Mathematics

Our teaching is based on the latest research about how children learn best. We focus on building strong number knowledge and confidence so that students feel ready to take on more challenging problems.

Each week, students take part in a mix of hands-on activities, games, real-life problem-solving and practice of key skills. This helps them develop fluency and deepen their understanding of important maths concepts.

We use a clear teaching framework that includes step-by-step instruction followed by guided practice and independent application. This helps students feel supported as they learn — and proud when they succeed.

Daily Reviews

Each day, students take part in short, fast-paced review sessions to revisit important maths concepts they’ve already learned. These sessions are fun, low-pressure, and designed to build confidence by giving students regular practice.

By using familiar routines and clear expectations, we keep the focus on repeated practice — not on lengthy explanations. These quick reviews help strengthen memory, build fluency, and support students to recall key facts, steps and ideas when they need them.

Number fact fluency

At CNPS, we see number fact fluency and number sense as essential tools for every young mathematician. When students can quickly and accurately recall basic facts, it frees up brainpower so they can focus on thinking, reasoning and solving more complex problems.

We make sure these skills are carefully taught and practised before expecting students to work quickly. This helps build confidence and sets students up for success in all areas of mathematics.

How We Teach New Concepts

When introducing new skills or ideas in maths, our teachers carefully break learning down into small, clear steps. This helps every student understand what’s being taught and how to get started.

At the beginning of a lesson, the teacher gives a short demonstration — we call this the "I Do" phase. During this time, students watch and listen as the teacher models the skill or strategy they’ll be practising.

These lessons are interactive, with lots of opportunities for students to join in, ask questions, and try things together. This helps teachers respond to student needs in real time.

As the unit progresses, we gradually reduce the level of support so students take on more of the thinking and problem-solving themselves. This approach helps build independence and deep understanding.

Putting knowledge into action

Once new skills have been taught and practised together, students at CNPS are given opportunities to apply their knowledge independently and in small groups. These tasks are carefully designed to build confidence, encourage deep thinking, and support a positive mindset towards learning.

We offer a wide variety of activities, including:

• Hands-on games, stories, and engaging tasks

• Quick fluency questions to build accuracy and speed

• Step-by-step explanations and worked examples

• Open-ended problems with more than one solution

• Tasks that can be solved in different ways, even if there is only one correct answer

As students work through these tasks, they are encouraged to explain their thinking, try different strategies, and reflect on what they’ve learned. Our daily reviews and live modelling lessons give students the strong foundation they need to succeed in these independent challenges — helping them grow as capable and confident mathematical thinkers.