Maths Curriculum

Intent

The National Curriculum states ‘Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas.’ Therefore, the intention for mathematics is to ensure that all pupils become fluent, reason mathematically and solve problems - in maths lessons and across the wider curriculum, using and applying the maths in other disciplines, such as science and PE. ‘Pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems.’

Additionally, by working closely with the BBO Maths Hub, we intend to make our teaching of mathematics exemplary and the school a local centre of excellence in its delivery.

A typical Maths lesson will provide the opportunity for all children as:

• Lesson objectives are taken from the National Curriculum statutory guidelines and activities are differentiated for the full range of abilities and needs of any given class to ensure that all have the opportunity to make good levels of progress, developing mastery in mathematics.
• Our children have access to high quality lessons that are both challenging and enjoyable.
• We provide our children with a variety of mathematical opportunities, which will enable them to make the connections needed to not only ensure mastery of mathematics but to enjoy greater depth in learning.
• We ensure children are confident mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks: mistakes are recognised as learning opportunities.
• We fully develop independent learners with growth mindsets who are inquisitive and have secure mathematical foundations and an interest in self-improvement as well as the ability to support others in their learning (metacognition).
• We make cross-curricular links with our termly topics, local area and current affairs. Through our wider curriculum, the teaching of mathematics is extended beyond the daily mathematics lesson. Links are made, where relevant and purposeful, between topics and mathematics. This allows children the opportunity to apply mathematical skills and concepts, as well as enabling children to see that mathematics is a relevant skill that is part of everyday life.

Implementation

Planning: lessons are planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before. Teachers use the White Rose Maths materials to help scaffold lessons: their Termly Overview and Schemes of Work support teachers' planning alongside resources and activities suggested by the BBO Maths Hub. Staff also refer to the White Rose Calculation Policies, Progression Maps and Ready to Progress criteria (see documents below) when teaching formal methods, understanding that sometimes children find their own efficient methods along the way. Teachers also incorporate principles of Blooms Revised Taxonomy into their lesson planning.

Weekly, a whole-school multiplication tables focus is planned to give children the opportunity to practise and improve their rapid recall skills of multiplication and division facts up 12x12: children in Year 4 sit the national Multiplication Tables Check to determine whether they can fluently recall their multiplication tables. Children enjoy the Times Table challenge and strive to improve each week. All children also have access to their own personal account of ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ where they can compete against other pupils and classes in school.

Teaching: we employ a variety of teaching styles and opportunities for children to learn and develop their Mathematical skills and competencies, both individually and collaboratively. Children are coached to develop a growth mindset and to deepen their knowledge and understanding by supporting each other (metacognition). The main aim of all lessons is to develop children’s knowledge, understanding and skills, applying these to a variety of contexts. One of the key elements in lessons throughout the school should be on developing the children’s mental calculation strategies alongside developing the children’s written calculation strategies as laid out in the Written Calculation Policies for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

The White Rose progression maps are structured using the topic headings as they appear in the National Curriculum:

• Number and Place Value
• Addition and Subtraction
• Multiplication and Division
• Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
• Ratio and Proportion
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Geometry - properties of shapes, position and direction
• Statistics

Assessment: pupils will be assessed continually through formative assessment by teaching and support staff with regular summative assessments to more formally gauge attainment and progress. Alongside the Year 4 Multiplication Table Checks, pupils in Year 6 sit annually the national end of Key Stage 2 tests.

Marking is not an activity undertaken separately by the teacher at the end of the day and is, instead, a dynamic, on-the-spot procedure, more akin to verbal feedback, that is an integral part of the lesson. This approach is responsive to common misconceptions as they happen, rather than retrospectively.  It enables pupils to understand in the moment where they can adjust the strategies they are employing.

We encourage pupils to use specific mathematical language and foster the use of precise vocabulary within stem sentences.

Our pupils are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts. Objects and pictures are used to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas, alongside numbers and symbols.

Concrete – children have the opportunity to use concrete (real) objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing.

Pictorial – children then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations, which can then be used to reason and solve problems.

Abstract – With the foundations firmly laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.

Support for Parents: we hold briefings for parents to familiarise them with key mathematical concepts and current teaching methods in order that they can best support their children at home. Additionally, we circulate the White Rose Parent Workbooks at the start of any new block of work, to help them understand the nature of the material their children are studying at any time. We also share Maths with Michael resources (see below) which help parents understand how maths might have changed since their own childhoods and we encourage parents to sign up to the White Rose parent newsletter which provides them with regular updates and support.

Impact

We expect that by the end of Year 6 our pupils:

• master the fundamentals of mathematics.
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations.
• solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication in both discrete maths lessons and across the wider curriculum.

In order for this to happen, the mathematics leader, the Headteacher and other Middle and Senior Leaders take responsibility for the monitoring of the mathematics curriculum and the standards achieved by the children.

The mathematics leader will monitor for appropriate pitch and progression according to our agreed monitoring schedule. This monitoring takes the form of:

1. lesson observations and feedback;
2. learning walks and pupil voice conversations;
3. planning scrutiny followed by support where necessary;
4. book-looks on a frequent basis;
5. termly data analysis which is collated and reported to school leaders as well as Governors;
6. moderation alongside other BBO Maths Hub and other local schools to ensure All Saints has high standards;
7. collaborative and transitional opportunities for our KS2 pupils, as well as staff, to engage with local secondary schools in enrichment projects.

The Heads of the Lower and Upper Schools, with all teachers, contribute to termly Pupil Progress Meetings where the data is analysed by Year Group and Class and targets are agreed by identifying trends, highlighting ‘stuck’ pupils and focusing on next steps. Where whole-school improvements become evident, the associated actions for recovery will be included on the school's Improvement Plan.

Outline Plans

Over the course of an academic year, this is our schedule for the teaching of maths:

Maths Support for Parents & Carers: Maths with Michael

White Rose Maths, together with TV presenter, teacher and parent Michael Underwood, brings parents and carers a series of short videos called Maths with Michael. These resources, together with some useful PDF guides, below, help adults at home understand modern teaching methods in maths. Click on the picture to the right or here to access the videos.