Mathematics
Our Maths Curriculum
National Curriculum Programme of Study & Progression in Maths
Year Group Overviews
White Rose Maths
At Our Lady & St Patrick's, we follow the 'White Rose Maths' scheme, which underpins all planning and teaching in maths, from Reception up to Year 6.
This is a mastery approach to maths, which encourages in-depth coverage of concepts over the year, and year-on-year as children progress through school.
White Rose Maths enables the children to move from concrete to pictorial to abstract understanding of mathematical ideas and concepts.
It also develops deep-learning in maths, so that children can apply the skills they have learned in a range of 'real-life' and problem-solving contexts, as well as in other subjects across the curriculum.
We use White Rose Maths to support our planning:
- Long term plans: map out the units to be covered in each year group
- Medium term plans: identify learning objectives and outcomes for each unit, as well as indicating the skills being taught.
- Short term plans: prepared by each teacher, highlight the skills and objectives of the lesson, and identify resources and adaptive approaches. They also indicate key questions and stem sentences.
Our 'Maths Mastery' curriculum:
At Our Lady & St Patrick's, Maths Mastery places emphasis on the cumulative mastery of essential knowledge and skills in mathematics.
It embeds a deeper understanding of maths by utilising a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach so that pupils understand what they are doing rather than just learning to repeat routines without grasping what is happening.
Key features of Maths Mastery:
- High expectations for every child
- Fewer topics, greater depth
- Number sense and place value come first
- Focus on mathematical thinking and language
- Using concrete apparatus and resources to support learning
- Problem solving is central
- 'Calculate with confidence' – understand why it works
Early Years Mastery in Maths
Our Calculation Policy
Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check
A new, Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is now a stututory requirement for all children in Year 4.
The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether year 4 pupils can fluently recall their multiplication tables. The MTC is focused on the fluent recall of multiplication facts. This is included in the national curriculum (2014) statutory programme of study for mathematics for key stage 1 and key stage 2. The national curriculum states 'by the end of year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to 12 x 12 and show precision and fluency in their work'.
The MTC will be delivered as an online, on-screen digital assessment and will take each pupil less than 5 minutes to complete.
Please see the parent's information guide below follow the link for more information & activities to support your child's preparation for the test:
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/at-school/year-4-multiplication-tables-check/
Our Vision Statement - Maths
The language of mathematics is international. The basic skills of mathematics are vital for the life opportunities of our children; we want all children to learn to think mathematically, enabling them to reason and problem-solve problems in a range of contexts.
At Our Lady & St Patrick's, we use a variety of resources and methods to teach maths, because we don't all learn in the same way. Teachers carefully plan which methods, resources and apparatus are best-suited to teach, model or reinforce the mathematical learning in every lesson. We use pictures, images and concrete resources to reinforce children's mathematical understanding, right through school.
Our Mathematics Mastery curriculum has been developed to ensure every child can achieve excellence in mathematics. Children can experience a sense of awe and wonder as they solve a problem for the first time, discover different solutions and make links between different areas of mathematics. It provides pupils with a deep understanding of the subject through a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach. This ensures pupils fully understand what they are learning.
Our Aims in Maths
- To implement the current legal requirements of the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum
- To foster positive attitudes, fascination and excitement of discovery through the teaching and learning of mathematical concepts
- To ensure pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, developing conceptual knowledge and an ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately
- To ensure that pupils can reason mathematically and solve problems
- For our children to develop a ‘can do’ attitude and perceive themselves as mathematicians.
- To broaden children’s knowledge and understanding of how mathematics is used in the wider world
- For our children to use and understand mathematical language and recognise its importance as a language for communication and thinking.
Resources
- Each class has a range of resources to support learning in maths. These are easily accessible for the children so that they can lead their own learning.
- Central resource / equipment cupboard (middle area).
- Different environments - classrooms, outdoor learning spaces and the hall.
- A range of ICT software to support the teaching of specific concepts including Mathletics which can be used at home.
- The White Rose Mathematics Hub Mastery resources are used by all classes for planning and activities.
Organisation of Teaching and Learning
In Key Stage 1 & 2, maths teaching follows the National Curriculum and White Rose materials. This involves a daily maths lesson, pre/ post teaching sessions and specific Times Tables sessions.
Teaching and learning in all three key stages takes place in a range of environments.
Structure of our maths lessons (Yr1 to Yr6):
1. Flash-Back Four
2. New Learning
3. Paired Language Development
4. Develop Learning
5. Independent Task
6. Plenary
Foundation Stage:
In the Foundation Stage, teaching is planned through adult supported teaching and learning. Daily opportunities to develop mathematical understanding through child-initiated activities and routines are capitalised upon.
Times Tables
Effective understanding and recall of times tables is the foundation of most of the mathematics children will do at primary school and the mathematics curriculum involves children being fluent in number skills.
Our times tables scheme includes inverse operations, a range of representations and problem solving, which are all vital skills in mathematics. The children are tested weekly and we set challenges on TT Rockstars 'Battle of the Bands', to further engage and enthuse the children.
In Year 4, children take the statutory ‘Multiplication Tables Check’ (MTC), to assess their knowledge and recall of times tables facts. Please click the link below to find out more
Assessment
In Maths Mastery, assessment is continuous. From the beginning of every lesson, teachers and teaching assistants will be assessing what their pupils are understanding and use this to scaffold each segment of the lesson.
Interventions will be both planned for and ‘live’, meaning that misconceptions are dealt with immediately and high attaining pupils are challenged appropriately.
Pre- and post- teaching ensures that all children can achieve and are prepared for the following lesson.
Foundation Stage
- Reception Class practitioner’s ongoing observational assessments made early in Autumn Term 1 ascertain a baseline which then informs subsequent teaching and learning for each child.
- Future attainment is noted using photographs and observational notes. Progress is recorded in each child’s Learning Journey and the next steps to be taken are identified. Progress is monitored termly.
- Statutory assessments are made on entry and on exit of the FS.
Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
In the daily mathematics lesson, formative assessments are made on a day-today basis. Practitioners observe, question and evaluate lesson outcomes to further determine progress made and the next steps in learning.
- Pre / post assessments take place for each new unit of work.
- Summative assessments are made at the end of each term to monitor children’s knowledge and understanding of concepts taught.
- White Rose Mathematics Hub tests are used in all year groups from 1 – 6.
- Progress is discussed at termly ‘Pupil Progress Meetings’ and focus children are indicated.
- Statutory assessments are made at the end of each key stage.
Monitoring
School leaders and our maths subject leader play a central role in the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning of mathematics in the school.
The monitoring strategy:
1. Children’s work and medium term planning scrutinies are conducted.
2. Pupil progress meetings are held termly.
3. Lesson ‘drop ins’ and observations take place in all classes throughout the year. 4. Pupil conferencing takes place termly.
The subject leader is responsible for monitoring attainment and progress, the outcomes of which are collated in the subject leadership folder and fed back to staff at an appropriate time. Teaching and learning is monitored at a time indicated in the School Improvement Plan: Monitoring and Evaluation timetable.
If you would like any other information, please speak to your child's class teacher or to the subject leader for maths, Rebecca Nicholson.
Inclusive Practice
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