Mathematics
Our mathematical curriculum intends to inspire success and develop curious, flexible and confident mathematicians from Reception to Year 6 and beyond.
We believe that all children (and adults) can ‘do’ maths and start with the highest expectation of every pupil, no matter their starting point. Through our mastery teaching approach we wish to develop curious and independent learners.
In class we spend time exploring concepts in depth and move forward in learning together, with no-one being ‘left behind’, all while ensuring those with a quicker understanding are extended through rich challenges. We wish to develop flexible, fluent mathematicians through the rigorous teaching of number/multiplication facts and a wide range of mental and written calculation methods. Children reason about mathematics and solve a variety of increasingly challenging problems, supported by a heavy emphasis on developing strong mathematical language.
The children start their mathematical journey in Reception where the emphasis is on developing children’s mathematical understanding through play, supported by a range of materials. The children are provided with a variety of opportunities across the classroom and beyond to practise, demonstrate and enhance their understanding. Through these play-based opportunities, children learn to use numbers up to 20, to add and subtract numbers, to recognise and sort shapes and to use informal units of measure. They are introduced to mathematical language and problem solving skills to help them meet the demands of the National Curriculum from Year 1.
Teaching in years 1 to 6 follows the Maths - No Problem teaching strategy, adopted in the 2019 -2020 academic year. New concepts are taught through the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach which values practical experience of mathematics in different contexts to support deep, sustained learning. This uses questioning and set up tasks that allow children to ‘discover’ for themselves. Children learn to use a variety of mental and written calculation methods with an emphasis on flexibility and efficiency. At regular intervals, children’s understanding is assessed through a variety of informal assessments and formal tests. The outcomes of these assessments are used to plan new learning activities.
In a typical lesson, children first spend time collaborating in pairs on small tasks set by the teacher, often using equipment and resources to reinforce and stretch their understanding. Teachers encourage children to ‘discover’ key concepts through these tasks and then draw learning together, with each learning step building on the last. Children’s language and reasoning skills are developed throughout. This part of the lesson is called the 'In Focus and Guided phase'.
The lesson then moves to the 'independent phase' where children apply their understanding. At this point, those with a quicker understanding are extended through challenges.
It is great if when you are out and about with your child that they see mathematics in everyday activities and get some hands on experience e.g. visit a shop and allow your child to buy something using the correct coins, find numbers in the supermarket, use items from the kitchen to weigh/measure or order in size.
Time, days of the week and months of the year are also very important things for your child to learn.
Times Table Rock Stars
In Year 2 the children are encouraged to practice their 2, 5 and 10 times tables daily at home. All children have their own account with their own login details which can be used at home and in school. If you have mislaid the details please let use know so we can replace them for you.
https://play.ttrockstars.com/auth/school/student