Maths
Intent
At Eccleston St Mary’s CE Primary School, our Maths intent is to teach a rich, balanced and progressive Scheme of Work supported by White Rose Maths. The National Curriculum Objectives are covered in topics which are developed over time. It is our aim to ensure that all pupils in Key Stage 1 and 2:
- become fluent in the fundamentals of maths, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
- reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
- can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
At Eccleston St Mary’s, the curriculum is designed to be cumulative, so that once a topic is covered, it is met many times again in other contexts. Teachers are committed to ensuring that pupils are able to recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world and that they are also able to use their maths skills and knowledge confidently in their lives in a range of different contexts. Our intent is for all pupils to enjoy Maths and to experience success in the subject, with the ability to reason mathematically.
Teachers and Governors are regularly informed of developments in the frequently reviewed curriculum. Teachers are led and supported in their roles, ensuring confidence in teaching the curriculum. Lessons are child focused and Maths is kept fun and current in school.
At Eccleston St Mary’s, there is clear progression of Maths across school which is in line with Age Related Expectations (ARE). Pupils are challenged and encouraged to take ownership of their learning. Pupils who are identified as SEND or are working below or above ARE have carefully planned provision to support or challenge their learning. Individual class working walls are displayed to aid children through their learning journey. Our School Calculation Policy, curriculum resources and NCETM Teaching for Mastery resources ensure progression and challenge for all our pupils.
Implementation
At Eccleston St Mary’s, our Maths implantation is lead through Planning, Teaching and Assessment.
Planning
Planning is undertaken at three levels:
Long Term Planning: is based on a progressive and cumulative Scheme of Work provided by White Rose Maths. The National Curriculum Objectives are covered in topics which are developed over time. The curriculum is designed to be cumulative, so that once a topic is covered, it is met many times again in other contexts.
Medium Term Planning: teachers select their main teaching objectives from the topics within the Scheme of Work, ensuring a balanced Maths curriculum.
Short Term Planning: is carried out weekly. These plans include: learning objectives, mental oral starters, the main activity, aspects of learning, speaking and listening opportunities, resources to be used, key vocabulary and learning outcomes.
Teaching
At Eccleston St Mary’s, pupils are provided with a variety of opportunities to develop and extend their maths skills in and across each phase of education.
All lessons have a clear ‘Learning Objective’ and follow a format with a mental/oral starter, a main teaching activity, focused learning and a plenary session. The teaching of Maths at Eccleston St Mary’s provides opportunities for:
- group work
- paired work
- whole class teaching
- individual work
Pupils engage in:
- the development of mental strategies
- written methods
- practical work
- investigational work
- problem solving
- mathematical discussion
- consolidation of basic skills and number facts
- reading, spelling and using mathematical vocabulary
- using mathematical knowledge and understanding across other curriculum areas.
At Eccleston St Mary’s, pupils are encouraged to use a variety of resources. For each of the four rules of number, different strategies are laid out, together with examples of what concrete materials can be used and how, along with suggested pictorial representations. The principle of the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach [Make it, Draw it, Write it] is for pupils to have a true understanding of a mathematical concept. They need to master all three phases within a year group’s scheme of work. We recognise the importance of establishing a secure foundation in mental calculation and recall of number facts.
Differentiation
This should always be incorporated into all Maths lessons and can be done in various ways:
Stepped Activities which become more difficult and demanding but cater for the less able in the early sections.
Common Tasks which are open ended activities/investigations where differentiation is by outcome.
Resourcing which provides a variety of resources depending on abilities eg. counters, cubes, 100 squares, number lines, mirrors.·
Intervention Opportunities
Intervention programmes will be used appropriately to support learning. When planning, teachers will try to address the pupils’ needs through simplified or modified tasks or by using support staff.
