Mathematics

You will succeed if you persevere, and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. - Helen Keller

At SS Peter & Paul, we are mathematicians — confident thinkers, resilient learners and creative problem-solvers.

At SS Peter & Paul Catholic Primary School, we believe that every child can become a confident, curious and capable mathematician. Rooted in our Catholic values of dignity, perseverance and mutual encouragement, our ambitious and inclusive curriculum helps pupils discover patterns, make connections and experience the satisfaction of overcoming challenges. We want children to enjoy mathematics and recognise its importance in everyday life.

Through White Rose Maths, from Nursery to Year 6, we build deep mathematical understanding through a mastery approach. Carefully sequenced learning develops secure number knowledge alongside fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. Pupils are encouraged to explore ideas, use precise mathematical language and explain and justify their thinking, making connections between practical experiences, visual representations and abstract mathematics.

With high expectations, purposeful challenge and responsive support, every pupil is encouraged to participate, persevere and achieve. Our aim is for children to leave SS Peter & Paul with strong mathematical foundations, independence and the confidence to apply their knowledge in familiar and unfamiliar situations, prepared for their next stage of education and for life beyond school.

Mathematics at SS Peter & Paul is built from five strands that work together. Daily White Rose lessons provide the core sequence from Nursery to Year 6, taught through a Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract approach so that children meet an idea in their hands, then in a picture, then in symbols. Mastering Number builds number sense in Early Years and Key Stage 1 — subitising, composition and mental fluency. Daily retrieval in Years 3 to 6, through Learning by Questions, revisits earlier learning and shows teachers immediately where the gaps are. Weekly arithmetic practice develops efficient mental and written calculation. And Times Tables Rock Stars, including class competitions, builds multiplication recall and prepares Year 4 for the statutory Multiplication Tables Check.

Manipulatives, number lines, part–whole models and bar models are used in every year group, not only with our youngest children — they are how mathematicians think, not a prop for those who find it hard. Alongside them, precise vocabulary, sentence stems and rich “dive deeper” problems ask children to justify, spot patterns and compare strategies rather than simply answer more questions. Pupils with SEND and pupils learning English as an additional language access the same ambitious curriculum through adapted representations, pre-taught vocabulary and timely support.

Teachers assess in every lesson through questioning, pupil talk and work in books, adapting the next step in response. Daily retrieval and weekly arithmetic checks surface gaps in number facts early, while White Rose end-of-unit assessments and termly PiXL assessments inform gap analysis and targeted support. Pupil conferencing explores not just whether a child got the answer, but which strategy they chose and how securely they understand it. The maths lead reviews evidence and attainment patterns with colleagues each term. Our aim is that children leave SS Peter & Paul able to explain why a method works, not only to carry it out.