Maths

Maths Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement

The 2014 National Curriculum for Maths aims to ensure that all children:

  • Become fluent in the fundamentals of Mathematics
  • Are able to reason mathematically
  • Can solve problems by applying their Mathematics

At Belton C of E Primary School, these skills are embedded within Maths lessons and developed consistently over time, starting with the EYFS. We are committed to ensuring that all children are able to recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world and that they are also able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently in their lives in a range of different contexts.

We want all children to enjoy Mathematics and to experience success in the subject, with the ability to reason mathematically. We are committed to developing children’s curiosity about the subject, as well as an appreciation of the beauty and power of Mathematics. Our mathematics curriculum has been tailored to provide children with a foundation for understanding number, reasoning, thinking logically and problem solving with resilience so that they are fully prepared for the future. Through our Learning Powers we foster positive can do attitudes and we promote the fact that ‘We can all do maths!’ . We instil confidence in our children by providing them with the building blocks that they need before moving onto the next stage.

 By adopting a Mastery approach, it is also intended that all children, regardless of their starting point, will maximise their academic achievement and leave Belton C of E Primary School with an appreciation and enthusiasm for Maths, resulting in a lifelong positive relationship with Mathematics.

Implementation
 
As a school we have a whole school approach to the teaching of Mathematics which includes EYFS. (See separate policy below).
Our teaching for mastery is underpinned by the NCETM's 5 big ideas.

Implementation Continued

These principles and features characterise this approach and convey how our curriculum is implemented:

  • Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Mathematics.
  • The large majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace; Significant time is spent developing deep knowledge of the key ideas that are needed to underpin future learning. This ensures that all can master concepts before moving to the next part of the curriculum sequence, allowing no pupil to be left behind.
  • If a pupil fails to grasp a concept or procedure, this is identified quickly and early intervention ensures the pupil is ready to move forward with the whole class in the next lesson.
  • The structure and connections within the mathematics are emphasised, so that pupils develop deep learning that can be sustained.
  • Lesson design identifies the new mathematics that is to be taught, the key points, the difficult points and a carefully sequenced journey through the learning. In a typical lesson pupils sit facing the teacher and the teacher leads back and forth interaction, including questioning, short tasks, explanation, demonstration, and discussion.
  • Practice and consolidation play a central role. Carefully designed variation within this builds fluency and understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.
  • Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention, so that all children keep up.
  • Children’s explanations and their proficiency in articulating mathematical reasoning, with the precise use of mathematical vocabulary, are supported through the use of stem sentences provided by the teacher.
  • Key facts such as multiplication tables and addition facts within 10 are learnt to automaticity to avoid cognitive overload in the working memory and enable pupils to focus on new concepts.

To ensure whole consistency and progression, the school uses the nationally recognised White Rose Maths scheme. This has been chosen as it follows the Five Big Ideas, Ready to Progress and the 2014 National Curriculum. The White Rose curriculum is a cumulative curriculum, so that once a topic is covered, it is met many times again in other contexts. For example, place value is revisited in addition and subtraction and multiplication and division. The curriculum is designed to have an emphasis on number, with a large proportion of time spent reinforcing number to build competency.

Lessons are planned to provide plenty of opportunities to build reasoning and problem solving elements into the curriculum. When introduced to a new concept, children have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand what they are doing. Alongside this, children are encouraged to use pictorial representations. These representations can then be used to help reason and solve problems. Both concrete and pictorial representations support children’s understanding of abstract methods.

Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time. These teaching blocks are broken down into smaller steps, to help children understand concepts better. This approach means that children do not cover too many concepts at once which can lead to cognitive overload. Each lesson phase provides the means for children to achieve greater depth, with children who are quick to grasp new content, being offered rich and sophisticated problems, within the lesson as appropriate.

As a school we believe fluency in Mathematical concepts is key therefore in KS1 we have joined the Maths Hubs Mastering Number scheme while in KS2 we have a half termly focus on KIRFs and Friday fluency sessions.

Impact

The school has a supportive ethos and our approaches support the children in developing their collaborative and independent skills, as well as empathy and the need to recognise the achievement of others. Students can underperform in Mathematics because they think they cannot do it or are not naturally good at it. The school’s use of White Rose Maths addresses these preconceptions by ensuring that all children experience challenge and success in Mathematics by developing a growth mindset. We have fostered an environment where maths is fun and it is ‘OK to be wrong’ because the journey to finding an answer is most important.

Our maths books show a range of activities that demonstrate progress and confidence in maths across the school. While pupil voice shows that children enjoy maths lessons and enjoy a challenge. They feel able to try different strategies when they need extra help and can articulate this by using their mathematical vocabulary.

Regular and ongoing assessment informs teaching, as well as intervention, to support and enable the success of each child with achievement at the end of KS2 above the national average for ARE+. This means that children leave our school being confident Mathematicians that shape the future.

 We would like all children to leave Belton Primary School being confident Mathematicians that shape the future.

Maths Documents
Policies
National Curriculum and Ready to Progress
Progression
Yearly Overview - Long Term Plan
Year Group Knowledge Organisers
 These show the key fluency facts per year group. Use these to support your child's learning.
 
Scheme of Learning 
Autumn
(New Version White Rose)
Maths News
We had a great day relaunching TT Rockstars with a fun day of dressing up and activities based on Numbots and TT Rockstars. Here is what we got up to!
 
'Learning your tables is important as it helps you with other areas of maths such as finding the area of a shape or fractions'.
 
'I enjoy learning my number bonds using Numbots. I like getting certificates.'
 
'I have gone up to Rock Legend on TT Rockstars and am now more confident in class'.
 
Have a look at the following leaflet which gives ideas on how to help your child at home.
PARENT MATHS MORNING
 
We recently had a Maths morning for the parents where they came in and worked with their child on Maths problems.
 
This is what some of our parents said:- 
 
'I loved the creative learning and chance for the children to work together.'
 
' It was lovely to work together to 'Crack The Code'. Lovely morning. Thank You.'
 
' Fun and informative morning thanks you! Really enjoyed the challenges!'
 
'Children were enjoying it and it was making Maths fun'
 
'Nice to see interactive fun learning'
 
Keep an eye out for more parent Maths morning soon.
Have a look at all the exciting Maths learning that happens in our school.
Helping your child at home
 
Please find parent booklets to help your child with the maths they are learning in school. These supplement the work we do at school and are great for extra practice.
Have a look at the Out and About tasks which you can do with your child while out and about. Why don't you take some pictures of your child having a go at the tasks. We would love to see them.
Websites to help your child with Maths