Choosing the appropriate strategy and recording in mathematics are important tools for furthering the understanding of ideas and for communicating those ideas to others. A useful written method is one that helps children carry out a calculation and can be understood by others. At our school, written methods are taught and used alongside mental methods and should not be seen as separate from them. We encourage children to use mental methods when appropriate, but for calculations that they cannot do in their heads they should be able to use an efficient written method accurately and with confidence. This document identifies progression in calculation strategies at our school.