Mathematics
Our Vision
Our vision is that every child will fulfil their potential, be prepared for the next stage of their life and become responsible citizens.
Our Ethos
Putting the needs of every child at the heart of everything we think, say and do.
Intent:
At Culverstone Green Primary School, our vision is that every child will fulfil their potential, be prepared for the next stage of their life, growing as responsible citizens and lifelong learners. Maths is a skill used on a daily basis and is an essential part of everyday life. Mathematics forms an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum where we endeavour to ensure that children develop an enjoyment and enthusiasm for maths that will stay with them throughout their lives and empower them in future life. Mathematical fluency is an essential life skill for all learners and is a pre-requisite to being able to reason and solve problems. We promote a positive culture of deep understanding, confidence and competence in maths that produces strong, secure learning.
As a school, we recognise that the key to unlocking the potential in our children is through the development of basic mathematical skills and the understanding of mathematical concepts. We therefore place great emphasis on the use of concrete resources and pictorial representations at all ages, to enable children to fully understand the concepts and principals, when presented with abstract calculations and questions. We also understand the importance of developing a varied Mathematical vocabulary and terminology that will support them in later life.
We provide a progressive curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life as well as fulfilling the requirements of the National Curriculum
We embed this securely and consistently across the school, supported by cross curricular links and reference where appropriate, as well as challenging and developing a love for learning and participation.
All of this gives the children context to their learning and will understand the value of Mathematics now, and in their future.
Implementation:
Curriculum:
At Culverstone Green Primary School, we use the White Rose maths scheme, from Reception to Year 6, as the backbone of our planning and teaching. The maths curriculum provides breadth and balance, is relevant and engaging and builds upon prior substantive and disciplinary knowledge. Using White Rose, teaching is broken down into small achievable steps and is adapted to match the needs and abilities of all our children to ensure that all pupils are able to excel.
Teachers have a coherent overview of the topics and mathematical vocabulary that they will teach each half term and tailor their medium-term and long-term plans to suit and benefit the needs of our children. Children substantive and disciplinary knowledge is deepened within each unit and our maths curriculum is supported through the implementation of resources such as Testbase, Pixl & Twinkl Submarine Mastery.
Children receive 5 hours dedicated Maths lessons each week, adhering (through Reception to Year 6). We use the White Rose calculation policy which outlines the progression of strategies and methods to be taught, encouraging children to use the most efficient method as their confidence develops.
We follow the teaching and learning approach of ‘I Do, we do, you do’ to ensure children have clear modelled examples, scaffolded support to practise new skills and the opportunity to apply new skills to an independent task. As a school, we believe in the importance of following the concrete-pictorial-approach as a means to developing a solid understanding of mathematical concepts which can then be applied in a variety of contexts through reasoning and problem-solving challenges.
Modelling further supports children in developing their ability to reason and explain their answers using them. Maths learning walls provide modelled examples to support children in their independent learning, as well as key vocabulary and sentence stems (for children to talk like mathematicians) and an overview of the small steps the children will learn so they can see where they are in their learning journey.
The recap and recall of prior learning from earlier years and earlier units is promoted daily through the use of ‘Flashback 4’ questions. A recap and recall session (knowing more, remembering more) are included at the start of every maths lesson – this focuses on four questions which allow children to recap and assess substantive and disciplinary knowledge from the lesson the day before.
Challenges (Testbase, Pixl and Submarine Mastery) are used to deepen and challenge learners further within the curriculum area. As well as this, the children are encouraged to work independently and take responsibility for their learning and how to move on to the next task.
SEND/Disadvantaged:
Children who require additional support (disadvantaged/less able/SEND), are provided with ‘scaffolds’ to ensure that they have secured the small steps before moving on. These ‘scaffolds’ may be in the form of adapted or differentiated tasks, focused questioning, adult support, returning to concrete resources or pictorial representations, catch up sessions through early morning work and pre-teaching of vocabulary.
MTC:
Acknowledging the importance of Times tables as part of Maths learning, children develop their fluency in rapid recall of tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 6. We use Numbots in KS1 and Times Table Rockstars in KS2 in early morning work and through weekly homework to encourage practise at home. Year 3 and 4 also practise weekly times tables assessments in order to prepare them for the Times Tables Check. Year 4 also take part in a termly times table ‘sound check’ to identify progress and pupils who may need further support.
Assessment:
Daily assessment is incorporated into every lesson through questioning and live and verbal feedback. We use White Rose end of unit assessments to identify pupils who need further support with key concepts. Pre-unit assessments are used to identify pupils who already have a solid grasp of the key concepts and teachers use these to adapt lessons so that pupils are challenged further and given additional opportunities to apply their skills and knowledge. Termly maths assessments and progress reviews are used as a diagnostic tool to ensure that teachers are adapting learning to meet the needs of all children and ensure that any necessary interventions are targeted specifically to meet the needs of children.
Maths and the wider curriculum:
Raising the profile of Maths around the school is through the promotion of online Maths competitions, taking part in various maths celebration days (NSPCC Number Day in February and Maths Day in March) and assemblies (Pi Day).
Cross-curricular learning is planned for where appropriate. For example, encouraging the use of Mathematical skills and vocabulary in other subjects ranging from Science, Geography and PE.
Staff development:
Staff development sessions are held to support teachers in planning and teaching maths. Book monitoring and lesson visits are conducted regularly by the subject lead to assess the quality of maths teaching and learning and to provide teachers with support and feedback to develop. Teachers are also supported through team teaching and planning support when required.
Impact:
The impact of our Mathematics curriculum is that children understand the relevance and importance of what they are learning in relation to real world concepts. Children understand that it is a skill used on a daily basis and is an essential part of everyday life.
The children have a positive view of maths due to learning in an environment where maths is promoted as being an exciting and enjoyable subject in which they can investigate and ask questions. They feel safe to take risks and that this can in actual fact strengthen their learning. They understand that Mathematical fluency is an essential life skill for all learners and is a pre-requisite to being able to reason and solve problems.
Children are confident to ‘have a go’ and independently use modelled examples, concrete resources and pictorial representations at all ages in order to help them learn, along with the strategies they think are best suited to each problem. Our children have a good understanding of their strengths and targets for development in maths and what they need to do to improve.
Our maths books evidence learning of a high standard of which children clearly take pride; the range of activities demonstrate good coverage of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Books show children are challenged to apply their substantive and disciplinary knowledge to a range of tasks to master their understanding.
Regular assessment and live feedback and interventions support children to strive to be the best mathematicians they can be, ensuring a high proportion of children are
