At our school, we’re proud to teach children in mixed-age classes. This approach allows us to build a strong sense of community and tailor learning to each child’s stage of development. Our maths lessons are carefully planned to ensure all children are challenged, supported and are able to make progress.
What Is a Mastery Approach?
We follow a mastery approach to maths, which means:
- Every child is taught key concepts in depth.
- Lessons focus on understanding, reasoning, and problem solving. This builds understanding rather than simply encouraging children to find the right answer.
- Children are supported and challenged through rich tasks, not by rushing ahead to new topics.
We use a teaching method called Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA), which helps children understand ideas using hands-on resources, visual models, and written methods.
How Do We Plan Lessons?
Children in the same class often work on similar maths objectives, with tasks adapted to suit their level of understanding. This means:
- All children benefit from shared teaching and discussion.
- Activities are designed to be accessible and challenging for different learners.
- Children are taught based on their stage, not just their age.
We use trusted resources like White Rose Maths, adapting them to suit our mixed-age structure. This includes:
- Aligning topics across year groups
- Using consistent models like bar models and part-whole diagrams
- Adjusting the level of challenge through reasoning and problem-solving tasks
What Does a Typical Lesson Look Like?
A 50-minute maths lesson might include:
-
Quick Practice
Reviewing number facts, times tables or arithmetic skills to warm up. -
Teaching Input
Introducing the day’s concept using visuals and hands-on resources. -
Independent Work
Children work through tasks that build from fluency to reasoning and problem solving. -
Support and Challenge
Teachers work with small groups to provide extra help or deeper challenge. -
Plenary
Reflecting on learning, sharing strategies, and discussing problem-solving approaches.
How Do We Support Different Learners?
- Children who need extra help may receive pre-teaching (a short session before the lesson) or keep-up support (after the lesson).
- Tasks are adapted to suit different levels, but always focus on the same core idea.
- We use manipulatives (like counters and cubes) and visuals to support understanding for all children.
Encouraging Reasoning and Problem Solving
We want children to think deeply about maths. That’s why we:
- Ask them to explain their answers
- Explore different ways to solve problems
- Discuss common mistakes and how to fix them
Responsive Teaching
Teachers and support staff give feedback during lessons to help children improve straight away. If a child needs extra support, we respond quickly with:
- In-lesson help
- Short follow-up sessions
- Pre-teaching for the next day’s lesson