Maths
Intent
The 2014 National Curriculum for Mathematics 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 South Wootton Junior School, these skills are embedded within Maths lessons and developed consistently over time. We are committed to ensuring that children are able to recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world and 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. We are committed to developing ‘thinking mathematicians’ who have the ability to reason mathematically. We aim to develop children’s curiosity about the subject, as well as an appreciation of the beauty and power of Mathematics.
Implementation
Our school adopts a mastery approach to the teaching and learning of Mathematics in line with the 2014 National Curriculum and guidance from the NCETM. This approach has three key principles at its core: deep understanding, mathematical thinking and mathematical language, which are central to our teaching of mathematics. Therefore, in our school:
• Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Mathematics
• Differentiation is achieved by emphasizing deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention
• Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge
• Practice and consolidation play a central role. Carefully designed variation within this build 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.
To ensure whole consistency and progression, the school uses White Rose Hub materials to underpin our day-to-day work in Mathematics. This scheme is fully aligned with the school’s ongoing engagement with the DFE funded Maths Hub programme, which continues to provide staff with valuable CPD, ensuring teachers understand the pedagogy of the approach. The curriculum plans have been adapted taking account of gaps identified in SOUTH WOOTTON JUNIOR SCHOOL Learning Together, Achieving More learning due to the Covid pandemic, alongside the NCETM prioritization materials. These changes are reflected in our year group curriculum overviews. Children also have access to Tackling Tables and Sumdog to support their learning both at home and in school.
In our daily Mathematics lessons, you can expect to see:
• Sharp and precise learning objectives
• Concepts embedded early on using word and reasoning problems
• Teachers modelling using the Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract (CPA) approach • Worked examples during the lesson input
• Anticipated misconceptions before lessons and questions planned to deal with these
• Use of sentence stems to help children retain knowledge
• Precise and accurate use of language which is displayed on working walls
• Teaching is pacey: teacher led is interspersed with pupil discussion/short activities
• All children have access to fluency, reasoning and problem solving activities
• Careful questioning supports reasoning
• Independent work provides the means for all children to develop their fluency further, before progressing to more complex related problems
• Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly are challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems
Where necessary children will receive additional one to one or small group support to allow them to prevent them falling behind. This may be done within the lesson or during another part of the day.
Impact
Our approach supports the children in developing their collaborative and independent skills, as well as empathy and the need to recognise the achievement of others. Children can underperform in Mathematics because they think they can’t do it or are not naturally good at it. The White Rose programme addresses these preconceptions by ensuring that all children experience challenge and success in Mathematics by developing a growth mindset. Regular and ongoing assessment informs teaching, as well as intervention, to support and enable the success of each child.
We monitor the impact of this subject through:
• Monitoring of annotated plans
• Pupil voice
• Formative End of Block Mini-assessments
• Quick quizzes at the start and end of topics
• Pixl assessment (termly) in all year groups
• Regular oral and written feedback
• Book looks
• Lesson drop ins
Calculation Policy - Addition and Subtraction