I like that Maths lessons involve challenging problems to solve

Alexander, Year 2

The aim of our Maths teaching is to create independent, curious and confident mathematicians. The Maths curriculum at St Peter's covers, and goes beyond, the National Curriculum. As a whole school we have adopted the Abacus scheme of work, produced by Pearson Education, designed to complement the 2014 updated National Curriculum and mastery approach to Maths teaching. This scheme is used in conjunction with teachers' own resources and materials appropriate for the abilities of each child.

At St Peter’s, we strive to provide a strong foundation of Maths skills for all of our students and to realise the potential of each individual. We aim to make Maths fun, interactive, and practical. We make the most of Maths challenges and team competitions to encourage participation and ensure our pupils are enthusiastic about achieving great results and ‘having a go’.

Our team of enthusiastic and inspirational Class Teachers ensure that the basic techniques of Maths are learnt through understanding and repetition. Our traditional approach is enriched by our use of technology. This includes interactive whiteboards and a variety of online programs, websites and practical activities which bring Maths to life and help with the understanding of core concepts.

Through hands-on activities, pupils in Early Years and Lower School have access to appropriate physical materials and practical resources. The tangible objects ensure deep understanding of basic principles. Across the school, a strong emphasis is placed on the process rather than simply the outcome and we strive to make Maths enthralling for all of our young learners whilst striving to ensure that a sense of achievement is experienced for all.

Many Upper School pupils take part in the external Primary Maths Challenge and UK Maths Challenge which gives talented mathematicians the opportunity to be stretched. School subscriptions to Maths Ninja, Timestables RockStars and Numbots, along with regular IT use in lessons also boosts enthusiasm for the subject across the school. Maths is assessed regularly using end of unit tests but we formally assess every child at the end of each term in Number, Shape, Measurement, Data and Problem Solving to develop a whole-child picture of their abilities and difficulties.