At Joseph Turner Primary, we are committed to ensuring that every child develops a deep and secure understanding of number before progressing to formal written methods. To support this, we have created comprehensive written calculation guidance that outlines the progression of strategies for all four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Our guidance is deliberately not linked to specific year groups. Instead, it is organised into small, carefully sequenced steps that reflect how mathematical understanding develops over time. This approach ensures that pupils move forward only when they have secured the foundational knowledge needed for the next stage.

By focusing on conceptual understanding first, we enable pupils to:

• Build strong number sense
• Understand the structure behind calculations
• Use concrete and pictorial representations effectively
• Make connections between different methods
• Approach formal written strategies with confidence and accuracy

This progression supports consistency across the school and ensures that all teachers have a shared understanding of how calculation methods develop. It also allows teachers to tailor learning to pupils’ needs, ensuring they receive the right level of challenge and support at the right time.