A clear, repeatable structure that teachers and children can trust.
Big Maths gives every lesson clarity and purpose through a proven structure. Over 1,200 carefully sequenced small steps, from Early Years to Year 6, so teachers always know exactly what to teach next.
The CLIC Lesson Structure
Every Big Maths lesson follows the same clear pattern. Children know what to expect, teachers know what to teach, and every element has a purpose.
Counting
Developing number sense and fluency with the number system. Children count in sequences that build and reinforce their understanding of how numbers work, including place value, multiples, and patterns.
Learn Its
Building instant recall of essential number facts. Three facts, five minutes, three weeks… consistent retrieval practice that moves facts from effort to automaticity. These are the building blocks everything else depends on.
It’s Nothing New
The heart of Big Maths. Every new concept is introduced as an extension of something the child already knows, using child-friendly, often visual strategies that frame and simplify new learning. No leaps. No surprises. No gaps.
Calculation
Applying knowledge to formal calculation methods. By this point, children have the number sense, the facts, and the conceptual understanding they need, so calculation becomes the natural next step, not a source of anxiety.
Why CLIC works: Each element builds on the one before it. Counting develops the number sense that Learn Its depend on. Learn Its provide the instant recall that It’s Nothing New connects to new learning. And Calculation applies everything in context. It’s a single, coherent flow, not four separate activities.
“It’s Nothing New”: confidence before content
The Big Maths vision is a system where each Progress Drive includes explicitly designed, child-friendly (often visual) strategies to reduce anxiety and make new learning feel familiar. We design teaching so that new concepts are introduced as an extension of what pupils already know.
Where appropriate, our Spaced Practice Resources guide pupils through Repeat → Revisit → Real Life Maths → Select questions to consolidate understanding and build durable recall over time.
“If pupils stumble or teachers have to guess, it is not the right Step!”
Learning moves through the I do → We do → You do model, supported by “Remember To” prompts that give children a clear, visible scaffold at every point.
Once a concept has been introduced, children secure it in long-term memory through spaced practice resources. These appear as appropriate to each skill, not every skill needs every type, because Big Maths only provides resources that genuinely serve the learning.
Repeat
Practice questions on the target skill, building fluency through confident repetition of the strategy children have just been taught. Every skill has Repeat resources.
Revisit
Children meet the skill again after a gap, strengthening recall and retention. Revisit resources appear where spaced retrieval genuinely supports the learning.
Real Life Maths
Worded questions that apply the skill in context, helping children see how the maths connects to the world around them. These appear where the skill naturally lends itself to real-world application.
Select
Questions involving pre- or post-target skill elements, encouraging inference and deduction. Select resources appear where making connections between related skills deepens understanding.
I do, We do, You do
Every learning step follows the Gradual Release model, moving children from guided instruction to confident independence.
I do
The teacher models the new skill clearly, showing exactly how it’s done. The “Remember To” prompt is visible on screen, giving children a clear reference point for what matters most.
We do
Teacher and children work through examples together, building confidence step by step. Mini whiteboards mean every child is involved and the teacher can see instantly who’s secure and who needs more support.
You do
Children work independently, applying what they’ve learned. Because the step is small and the prerequisites are secure, success on first attempt is the design goal, not the exception.
“Remember To” prompts are a key part of the scaffold. They appear on every resource and give children a clear, simple reference for the strategy they’re using. Teachers tell us these prompts transform their teaching because children always have something to refer back to, even when working independently.
Progress Drives: over 1,200 small steps from Early Years to Year 6
Big Maths takes broader curriculum statements and breaks them down into smaller, manageable steps. Each strand is a Progress Drive… a carefully sequenced set of learning steps that build towards a larger objective.
Every step includes a Learning Objective and “Remember To” prompts that serve as success criteria. The number of steps in a Progress Drive varies because each one is deliberately small, ensuring no gaps for pupils to fall into.
