Maths

Maths

Vision

At Bradley Primary School, we want every child to become an independent, confident and capable mathematician.  We believe maths is achievable for all – we have high expectations and encourage a positive ‘can do’ mindset towards mathematics in all pupils.  We aim to create learning experiences which develop children’s resilience in the face of a challenge and carefully scaffold learning so everyone can make progress.

 

Intent

At Bradley Primary School our intent for Mathematics is to teach a progressive curriculum that is rich and inclusive.  Our curriculum is planned so that knowledge, conceptual understanding and mathematical vocabulary are built upon each year. Children are frequently given opportunity to make connections between their maths learning and real life examples and engaging and practical learning opportunities enables our children to make better sense the world around them. 

Our curriculum is taught in blocks using a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach to allow children to deepen their understanding of each topic. Learning is also constantly reviewed and revisited to ensure is it embedded. These opportunities for revisiting prior learning allow our children to become confident and capable mathematicians with a ‘can do’ attitude. 

 

We aim for our children to: 

· Become fluent in a range of mathematical skills to allow them to develop their conceptual understanding and work with increased accuracy. This includes learning by heart a range of number facts including number bonds and times tables. 

· Develop sufficient problem solving skills to apply their knowledge to a variety of routine and non-routine problems. 

· Be able to reason mathematically using rich mathematical vocabulary to argue, prove or explain their mathematical thinking. 

 

Implementation

How mathematics is planned and taught:  

A bespoke long term curriculum has been designed and teachers use this to inform their planning for each topic. 

• Daily retrieval practise to activate prior learning forms the start of most lessons in KS1 and KS2. This will be a mixture of questions to aid retrieval of knowledge and concepts taught over time, focused on re-activating prior knowledge from recent learning and previous year groups. This should support children in securing long-term knowledge acquisition in KS1 and KS2. 

• Flashback 4 - A set number of fluency questions to be completed daily across KS1 and KS2. These are adapted White Rose activities which activate prior knowledge from previous lessons, weeks, mathematical concepts and year groups.  

• Times Tables RockStars (KS2) and Numbots (KS1)- Promoted through school displays, homework and a TT Rockstars after school club help create a shared responsibility for maths learning between school, children and home.  

• Twice Weekly Maths Meetings (KS2)  - to allow opportunities to develop fluency,  retention and application of number facts and multiplication facts 

 

In order to meet our aims above and the requirements set out in the EYFS framework and the Primary National Curriculum, we implement the following: 

• Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Mathematics – EVERYONE CAN! Maths is for EVERYONE!  

• To develop secure and deep conceptual understanding, staff plan for the use of concrete resources, varied representations and structures (outlined in our calculation policies)  

• The vast majority of children will progress through the curriculum content at the same pace 

• Regular and ongoing formative assessment informs teaching, as well as same day intervention, to support and enable the success of each child 

• Children’s attainment and progress is discussed with parents/carers during parents evenings   

• Lessons are adapted by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention. It is seen through the concrete resources used, and/or the reliance on the representations and structures within a lesson to help embed a mathematical concept. All children are expected to be exposed to age related expectations and staff allow the time to plug gaps children may have in a particular area of mathematics 

• With CPD staff will understand what age-related expectations and mastering looks like for each objective and plan for how their children will get there. In order to meet the needs of all pupils, children working at a greater depth of understanding within an area of mathematics have ‘going deeper’ opportunities planned by staff 

• Provision will be made for children who are not making the expected level of progress through I.E.Ps and interventions  outside of Maths teaching time 

• Mathematical vocabulary will be promoted during lessons and on Maths Working Walls. 

 

Planning and Teaching in EYFS  

Maths is taught as part of the Area of Learning designated as ‘Mathematics’ in the EYFS Curriculum. The EYFS Curriculum is made up of two strands: Number and numerical patterns. The children have daily sessions of NCTEMs Mastery in Number to develop subitising skills and support confident recall of number facts within 10 and they have access to independent child initiated maths activities (indoors and outdoors) daily. These activities are based on the main areas as outlined in the EYFS curriculum. Throughout the year in EYFS additional lessons are planned based on pattern, shape and space and measure.  Following the NCETM guidance.  The learning in these areas of maths are planned across the year to allow children the opportunity to master them.  Planning is updated weekly taking into account previous learning. This ensures the maths activities are appropriate and relevant to the children’s learning needs and their interests. 

 

Impact

Our mathematics curriculum will foster a school wide positive view of maths due to learning in an environment where maths is promoted as being an exciting and enjoyable subject in which children can investigate and ask questions; they know that it is reasonable to make mistakes because this can strengthen their learning through the journey to finding an answer. This will be evident when; 

• Children are happy learners who talk enthusiastically about their learning and are eager to further their progress in maths  

• Children show perseverance in solving a range of mathematical problems and have a secure enough mathematical understanding to talk about their methods. 

• The impact of ‘mastery’ and the emphasis on accurate use of mathematical language is shown during class/pupil discussions  

• Children show fluency in arithmetic 

• Cross-school moderation highlights a high level of challenge for all ability groups, and children are challenged through reasoning and problem solving activities   

• Teacher assessment of the depth of learning will be increasingly accurate 

• Staff feel more confident in their pedagogical knowledge and use this to deliver well-informed sequences of lessons that give learners time in which to deeply understand the mathematical principles being taught.  

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