Maths

Maths Intent

At Brackenbury Primary School, our aim is to deepen and strengthen children's understanding of maths and not just accelerate learning.  As a result of this, the children are able to develop fluency before moving onto reasoning and problem solving. The teaching is richly supported by the use of pictorial and concrete resources, before moving to the abstract. All progress that our pupils make in maths is valuable, and therefore offering opportunities for all pupils to deliberately practise their fluency is vitally important and this is a key feature of our lessons.

During their time at Brackenbury, our pupils will learn the following essential skills of mathematics:

• An understanding of the important concepts and an ability to make connections within mathematics;
• A broad range of skills in using and applying mathematics;
• Fluent knowledge and recall of number facts and the number system;
• The ability to show initiative in solving problems in a wide range of contexts, including the new or unusual;
• The ability to think independently and to persevere when faced with challenges;
• To embrace the value of learning from mistakes and false starts;
• A wide range of mathematical vocabulary;
• A commitment to and enthusiasm in the subject.

Maths Implementation and Impact

Staff subject knowledge allows the intentions of our mathematics curriculum to be delivered successfully. We achieve this through regular quality CPD which is provided through a variety of ways including from the subject leader, external courses and collaborative lesson study. All staff are encouraged to raise questions, seek support and request further training if needed in order to ensure everyone is confident in what they teach. Resources allow us to better use models and images to support learning in each area and enable the progression from concrete to pictorial to abstract. Children are familiar with these resources and can access them independently where needed. Children are encouraged to link their learning to real world concepts with discussion taking place in lessons.

Curriculum maps are adapted from the White Rose yearly overviews which set the curriculum out in blocks enabling children to be immersed in different areas of maths through extended periods of time. Once children have a grasp of the concepts within a topic, they will have opportunities to apply their learning to reasoning and problem solving questions and activities. By celebrating learning and through engaging challenges, and weekly awards, we inspire our pupils to increase their fluency in maths and to become increasingly sophisticated problem solvers, both in maths and across the curriculum.

Alongside the White Rose materials, we use a variety of other resources to ensure that our offer is rich and varied and these are used across KS1 and KS2 allowing children to be exposed to a variety of different types of learning and to ensure coverage of fluency, problem solving and reasoning in different formats. Teachers also implement the schools agreed calculation policies for progression in written and mental calculations encompassing the concrete, pictorial and abstract concepts. Multiplication tables are taught explicitly and children are encouraged to link multiplication tables to all areas of calculation. Correct mathematical vocabulary is used by all teachers and this is discussed with and explained to children who are then encouraged to use it independently when talking about maths. Timetabled interventions for maths are in place for children with SEND; all other children receive regular group support as part of their maths lessons with further support for individuals or small groups where a need is identified. Fluency is developed through repeating, reinforcing and revising key skills through starters and other opportunities. Children are given time to practice and perfect their calculation strategies including giving pupils the opportunity to make appropriate decisions when estimating, calculating and evaluating the effectiveness of their chosen methods.

Feedback is given in a variety of ways to ensure pupils are well informed and making visible progress. Discussion is essential to learning and children are encouraged to discuss their thoughts, ideas and methods with a partner, group or the teacher. Task types are varied to suit different pupils and their learning preferences; developing reasoning remains one of our key focuses. Investigative tasks are designed to allow pupils to follow lines of enquiry and develop their own ideas, justifying and proving their answers. Children work both collaboratively and independently when solving problems which require them to persevere and develop resilience.

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 know that maths is a vital life skill that they will rely on in many areas of their daily life and understand that the journey to finding the answer is the most important part. 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 know that it is OK to be ‘wrong’ and that this can strengthen their learning. Children are confident to ‘have a go’ and choose the equipment they need to help them to learn along with the strategies they think are best suited to each problem. Our maths books evidence work of a high standard of which children clearly take pride. Children demonstrate a quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of the times tables. Children show confidence in believing that they will achieve and are keen to attempt a range of problems and demonstrating flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of maths. Feedback and interventions support children to strive to be the best mathematicians they can be and prepare them for their next secondary school education.

Multiplication tables

In the table below are the National Curriculum times tables end of year expectations for each year group. Children regularly work on their times tables in school but it is important for them to practice at home too.

Progression of skills and knowledge

Our ‘Maths subject progression of skills and knowledge‘ document gives further information about what the children are taught in this subject by year group

Maths progression of skills and knowledge

Maths long term overviews

Maths long term overviews– Each year group  longer term overview that can be viewed below on the Year group planning page.

Maths Scheme of Work Resources for use at home

Teacher’s plan lessons using the White Rose Maths resources.  White Rose have produced Child and parent booklets.  These booklets follow the methods and strategies that are used in school to help children understand and enjoy mathematics. They are full of the key models and images that help children make sense of the maths.  The booklets are all completely free and can be downloaded either to a Kindle from Amazon or from their web page.

Maths National Curriculum

If you would like to know more, please visit National Curriculum for Maths.

Websites and apps

The following websites can be used to help your child to learn their times tables:

Websites and apps

• maths games times-tables games
• topmarks maths-games 5-7-years multiplication and division
• .topmarks maths-games 7-11-years times-tables
• teaching tables
• multiplication games