Steps are mapped to age-related expectations term by term, so teachers can see which steps need to be secured each term to keep learners on track. But crucially, children work from where they actually are, not where the calendar says they should be.
See Progression & Fluency →
Two frameworks, one coherent system
Big Maths covers the full primary maths curriculum through two interconnected frameworks: Basic Skills (CLIC) for number, and Wider Maths (SAFE) for everything else.
Basic Skills — CLIC
- Counting: Number sense, place value, sequences, and patterns
- Learn Its: Instant recall of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts
- It’s Nothing New: Visual strategies that connect new learning to prior knowledge
- Calculation: Formal written methods, built on secure foundations
- Column Methods: Traditional pencil-and-paper algorithms for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, with clear steps of progression mapped directly to the core numeracy in CLIC, so children arrive at formal methods with everything they need already secure
Wider Maths — SAFE
- Shape: Properties, symmetry, angles, position, and movement
- Amounts: Measurement, money, time, and units of measure
- Fractions: Including decimals, percentages, ratio, and proportion
- Explaining Data: Statistics, charts, tables, and interpretation
- Dangerous Maths: Pure number problems, algebra, number patterns, and longer investigations where the answer won’t come quickly or in a straight line, and sometimes there isn’t a single right answer at all
How they connect
- Both frameworks use the same small-step progression model
- Both are mapped to curriculum expectations term by term
- Both are tracked through the same assessment and tracking system
- One subscription covers everything, no bolt-ons needed
Big Maths Beat That!
Every week, every child takes the Beat That! challenge. The questions on each challenge (CLIC, Learn Its and SAFE) represent key knowledge for that term, giving the school perfect transparency as to which pupils are on track.
But Beat That! isn’t just assessment. It’s the moment children talk about at home. Every child targets their own previous score, and every improvement is celebrated with personalised certificates. Full marks, a personal best, moving up a level… there’s always something to celebrate!
And for teachers, the data flows straight into the database identifying Learning Gaps for each child, and populating Tracking reports. No marking, minimal workload. You see instantly which children are secure and which need more support, so Beat That! on Friday drives your teaching and intervention for next week.
See Assessment & Tracking →Big Maths has provided us with clear progression across our whole school where each step is broken down into steps that children can actually understand. Since using Big Maths the children in our school are enthused and gaining confidence.
— Teacher, Durham, England
Used in
Frequently asked questions
Questions from school leaders, maths leads, teachers, and parents — answered clearly.
What is Big Maths?
Big Maths is a whole-school primary mathematics programme used in over 1,500 schools across England, Scotland, Wales, and international schools. Built on the principle that every child can succeed when prerequisites are genuinely secure, it provides a structured lesson framework (CLIC), over 1,200 small learning steps (Progress Drives), weekly assessment (Beat That!), and a complete online resource library, all in one subscription.
What does CLIC stand for in Big Maths?
CLIC stands for Counting, Learn Its, It’s Nothing New, and Calculation, the lesson structure at the heart of Big Maths. Counting develops number sense and fluency. Learn Its builds instant recall of key number facts through short, consistent retrieval practice. It’s Nothing New introduces every new concept as an extension of what a child already knows. Calculation applies all of that knowledge to formal written methods. Together, the four elements form a single coherent flow, not four separate activities.
How is Big Maths different from White Rose Maths?
White Rose Maths organises teaching around age-related curriculum blocks. Big Maths is organised around individual learning steps, over 1,200 of them, from Early Years to Year 6. The key difference is that Big Maths starts from what each child actually knows, not what the calendar says they should know. Teachers use the weekly Beat That! assessment to identify gaps precisely, then teach the right next step for each child. Big Maths also includes its own pedagogical approach (CLIC), fluency and recall system (Learn Its), and a complete resource library, making it a single coherent programme rather than a planning framework.
Is Big Maths suitable for SEN and ASN pupils?
