Welcome to Maths at Green Lane Primary Academy

“Equations and symbols aren’t just a thing. They’re a voice that speaks out about the incredible richness of nature…” – Hannah Fry

At Green Lane, we believe that maths is much more than numbers on a page – it is a vital part of every child’s education and everyday life. It helps children make sense of the world around them – from counting and measuring to solving problems and spotting patterns. Our aim is to nurture confident, curious learners who enjoy maths and understand its value beyond the classroom.

We want every child to develop a secure and deep understanding of key mathematical ideas, so they can apply them confidently in a range of situations. Whether it’s budgeting pocket money, telling the time, or understanding data, maths is a life skill that empowers children.

We are committed to making maths accessible and enjoyable for all children, regardless of their background, ability, or learning needs. We foster a positive mindset, encouraging children to see mistakes as part of learning and to approach challenges with resilience and determination.

Why We Love Maths

At Green Lane, we love maths because it opens doors to understanding the world in exciting and meaningful ways. Maths is everywhere – in nature, technology, art, and everyday life. It gives us the tools to explore, question, and solve problems. It’s not just about getting the right answer; it’s about thinking creatively, spotting patterns, and making connections.

We believe maths builds confidence and resilience. It teaches children that mistakes are part of learning and that perseverance leads to success. Through maths, children develop critical skills like reasoning, problem-solving, and logical thinking. These are skills that will serve them well in school and beyond.

Most importantly, maths is fun! Whether it’s cracking puzzles, playing games, or discovering new ideas, we want every child to experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from mastering mathematical concepts. At Green Lane, we celebrate curiosity and encourage every child to see themselves as a mathematician.

What Learning Looks Like

Since 2019, Green Lane has proudly worked with the Archimedes Maths Hub as a Teaching for Mastery School. This means our approach is rooted in national best practice and designed to help children build strong foundations and deep understanding.

Our teaching is guided by the Five Big Ideas in mastery. Four main themes are linked through Coherence as a detailed sequence of maths lessons.

Talking, Exploring and Doing

In Early Years (EYFS) Building the Foundations

We focus on developing strong number sense through the Mastering Number programme from NCETM. It is through early exploration of number that children begin to make sense of the world around them, building essential skills in reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. We also support spatial reasoning, helping children explore shapes, space, and movement using high-quality resources like White Rose Maths and opportunities for children to explore maths in everyday contexts through play and hands-on activities.

From Year 1 to Year 6 – Building up from the foundations

Using the Teaching for Mastery approach, lessons are focused on the most important conceptual knowledge and understanding that pupils need as they progress from Year 1 to Year 6. The concepts, known as ‘Ready to Progress Criteria’, provide a coherent, linked framework to support pupils’ mastery of the National Curriculum for Mathematics as we follow the NCETM Prioritisation Map.

We use a small steps approach, breaking down learning into manageable chunks and using concrete and pictorial representations to help children understand abstract ideas. Every child is encouraged to adopt a “can-do” attitude and feel confident in their progress.

Oracy is a key part of our maths teaching. Children use talk partners, sentence stems, and accurate vocabulary to explain their thinking clearly and confidently.

In order to deliver a tailored and rigorous maths curriculum, we use a wide range of high-quality resources, including:

  • NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation Map
  • NCETM Professional Development materials
  • Oak Academy lessons
  • NRICH problem-solving tasks
  • White Rose Maths Premium Resources

Children also take part in short, daily Mastering Number sessions from Year 1 to Year 5 to strengthen fluency and number sense. Regular retrieval practice and arithmetic sessions help children retain and apply what they’ve learned.

Fun platforms like Numbots and Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) make practice enjoyable and motivating, with certificates and challenges to celebrate progress.

What Makes Us Special

At Green Lane, maths is a whole-school priority. Our staff are trained in the latest national approaches, and our partnership with the Archimedes Maths Hub ensures we stay at the forefront of best practice. Every child benefits from a consistent, high-quality maths education from EYFS to Year 6.

We build mathematicians who are confident, curious, and capable of applying their skills in real life.

How We Know Children Are Succeeding

Success in maths at Green Lane means children can know more, remember more, and do more.

Teachers assess learning throughout lessons, giving instant verbal feedback to help children correct misconceptions and move forward quickly. This approach builds confidence and leads to strong progress.

Formal assessments take place at the end of each unit and term. In KS2, we use standardised tests from maths.co.uk, and in KS1, we use written papers from the Ready to Progress Criteria assessment pack and White Rose Maths. These help teachers track progress and plan next steps.

Children in Years 2 and 6 also complete national SATs assessments at the end of the year.

Above all, we want every child to leave Green Lane with a love of maths, a strong set of skills, and the confidence to use them in the real world.

Key Documents

Ideas For Maths At Home

At Green Lane Primary Academy, all children are given accounts for Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS), Numbots and maths.co.uk (KS2). Regular use of the Numbots and TTRS app is encouraged to develop times tables and fluency with number. There are also other maths websites that we recommend.

WebsiteDescription
Times Tables Rock Stars and NumbotsGames for learning times tables and practising fluency with number.
Maths.co.ukUsed by staff in KS2 for setting homework.
NRichHigh quality maths puzzles and problems.
MathsBotA variety of maths activities and tools for learning.
MathsZoneA wide variety of maths games.
BBC Bitesize – MathsKS2 Maths learning with the BBC.
BBC Bitesize – MathsKS1 Maths learning with the BBC
Top MarksFun and engaging maths games for all ages.
ICT GamesFree maths games for children aged between 5 and 10.