Maths

Mission statement

The language of mathematics is international, and the skills are transferrable. At Plantation, we strive to create lifelong problem solvers. Through deepening of understanding, our aim is to make sure that all children think mathematically, ensuring children can reason and problem solve in all situations.

Intent

Our Maths provision at Plantation aims to build a curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and skills so that all pupils know more, remember more, and understand more.

When teaching mathematics, we intend to use a variety of teaching methods and resources that allow all pupils equal access to mathematics and to experience maths success and enjoyment throughout their lives. Over time, children will become more resilient learners who are able to understand that to make mistakes or become stuck is a necessary step in any learning. Children will be appropriately challenged and supported through varied fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Irrespective of personal starting points, children will explore maths in depth, and use a range of mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their own thinking. Pupils will continue to build their knowledge by recalling and adding to previous knowledge and skills, then apply these new skills to a wide variety of contexts both within maths and across the curriculum.

We implement our approach through quality first teaching and the delivery of appropriately pitched work for all groups of learners supported by the materials from White Rose and an external maths consultant.

Embedded throughout lessons are the 5 Principles of Mastery. To ensure lessons are coherent they are broken down into small, connected steps that gradually unfold the concept, providing access for all children and leading to a generalisation of the concept and the ability to apply to a range of concepts. Representations are used in lessons to expose the mathematical structure being taught, with the aim to be that pupils can do the maths without recourse to the representation. Mathematical thinking encourages the pupils to think, reason and discuss ideas and strategies within their classroom environment. Pupils become fluent mathematicians through quick and efficient recall of facts and procedures and the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics. Variation is built on over a sequence of lessons and represents concepts in more than one way.

Implementation

Pupils in Foundation Stage will access their maths learning through daily lessons and continuous provision. Mathematical concepts are introduced and built upon through a series of direct teaching sessions using The Mastering Number programme. Within the provision, children have the freedom to further explore these mathematical concepts through concrete resources and creative opportunities. In addition to this, they are encouraged to follow their own mathematical lines of enquiry, which are supported through effective adult modelling and interactions.

Y1 through to Y6, Maths lessons are planned and delivered using the White Rose scheme of learning. It is underpinned by the concrete, pictorial, abstract (CPA) approach. Classrooms have a range of mathematical resources made available for children in each key stage. These include, but are not limited to, Numicon, Base 10, place value counters, Bead string, number lines, digit cards and hundred squares. Varied starting points and timely teacher interventions are utilised in response to teachers’ ongoing formative assessments through effective deployment of teaching assistants.

In addition to daily maths lessons, children have the opportunity to revisit key concepts through morning maths activities and maths meetings.

At Plantation primary, we understand the importance of incorporating technology into our learning, therefore children regularly use of ‘TT Rockstars’ within school and home to enable children to practise multiplication and division knowledge and also use Mirodo within class and at home to consolidate learning and to also help inform the teacher of gaps in learning.

Throughout each lesson, formative assessment takes place and feedback is given to the children through marking and where appropriate targets are set to ensure they are meeting the specific learning objective. Teacher’s then use this assessment to influence their planning and ensure they are providing a mathematics curriculum that will allow all children to progress. Teachers also use end of unit quizzes to also inform teaching, planning and interventions. The teaching of maths is monitored on a termly basis through regular book looks, learning walks and lesson observations. Each term, children from Year 1 and above complete a summative assessment to help them to develop their testing approach and demonstrate their understanding of the topics covered, using NFER. Years 2 and 6 also use previous SATs papers. The results from both the formative assessment and summative assessment are then used to determine children’s progress and attainment.

Impact

By the end of KS2, we aim for children to be fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics with a conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. They should have the skills to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of situations with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios. Children will be able to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language. Children will also recognise the importance of Mathematics as a facilitating subject to enable them to access other areas of learning and operate successfully is everyday life both now and in the future.

Times Tables Rockstars

At Plantation primary, we recognise the importance of times tables facts in supporting your child to access other parts of the curriculum. Along with teaching of times tables facts daily, we also supplement this with access to Times Tables Rockstars. Please use the link below to access the app.

TTRockstars

Numbots

At Plantation primary, we recognise the importance of number bond facts in supporting your child to access other parts of the curriculum. Along with the teaching of bonds explicitly in lessons and the Mastering Number Programme, we also supplement this with access to Numbots. Please use the link below to access the app.

NumBots