Maths
What is mathematics? It is only a systematic effort of solving puzzles posed by nature.
— Shakuntala Devi
Introduction
‘Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high quality mathematical education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically ,an appreciation of the power and beauty of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.’ (DfE 2013)
The statement above underscores our mathematical philosophy at Adel St John’s (ASJ). Mathematics is important to us because it is an integral part of everyday life and we want our children to realise how much of life it underpins and how much fun it can be.
With this in mind our policy promotes the basic and wider understanding of mathematics and seeks to instil an element of enjoyment and excitement from maths, be it in speed of fluency, the thrill of an investigation or satisfaction from solving a problem through reasoning. By high quality engagement with the children we hope to intrinsically motivate them to build upon their own understanding and promote further learning.
To that end, a high-quality, creative and when possible, cross-curricular maths experience should be one that develops the children’s ability to think mathematically and one which allows them to apply the tools to which they have been exposed in a variety of ways.
The purpose of mathematics in our school is to develop:
- competence and confidence in using and applying mathematical knowledge, concepts and skills
- an ability to solve problems, to reason, to think logically and to work systematically and accurately
- initiative and motivation to work both independently and in cooperation with others
- confident communication of maths where pupils ask and answer questions, openly share work and learn from mistakes
- positive attitudes towards the subject and awareness of the relevance of mathematics in the real world
- an ability to use and apply mathematics across the curriculum and in real life
We aim to provide a stimulating and exciting learning environment that takes account of different learning styles and uses appropriate resources to maximise teaching & learning.
Approach
It is important that children are allowed to explore Maths and present their findings not only in a written form but also visually and verbally; to that end the school has adopted the CPA approach: concrete, pictorial, abstract. This allows the children to experience the physical aspects of Maths before gaining an understanding in a visual form before relying on the abstract numbers.
To support our teaching we have adopted the White Rose Maths schemes of learning which, as well as the above, ensure full coverage of the curriculum and deeper learning of strands within, spending longer blocks of time on each. Ensuring a deeper understanding for all and with an early emphasis on number. Each year has its own overview to follow and is aware of what came before in the previous year to ensure spiralling of each strand up the school and no repetition.
All teachers have received training in growth mindset thinking to ensure a can do attitude to maths for all. Teachers and KS2 TAs have also received training in effective use of the CPA approach to maths. Each November the school participates in Barvember with a 5 minute introduction based around reasoning using a bar model question. The school has also taken up First Class Number initiatives for KS1 and a reasoning course from Oxford University. Every other year we run a math themed ‘spy day’ with lots of code cracking opportunities incorporating other areas of the curriculum and we regularly take advantage of local math workshops for able and gifted and PP learners. Each classroom has a maths wall which contains most or all of the following: relevant vocabulary, examples of children’s reasoning/explanations, access to manipulatives, number lines of increasing complexity, fraction and percentage equivalents in KS2, a maths challenge and photos of children learning.
The children have access to a wealth of resources. In EYFS children use numicon, number blocks, dice, and a host of objects for counting, weighing and measuring. Examples of their use of number is kept in a photo album for all to peruse. The access to manipulatives is replicated throughout the school with varying complexity. From Autumn term 2 children in Year 2 are introduced to Mathletics, a home learning computer programme, which they the access up until the end of year 6. A minimum of 3 assignments are set each week and results monitored by the class teacher. The children also have access to TTRockstars an app that allows children to develop and practise their multiplication skills from Year 2 up they access this at least 3 x per week in school alone. There are regular leader board updates and termly inter house competitions. In KS1 children also have access to 1 minute maths, an app linked to WRM for short daily arithmetic practice. School wide maths investigations are held every half term to encourage children to see the benefit of maths outside of the classroom.
Teaching Strategy
The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should be based on the security of the pupils’ understanding. Children struggling with the pace are given in class support from the teacher and TA as well as maths interventions. By following the White Rose Maths we hope to develop a level of mastery, detailed below. As it lends itself to coherence by explicitly stating the small steps to be taken each lesson.
