Our Vision for Mathematics

What is Mathematics?

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.  (National Curriculum 2014)

At St Clare’s we see Maths as a multi-discipline, cross-curricular, interconnected subject.  As much revolves around the discussion about Maths, as it does the completion of calculations.  We want the children to see Mathematics as being imperative, exciting and relevant to their world and applicable to everyday life.   Mathematics is something that they will need, as they move on through their school life and ultimately to the world of employment.  To that end, a high-quality, inter-related and creative Maths experience should be one that develops the children’s ability to think mathematically and one which allows them to apply the tools to which they have been exposed in a variety of ways. 

At St. Clare’s the emphasis linked to the new National Curriculum in 2014 is to ensure that all children:  

  • become fluent in mathematics 
  • reason and explain mathematically  
  • can solve problems in mathematics and in other cross-curricular subjects: applying mathematics.

This means that children need to be regularly exposed to opportunities involving increasingly complex problem solving which allows them to apply their Maths knowledge.  

INTENT

At St. Clare’s we aim to

  • provide a Mathematics Curriculum to which every pupil in the school has equal access regardless of ability, gender, SEND or culture. 
  • provide opportunities for all children to reach their full potential with a low-entry, high-ceiling approach.
  • use ICT to enhance the numeracy curriculum wherever possible. 
  • ensure the delivery of Maths is filled with cross curricular opportunities.  

We want children to develop:

  • A positive growth mindset about ability to learn mathematics.
  • Recall of mental maths facts, with speed and accuracy.
  • Knowledge, skills and understanding of number and number notation including number operations, estimation and selecting appropriate methods of calculation.
  • Understanding of patterns, sequences and algebraic relationships and use them to solve problems.
  • Measuring skills including estimating and apply them.
  • Knowledge and use of 2D and 3D shape properties.
  • Ability to collect, record and process data, and to represent and interpret data, making links to the real world.
  • Understanding and application of probability.
  • An ability to work both independently and with others.
  • The ability to communicate confidently using key mathematical vocabulary.
  • As problem solvers, who can reason, think logically, work systematically and apply their knowledge of mathematics in real life contexts.
  • an enjoyment of maths.

IMPLEMENTATION

Following a mastery approach to the subject, we work with our local Maths Hub. We aim to deliver high quality maths lessons based on the following key principles.  Our approach has mathematical problem solving at its heart.  We want our children to

  • use spoken and written language with confidence and clarity to explain and justify mathematical reasoning.
  • have a deep conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts – covering topics in greater depth.
  • use concrete objects and pictures before moving to abstract symbols (numbers and signs).
  • develop mathematical thinking, including generalising, classifying and comparing, and modifying.

Pupils are given opportunities to use talk in maths lessons and are provided with key vocabulary and stem sentences.  Children use varying manipulatives to enable them to grasp and understand maths concepts as well as different variations of recording – pictoral.  They then progress to  using abstract and apply them to problem solving and reasoning tasks.

Maths lessons follow the White Rose scheme of work, and elements of  NCETM, to enable progression and challenge for all learners. In the long term, blocks of teaching are planned to activate prior learning with specific content revisited throughout the year, as appropriate.  Nursery and Reception have a weekly focus which runs alongside White Rose Maths and NCETM Numberblocks.  This can be seen below.

In Reception and Year 1 we use NCETM Mastering Number.  This is a scheme of work focused entirely on number fact teaching.  It provides the structure and depth to number fact teaching that children need to achieve fluency.  This is taught as a distinct lesson for 15 minutes per day.

PLANNING

Nursery

CLICK HERE FOR MORE NURSERY PLANNING

Reception

More detailed planning for Reception

CLICK HERE FOR MORE RECEPTION PLANNING

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Lessons are structured to allow for continuous Assessment for Learning:
1.  Five a day (retrieval of previous learning last year, topic, week, day:  Flashback 4 from the White Rose Scheme).

2.  Sharing of the learning objective.

3.  Retrieval of previous learning within the current topic.

4.  Modelling of the new learning – explaining and worked examples, including paired work.

5.  Applied learning by children involving fluency/reasoning and problem solving tasks, including further challenge opportunities.This involves some further adult modelling, explaining and feedback: verbal and written – both pupils(purple pen) and teachers mark(green pen)work during lessons.

6.  Plenary

Pre and post teaching opportunities are based on assessment of lessons.

