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Mastering Number

At Joseph Turner Primary, we follow the Mastering Number programme to ensure all children develop strong number sense and confidence with early arithmetic. This programme is delivered in four 10‑minute sessions each week and is used from Early Years through to Year 5, with each phase building securely on the one before it.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In EYFS, Mastering Number focuses on giving children a deep, practical understanding of number. Through carefully structured activities, children learn to:

  • Subitise (recognise small quantities without counting)

  • Compare quantities

  • Understand the composition of numbers

  • Build early patterns and relationships

  • Develop strong foundations for counting and early calculation

Sessions are highly interactive, using real objects, visual patterns and playful tasks to help children see and feel the structure of number. These early experiences ensure children enter Year 1 with the confidence to reason about numbers, not just recite them.

Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)

In KS1, Mastering Number strengthens pupils’ understanding of key number facts and relationships to support fluency. The short, daily sessions focus on:

  • Number bonds within 10 and 20

  • Understanding doubles and near doubles

  • Counting strategies and patterns

  • Flexible addition and subtraction strategies

  • Developing strong mental calculation skills

Pupils continue to use concrete resources like Rekenreks and visual representations to deepen understanding before moving to more abstract thinking. This daily practice allows children to recall facts quickly and apply them confidently in their wider maths lessons.

Years 3, 4 and 5

In Lower Key Stage 2, and into Year 5, Mastering Number builds on earlier learning and extends pupils’ understanding of number structure and recall. Sessions focus on:

  • Strengthening times tables understanding and recall

  • Building flexible mental calculation strategies

  • Deepening understanding of place value

  • Strengthening fluency with number facts and patterns

  • Preparing for more complex written and mental methods

The aim is for every child to become confident, fluent and flexible with number so they can tackle more demanding reasoning and problem-solving across the curriculum.

Why We Use Mastering Number

Across all phases, Mastering Number:

  • Provides consistent and progressive number teaching

  • Fills gaps and strengthens key foundations

  • Improves fluency and confidence

  • Ensures children build secure number sense before moving on

  • Supports mastery teaching by developing deep understanding rather than quick tricks

The daily 10‑minute sessions ensure number fluency is prioritised and embedded throughout the school, supporting all children on their journey to becoming confident mathematicians.

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