Curriculum Intent: Maths

At Kingsnorth Church of England Primary School, our intent is for every child to develop a deep, long-term, secure, and adaptable understanding of mathematics. Grounded in our Christian values—Compassion, Friendship, Trust, Community, and Perseverance—and our motto, "With Faith Endeavour to Achieve," we foster a learning community built on God’s love where every pupil can flourish.

We firmly believe that all children can succeed in Maths, debunking the myth that anyone is simply "not good" at the subject. Speed is an outcome, not the ultimate goal; rapid recall is built on a foundation of structural understanding, visual representation, and relational reasoning.

Our Curriculum Approach & Delivery

Our curriculum design ensures children move fluently between concrete objects, pictorial representations, and abstract methods to build complete confidence and competence.

• Oak National Academy Core Curriculum: Delivered daily for whole-class main unit instruction, conceptual understanding, and problem-solving aligned with NCETM materials.

• Mastering Number Framework: Delivered daily across EYFS, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2 to establish early number sense, arithmetic structures, and subitising routines.

• NCETM Mastery Principles: Embedded daily through small-step progression, variation, stem sentences, and the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) continuum.

• Mathematical Language: We insist on precise mathematical vocabulary to empower mathematical thinking. Children use stem sentences (e.g., "If I know 6 times 7 = 42, then I know 60 times 7 = 420 because 60 is 10 times greater than 6") to explain their logic clearly.

Learning Progression Across Key Stages

Stage / Year Group	Core Conceptual Focus	Key Representations & Provision
EYFS & Key Stage 1	Unitising, equal groups, skip counting, doubling, halving, pattern spotting, and part-part-whole relationships.	Physical manipulatives, ten-frames, rekenreks, equal group drawings, and daily Mastering Number at KS1 sessions.
Lower KS2 (Y3 & Y4)	Arrays, commutativity, scaling, column operations, fraction concepts, and fact-family connections.	Arrays, area models, bar models, number lines, Mastering Number at KS2, and preparation for the national Multiplication Tables Check (MTC).
Upper KS2 (Y5 & Y6)	Derived facts, multiplicative relationships, 2-digit long operations, decimals, percentages, and proportional reasoning.	Abstract equations, area models, ratio tables, factor pairs, low-stakes retrieval, and application across subjects like Science.

Developing Multiplicative Thinking & Home Learning

Learning key facts (such as times tables and number bonds) frees up working memory for complex problem-solving. Rather than relying on high-pressure timed drills or rote memorisation, we teach strategies:

1. Awareness of the commutative law – that I might not know my 7s for 7x5 but realise I know the answer to 5x7 as I know my 5s and I appreciate the answer will be the same.
2. Use of nearby known facts – for example, I know that 7x7=49, therefore 7x8 must be 56 as it will be an extra 7. This could involve going up or down to get to the required multiple.
3. The ability to scale answers up by doubling – for example that the 4s are double the 2s, and the 8s double the 4s. To contemplate doing this, I have to appreciate that there’s a relationship.
4. The ability to scale answers down by halving – in particular that if I know x10 of something then I can calculate x5 by halving.
5. The ability to partition where appropriate – particularly useful for multiplication involving numbers above 10.
6. Developing awareness of the odd or even nature of an answer – in part because this can help us to spot an unexpected answer and allow us to check it.

Children practice daily in school and are expected to complement this with regular practice at home:

• Times Tables Rock Stars: Key Stage 2 pupils are required to practice at home a minimum of 3 times weekly (introduced to Year 2 pupils from December).

• Recommended Free Resources:

  • www.timestables.com

  • Topmarks: Hit the Button

  • White Rose One Minute Maths

  • Math Playground

  • Splash Learn

  • Primary Games Arena

Subject Leadership Contact

If you have any questions regarding the teaching and learning of Mathematics at Kingsnorth Primary School, please reach out to our Maths Subject Leaders:

• Mrs Leah Nock: lhoward@kingsnorth.kent.sch.uk

• Mrs Jo Hunt: jhunt@kingsnorth.kent.sch.uk