Yes. Big Maths is particularly well suited to pupils with SEN/ASN because the framework begins below nursery level, no child is too far behind to be reached. Because teaching is driven by what each child actually knows rather than their age or year group, teachers can meet every pupil exactly where they are. The small step size means success on first attempt is the design goal, reducing anxiety and building genuine confidence. Big Maths Online includes dedicated SEN/ASN support tools and tracking, and schools report that the structured, predictable lesson format benefits pupils who need consistency.
Does Big Maths meet the National Curriculum requirements for England?
Yes. Big Maths covers the full primary maths National Curriculum for England through two interconnected frameworks: Basic Skills (CLIC) for number and calculation, and Wider Maths (SAFE) covering Shape, Amounts, Fractions, and Explaining Data. All steps are mapped to age-related expectations term by term, so teachers can see exactly which steps need to be secured each term. The programme also covers the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland and the curriculum requirements for Wales.
Does Big Maths work in Scotland and Wales?
Yes. Big Maths is used successfully in schools across Scotland, Wales, and England, as well as in international schools following the British curriculum. The framework is mapped to the Curriculum for Excellence (Scotland) and the curriculum requirements for Wales, as well as the National Curriculum for England. All 1,200+ learning steps and resources are available to schools in all three nations through a single subscription.
What is Big Maths Beat That!?
Beat That! is the weekly assessment challenge at the heart of Big Maths. Every week, every child takes a short timed challenge covering CLIC, Learn Its, and SAFE questions relevant to their current term. Children target their own best ever score (not each other’s) so every improvement is a personal win, celebrated with a printed certificate. Results flow automatically into Big Maths Online, identifying individual learning gaps and populating tracking reports without additional marking. See Assessment & Tracking →
What is a Progress Drive in Big Maths?
A Progress Drive is a carefully sequenced set of small learning steps that builds towards a broader curriculum objective. Big Maths contains over 1,200 individual steps across all Progress Drives, from Early Years through to Year 6. Each step has its own learning objective, “Remember To” prompts, and associated resources. Steps are mapped to term-by-term age-related expectations, but children always work from where they actually are, not where their age suggests they should be. See Progression & Fluency →
How much does Big Maths cost?
Big Maths Online is priced as a single whole-school licence starting from £1,700 per year for a school of up to 180 pupils. There are no per-pupil charges, no bolt-on costs, and no separate charges for assessment, tracking, or resources. Everything, over 15,000 resources, lesson planning tools, Beat That! assessment, and progress tracking from Early Years to Year 6 / Primary 7, is included. For parents, Big Maths at Home is available from £5 per month. See full pricing →
How long does it take to implement Big Maths in a school?
Most schools are up and running within a few weeks. Implementation begins with a free demo, followed by onboarding support to set up your school on Big Maths Online and run the initial Beat That! baseline assessment. The CLIC lesson structure is consistent and straightforward… teachers typically feel confident after just a few lessons. Because the structure is the same from Early Years to Year 6 / Primary 7, the whole school adopts a consistent approach quickly, without a long transition period. See Implementation support →
Can parents use Big Maths at home?
Yes. Big Maths at Home is a dedicated home learning platform for parents. It gives children access to the same structured Big Maths approach at home, including Beat That! practice challenges, Learn Its activities, and step-by-step maths practice that reinforces exactly what they’re learning at school. Subscriptions start from £5 per month for one child, with a discounted rate for siblings. More for parents →
What evidence is there that Big Maths works?
Big Maths has been used in primary schools for over 15 years and has an independently verifiable evidence base. Schools using Big Maths were recognised by the Department for Education as being in the top 2% nationally for KS2 maths results. Rockmount Primary School in Croydon was judged Outstanding across every category by Ofsted in June 2025, with mathematics as a deep-dive subject. Individual schools report their highest-ever SATs results after implementing Big Maths, some achieving almost 20% above national average. See the full evidence →
Ready to see how it all fits together?
Book a free demo and we’ll walk you through the CLIC structure, the Progress Drives, the tracking, and the resources, tailored to your school and curriculum.
Not ready to book? Send us a question or see what a lesson looks like.