Teaching for Mastery
FLUENCY INVOLVES: • Quick recall of facts and procedures • The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics. • The ability to recognise relationships and make connections in mathematics
REPRESENTATION & STRUCTURE Mathematical structures are the key patterns and generalisations that underpin sets of numbers – they are the laws and relationships that we want children to spot. Using different representations can help children to ‘see’ these laws and relationships.
VARIATION Procedural variation – This is a deliberate change in the type of examples used and questions set, to draw attention to certain features. Conceptual variation – When a concept is presented in different ways, to show what a concept is, in all of its different forms.
MATHEMATICAL THINKING INVOLVES: • Looking for pattern and relationships • Logical Reasoning • Making Connections
EYFS
Mathematics within the EYFS is developed through purposeful, play based experiences and will be represented throughout the indoor and outdoor provision. The learning will be based on pupil’s interests and current themes and will focus on the expectations from Development Matters / Early Years Outcomes. Mathematical understanding can be developed through stories, songs, games, imaginative play, child initiated learning and structured teaching. As pupils progress, they will be encouraged to record their mathematical thinking in a more formal way.
Teachers planning and organisation
Long term planning
The National Curriculum for Mathematics 2014, Development Matters and the Early Learning Goals (Number, Shape Space & Measure) provide the long term planning for mathematics taught in the school.
Medium term planning
Years 1-6 use the White Rose Maths Hub schemes of learning as their medium term planning documents. But teachers are also encouraged to feel free to break away from the curriculum should the opportunity for topic or child led maths arise, such as measuring in P.E., coordinates when map reading, data collection or use of shape.
These schemes provide teachers with exemplification for maths objectives and are broken down into fluency, reasoning and problem solving, key aims of the National Curriculum. They support a mastery approach to teaching and learning and have number at their heart. They ensure teachers stay in the required key stage and support the ideal of depth before breadth. They support pupils working together as a whole group and provide plenty of time to build reasoning and problem solving elements into the curriculum. The plan can be seen in more detail at the bottom of this page.
Short term planning
The above schemes of learning support daily lesson planning and teachers are free to draw from a variety of sources to help them achieve the Learning Intention. ASJ subscribes to Twinkl and Classroom Secrets which have tailor made packages for each step in the White Rose programmes of study but are free to also draw from Tes, NRich and others. Lessons are planned using a common planning format and are monitored at intervals by the mathematics subject leader. EYFS planning is based on the medium term plans and delivered as appropriate to individual children with thought to where the children are now and what steps they need to take next.
All classes have a daily mathematics lesson of approximately 45-60 minutes, where possible. The lessons begin with a set of Flashback 4 questions which revisit past concepts with a few questions on whiteboards for 5 minutes, allowing the teacher to assess any learning gaps. Within the daily mathematics lesson teachers have a responsibility to not only provide differentiated activities to support children with SEND but also activities that provide sufficient challenge for children who are high achievers. It is the teachers’ responsibility to ensure that all children are challenged at a level appropriate to their ability Teachers of the EYFS ensure the children learn through a mixture of adult led activities and child initiated activities both inside and outside of the classroom.
Assessment
Children receive termly reasoning tests to give them exposure to other question setters. Teacher use the White Rose end of unit assessment tests at the end of each unit to support their TA judgements. The children are also given weekly arithmetic tests. In year 4 children are tested weekly in preparation for the end of year times table tests. In addition, there is also AfL (Assessment for Learning) opportunities (speaking and listening and self/peer assessment) and teacher assessment. Children are encouraged to self assess and peer assess and the teacher double checks this to ensure they are making progress with time given for corrections, ideally at the start of the next lesson.
Parental Involvement
We encourage parents to be involved by:
- Inviting them into school twice yearly to discuss the progress of their child.
- Updating them with their child’s learning in class vis the website blogs for each class
- Providing parents with a yearly report outlining their child’s achievements.
- Providing log ins for them to access Mathletics, TTRockstars and one minute maths at home
Useful Documents