Inclusion
At Eccleston St Mary’s, we aim to provide for all pupils so that they achieve as highly as they can in Maths according to their individual abilities. Teachers will identify which pupils or groups of pupils are under-achieving and take steps to improve their attainment. Gifted and talented children will be identified and suitable learning challenges provided. Children are placed on a Provision Map, where different levels of support and involvement are recorded. Provision Maps are reviewed termly and adjusted appropriately. Groups of pupils are also tracked on the School Tracking System to check their progress and ensure that they are reaching the expected levels of attainment.
Gifted, Able and Talented
Children identified are monitored carefully to ensure adequate provision is given to enrich and challenge, ensuring high expectations are maintained throughout the Foundation Stage and both Key Stages. Provision for these pupils are met by using a variety of extension resources, including those from NCETM Teaching for Mastery.
Special Educational Needs
Wherever possible, we aim to fully include SEND pupils in the daily Maths lesson so that they benefit from the emphasis of oral and mental work and by listening and participating with other children in demonstrating and explaining their methods.
Where necessary, teachers will, in consultation with the SENCO, draw up an Individual Educational Plan for a child. If a pupil’s needs are particularly severe they will work on an individualised programme written in consultation with the appropriate agencies.
Resources
Resources for the delivery of the maths curriculum are stored both centrally and in classrooms. Everyday basic equipment is kept in classrooms. Additional equipment and topic-specific items are stored centrally. There are central stores in classrooms and both KS1 and KS2 departments.
At Eccleston St Mary’s, a variety of published materials to facilitate the teaching of mathematics are used.
Use of IT
IT (Interactive Whiteboards, individual PCs, Google Chromebooks, cameras etc) are an integral part of Maths lessons and will be planned for and used appropriately. Pupils may also use IT to enhance their learning in the group/independent session of a lesson.
Assessment
At Eccleston St Mary’s, work will be assessed in line with the Assessment Policy. Teachers will assess pupils against daily learning objectives and use Assessment for Learning strategies to provide personal targets on the basis on the formative assessment of their work.
At the end of a block of learning or topic, the White Rose Block Assessments will be used to support teacher assessment. At the end of each term, summative assessment from arithmetic, reasoning and problem solving papers will also help to support teacher assessment.
Impact
At Eccleston St Mary’s, our Maths impact is measured from regular formative and summative assessment which informs teaching and provides intervention to support and enable the success of each child. Pupils will be assessed through: assessment, tracking, pupil progress meetings, performance management, moderation and standardisation. These factors ensure pupils make expected progress and aim to achieve or exceed the Age Related Expectation (ARE) by the time they leave Key Stage 2. All pupils should:
Demonstrate quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of the times tables.
- Show confidence in believing that they will achieve.
- Achieve objectives (expected standard) for their year group.
- Demonstrate flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of maths.
- Develop the ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths lessons.
- Demonstrate mastery of mathematical concepts or skills. Mastery is when a pupil can show a concept or skill in multiple ways, using the appropriate mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
- Take a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of their work
Mathematics Calculation Policy
This policy outlines the different calculation strategies that should be taught and used in Year 1 to Year 6 in line with the requirements of the 2014 Primary National Curriculum.
It has been adopted from The White Rose Maths Hub. It is purposely set out as a progression of mathematical skills to encourage a flexible approach to teaching and learning. It is expected that teachers will use their professional judgement as to when consolidation of existing skills is required and when they should move onto the next concept. However, the focus must always remain on breadth and depth rather than accelerating through concepts. Pupils should not be extended with new learning before they are ready, they should deepen their conceptual understanding by tackling challenging and varied problems.
Teachers can use any teaching resources that they wish to use and the policy does not recommend one set of resources over another, rather that, a variety of resources are used. For each of the four rules of number, different strategies are laid out, together with examples of what concrete materials can be used and how, along with suggested pictorial representations. The principle of the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach [Make it, Draw it, Write it] is for children to have a true understanding of a mathematical concept. They need to master all three phases within a year group’s scheme of work.