Ashton St Peter’s Mathematics Vision Statement
At Ashton St Peter’s, we believe that every child can be a successful ‘Mastery Mathematician’. Our aim is to nurture confident, curious, and resilient learners who can think critically, explain their reasoning clearly, and apply their mathematical understanding to a wide range of situations.
By the time our pupils leave our school, we aim that they will all:
We want our pupils to feel secure, confident, and positive about maths and view themselves as a ‘Mastery Mathematician’—both in the classroom and in life beyond school. Through engaging, purposeful learning which is delivered through the ‘Teaching for Mastery’ approach, we strive to show that maths is not only essential for success in other areas of the curriculum, such as science, but also a vital life skill.
Our vision is for pupils to see the relevance of maths in the real world—using their knowledge to solve problems, make informed decisions, and navigate adult life with confidence. We aim to challenge the stigma of “not being good at maths” by fostering a culture where every child believes in their potential to succeed.
At Ashton St Peter’s, mathematics is a cornerstone of our curriculum and a key to unlocking opportunities—empowering children to approach the world with curiosity, logic, and confidence.
Please see our ‘Maths on a Page’ which outlines our key focus and aims for maths at our school:
Our Intent:
Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject (DFE-00180-2013)
The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:
Mathematics is vital for the life opportunities of our children. Our aim is for all children to think mathematically, enabling them to reason and solve problems in a range of contexts. Our intent at Ashton St Peter’s is that children “can do” maths and we want every child to experience a sense of awe and wonder as they solve a problem for the first time, discover different solutions and make links between different concepts. This is enhanced by providing pupils with a deep understanding of the subject through a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach (CPA). We are proud of the ethos that we have nurtured and embedded within the subject, and how well the children engage within lessons across the school.
Maths Mastery Immersive Board:
To further engage pupils in mathematics, we have introduced a Problem Solving and Reasoning board, which all children across the school are encouraged to explore and contribute to.
Each half term, a new mathematical challenge is displayed, designed to promote the use of key Mastery approaches such as reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. These challenges are carefully structured as “low threshold, high ceiling” tasks, ensuring that all pupils can access the problem while also providing opportunities for deeper thinking and extended learning.
At the end of each half term, pupils’ responses are reviewed and celebrated. The house team (Red, Blue, or Yellow) that demonstrates the strongest use of reasoning will be awarded an additional ‘key’ on the team points board. These keys contribute towards a whole-house reward, such as a non-uniform day, fostering both collaboration and a shared enthusiasm for mathematics.
The National Curriculum is delivered through the use of White Rose which is a whole class mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and help children develop confidence in maths. Please see our Parents’ Guide to Maths Mastery below, to find out more information.
Parents-Guide-What-is-Maths-Mastery
Implementation:
How are lessons taught?
The vision is that each lesson demonstrates the following features:
Planning will be supported by the use of White Rose Maths and various other resources deemed to be appropriate for the teaching and learning of a particular strand or topic such as HfL and Classroom Secrets. Where appropriate, Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract methods (CPA approach) will be used to enhance teaching and learning. This will help children deepen their understanding of the concepts being taught and enhance their learning experience. In EYFS, Power Maths is used to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence. Children grow a growth mindset and develop an early love of maths in preparation for year 1 and beyond.
Formative assessment involving questioning, in the moment marking, observation, challenge and questioning will be used in every lesson. Teachers use developmental marking to further challenge/consolidate learning. The children will complete the ‘End of unit’ White Rose assessments so that teachers can closely track and monitor the children’s progress throughout the topics. At the end of each half term, the children in year 1 to year 6, will also carry out the ‘End of term’ assessments provided by White Rose, to see how much the children have retained over the term. In addition to this, Year 6 undertake previous years’ SATS papers for the same purpose.
Maths will be monitored via ‘Learning Journal Looks’ and feedback, learning walks and observations, pupil voice and pupil progress meetings where progress and attainment will be discussed and next steps put into place.
We are committed to the continuous professional development of our staff to ensure high-quality mathematics teaching across the school. This is supported through a range of approaches, including coaching, mentoring, team teaching, peer observations, and access to high-quality training courses.
Our Maths Lead regularly attends Maths Mastery training and shares key learning with all staff to support the consistent implementation of mastery approaches throughout the school.
In addition, a dedicated online platform (Padlet) has been established to provide staff with easy access to a wide range of CPD materials and resources. This is regularly updated, enabling staff to engage with current research, best practice, and ongoing professional learning at their convenience.
Impact:
Our mastery approach to mathematics has had a significant and positive impact on pupils’ learning, confidence, and enjoyment of the subject. By focusing on depth of understanding rather than acceleration, children develop secure foundations and are able to apply their knowledge flexibly across a range of contexts.
Through carefully structured lessons that incorporate small steps, mathematical talk, and the use of concrete and pictorial representations, pupils are supported to fully understand concepts before moving on. This approach has led to increased confidence, with children becoming more willing to take risks, share their thinking, and learn from mistakes.
Pupils increasingly view themselves as capable and successful mathematicians. They demonstrate resilience when faced with challenges and take pride in explaining and justifying their reasoning. The consistent emphasis on problem solving and reasoning has strengthened pupils’ ability to think critically and articulate their ideas clearly.
We have also seen a notable improvement in pupils’ enjoyment of mathematics. Lessons are engaging, inclusive, and accessible to all, ensuring that every child can experience success. As a result, children approach maths with a positive attitude and a growing enthusiasm, recognising it as a subject in which they can achieve and thrive.
Next Steps: