MATHS
“We believe that every child can master an understanding and love of mathematics with the right kind of teaching and support.”
Maths
Curriculum Design, Coverage and Appropriateness At Richard Lee, we have constructed an ambitious curriculum underpinned by high expectations for all learners. We recognise the significance in developing a love of Maths and believe children need an understanding of the importance of Maths instilled into everyday life, so that recognise the power it has to unlock opportunities in the future. All Children will have a positive mindset towards mathematics, understanding its importance in everyday life within our world.
Our curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced in order to ensure children know more and remember more over time. Children will move through the curriculum at broadly the same pace to ensure that all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are exposed to a broad and balanced curriculum. We are relentless in ensuring all learners meet the aims of the National Curriculum (fluency, reasoning and problem solving) and this is at the heart of all learning. The curriculum is not narrowed for any groups of learners, but is instead adapted, designed and developed to ensure it is appropriate for all children at Richard Lee.
The curriculum is underpinned by a belief that all learners have the right to leave Richard Lee with the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to successfully progress into the next stage of their academic career.
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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. In EYFS and KS1, the Mastering Number Programme is used to develop understanding of early number. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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The National Curriculum aims in Maths are to ensure that all pupils:
- become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, 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.
Times Table Rock Stars
In order for children to be able to reason mathematically and to solve challenging problems, they must be fluent and secure in a range of basic number facts. These include number bonds, addition and subtraction facts and times tables.
Times Table Rock Stars is an online game which children love! They can compete against each other, earn coins to customise their avatar and most importantly it develops their speed and accuracy in terms of times table recall.
Year 4
Children in Year 4 will be participating in a weekly times tables challenge called ‘Sound Check’. This weekly test is very similar to the compulsory one they will complete in June. They can also prepare for this at home! Additional to maths lessons, your child’s teacher will regularly teach your child strategies to help them to recall their multiplication facts and will provide targeted tables for them to work on. The ‘Garage’ game is teacher set and encourages the children to develop their speed on a targeted set area they need to work on. Certificates are given out weekly to children who improve their recalling speed and move positions on the leader board.
Across KS2
All classes across KS2 will use TTRS to help them to improve their recall of multiplication facts. Classes compete in a ‘Battle of the Bands’ to see who the ultimate Times Table Rock Star champion is. Children love working as a class to see who can answer the most questions correctly over the term and enjoy seeing their own speed improve.
Little and often is key to practising times tables. 5 minutes every day will be far more beneficial to our children rather than one hour all in one go. Children can play on TTRS on the computer and also on the app which can be downloaded to phones and tablets.
Calculation Policy
This documents the mathematical procedures encountered throughout the school. The methods and the approach are tailored to meet the expectations and objectives of the National Curriculum.
If you require further support on the maths methods taught in school, please speak to your child's class teacher.
Useful Parent Resources
Here are a range of other useful maths websites and resources you can use to support your child at home.
White Rose Maths Home Learning: a range of videos and worksheets covering topics taught in Early Years through to Year 6. Every lesson comes with a short video showing you clearly and simply how to help your child complete the activity successfully.
Maths4All: worksheets for children in Years 1 to 6. These are matched to White Rose Maths and cover the same content taught at school. They can be downloaded for free from Amazon.
Pupil Resources
Children make progress best as mathematicians when they regularly repeat skills and practice them until they become embedded. This can be quite a long process sometimes, and so the use of an exciting game or interesting activity can be highly motivating. In our experience, our children learn best when they are having fun and that's what games are for!
Early Years & KS1 Pupil Resources
Aimed at nursery and reception children to help develop their basic counting skills. There is also a link on the website to BBC iPlayer where children can watch TV episodes of Numberblocks.
Lots of fun games to play with children of all ages.
Games, videos and guides aimed at children in KS1.
Free to play educational games.
This is an online platform children across KS1 & KS2 can use at home to complete extra maths across a range of maths topics! Each child has their own username and password to access the site.
KS2 Pupil Resources
Games, videos and guides aimed at children in KS2.
Lots of fun games to play with children of all ages.
A range of games aimed more towards KS2 pupils.
Interesting logic games and helpful videos about a range of topics.
Hit the button is an interactive maths game with quick fire questions on numberbonds, times tables, doubling, halving, multiples, division facts and square numbers.
This is an online platform children across KS2 can use at home to play multiplication games, earn coins and most importantly improve their recall speed of multiplication facts! Each child has their own username and password to access the site.
This is an online platform children across KS1 & KS2 can use at home to complete extra maths across a range of maths topics! Each child has their own username and password to access the site.
Here you will find a range of Primary challenges for you to have a go at solving.
Please note, although we have checked all of these links, please be aware that the internet is constantly changing and as such we accept no responsibility for these links. If you find any problems with them then please let the school know.
I am available should you require further help, support or information about mathematics at Richard Lee Primary School.
Mrs Darnley
Assistant Headteacher and Mathematics Leader
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