Maths
Subject Leader - Miss G Mason
Intent
Mathematics is incredibly important in our lives as we use mathematical concepts and skills every day. It is all around us and helps us to understand the world we live in. We aim to provide our children with the skills, understanding and confidence as mathematicians to share mathematical thinking both verbally and in their written work. By creating a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards maths we endeavour to secure our children’s problem solving and reasoning skills that they can apply across the curriculum and in their day to day lives.
The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:
Develop fluency to accurately and rapidly recall and apply number facts
Develop reasoning skills to be able to explain mathematical thinking using the correct language
Are able to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and nonroutine problems
Implementation
Our long-term planning follows the EYFS Framework and the National Curriculum. Across the school, termly, weekly and daily lessons are based on the White Rose Maths Hub scheme. Planning is adapted, at all stages, through assessment to meet the needs of the class and individual children. Interventions are used to support groups and individuals, before, during and after topics.
Children are taught through mixed ability whole class lessons. Most sessions have an opportunity for children to revise and practise skills. A ‘Big Question’ is used to introduce new learning or provide an opportunity for children to apply previous learning. We place a large emphasis on pupil engagement and plan lessons which involve all pupils using questioning and modelling at the centre of their learning. Maths lessons are designed with a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach, providing our pupils with the scaffolding required to access the learning at all levels.
Concrete: using a variety of practical resources including: counters, bead strings, numicon, dienes
Pictorial: images and diagrams are used to represent the resources from the concrete stage.
Abstract: symbols and numbers are used to model problems.
Our classrooms have working walls and a maths area with a range of resources including manipulatives that the children can utilise to support their independent learning.
As a school we understand the importance of developing good number sense. Recall of number facts, related to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are important basic skills and we use the online sites – Numbots and Times Tables Rockstar to support the children in the learning and practise of these skills both at school and home.
In Reception and KS1 we are part of a Mastering Number project developed by the NCETM. The projects aim is to develop strategies that will enable children to leave KS1 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number. These sessions happen in addition to the children’s math sessions.
Impact
Our maths curriculum supports children so they are confident to ‘have a go’ knowing that part of the process is making mistakes and trying different strategies. Children have the experiences and confidence to choose resources, visual representations and apply a range of strategies to their independent learning.
By the end Year 6 the children will be fluent in their recall and application of number facts. Children will to be able to apply their reasoning and explain their mathematical thinking using the correct vocabulary. They will have the knowledge and skills that they will be able to apply in their ongoing journey to secondary school and in their life outside school.