Maths
Vision Statement
At Stokenchurch Primary School our aim is for our children to become well-rounded mathematicians, who are able to use mathematics in everyday life. We strive to ensure our children become resilient and enquiring learners who truly appreciate and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world around them. We aim for our children to be inspired and motivated by mathematics, experiencing a sense of awe and wonder as they solve problems and make connections not only between different areas of mathematics but also between other areas of the curriculum.
Intent
At Stokenchurch Primary School, we aim to provide a rich mathematics curriculum which teaches pupils how to make sense of the world around them; achieving this by developing their ability to calculate fluently, reason mathematically and solve problems. We aim for our children to develop into enquiring, confident, independent and resilient mathematicians who see mathematics as an important and integral part of everyday life. We aim for our children to be numerate and ready for the next stage of their learning.
Our objectives in the teaching of mathematics are to:
- Develop an appreciation and fascination of mathematics itself
- Promote enjoyment of learning through practical activity, exploration and discussion
- Ensure continuity and progression in mathematics throughout the school
- Promote fluency, confidence and competence with numbers and the number system including recall of multiplication and division facts
- Promote an environment where mistakes are valued as learning opportunities
- Develop the ability to solve problems through decision-making and reasoning in a range of contexts
- Develop a practical understanding of the ways in which information is gathered and presented
- Explore features of shape and space, and develop measuring skills in a range of contexts
- Help children understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life
- Provide rich opportunities for children to use and apply their mathematical skills across other subjects
Implementation
At Stokenchurch Primary School, maths is currently taught in whole class groups until the end of Year 4, then in sets within Year 5 and Year 6. However, we aim to move away from teaching mathematics in sets and move towards whole class mathematics lessons throughout the school in line with a mastery approach. We are currently within this transition period. As a school, we have invested in the White Rose Maths Scheme which ensures complete coverage of the curriculum. Every resource has been carefully designed to ensure it addresses the three key aims of fluency, reasoning and problem solving and follows the principles of teaching for mastery. Each concept is broken down into smaller more manageable steps to ensure that pupils are able to perform simpler tasks before moving on to solve more complex problems. This provides pupils with a deep understanding of the subject through a concrete - pictorial - abstract approach, ensuring pupils fully understand what they are learning. We understand the importance that discussion has on a children’s mathematical understanding and that there is a strong link between participating in mathematical conversations and improved maths attainment. The use of pre-teaching and interventions are used to ensure that all children are able to access all areas of the mathematics curriculum. All children in all year groups are exposed to and encouraged to use appropriate manipulatives during lessons. The use of manipulatives helps to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts and allows children to visually represent their understanding.
- Maths taught daily throughout the school from EYFS to Year 6. KS1 and KS2 provide a minimum of 1 hour of maths per day.
- A mix of adult led and free choice activities is provided for children in EYFS in addition to apparatus and representations in regular routines and activities.
- White Rose planning is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils and to allow for opportunities for revisit and build mastery, providing a broad and balanced spread of all areas of the curriculum.
- Using the school’s progression of skills documents, the teaching of mathematics year to year builds progressively on the skills taught in previous year groups.
- The learning sequence consistently follows the concrete - pictorial - abstract approach so as to meet the needs of all learners and support them to apply their maths knowledge and skills in a range of contexts and problems.
- Cross-curricular links are provided when opportunities arise, particularly through the use of science, geography and computing.
- Mathematics 'working walls' in each classroom provide key information and vocabulary with modelled examples to support learning; using the Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract model.
- Whole school approach to multiplication and division facts based on regular quality activities to aid not only recall of facts but also to gain deeper understanding of the concept of multiplication and division.
Impact
- Children gain knowledge of maths concepts, enabling them to become independent members of the community, applying their knowledge and to flourish in many areas of life.
- Our teaching of, and curriculum for, mathematics will lead to cinsistent progress over time across all key stages relative to each individual child’s starting point.
- Mathematics curriculum designed to prepare children for their future in and outside of education so they can become successful in whatever they pursue by leaving our school at least at the expected standard for their age.
- Rich and broad mathematics curriculum aims to make the children enthusiastic about learning mathematics and to gain an understanding of its importance in everyday life.
- All learners achieve their full potential in mathematics and feel positive about their learning in the subject.
- Children demonstrate a deep understanding of maths. This includes the recollection of times tables.
- Children display a positive and resilient attitude towards mathematics and an awareness of the fascination of mathematics.
- Children show confidence in believing that they will achieve.
- Children develop the ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths lessons and the world around them.
- Children demonstrate mastery by showing mathematical concepts in multiple ways
- Children use mathematical language to explain their ideas and to discuss their reasoning.
- Children can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
These will be assessed through: assessment (including White Rose termly assessment and analysis), tracking, pupil progress meetings, performance management, moderation and standardisation.