Intent

Albert Einstein, ‘Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.’

At St Mary’s our Maths teaching is underpinned by the belief that all children can develop a deep understanding of the mathematics that they are learning.  We believe that every child can achieve and be the best that they can be.

Our ambitious curriculum is designed to follow the principles of teaching for Maths mastery. Our intention is that children will develop a deep, secure and long term understanding of what has been learnt which fundamentally means the children know more and remember more. Our Maths curriculum is carefully sequenced and broken down into small steps where the children are allowed to make rich deep connections between key concepts.

At St Mary’s children from Early Years to Year 6 study mathematics use the White Rose Maths Scheme of Learning as a foundation for teaching and learning. The WRM blocked scheme is adapted to allow pupils to revisit units of work, whilst also offering depth and breadth of learning within each strand of mathematics. Alongside this we also teach times tables and complete fluency based activities. In EYFS and KS1 pupils use the NCETM ‘Mastering Number’ scheme and in KS2 pupils follow the Fluent in 5 programme. Our weekly planning is tailored to the needs of our children. We use many concrete resources throughout the school to ensure children are exposed to multiple representations of a concept. This is part of our CPA (Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract) approach.

We are currently taking part in the Mastering Number Programme in Key Stage 1 and Early Years, which we use to develop a strong sense of number. This will build firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. The aim over time is that children will leave KS1 with fluency in calculation and confidence and flexibility with numbers.

Implementation

We have long, medium and short term planning that is progressive and cohesive across the year groups, and provides opportunities to revisit. Teachers teach lessons that are designed on the principle of ‘Pictorial, Concrete, Abstract’, and we provide quality first teaching.

All teachers:

Follow White Rose Maths

  • Use effective assessment to understand the needs of the children
  • Have a secure understanding of year group expectations and/or pre key stage expectations and incisive, ongoing, formative assessment
  • Have an understanding how to support all learners through the use of a range of strategies to promote independence, mastery, and high expectations of A

Lessons are structured to allow children to:

Complete a retrieval ‘Remember it’ activity

Develop Learning  ‘Teach it’ task

Complete Independent Work ‘Twist it’ question

Practise fluency skills ‘Twist it 2’ problem

Reason and problem solve ‘Deepen it’

Lessons include the Teaching for Mastery principles ‘Challenge’

Impact

The children will have:

  • 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
  • The ability to show how a mathematical concept or skill has been mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in an unfamiliar environment

This will be assessed through assessment, tracking, pupil progress meetings, monitoring, performance management, moderation and standardisation.

Mrs White is our Maths Lead and she is part of the Maths Mastery Hub group.