tHIS IS HOW WE DO IT HERE - teaching and learning maths in the junior school
Every parent wants their child to feel confident and curious about maths. At King Edward’s Junior School, we make that happen by turning numbers into exciting discoveries and helping every child see themselves as a mathematician in the making.
With the right support, challenge, and encouragement, all pupils can achieve their full potential in maths and, crucially, enjoy the journey along the way!
Mathematics at KES is vibrant, purposeful, and rooted in curiosity. Our aim is not just to teach children how to “do” maths, but to help them think mathematically – to reason, question and make sense of the world through numbers and patterns.
Our Approach
From Year 3 onwards, pupils are grouped by attainment to ensure that every learner receives the right balance of challenge and support. This flexible system means we can:
- Stretch our most able mathematicians, some even exploring senior school level concepts, and
- Build confidence in those who need extra time to strengthen key skills.
As you might expect, the ‘KES Difference’ sees our curriculum go beyond the National Curriculum, focusing on fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving, the three pillars of mathematical mastery. Lessons are rich, varied and interactive, drawing on both established programmes and teacher-designed activities tailored to our pupils’ needs.
Learning Together
We understand that learning is a partnership. That’s why we encourage parents to support their child with short, daily practice sessions (around 10 minutes) and to maintain open communication with our teachers. To support learning at home, we recently invited parents to school to see first-hand how we teach and learn Maths at the Junior School, sharing practical tips to use at home to ignite confidence in the subject.
Beyond the Classroom
To inspire a love of mathematics outside of lessons, we provide exciting opportunities for enrichment and challenge throughout the year. Pupils regularly take part in national competitions such as the Primary Maths Challenge, First Maths Challenge and The Quiz (Maths), alongside our own in-school events that celebrate creativity and achievement in every form.
A highlight of our academic calendar is Maths Week at KES, a five-day celebration of problem-solving, curiosity, and fun. In November the whole school comes alive with engaging activities, including:
- Daily Puzzle of the Day challenges designed by our teachers
- A Times Tables Challenge through MathShed
- A Mathematical Art Competition, where pupils express their understanding of maths through shape, symmetry and design
- Hands-on puzzles with The Problem-Solving Company, including cracking codes to unlock escape-room style boxes
Tools That Make a Difference
We use a range of high-quality online tools to enhance and extend learning both in school and at home. These include:
- NRICH – inspiring, open-ended problems that develop reasoning skills
- Seneca Learning – interactive revision and adaptive quizzes
- Corbettmaths – clear video tutorials and practice questions
- White Rose Maths – structured, mastery-based learning sequences
- MathShed – making times tables and homework practice engaging
- For advanced exploration: Dr Frost Maths, GeoGebra, and Desmos
At King Edward Junior School, we are not just teaching maths, we are nurturing confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. Every child is encouraged to see themselves as capable, resilient and ready to tackle any challenge, both inside and outside the classroom.
If you would like to find out more about Teaching and Learning at our Junior School, contact our Admissions department here. Alternatively, click here to find out more the Junior School's specialist teachers and facilities.
