In the Early Years, Maths is taught as a whole class using a Mastery Approach. Teaching maths in mixed ability enables support for the slower graspers, as well as providing opportunities to challenge the more able. Teaching includes counting confidently, developing an in depth understanding of the Number System to 10, looking closely at the relationship between them and the patterns within those numbers. 

Each maths session begins with a contextual problem which the children are encouraged to explore and problem solve using their own resources and then this leads onto a discussion with their talk partner. With this approach, there is an emphasis on teaching and embedding key vocabulary to allow the children to explain their thinking. Some of of these key questions that the children will explore are: 

- What do you notice? 

- Is it the same?

-  Is it different?

- How do you know? 

- Can you prove it?