Maths

At the heart of our mathematics teaching is the desire to equip children with the mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding to help them make sense of the world they live in, and give them the best opportunities to thrive in future education and life. 

Mathematics is an integral part of our daily curriculum. We follow the aims of the National Curriculum, intending that children:

•         become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall, calculate, and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately;
•         reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language;
•         solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including familiar and un-familiar contexts.

At Archbishop Benson we:

• deliver the content of the National Curriculum with clear progression of objectives from EYFS to Y6, ensuring we are aware of what the children already know, and what needs to comes next;
• use White Rose Maths as a coherent structure for our long, medium and short-term planning and which teaches the children progressively through small steps within a wider concept or topic;
• plan to deliver a mastery curriculum to promote a deep and secure understanding of mathematical concepts, with the majority of children working on the content for their year group, and with opportunities for challenge;
• make cross-curricular links within our CHAIN curriculum, planning for the use and application of mathematics to broaden children’s knowledge and understanding of how mathematics is used in the wider world;
• plan and structure lessons to be inclusive for all, with varied ways of teaching and learning;
• lead children into discovering, and making them aware of, the patterns and connections within the subject, and within everyday life;
• create a classroom atmosphere where children work co-operatively and have opportunities to talk animatedly about the mathematics they are learning, using specific mathematical vocabulary with understanding
• keep up to date as teachers and share good practice;
• use assessment to inform future planning.

We want children to develop a love of, and curiosity for, mathematics and to become independent and confident learners. We encourage perseverance, positive attitudes and an atmosphere of ‘I can do it’ in the classroom.

Implementation of Mathematics

We follow the White Rose Maths Scheme of Learning for planning and teaching guidance. White Rose Maths moves children forward in small steps for deep conceptual understanding, and includes varied fluency, problem solving and reasoning tasks. Moving forward in small steps helps to develop a confidence in the classroom. ‘I can do it!’ is the aim for all children.

Previously taught topics are revisited through energisers and starter activities. White Rose Maths provides the Flashback 4 resource to support this, as well as ‘Get Ready’ activities.

Challenge in each year group is provided through giving opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of key skills, approaching mathematical concepts from new angles and within unfamiliar concepts, investigating patterns and relationships, and encouraging them to ask and answer their own questions.

A range of additional resources are used by teachers to enhance provision for all learners including:              Deepening Understanding, NCETM, NRich, Popcorn Maths and Maths Frame.              

Throughout the school, lessons are designed to use carefully chosen approaches and representations to ensure skills have been mastered.  

Concrete resources (manipulatives) are used to support children’s exploration and understanding of concepts.                                                                                                                                 

Pictorial approaches (e.g. bar models) help provide a visual link between the concrete and the abstract.                                                                                                                                                         

Abstract: Once children have a secure understanding of a concept through concrete and pictorial approaches they will move to abstract representations (using symbols).

To learn effectively, and so that concepts are reinforced and understood, children may keep moving back and forth through the concrete, pictorial, abstract stages.

Calculation methods are taught consistently and progressively according to the National Curriculum and the White Rose Maths Scheme of Learning.

Children from Y2 to Y6 have regular arithmetic practice; this may be done through energisers and starter activities, or as planned lessons.

Currently, the children are taught in mixed ability class groups from EYFS to Y5 and in Y6 they are streamed into ability groups. In all classes and groups we provide support, challenge and high aspirations.  Through our work on metacognition we encourage the children to be resilient and independent and to keep trying when they find learning hard by using techniques such as the 5Bs: Brain, Board, Book, Buddy, Boss.

Each classroom has a set of practical resources available for adults to model with, and for children to use to support their understanding. Maths Learning Walls are used as part of daily teaching. Key vocabulary and worked examples are accessible to pupils in order to aid independent learning within the lesson, along with ongoing opportunities for fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Classrooms have mathematical continuous provision on display. 

EYFS

EYFS use White Rose Maths as a programme of study to ensure that all skills are developed over time and revisited. Maths lessons are taught daily with opportunities for individual and group learning after a taught lesson. Continuous provision gives children opportunities to practise and consolidate skills and learning.

Children are given practical learning opportunities to explore number facts and develop problem solving skills. The indoor and outdoor classroom environments give exposure to number in all areas and daily class routines provide opportunities to put knowledge and skills into practice, for example changing the date on the class calendar and counting on from the previous date to reveal the new date. Children will be given opportunities to record numbers, quantities and shapes during taught sessions and continuous provision.

Parents and carers are informed of weekly learning via class Dojo to ensure further consolidation can take place at home.