At Fairfield Primary School, we believe mathematics is more than numbers—it’s about problem‑solving, reasoning, and discovering patterns in the world around us. Our goal is to help every child develop confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning through engaging and purposeful maths experiences.

At Fairfield Primary School, our goal is to nurture confident, curious, and capable mathematicians. Mathematics teaching is aligned with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 and guided by evidence‑based practices that keep students engaged, motivated, and successful. All strands of the curriculum are taught through carefully planned sequences of learning, with the four proficiencies—Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, and Reasoning—embedded across every year level. These proficiencies shape our planning, teaching, and assessment.

Our instructional model

We use a hybrid instructional model designed to meet the needs of all learners. Teachers follow the gradual release of responsibility approach—“I Do, We Do, You Do”—where new concepts are explicitly modelled, practised together, and then applied independently. This ensures clarity and confidence for every student.

In addition, fortnightly lessons use the “Launch, Explore, Summarise” model, encouraging deeper problem‑solving and investigation. From Foundation to Year 6, students engage in at least five hours of Mathematics each week, with a strong focus on building automaticity in foundational skills such as number facts and place value.

Challenging mathematical tasks

Problem‑solving is at the heart of our program. Through Launch, Explore, Summarise lessons, students:

  • Launch tasks with clear expectations and connections to prior learning.

  • Explore strategies and problem-solving approaches, supported by explicit teaching.

  • Access enabling prompts, given by the teacher, which provides entry points for all learners.

  • Extend and deepen their thinking by responding to challenging prompts.

  • Summarise learning by sharing strategies – making thinking visible – and drawing out key concepts as a class.

These lessons encourage investigation, multiple solutions, and learning from mistakes. Students strengthen their reasoning and communication by explaining and justifying their thinking, building deep mathematical understanding.

What our senior students say

  • “My teacher makes learning maths really fun.”

  • “You get to learn and make something you can be proud of.”

  • “Your teacher will give you an extension when you need it.”

  • “The education here fits a multitude of people. You have a really different mix of levels in the classroom, and the teachers cater to everyone.”

  • “The teachers teach maths in a fun and interesting way.”

  • “We have the option for tutoring when someone needs more support and a higher ability program for extension.”

  • “I really enjoyed learning about converting decimals and percentages. It helped me to make my wildlife enclosure. It has been really hands‑on and fun.”

Our goal

We want every student at Fairfield Primary School to leave as a confident, capable, and curious mathematician, equipped with the skills to solve problems, justify their reasoning, and apply mathematical thinking well beyond the classroom.

Further information

For families and community members who would like to explore more about mathematics teaching and learning, we recommend the following resources: