In summary, mathematics teaching should:

• provide children with a balance of exploration, acquisition, consolidation and application
• ensure that children experience the excitement of learning mathematics
• direct and steer children to explore, identify and use rules, patterns and properties and model this process
• build in frequent short and sharp periods of practice and consolidation
• engage with children's thinking, giving sufficient time for dialogue and discussion and space to think
• demonstrate the correct use of mathematical vocabulary, language and symbols, images, diagrams and models as tools to support and extend thinking
• give well-directed opportunities for children to use and apply their learning
• teach children how to evaluate solutions and analyse methods and understand why some methods are more efficient than others
• pause and take stock to review children's learning with them
• model with children how they identify their learning skills, and manage and review their own learning.