Maths

At Wisbech St Mary, we passionately believe in following a Maths Mastery Curriculum. This allows our children to achieve a sustained, deep, conceptual understanding of mathematics, enabling them to achieve or exceed national expectations by the end of each key stage. Through high-quality, creative, and inclusive lessons, we aim to inspire excitement and curiosity about mathematics while helping children make meaningful connections between their learning and the world around them.

Our children will:

Become FLUENT in their mental and written calculation skills.
REASON and EXPLAIN their mathematical thinking with confidence.
SOLVE PROBLEMS by applying their mathematical knowledge across a range of contexts.

Our curriculum is supported by the Complete Maths platform, including the Tutor element, to help every child achieve their full potential.

Our Teaching for Mastery approach is underpinned by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) Five Big Ideas.

Coherence

Our maths lessons are carefully broken down into small, connected steps that gradually develop each concept, providing access for all children. This approach builds secure understanding and enables pupils to apply their knowledge confidently across different contexts.

Representation and Structure

From Nursery to Year 6, children use a range of concrete resources, pictorial representations, and manipulatives to support calculations and deepen their understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. As understanding develops, children become increasingly confident in working with abstract representations alone.

Mathematical Thinking

Deep understanding comes through active thinking, reasoning, and discussion. At Wisbech St Mary, children are encouraged to explain their ideas, challenge their thinking, and collaborate with peers to develop mathematical confidence.

Fluency

Alongside reasoning, children develop quick and efficient recall of key facts and procedures, such as times tables, while gaining the flexibility to work confidently across different mathematical contexts and representations.

Variation

Variation is central to our teaching. Teachers present mathematical concepts in different ways to promote deep understanding while carefully sequencing learning activities to highlight patterns, relationships, and mathematical structures.

It is the importance and interconnectedness of these Five Big Ideas that help our children become successful mathematicians.

TT Rock Stars

Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables! At Wisbech St Mary, Year 2 to 6 have a TTRS account. To be a Times Table Rock Star you need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds! Each child will be given a Rock Speed and Status based on how quickly they can answer questions and how many they can answer correctly.

The Rock Speeds and Statuses

By answering a question in the given times below, these are the statuses you can achieve!

Rock Hero - 1 second per question or less
Rock Legend - 2 seconds per question or less
Rock Star - 3 seconds per question or less
Headliner - 4 seconds per question or less
Support Act - 5 seconds per question or less
Breakthrough Artist - 6 seconds per question or less
Unsigned Act - 7 seconds per question or less
Gigger - 8 seconds per question or less
Busker - 9 seconds per question or less
Garage Rocker - 10 seconds per question or less
Wannabe - more than 10 seconds per question

Game Types

There are 5 games that you can play online:

Garage:

Single player
Teacher sets the times tables
Games are 1, 2 or 3 minutes long, you can choose!
10 coins per correct answer

Studio:

Lots of questions - 12x12
Improve your Rock Speed and Status on this game!
Games are 1 minute long
1 coin per correct answer

Arena:

Multiplayer
Teacher sets the times tables
Compete against your friends in the class
Games are 1 minute long
Earn 1 coin per correct answer

Festival:

Play against children from around the world!
Lots of questions - 12x12
Games are 1 minute long
Earn 1 coin per correct answer

Soundcheck:

25 questions with a 6 second time limit for each
Multiplication only
Earn 5 coins per correct answer
Simulates the Multiplication Table Check which Year 4 children will sit in June.

Remember, the more you play and the more questions you get correct, the more coins you can earn for your Avatar! Can you master your Times Tables and become a Rock Star?

You can download the free app for the Apple and Android Store.

Mastering Number in EYFS and KS1

Across Reception and KS1, we have implemented a new and exciting Mastering Number maths project. This project aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. The aim over time is that children will leave KS1 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number. Attention will be given to key knowledge and understanding needed in Reception classes, and progression through KS1 to support success in the future.

Mastering Number is a new programme which was offered to schools in 2021/22 by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) and the Maths Hubs Network. It aims to develop solid number sense, including fluency and flexibility with number facts, which will have a lasting impact on future learning for all children. It also involves high quality professional development for teachers. We are now in the 'Embedding the Impact' area of the programme.

The project is delivered by our teachers who deliver a daily session of 10 to 15 minutes in addition to their daily maths lesson. We use the provided resources such as: lesson plans, visual resources and practical equipment to ensure consistency with the training our staff have received. Central to the programme is a small, abacus-like piece of equipment called a Rekenrek, which is provided to the school to use.

At Wisbech St Mary we have decided to implement this program in school with the intention of strengthening our children’s understanding of early number. Our aim is to provide our children with the automaticity, rapid recollection and confidence with basic number facts e.g. subitising, number bonds within 20, odd and even, addition and subtraction, enabling our children to enter KS2 with these key fundamental strategies solidified within their long term memory. Our intent at Wisbech St Mary C of E Academy is to ensure all children can be successful in the study of mathematics and we firmly believe that all can achieve mathematics success!

Maths at Home

Numbots

The creators of Times Tables Rock Stars have produced a platform for boosting addition and subtraction skills, called NumBots.

Big Difference

NumBots is an online game (App can be found in your App store) and playing little and often will significantly improve your child’s recall and understanding of number bonds and addition and subtraction facts. These are critical foundations in maths so we are excited by the impact NumBots will have.

Logging In

To access this, the children need to use their usernames and passwords that have been sent home. If they cannot find this, children should ask their teachers to reissue this information. They might need some help navigating to the website and entering the details but once they’re in, they just need some quiet space to get on with the games for 5 minutes.

Important: please don’t allow siblings, friends or family to answer for them but do support your child if they’re stuck.

Little and Often

In order to get the best out of NumBots children should regularly play for short bursts so we would ask you to give them 5 minutes daily.

Game Types

Story Mode - the emphasis is on learning the ideas and concepts behind addition and subtraction so it features more diagrams, shapes and question styles.
Challenge Mode - the emphasis is more on speed of recall of key facts, like number bonds to 10, doubling small numbers or adding & taking away in your head.

Please let your child’s teacher know if you have any questions.

YouCubed Posters

Introduction

This term, we’re excited to share a series of YouCubed posters withyou. These posters are designed to inspire positive mathematical mindsets in children, encouraging curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning.

Every few weeks, we’ll post a new poster that highlights an important idea about how we can all grow as mathematicians.They’re simple, powerful reminders that maths is not just about right answers—it’s about thinking, exploring, and discovering.

We hope these posters spark conversations at home and help children see themselves as capable and creative problem-solvers.

Mrs Bradshaw

Our First Poster - Believe In Yourself, It Changes What You Can Do!

This week, we introduced the very first poster in assembly:“Believe In Yourself, It Changes What You Can Do!”
The children heard how believing in themselves can make a hugedifference—not just in maths, but in everything they try. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be looking out for pupils who demonstrate this message by showing confidence, persistence, and a willingness to have a go, even when something feels tricky.

Family Tip: When you share this poster at home, you might say:"This poster reminds us that believing in ourselves makes a bigdifference. Can you think of a time when you kept trying, even whenit was tricky, and surprised yourself with what you could do?"

We hope these posters spark conversations both in school and at home, helping children to see that confidence and effort really do change what’s possible.

Introducing Our Second Youcubed Poster: Everyone Can Learn Maths to High Levels!

We’re excited to share our second Youcubed poster with you. Its message is simple but powerful: there is no such thing as a “maths person.” Everybody can grow their maths brain, and learning maths is about building and strengthening pathways in the brain.

The poster shows three ways this growth happens:

New pathways form when children learn something brand new.
Existing pathways strengthen when they practise and revisit ideas.
Different pathways connect when they see links between concepts, like noticing how fractions relate to division.

This means mistakes, practice, and connections are all part of the journey. Struggle isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of growth!

Ideas for Parents at Home

Here are some simple ways you can support this growth outside the classroom:

Celebrate mistakes: When your child makes an error, talk about what they learned from it. Remind them mistakes help the brain grow.
Play maths games: Board games, card games, or puzzles encourage problem‑solving and strengthen pathways.
Spot maths in everyday life: Cooking involves fractions and ratios, shopping uses addition and subtraction, and sports involve measurement and statistics.
Encourage multiple strategies: Ask, “Can you think of another way to solve it?” This helps connect different pathways.
Talk about maths positively: Share your own curiosity, even if you find maths tricky. Children pick up on attitudes.

Why This Matters

When children believe they can grow their maths brains, they approach challenges with confidence. This poster is a reminder that maths success isn’t about being born with talent—it’s about effort, practice, and making connections.

Together, at school and at home, we can help every child see themselves as a capable mathematician.

Introducing Our Third Youcubed Poster: Mistakes and Challenge Grow the Brain!

We’re excited to share our third Youcubed poster with you. This poster highlights a message we are reinforcing in the classroom every day:

Mistakes and challenges are the BEST times for your child’s brain!

When children make a mistake or find something difficult, their brains spark with activity. These moments create new connections and strengthen existing ones. Struggle isn’t a setback—it’s a sign of learning happening right there in the moment.

The poster reminds children that:

Struggle is good — it means their brain is doing important work.
Mistakes help the brain grow — they activate brain pathways and deepen understanding.
Working hard builds resilience — sticking with a challenge helps children become flexible, confident thinkers.

This helps children see mistakes not as something to avoid, but as powerful opportunities to grow.

Ideas for Parents at Home

Here are some simple, practical ways you can help your child celebrate mistakes and embrace challenge outside the classroom:

Celebrate mistakes as learning opportunities

When a mistake happens, try saying:

“Great! Your brain just grew!”
“Mistakes help us learn—what can we try next?”
This shifts the focus from perfection to progress.

Talk about challenges positively

Share moments from your own day when something felt difficult. Children learn by seeing adults model persistence and problem‑solving.

Encourage a growth-mindset vocabulary

Phrases like:

“This is challenging because you’re learning something new.”
“Let’s think about what this mistake is teaching us.”
These help children stay motivated during tough tasks.

Explore puzzles and problems together

Jigsaws, strategy games, and brain teasers naturally build resilience and show that challenges can be enjoyable.

Focus on strategies, not speed

Ask questions such as:

“What strategy did you try?”
“Can you explain your thinking?”
This encourages deeper thinking and celebrates the process rather than the result.

Why This Matters

When children understand that mistakes help their brains grow, they approach learning with confidence instead of fear. They become more resilient, more willing to take risks, and more open to challenging themselves.

Together—at home and in school—we can help every child see mistakes as meaningful stepping stones on their learning journey.