Maths at Waterside
At Waterside Primary School, we believe that every child has the potential to be a budding mathematician. We know that Maths is pivotal to the next stages in our children's lives so we place great value on mathematical skills. Maths lessons take place daily and provide a supportive yet challenging environment for our learners to grow.
At our school, we use White Rose Maths, to teach children to really understand maths, not just get quick answers. The idea is to help every child feel confident and enjoy maths.
What does this look like in the classroom?
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Step by step – Big ideas are broken into small chunks, so children build solid knowledge without feeling rushed.
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Hands-on first – We often use counters, cubes or everyday objects to make ideas “real” before moving on to pictures and then numbers.
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Talking maths – Children are encouraged to explain their thinking and talk about patterns. This helps them remember and gives them confidence.
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Problem solving – Rather than only practising skills, children explore puzzles and challenges, learning that mistakes are part of the journey.
How you can help at home
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Spot the maths around you – Cooking, shopping, telling the time, measuring, sharing snacks… everyday life is full of maths!
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Ask them to explain – Instead of just “What’s the answer?”, try “How do you know?” or “Can you show me in another way?”
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Play and practise – The free White Rose 1-Minute Maths app is great for practising number facts in short bursts.
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Praise effort – Celebrate when your child keeps trying, not just when they get it right. Building resilience is key.
We see children becoming more confident, willing to “have a go”, and excited to share their thinking. Over time, this approach helps children build strong number sense, problem-solving skills and a positive attitude to maths.
Maths Lead: Mrs Rathbone
Below you will find our curriculum progression maps. Teachers use these to plan for their class, see what prior knowledge children have and how to challenge children to go deeper in their learning. Sometimes, due to class need, teachers adapt their planning. We are flexible and use our assessment of each lesson to inform the next steps. Therefore, our plans are adapted to achieve the best progress for our pupils.