INTERVENTIONS

Some children at St. Clare’s also access Plus One and Power of 2 books to provide individual support.  These practice books are a maths support tool ideal for children who benefit from repeated maths practice.  Dyslexic students can benefit from the clear language and repetition, and those with dyscalculia can benefit from the highly structured approach with clear explanations. These books are designed to be used 4-5 times a week for around 10-15 minutes.

 

MATHS FLUENCY

At St. Clare’s we have introduced  ‘Football Fluency’ which focuses on children knowing and recalling key facts, fluently and being able to apply methods of the 4 operations.  This includes times tables, doubles and halves, number bonds for example.  Children focus on these at school on a weekly basis and are expected to work with adults at home to learn them too.  A goal system in school provides an incentive for children to rehearse these. Children are rewarded during school assemblies.  There are different booklets for children to work through during their time at St. Clare’s.  These facts are distinctly taught for 15 minutes, outside of WRM lessons, incorporating and building upon the KS1 Mastering Number.  Teachers and Teaching Assistants check and record achievement of challenges and record this on the front of the booklet.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PARENT LETTER FOR FOOTBALL FLUENCY BOOKS

NURSERY BOOKLET

RECEPTION BOOKLET

YEAR 1 BOOKLET

YEAR 2 BOOKLET

YEAR 3 BOOKLET

YEAR 4 BOOKLET

YEAR 5 BOOKLET

YEAR 6 BOOKLET

Online Mathematics

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SUMDOG WEBSITE

Children in school also have online access to Sumdog, which allows children to learn and reinforce mathematics concepts at their own pace and set work set by the class teacher.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO TTRS WEBSITE

Children from Years 1 to 6 have access to Times Tables Rockstars enabling them to learn and test times tables recall at their own pace.  We expect all children to be able to recite and recall all multiplication facts to 12 x 12, within 6 seconds, by the end of Year 4.  Children take part in a National Multiplication Check in June of Year 4.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO TIMESTABLES.CO.UK WEBSITE

We also use Timestables.co.uk to learn multiplication facts.

This website also provides a Multiplication Check with scores, similar to the MTC check children complete in June of Year 4.

MATHEMATICS POLICY

 

CALCULATION POLICIES

Click the links below to read

Addition and subtraction calculation policy

Multiplication and Division calculation policy 

 

ASSESSMENT

Assessment takes different forms in Mathematics. (see also assessment of Football Fluency booklets – above).

In Early years, children are given baseline assessments when entering Nursery/Reception.  Mathematics is assessed through daily interactions with adults, during activities and in continuous provision.  Children are assessed at different checkpoints in Nursery and Reception.  Assessments are recorded on Arbor each term.  Children are assessed on Fluency Facts, which is the beginning of our Football Fluency Programme, that is taught discretely in all year groups at St. Clare’s.

Using our Find It, Fix It approach during all lessons, pupils are identified for further input with an adult, as well as use of pre and post teaching.

Children in KS2 use pupil self marking(purple pen) to inform their own assessment of their understanding and attainment.

This is also done through oral and written feedback(green pen) during lessons, from the class teacher and teaching assistant.

Years 1 to 6 use White Rose Maths, small step grids, to record pupil’s attainment in lessons.

White Rose Topic Assessments, enable staff to assess children’s attainment and understanding of the topics taught and are used to ensure revisit areas where there are gaps.  This form of assessment takes place a short time after the topic is finished, to check that this is held within the long term memory and secure.

We also use termly NFER Maths Assessment to assess children’s standardised attainment and to identify gaps for individuals, groups or classes.

Within school, pupil data is recorded termly onto assessment grids in Arbor, with the pupils being graded using a -, =, +, GDS. For example, a Y2 pupil with average attainment would receive a 2- in Autumn, 2= in Spring and a 2+ in Summer, showing that they have reached age-related expectations. Greater Depth(GDS) refers to when a child has mastered the learning objectives expected for their age and is therefore able to delve deeper into the concept in more detail.

In Year 4, children complete the Multiplication Tables Check.  Each child completes an online assessment, comprising of answering 25 times tables questions.  Children have 6 seconds to complete each question.

Children take SATs tests in Mathematics Year 6 and are graded EXP for expected standard.  GDS for Greater Depth.

 

LOOK OUT FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS …

SUMDOG CONTESTS – CURRENTLY HAPPENING UNTIL NOVEMBER 23RD 2023

TTRS COMPETITIONS

WORLD NUMBER DAY – 2ND FEBRUARY 2024

WORLD MATHS DAY – 23RD MARCH 2024

NATIONAL NUMERACY DAY – 17TH MAY 2024

PARENT/CHILDREN WORKSHOPS LEAD BY MATHS LEAD – MISS CALLAGHAN