Maths

At The Linden Academy, we believe it’s never too early to explore and enjoy the world of numbers. From our youngest learners in EYFS to our confident problem-solvers in Year 6, we are committed to nurturing a love of mathematics that will stay with our pupils for life.

Our approach is grounded in the belief that all children can succeed in maths. We use the White Rose Maths framework to guide our curriculum design and ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum. Lessons are carefully adapted to meet the needs of our learners, allowing all children to access the content, develop confidence, and experience success. From hands-on exploration to sophisticated reasoning, we build mathematical understanding step by step, using concrete resources, pictorial models, and abstract thinking (CPA).

Children encounter rich learning experiences daily. They engage with maths through practical activities, stories, songs, and games, especially in the early years. As they progress, we offer structured opportunities for fluency, reasoning and problem-solving through our consistent whole-school structure: Do Now → I Do → We Do → You Do. This ensures all children experience high-quality modelling, active participation, timely assessment for learning, and the chance to practise new skills with confidence.

We actively reduce cognitive overload by maintaining clear, purposeful slides, consistent lesson structures, and carefully chosen vocabulary supported by images and definitions. Retrieval practice and fluency work are built into every lesson, helping children make connections to prior learning and build long-term understanding. Our school-wide fluency programme, Number Ninja, provides regular practice of mental and written strategies, supporting children in selecting the most efficient methods and becoming confident, agile mathematicians.

Our Aims

We aim to create mathematicians who are:

• Confident and enthusiastic about maths
• Fluent with number facts and written methods
• Able to reason clearly and justify their thinking
• Equipped to solve real-life problems and approach challenges with resilience
• Curious, independent thinkers who enjoy mathematical exploration

Subject Content

Our curriculum is designed to:

• Foster positive attitudes and enjoyment of maths through practical, purposeful learning
• Build strong number sense and place value understanding from EYFS onwards
• Support mastery through small-step progression and consistent representations
• Offer regular opportunities to retrieve, apply and deepen knowledge
• Provide challenge and adaptation for all learners, ensuring equity and excellence

Year Group Expectations

We have clearly defined end-of-year expectations for every year group to ensure progression and clarity. Pupils move from early counting and number bonds to solving multi-step problems with fractions, algebra, and ratio by Year 6. Our expectations are detailed in our full maths approach document and supported by high-quality teaching, resources and professional development.

Enriching Mathematical Thinking

Children learn best when they see the relevance of what they’re learning. That’s why we use real-life contexts, rich stories and diverse role models to bring maths to life. In EYFS and KS1, maths concepts are introduced through beautifully illustrated storybooks and engaging activities. In KS2, pupils explore the journeys of inspirational mathematicians to understand how maths shapes careers and everyday life.

Celebrating Maths at The Linden Academy

At The Linden Academy, we believe that maths should be enjoyable, memorable and accessible to all children. Throughout the year, we enrich our curriculum with meaningful and exciting experiences to develop a love for maths and celebrate mathematical thinking. From timetable tournaments that ignite friendly competition to our annual 'Maths Through Stories' week where every lesson is inspired by a narrative, we create opportunities for all children to connect with maths in new and creative ways.

We also take part in national celebrations such as Number Day, where children dress up in anything maths-related and participate in activities such as 'Guess How Many Sweets in the Jar' to raise money for charity. These experiences allow children to see the fun and real-life relevance of maths and help break down the barriers some may feel towards the subject.

After all, when have you ever heard a child say, 'I don’t like being read to' or 'I don’t like a story?' Through stories, games, competitions and collaborative problem-solving, our pupils discover that maths is all around them — and that it can be deeply enjoyable.

Our Commitment

We are committed to ensuring that every child:

• Achieves success in mathematics, regardless of starting point
• Builds securely on prior learning through carefully sequenced teaching
• Develops independence, resilience, and confidence
• Leaves us fully prepared for the next stage of their education

Mathematics is a subject for everyone—and at The Linden Academy, we make that a reality.