A mastery curriculum rejects the idea that a large proportion of people ‘just can’t do maths’ (NCETM 2016) and instead focuses on the idea that all pupils can achieve depth in their learning which can be accomplished by using key principles including:

• representation and structure (effective pedagogies for modelling, concrete-pictorial-abstract approaches, effective use of manipulatives and transition between them)
• coherence (curriculum design, progression of objectives, sequencing learning, small steps, contextualising learning between different areas of mathematics)
• mathematical thinking (effective questioning, identifying patterns and relationships, deep understanding through reasoning and problem solving, supporting children to achieve deeper learning where appropriate)
• variation (progression through representations using conceptual variation, progression through questioning using procedural variation)
• fluency (efficiency, accuracy, flexibility, developing unconscious competence)

These elements of effective mathematics teaching are supported in both the National Curriculum and the Ofsted Inspection Framework.

The scheme provides teachers with comprehensive planning materials for each lesson including teaching resources, detailed planning guidance and children’s task sheets, including deeper learning tasks to challenge more able mathematicians.