Mathematics

Subject Leader: Mrs E Warburton

WARBURTONE@saintgeorgescofe.kent.sch.uk

Mathematics at Saint George’s Primary Phase

At Saint George’s Church of England Primary Phase, we aim to foster an enjoyment, fascination and confidence in Mathematics for all children, using the Mathematics Mastery approach. At the centre of this approach is the belief that all children have the potential to succeed. We ensure that each child deepens and develops their knowledge, skills and understanding in Mathematics to a high level. We will ensure that children can relate Mathematics to the ‘real world’ and use it to solve problems in their every-day lives.

The Mathematics Mastery approach has mathematical problem solving at its core. It has three key principles which we teach our children. These are:   

  • To use spoken and written language with confidence and clarity, in order to explain and justify Mathematical reasoning
  • To have a deep conceptual understanding of Mathematical concepts
  • To develop Mathematical thinking, including generalising, classifying and comparing and modifying

This is achieved through covering fewer topics in greater depth. Pupils master concepts rather than learning procedures by rote. They do this using concrete objects and pictures before moving on to abstract symbols (numbers and signs). We teach 6 part lessons which allow for cumulative, scaffolded learning where assessment is crucially feeding in to subsequent segments. Every lesson involves children explaining and talking about mathematics.

Aims

At Saint George’s Church of England Primary Phase we aim to foster a love of Mathematics and Mathematical understanding. To do this we need to:

  • Develop a growth mindset about Mathematics
  • Develop a positive attitude towards Mathematics
  • Encourage children to be confident about number and look for connections between numbers
  • Create problem solvers who can reason, think logically and apply their knowledge of Mathematics to other areas of learning
  • Develop mathematical language
  • Help children to become independent learners ad work cooperatively with others
  • Give a real-life context to Mathematics

Mathematics Mastery Approach

The teaching of Mathematics Mastery enables all children to work together on the same key point, whilst at the same time challenging and supporting pupils to gain a depth of understanding and proficiency.

Saint George’s Church of England Primary Phase will do this by:

  • Enabling children to work in mixed ability groups
  • Using precise questions to enable children to think deeply about Mathematical concepts
  • Encouraging children to make connections across Mathematical ideas
  • Challenging children to problem solve
  • Supporting children through; careful questioning, further use of representations, additional time, additional activities to consolidate understanding
  • Introducing new concepts by using a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach
  • Ensuring every Mathematics lesson shows progress and/or helps children deepen their understanding
  • Including Mathematics vocabulary in every lesson and using it in the correct way to develop children’s knowledge
  • Ensuring all classrooms have helpful and appropriate display materials, including Mathematical vocabulary

 

EYFS

Within the EYFS at Saint George’s Church of England Primary Phase, adults will support children in developing and expressing their understanding of problem solving, reasoning and numeracy in a broad range of contexts, through exploration and play. Adults will offer opportunities for these skills to be practiced, in order to give children the confidence to use these skills in other areas of learning, as well as during future Mathematical activities.

The Mathematics area of learning includes seeing patterns, making connections, recognising relationships, working with numbers, shapes, space and measures, counting, sorting and matching. Children use their knowledge and skills in these areas to solve problems, generate questions and make connections across other areas of the EYFS. Mathematical understanding will be developed through whole class sessions as well as stories, songs, games and imaginative play.

Mathematical learning will be both practical and highly engaging for our pupils, both within the EYFS and across the rest of our school.

 

 

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1 at Saint George’s Church of England Primary Phase, children are supported in developing their fluency, consolidation and confidence.

Knowledge is embedded across the year: same-day interventions address misconceptions and reduce gaps, and weekly maths meetings (including visuals, singing and active participation) help with fluency, consolidation and confidence.

Daily maths lessons provide building blocks towards mastery and efficiency, with opportunities for both guided and independent practice. Children encourage each other to challenge themselves and support each other in their learning by asking and answering questions in whole class discussion and when working in smaller groups.

We encourage mathematical communication, ensuring that the children are equipped with the language required to explain, justify and prove. We use a variety of good quality resources in every lesson to support making connections and understanding different mathematical concepts. Pupils further challenge their mathematical thinking through opportunities to investigate and reason.

Using the National Curriculum, we focus on the development of:

  • Fluency (using known facts to make connections with increasing speed, accuracy and efficiency).
  • Problem Solving (using and applying fluency and logic skills to break down complex problems, understand them and find solutions).
  • Reasoning (using mathematical language to clearly explain their thinking such as patterns, hypothesise and enquiries).

At Saint George’s, formal assessment for mathematics includes termly arithmetic and reasoning papers. These are used to track progress and attainment both throughout the year and to inform end of year data.

Statutory testing for mathematics includes the Key Stage 1 SATs assessments in Year Two (for both arithmetic and reasoning) (prior practise for which comes from both the problem solving in lessons and termly assessment review).

Key Stage 2

In Key Stage 2 we continue to use a cumulative curriculum that builds upon learning, allowing pupils to make deep connections across topics.

Multiple representations are used throughout to strengthen conceptual understanding. Children will continue to have access to a wide range of concrete resources in Key Stage 2 at every stage in order to consolidate a deeper understanding and ensure mastery of the more challenging concepts.

There continues to be an emphasis on deeper learning, and confidently using the correct language to communicate mathematical problems. We continue to use careful higher order questioning to encourage students to build mathematical habits of mind.

Using the National Curriculum, we focus on the development of:

  • Fluency (using known facts to make connections with increasing speed, accuracy and efficiency).
  • Problem Solving (using and applying fluency and logic skills to break down complex problems, understand them and find solutions).
  • Reasoning (using mathematical language to clearly explain their thinking such as patterns, hypothesise and enquiries).

 

At Saint George’s, formal assessment for mathematics in Key Stage 2 includes termly arithmetic and reasoning papers. These are used to track progress and attainment both throughout the year and to inform end of year data.

Statutory testing for mathematics includes the year four Multiplication Tables Check (prior practise for which is provided) and the Key Stage 2 SATs assessments in year six (for both arithmetic and reasoning) (prior practise for which comes from both the problem solving in lessons and termly assessment review).

 

The breakdown of the curriculum for each year group can be found on the Curriculum maps document download.

The breakdown of the curriculum for each year group can be found on the curriculum maps document available here.