Mathematics
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At Chollerton First School, we recognise that mathematics is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. Therefore, a high-quality mathematics education is an essential foundation for understanding the world.
We want to support children to:
At Chollerton First School, we want to share our love of teaching maths with all children so that they leave our school with a secure and deep understanding of maths. |
In line with the National Curriculum and current best practice, the children are taught to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics (including calculation strategies); reason mathematically using mathematical language and apply their knowledge and understanding to problem solving tasks. In order to achieve these objectives for all our pupils, we have begun to embed a Teaching for Mastery approach. Lessons are planned and delivered using concrete, pictorial and abstract representations, in order to fully develop children’s learning. Children are taught to solve a variety of problems and demonstrate their ability to reason mathematically.
Key Concepts
Number, place value, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions, geometry - property of shapes, measurement, money, data handling, position and direction, statistics.
Knowledge Progression
At Chollerton First School we believe that having a deep understanding of mathematical concepts is much more important than speed:
The National Curriculum states ‘Decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.’
In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, we use the White Rose progression documents to support our mapping of the curriculum. Yearly overviews guide teachers to ensure coverage of all units of work and National Curriculum expectations are met.
Core Skills
Children are supported to develop their core skills;
Asking and answering questions, calculation, communicating ideas, compare, convince, convert, demonstrate, describe, draw, explain, estimate, interpret, justify, make connections, notice patterns, predict, prove, reason, represent.
Literacy Skills
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Development of mathematical vocabulary is vital and is taught from Early Years. Precise mathematical vocabulary supports children when discussing, explaining and reasoning their understanding. The use of stem sentences and working walls support children’s use of language. |
Implementation
Strategies / Resources
At Chollerton First School, we deliver sequential learning from the Early Years to Year 4. In Reception, the guidance in Development Matters in Early Years Foundation Stage is used to assess children’s development and learning. The sequence of learning has been carefully designed through the use of progression documents that cover the six areas identified as being those which support children to develop a greater understanding and deepen their mathematical skills in preparation for KS1.
In Years 1 to 4, White Rose Maths is used to support planning, ensuring small steps have been carefully considered, as well as concrete, pictorial, abstract strategies, key vocabulary, problem solving and reasoning activities.
Our lesson structure allows for all children to be supported throughout the lesson. Daily maths lessons follow a coherent structure which addresses the 5 big ideas of Teaching for Mastery.
Children Years 1 and 2 are taught as separate year groups. Depending on the topic, Children in Years 3 and 4 are usually taught in separate year groups and occasionally as a mixed group, depending on the lesson content and learning to be covered. In all lessons, the focus is on depth, not acceleration, so that all children have a chance to embed learning and ‘keep up’ not ‘catch up’. Concepts are built up in small, logical steps and are explored through clear mathematical structures and representations.
Lessons have a clear sequence of learning and begin with ‘Flashback 4’. This fluency retrieval practice builds on key facts that need to be embedded by the end of the year whilst building on the previous years key facts.
Prior learning is built upon from previous lessons which gives children the opportunity to embed their learning. Children apply their knowledge through reasoning style questions. This retrieval practice is essential for all learners to build on existing knowledge.
Every lesson will contain aspects of fluency, problem solving and reasoning which is developed through carefully crafted questioning, use of representations and varied fluency opportunities. Problem solving and reasoning is not taught discretely at the end of a unit, but is applied and developed throughout.
Mathematical talk is a key element in all lessons. Vocabulary is shared and stem sentences are provided to model excellent explanations and reasoning skills. This is referred to throughout the lesson using the working wall. Children are given opportunities to talk to their partners and explain/convince/justify their thinking and answers in full sentences e.g ‘I know it is true because…..’.
Assessment for learning information is used to plan and deliver lessons in order to focus on children who require extra support and allow ‘rapid graspers’ to still be challenged through a wide range of questions/activities. This ensures ALL children are challenged through the highest expectations and that ALL children make the most progress possible from their starting points. Each topic ends with a summative assessment which provides teachers with the opportunity to monitor and track progress. Termly White Rose Maths assessments provide further information on children’s attainment and progress.
Where necessary, SEN children have bespoke interventions during daily maths lessons that focus on number and calculation, developing children’s mathematical understanding, communication and reasoning skills. Stimulating, enjoyable games and activities engage the children and build their confidence.
Times tables (Years 2 to 4) are practised and assessed regularly, using ‘Snappy Maths’ resources and a variety of iPad apps. Homework activities are also provided which are targeted and personalised to the individual child.
We have high expectations and encourage a positive ‘can do’ mindset towards maths in all pupils, creating learning experiences which develop children’s resilience in the face of a challenge and carefully scaffolding learning so everyone can make progress. This is supported by:
- Deep and sustainable learning – lessons are designed with careful small steps, questions and tasks in place to ensure the learning is not superficial.
- The ability to build on something that has already been sufficiently mastered – pupils’ learning of concepts is seen as a continuum across the school.
- The ability to reason and problem solve– pupils are encouraged to make connections and spot patterns between different concepts (e.g. the link between ratio, division and fractions) and use precise mathematical language, which frees up working memory and deepens conceptual understanding.
- Conceptual and procedural fluency – teachers move maths from one context to another supported by concrete, abstract and pictorial representations.
- Across the curriculum - Maths is interwoven across the curriculum and as a result, knowledge and skills are used in other subjects, further deepening learning.
Our learners will use their taught knowledge to access problem solving and reasoning activities, not only in Maths lessons but across the curriculum. They will foster a love of learning mathematics, evident by their enthusiasm to take part in Maths lessons. Our learners are given the skills and knowledge to support them to become confident citizens with an understanding of their own economic well-being.
Recovery Curriculum
Schemes of work include ‘recap’ steps of learning that may have been missed by children during school closures.