At Shap School, we believe that all children are  mathematicians.

Our Christian vision calls us to live in harmony within our community, nurturing one another so that all can soar. This is lived out in our maths classrooms: children listen to and learn from one another, feel secure enough to have a go, share an idea, make a mistake and try again. This is what it means to offer children “a safe branch from which to soar” in maths. We want every child to develop secure mathematical understanding, confidence, enjoyment and curiosity. Maths helps children make sense of the world beyond the classroom. Whether noticing patterns and measuring in our local environment or using number to make everyday decisions, children learn that their mathematical knowledge has a purpose.

Our aim is for every child to leave Shap with secure foundations and the confidence to continue learning and soaring.

We use teaching for mastery to help children build understanding over time. Teachers introduce ideas in small, connected steps and use practical equipment, pictures, mathematical representations, discussion and carefully chosen questions to help children understand how and why maths works. Children practise important number facts so they can use them confidently. They also explain their thinking, make connections, spot patterns and solve problems. Teachers check what children understand through timely assessments and retrieval exercises and they then use this to plan the individual support or challenge our children need next.

Every child belongs in our maths classrooms.

We have high expectations for all children. We adapt teaching so that children can access and participate in the important mathematical ideas being taught. Clear explanations, carefully selected resources, opportunities to talk and timely support help children build understanding. Children who grasp an idea quickly are given the tools they need to explore it in greater depth.

Maths also contributes to our children’s spiritual development by offering opportunities to wonder, notice patterns and connections, and appreciate the order and beauty of the world around them. Children are encouraged to pause, reflect and share what they discover, including when they find an unexpected solution or see a familiar idea in a new way. As they work together, they learn to listen respectfully and value different ways of thinking.