Mathematics
“Number rules the universe.” Pythagoras
INTENT
What do we teach? Why do we teach it?
At Sir Thomas Abney we aim to develop confident mathematicians who love their learning and who are resilient when approaching problems without any fear of mistake or failure. Our aim is for every child to be equipped with core mathematical skills that are transferable to the world around them. We provide children from Early Years through to the end of Key Stage 2 with extensive opportunities to apply their skills in a range of different contexts and to develop their reasoning. We encourage children to be reflective and to approach mistakes as opportunities for learning. Maths learning and practice is encouraged across other curriculum areas such as Science, Geography, PE, Computing and Design and Technology.
We will:
- Give the children a maths curriculum that develops their fluency, reasoning and problem solving, as laid out in the National Curriculum.
- Provide maths lessons that include creativity, exploration and investigation.
- Encourage children to feel positive about maths and have high expectations of their own work.
- Show children how they can apply their maths skills to everyday life.
- Build resilience when problem solving.
- Encourage children to celebrate mistakes and see them as a way to learn.
IMPLEMENTATION
How do we teach and assess and how does this look in practice?
We follow the Mathematics Mastery scheme of work from Reception to Year 6. Lessons are personalised to the needs of each class. Learning in core maths lessons in year 1 to 6 is also reinforced with shorter ‘Maths Meetings’ where key concepts are revised and practised. Children in Early Years having shorter maths sessions with the teacher followed by maths activities integrated into their continuous provision. Each lesson gives children a chance to practise their fluency and reasoning skills structured as a multi-part lesson with opportunities to revise prior learning, practice vocabulary, rehearse with a partner, be taught new content, work independently and extend understanding and reasoning skills through challenge questions.
For more details, please also see: Maths Mastery; Maths National Curriculum; Calculation Policy; EYFS framework
Work is marked daily by teachers in Reception and Year 1. Work in Years 2-6 may be marked by the teacher or by the children themselves as part of their own self-assessment. They find where they have met the success criteria and decide if they would like more help or a challenge the next day. This can then be addressed by the teacher at the beginning of the next lesson. This system means that feedback and support to children is targeted and meaningful.
Children sit short prior knowledge and post-unit checks to inform teachers’ planning andkeep track of children’s progress. Once a term, children complete formal assessments. This data is used in our pupil progress meetings and communicated with parents.In Reception, all assessment is done through teacher assessment against the EYFSframework . In the Summer term, Year 6 sit the Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) and Year 4 sit the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC).
BRINGING MATHS TO LIFE!
Each child in KS1 and KS2 has a Mathletics log in and each child in KS2 has a Times Tables Rockstars log in. Parents and children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have access to Learning with Parents materials (videos, games and activities linked to the content covered in class that week). Nursery, Reception and Year 1 have a Maths Monkey and Home learning book which goes home with a different child each weekend to record maths activities that they have done or numbers they have seen over the weekend. Each half-term, we hold a times tables competition in KS2. Each Year, Sir Thomas Abney takes part in themed Maths days. Participation in Mathletics is very high with certificates awarded weekly in assembly.
IMPACT
By the time our children leave our school:
- Children talk enthusiastically about maths lessons and their love of the subject.
- Children know that mistakes in maths are celebrated and can explain how they use them to help them improve.
- Children can explain their mathematical thinking and make links in their learning. They use phrases like” because I know…I could work out…” and “I can prove that by…”
- Pupils can use correct maths vocabulary to describe numbers, shapes and procedures.
- Children can talk about expectations of work in books. They know how their work should be presented and how much should be achieved in a lesson.
- Children are confident to put their hand up in lessons and ask for help.
- Children demonstrate quick recall of facts and procedures during lessons and in assessments.
- By the end of the year, the majority of children have achieved Age Related Expectations. Some children progress further and achieve Greater Depth (GD). Children who have gaps in their knowledge or understanding receive on-going support through intervention.
USEFUL LINKS
NRich - A great resource for challenging children’s thinking and problem solving in maths.
TT Rockstars-The online times table platform we use in Years 3-6.
Top Marks-A range of free games for children of all ages to help with fluency.