from Early Years through to Year 6 to ensure clear progression, consistency and depth of understanding across all areas of mathematics. This is complemented by carefully chosen additional strategies to meet the needs of all learners.
In Key Stage 1, Number Sense is taught as a whole-class approach to secure strong foundations in number, place value and calculation. This ensures that all pupils develop a deep understanding of number relationships and mathematical structures from the earliest stages. In Key Stage 2, Number Sense is used as a targeted intervention to support pupils who need additional practice, enabling them to close gaps, strengthen core skills and access age-related learning with confidence.
Across all year groups, teaching is underpinned by our consistent maths pedagogy. Lessons include daily Fluent in Five practice to build automaticity, alongside varied fluency, reasoning and problem-solving activities that deepen understanding and promote flexible thinking. Teachers use live marking, effective questioning and immediate feedback to identify and address misconceptions in the moment, ensuring pupils are supported to make secure progress within lessons.
Mathematical learning is carefully sequenced so that new knowledge builds on prior learning. Real-life contexts, such as money, time and measure, are used to support understanding and application.
At East Borough, we foster a positive and inclusive culture around Mathematics, where enjoyment, confidence and resilience are valued. As a result, pupils leave us well prepared for the next stage of their education, equipped with the mathematical knowledge, skills and mindset to become successful, lifelong learners.
In addition to our mathematics curriculum we have various enrichment events that we take part in, within the school environment and beyond. For example, we take part in Maths week every year and Mr Mills, our Maths Lead runs the VIAT Maths Mastery workshops for different groups of children from across the Trust. It's always great to see mathematics included in the clubs and enrichment offer at our school!
For further information please click on the following:
Playing Board Games
Practising maths skills doesn’t have to be computer-based. There are lots of fun ways in which you can bring maths to life for your child through simple games and activities. Whether out shopping, using the context of money to help develop your child's skills, or helping them to better understand measurement when baking or putting together the new rabbit's hutch, there's always an opportunity for a 'maths moment'!
Board games can be great for developing a child's maths skills too! Playing these can be a really powerful way for young children to become comfortable with our number system, spotting patterns and literally playing with numbers. Some board games sneak in counting, sequencing and strategy as your child plays.
Websites for Parents
We are making lots of use of online activities here at school. Along with Times Table Rock Stars (your child will have received log in details from their class teacher) there are lots out there that you can use with your child.
Children learn best through practise and consolidating the skills that they have learnt. It is important that the children enjoy this practise as it can sometimes be a long process to master these skills. We all know that children love technology so they should find these games and activities engaging and fun!
Primary Games - Here you will find lots of games and challenges covering many mathematical concepts.
Top Marks Maths Games - There are lots of games, many of them are tablet friendly too. Organised into age appropriate games, there are plenty of challenges for all ages.
Times Tables Rock Stars
When it comes to times tables, speed AND accuracy are important – the more facts your child knows, the easier it is for them to do harder calculations. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables! (Click on "Times Tables Rock Stars" above to access the link. Your child's contact book has details of their login and password).
White Rose Education - Maths
https://whiteroseeducation.com/parent-pupil-resources/maths/home-learning?year=year-1-new
This website links to our maths curriculum and has details about the units and lesson order of each year group. It also includes videos that can support you to know what and how content is being introduced and taught, and your child to further practice areas they have found difficult.
NumBots
NumBots is all about every child achieving the “triple win” of understanding, recall and fluency in mental addition and subtraction so that they move from counting to calculating.
Your child's login details should be in their contact book.
