Maths

Intent

At Swanland Primary School, our intent for mathematics is to teach a rich, balanced and progressive curriculum using maths to reason, problem solve and develop fluent conceptual understanding in each area. Our curriculum is frequently reviewed to ensure that is it current and effective and teachers are supported and aided in their teaching of mathematics. Regular opportunities are provided where appropriate, high quality CPD is delivered by the maths leader, ensuring confidence in the skills and knowledge that they are required to teach.

At Swanland Primary School, our curriculum allows children to better make sense of the world around them by making connections between mathematics and everyday life, through opportunities for reasoning and problem solving. Our policies, resources and schemes support our vision and clearly outline where maths can be incorporated across different curriculum areas.

The structure of the mathematics curriculum across school shows clear progression in line with age related expectations. Teaching curriculum content in blocks allows children to explore skills and knowledge in depth and gain a secure understanding of particular subject. Hence providing opportunities to deepen learning, knowledge and understanding of key mathematical areas.  Key knowledge and basic skills are also revisited regularly allowing repetition to embed learning. A concrete, pictorial, abstract approach provides children with a clear structure in which they can develop their depth of understanding of mathematical concepts. We aim to ensure that mathematics is a high profile subject which children view positively and with resilience.

Implementation

Staff subject knowledge and experience, allows the intentions of our mathematics curriculum to be delivered successfully. We continually strive to build upon the excellent understanding of the expectations of the curriculum that our staff have. We strive to share the love of mathematical concepts. We achieve this through regular quality CPD which is provided through the subject leader, external courses, and regular learning walks.  All staff are encouraged to raise questions, seek support and request further training if needed in order to ensure everyone is confident in what they teach. Good practice is always shared between staff and all CPD is used to inform teaching and learning across school. Resources and equipment are audited regularly so that children have materials of high quality and accuracy to support their learning. Our resources allow us to better use models and images to support learning in each area and enable the progression from concrete to pictorial to abstract. Children are familiar, where appropriate, with these resources and can access them independently where required. Curriculum maps are based on the White Rose yearly overviews which set the curriculum out in blocks enabling children to get to grips with different areas of maths through extended periods of time. Alongside the White Rose materials, we use many other resources to ensure that our offer is rich and varied. These include, NCETM, NRich, Third Space Learning, Master the Curriculum – these are used across KS1 and KS2 allowing children to be exposed to a variety of different types of learning and to ensure coverage of fluency, problem solving and reasoning in different formats. Flash Back 4 and starters at the beginning of each lesson, that practise fluency, are used daily. These reinforce a strong sense of number relationships, an important prerequisite for procedural fluency and help to retain previous learning.

Teachers also implement the schools agreed calculation policies for progression in written and mental calculations. Pre and post unit assessments are used where appropriate along with termly assessments which help teachers to gather an understanding of their pupil’s existing and developing knowledge and skills. Correct mathematical vocabulary is used by all teachers and this is discussed with and explained to children who are then encouraged to use it with developing independence when talking about maths.

Regular interventions for maths are in place for children with SEND as part of specific learning outcomes on personal plans. All children receive regular group and 1:1 support as part of their maths lessons with further support for individuals or small groups where a need is identified. This support is provided both before maths input – as pre learning activities to support confidence. Also as post learning intervention to support specific gaps in knowledge or misconceptions identified in the lesson (as soon as possible after each maths lesson).

Fluency is developed through repeating, reinforcing and revising key skills; daily arithmetic takes place in all classes. Children are given time to practice and perfect their calculation strategies including giving pupils the opportunity to make appropriate decisions when estimating, calculating and evaluating the effectiveness of their chosen methods. Feedback is given in a variety of ways to ensure pupils are well informed and making visible progress. Discussion is essential to learning and children are encouraged to discuss their thoughts, ideas and methods with a partner, group or the teacher.

Task types are varied to suit all pupils and different learning preferences; developing reasoning and problem solving remains our key focus. Investigative tasks are designed to allow pupils to follow lines of enquiry and develop their own ideas, justifying and proving their answers. Children work both collaboratively and independently when solving problems which require them to persevere and develop resilience.

Impact

The impact of our mathematics curriculum is that children understand the relevance and importance of what they are learning in relation to real world concepts. Children know that maths is a vital life skill that they will rely on in many areas of their daily life.

Children have a positive view of maths due to being surrounded by a positive learning environment where maths is promoted as being an exciting and enjoyable subject in which they can investigate and ask questions; they know that it is OK to be ‘wrong’ and that this can strengthen their learning because the journey to finding an answer is most important. Children are confident to ‘have a go’ and choose the equipment they need to help them to learn along with the strategies they think are best suited to each problem. Our children have a good understanding of their strengths and targets for development in maths and what they need to do to improve.

Our maths books evidence work of a high standard of which children clearly take pride; the range of activities demonstrate good coverage of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our feedback and interventions support children to strive to be the best mathematicians they can be, ensuring everyone is given the support they need to make a good level of progress. Our school standards are high, we moderate our books internally and children are achieving well.

Please find below links to the White Rose Curriculum, that we follow.

Reception

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Maths_Mastery_Factsheet_for_Parents_2020