Maths
Aims
Our aims in teaching Mathematics are that all children will SHINE by:
- enjoying mathematics and studying it with confidence and a sense of achievement so that they strive to become competent and independent mathematicians.
- having the ability to recall fluently and apply number facts such as number bonds and multiplication tables rapidly and accurately.
- building a deep conceptual understanding of concepts which will enable them to apply their learning in different situations.
- developing a deep understanding by reasoning mathematically and having the ability to articulate, discuss and explain their thinking.
Principles of the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics
At North Bradley School we believe that everyone can succeed in mathematics and it is essential for everyday life and the advances on which our economic future depends. It equips our children for the role that science, technology and engineering will play in their future. It is, therefore, fundamentally important that we provide pupils with the best possible mathematics education. We help our children develop a positive mindset and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics and strive to deliver a stimulating mathematics curriculum that develops our children into confident and competent mathematical thinkers who can apply their knowledge in a range of situations.
In the Foundation Stage we plan mathematical activities that address the learning objectives as set out in Development Matters and the Early Learning Goals. We use the NCETM Mastering Number scheme to support a maths curriculum that embeds mathematical thinking and talk. Developing strong foundations in number is essential in the Reception class as well as throughout every year group. We aim for the children in Reception class to develop a deep understanding of numbers to 10, the relationship between them and the patterns within those numbers. This will ensure that our children develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. In addition, we include opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures using The White Rose scheme to support this. The scheme provides a bank of ideas to support the teaching of mathematics in Reception. These allow them to enjoy, explore, practise and talk confidently about mathematics.
Our Mathematics curriculum is set out in year groups as defined in the National Curriculum.
We have adopted the maths scheme 'White Rose' in Years 1-5 and Power Maths in Year 6. These provide a coherent, consistent, and carefully sequenced approach. White Rose and Power Maths embed a Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) approach, which ensures all pupils – regardless of starting point – can access concepts through practical and visual means before moving to abstract representations. The schemes also promotes small-step progression, allowing for frequent opportunities to revisit and consolidate learning. This is essential for our pupils who may struggle with retention or need additional time and support to master key concepts. Its structure supports inclusive teaching and enables staff to identify and close gaps promptly through diagnostic assessment and responsive teaching.
The daily mathematics lesson often includes: ·
- a warm up task to sustain prior learning and consolidate number facts.
- a whole-class, interactive learning phase, where children share their thinking and look for the best ways to solve problems.
- demonstration, explanation and instruction by the teacher on the same objective to the whole class.
- concrete, pictorial and abstract methods to develop children's skills.
- intelligent practice questions for children to complete.
- a reasoning or problem solving activity so that children can apply their understanding.
- the teacher working with a group of children whilst the rest of the class work independently or live marking as the children complete their practice activities.
- those children who are ‘rapid graspers’ will either be challenged with deeper thinking questions, asked to show their understanding in different representations or through writing own word problems/ explanations/application of skills.
- adaptive teaching to include children who may need strong foundations to support their learning.
- mini plenaries and a final plenary to review the main teaching and learning objectives.
At North Bradley C.E. Primary School, we value breath of understanding over rapid acceleration into the following year group’s objectives. We ensure that children have a secure and deep understanding of mathematics. Each maths objective is broken down into small steps which gradually develops children's understanding. Teachers ensure children do not move on to the next step until they have a strong foundation of the concept being taught. Using adaptive teaching, allows us to support every child to progress through the curriculum content whilst still experiencing a level of challenge. We provide individual support with pre-teaching and rapid intervention. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge, and assess pupils regularly to identify those requiring immediate intervention so that all pupils keep up. Those children who grasp the concepts more quickly are given opportunities to deepen their knowledge and improve their reasoning skills. Those that are working far below their year group work on the same objectives but at their level.
We work hard to ensure that our children develop arithmetic proficiency through an appreciation of number and number operations. This enables mental calculations and written procedures to be performed efficiently, fluently and accurately. Our whole school approach to developing children’s written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division can be found in our calculation progression document. This document ensures progression in the four calculation methods from one year to the next.
Fluency in mental methods (a rapid recall of number facts such as number bonds and multiplication facts) is essential for successful progression through the National Curriculum expectations and is practised daily. Children in Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2 practice their number bonds daily through the NCETM mastering number teaching programme. This develops a deep understanding of number and number relationships, subitising and fluency in addition and subtraction facts. Children in Year Three and Four practise their multiplication facts daily in preparation for the multiplication tables check. Children in Year 4 are using the programme 'Times Table Rock Stars' to help prepare for the Year 4 Multiplication Check. Children in Year 5 and 6 develop their arithmetic skills through fluent in 5.
Vocabulary is explicitly taught at the start of each unit of learning. All pupils have access to the vocabulary as it is displayed on the maths working wall. The definition and application of the vocabulary is modelled continuously by the teacher/teaching assistant throughout the unit of work. There is a high expectation for pupils to use, model and apply the vocabulary in their verbal and written reasoning.
Homework is used to support mathematics through such tasks as:
- the learning of number bonds
- the learning of tables (expected of all pupils from Year 3 onwards)
- specific tasks which are linked to the class learning.
- Times Table Rock Stars is used in the Year 4 class.
Impact
We aim for our children to be engaged and motivated. Our lessons both support and challenge using a range of concrete, pictorial and abstract resources. Our children have the flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of maths. They demonstrate quick recall of facts and procedures and have the skills to solve problems by applying mathematics to different situations with increasing sophistication.
Formative assessment is used to guide the progress of individual pupils in mathematics. It involves identifying each child's progress in every aspect of the subject, determining what each child has learned and whether an immediate intervention is needed to allow the child to stay on track. There is great emphasis on Assessment for Learning at all points within the maths lesson by the Teacher/Teaching Assistant. Pupils are identified for rapid intervention or pre-teaching. TA Hub intervention is used for children to 'keep up' and 'Number Stacks' is used as an intervention for children to 'catch up'.
End of Unit checks are written into the White Rose and Power Maths schemes of learning and are used by all teachers to monitor children’s progress and inform future planning and intervention support. The results are used to inform termly pupil progress meetings.
Using the tracking programme, Insight, ensures that assessment in mathematics is rigorous and ongoing. We use the detailed tracking records to record when an objective has been achieved or mastered at a greater depth. Insight is used to monitor achievement and identify gaps in learning. This is completed individually for each child.
Formal Summative Assessment is carried out at the end of each National Curriculum Key Stage (ie in Years 2 and 6) through the use of SATs and/or teacher assessment. Termly White Rose assessments are also carried out in Year 1-6 and these results are added into Smartgrade which uses live standardisations so that our children are benchmarked against their peers, helping us identify gaps and plan interventions where needed.
The teaching of mathematics is monitored by leaders through lesson observations, pupil voice and book scrutinies.
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