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
It is our aim that all pupils leave St Clare’s with the maths skills necessary for them to not only excel in secondary school but be confident and competent in their use of maths in their everyday lives. Thus preparing our pupils for adulthood, maths also provides our children with opportunities to work individually and collaboratively. We strive to promote a positive mindset towards maths in our pupils. Not only should our children leave us with an excellent understanding of the four operations, develop fluency, knowledge, skills and understanding of numbers and the number system, calculations, solving problems, measures, shape, space, and data handling, but they should be able to apply their knowledge to solve a range of problems, and in a variety of contexts. We want to encourage children to persevere and take risks in their problem solving approach to learning in Mathematics. Whether written or spoken, we want children to confidently present their thinking and reasoning through the use of maths vocabulary, thus enabling them to engage with concepts and build a deep understanding of them. Our use of the White Rose curriculum ensures topics are revisited year on year, allowing us to build on prior knowledge, while our staff’s confidence allows us to deviate from the scheme, adapting lessons, whilst maintaining high expectations for all. We seek to provide all pupils (regardless of ability, gender, SEND or culture) with the opportunity to meet expectations. achieve mastery and consolidate knowledge.
IMPLEMENTATION
The National Curriculum for Mathematics 2014 and Early Years Framework – Early Learning Goals have been carefully considered in planning the content of our mathematics curriculum. EYFS use Early Years Staffroom (links to White Rose Maths) for planning purposes. Years 1 to 6, use the White Rose Mathematics scheme alongside some use of NCETM materials, carefully selected by the teacher. These schemes are broken down into small steps and involve fluency, reasoning and problem solving; key aims of the National Curriculum. They support a mastery approach to teaching and learning. They ensure teachers support the ideal of depth before breadth. We consider the ‘5 big ideas in teaching for mastery’. 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.
• Have a fluent, efficient, accurate recall of key number facts and procedures
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.
In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 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.
MATHS LONG TERM PLANNING AT ST. CLARE’S
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). Problem of the Day.
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.
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.
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.
POLICY DOCUMENTS
Multiplication and Division calculation policy
Addition and subtraction calculation policy
OTHER DOCUMENTS
Parent maths presentation.pptx
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 – COMING SOON
- National Numeracy Day May 18th 2025
- International Maths Day March 26th 2025
- PARENT/CHILDREN WORKSHOPS LEAD BY CLASS TEACHERS AND MATHS LEAD – MISS CALLAGHAN
- MATHS DRESS UP DAYS!
