Maths

Maths Intent

At St Mary of Charity Primary School, our Maths Curriculum gives children the opportunity to acquire knowledge in a planned and progressive way. They are able to demonstrate mastery of these approaches by learning a new concept, practicing it and applying it to different contexts or across subjects (problem solving). We use adaptive teaching strategies to ensure that all children can acquire and embed the knowledge that is specific for their year group. Our aim is that children approach Maths with a confident mindset ultimately seeing themselves as Mathematicians.

We recognise that at SMC the most productive lessons are ones where children have experienced Maths through manipulatives. The use of manipulatives represents a mathematical concept clearly. This improves children’s visualisation of a calculation or problem which supports their use of language/reasoning when trying to solve a problem. We intend for our pupils to see mathematics as a subject which permeates into all areas of life and encourage them to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects. It is essential that all children are equipped with the skills needed to apply their learning in the wider world.

Maths Implementation

At St Mary of Charity Primary School, we utilise the White Rose scheme to structure our curriculum. It splits the curriculum into small conceptual steps that enable the children to build their knowledge in a gradual, but challenging, environment. It promotes the route from fluency to problem solving and ensures a consistent approach across the school.

All year groups from Year 1 to 6 follow the same sequence of teaching in their lessons – fluency, reasoning and problem solving. We also work closely with the Maths hub to ensure that our provision meets the needs of the children at our school. When misunderstandings arise, swift ‘in-class’ action is the first port of call for the teachers with longer term interventions occurring for the necessary children.

Robust assessment in each unit enables us to identify children’s starting points along with any gaps that they may have in their learning. Staff then tailor adult support (teacher and TA) and resources to adapt teaching in order to scaffold and challenge children accordingly.

Lesson Design

A unit of work will begin with an assessment (Assessment A). This assessment is used to gain an understanding of children’s prior knowledge. Staff then use this information to map out a unit’s learning journey. Fluency and problem-solving activities are pitched at age related expectations and children are scaffolded to achieve the learning outcome.
Concrete resources, pictorial representations and written methods will be used throughout learning as a teaching strategy.
Daily formative assessment is used to adapt teaching and assign adult support in order to scaffold future learning and enable children to make progress.
Each unit ends with an Assessment B which enables teachers to measure the impact of their teaching and to celebrate the progress that children have made from their starting points.

Mastery of Number

In EYFS and KS1 children participate in Mastery of Number sessions. These are an extra session of Maths that sit outside the daily Maths lesson. As stated on the NCETM website:

This project aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. The aim over time is that children will leave KS1 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number. Attention will be given to key knowledge and understanding needed in Reception classes, and progression through KS1 to support success in the future.

Digital tools

We use TTRS and Numbots to support the teaching in Maths across the school and parents can also log in to their child’s account to undertake home learning.

Maths Impact

At St. Mary of Charity we create a culture that encourages a love of number from Reception through to year 6 which results in children being passionate about the subject.

Both formative and summative assessments are used by the teacher not just to prove progress but also to further a child’s understanding and knowledge, this enables us to minimise gaps in the children’s learning.

As well as the academic impact, the children are encouraged to have a love of Maths that through perseverance, they can achieve anything.