Implementation

Curriculum Delivery

Children are taught maths daily (x5, 1-hour lessons per week), using White Rose Maths as the primary resource through which long, medium and short term planning is based. The curriculum is cumulative as small steps in learning are taken within a specific block of learning. This allows for greater opportunity for children to develop deeper levels of knowledge and understanding within each particular strand of the maths curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to use formative assessments methods in order to consider gaps in knowledge which may be present as a result of the pandemic. The ‘Ready to Progress’ document highlights key objectives teachers should prioritise and these have been mapped against our small steps of learning. These amendments are factored into the curriculum in order to ensure any recapping or consolidation of previous year group content is evident across a sequence of lessons. The lessons are discrete to enable focus on the core concepts of maths and vocabulary is continually developed using oracy strategies, explicit reference to vocabulary, sentence stems and the ‘no hands up’ approach. In EYFS and KS1, the Mastering Number Programme is used to develop understanding of early number.  The flowchart outlines what a typical Maths lesson looks like at Richard Lee.  Castle Phoenix Trusts ‘6 Principles of Great Teaching’ (modelling, explanation, challenge, questioning, feedback and practise) are evident throughout a maths lesson.

Teaching (Pedagogy)

The teaching is developed with evidence-based approaches in mind in order to ensure high quality teaching and, consequently, learning takes places. We allow children to process information in relation to previously learned knowledge and make the connections. A ‘Teaching for Mastery’ approach is used to ensure depth of understanding is achieved across the maths curriculum. Each maths lesson compromises time to consolidate core number facts before introducing new learning, therefore lessons begin with either a “Flashback 4” or 5 arithmetic questions. This enables children to have regular opportunities to revisit previous learning meaning that, over time, they know more and remember more.

Mathematical vocabulary is shared with children and used explicitly so that children can speak confidently, coherently and have opportunities develop their oracy skills within maths. We use clear models and detailed explanations allow children to acquire new knowledge. This comes in the form of I Do, We Do, You Do approach derived from Rosenshein’s Principles of Instruction. A C-P-A approach is used to help support and develop children’s conceptual understanding of a particular area of maths and challenge for all learners is embed into each lesson using the school’s language of “Take it Further” (TIF).  These are located with a rocket symbol and are devised using White Rose Reasoning and Problem solving questions and I SEE REASONING by Gareth Metcalf.  When completing independent practice in their books, work is presented in a consistent way across the school. This ensures children have opportunities to record their own pictorial representations whilst simultaneously allowing for neat and logical presentation of methods and strategies.

Children are provided with ample opportunities to practice core knowledge in order for it to be recalled with automaticity and accuracy. Weekly arithmetic quizzes, Times Table Rock Stars and the NCETM’s Mastering Number programme ensure this is implemented across EYFS and KS1.

To ensure our intent transfers into our everyday practice, as a school we have devised ‘High Five’. ‘High Five’ are five key consistent things you should see across all areas of learning. We are continually improving our teaching practice and this is to ensure learning opportunities are always maximised. The ‘Five High’ is used as a way of driving and delivering ‘Impactful teaching’ which is one of our Trust six ambitions.

1. Children are fostered to take pride in their Maths books in terms of presentation, quantity and quality, responding to teacher comments. Books are consistent across school.
2. Teachers targeted questioning scaffolds learning, challenges and supports all learners enabling quality first teaching for all pupils. Children are challenged through TIF (Take it Further), which are one step removed from the independent practice.
3. Learning intentions in lessons are clear and children have the oracy skills and language of learning to articulately verbalise what they are learning.
4. Key mathematical vocabulary for each lesson is made explicit and shared with children to aid their understanding.
5. Following the Marking and Feedback policy, impactful feedback is achieved through live marking, review time and being fully responsive.

Assessment (Formative and Summative)

Staff use formative assessment in order to identify gaps in learning and where teacher input is required in order to ensure all learners make progress. Verbal feedback, self/peer assessment and feedback through marking in books is the primary form through which formative feedback is delivered. Information gathered through formative feedback feeds into teachers’ decisions around what, how and when they teach the next small step in a sequence of learning. Low stakes quizzing through weekly arithmetic tests allow for teachers to identify gaps in core knowledge which can then be consolidated and practised during the daily 5 arithmetic questions.

Summative assessment comes in the form of end of term NFER assessments. This provides teachers will additional information and data regarding children’s progress and attainment. Using NFER results, evidence in books and teachers own judgement, teachers use ‘Educater’ to track progress and attainment of children within their class. Through SLT led pupil progress meetings, teachers identify children who are off track and identify appropriate ways and means of intervening in order to ensure they on track by the time of the next data drop.