At WDPS, we believe that when children are given the opportunity to foster a love of challenge, adventure and creativity in and beyond the classroom - developing skills that will equip them for all walks of life - they will become life-long learners with resilience, passion and a thirst for knowledge.

Intent

Mathematics is a creative and inter-connected disciple. At West Denton Primary School, we view mathematics as: “a creative and highly-interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problem. 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.

Mathematics is a proficiency which involves confidence and competence with numbers and measures. It requires an understanding of the number system, a repertoire of computational skills and an ability to solve number problems in a variety of ways in which information is gathered by counting and measuring and is presented in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.

Mathematics gives children a way of coming to terms with their environment. Practical tasks and real life problems can be approached from a mathematical point of view. Mathematics provides children with imaginative areas of exploration and study and gives them the materials upon which to exercise their mathematical skills. These skills are a necessary tool of everyday life. Mathematics should help children to develop an appreciation of and enjoyment in the subject itself; as well as a realisation of its role in other curriculum areas.

The National Curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.

Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.

Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Our aim is to ensure that all children:

• Become fluent
• Reason and explain mathematically
• Can solve problems

The programmes of study are, by necessity, organised into apparently distinct domains, but pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. We follow the White Rose maths scheme, with Deepening Understanding used to extend fluency, reasoning and problem solving. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.
 

Children need to be regularly exposed to increasingly complex problems to solve, which allow then to apply their maths knowledge. In doing so they are encouraged to develop a line of enquiry which they can prove and justify using mathematical vocabulary. This includes the ability to break down problems, both routine and non-routine into a series of steps.

At West Denton Primary School we aim to develop and sustain in all children:

• Confidence, understanding and enjoyment in mathematics
• An awareness of relationship and pattern, and how these can bring about a clearer understanding of a situation
• An appreciation of mathematics as a means of communication through which they can analyse information and ideas
• The ability to work systematically where the task requires a careful accurate approach, as well as the ability to show imagination, initiative and flexibility when appropriate
• Independence of thought and action as well as the ability to co-operate within a group
• Problem solving skills and strategies
• The ability to use mathematics effectively as a tool in a wide variety of situations
• The sensible use of factual recall, mental and written methods, calculators and other mathematical aids.

Life Skills and Resilience  

Lifelong learners

Pupils are required to explore maths in depth, using mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their workings, developing their communication skills. A wide range of mathematical resources are used and pupils are taught to show their workings in a concrete, pictorial and abstract form wherever suitable. They are taught to explain their choice of methods and develop their mathematical reasoning skills. We encourage resilience, adaptability and acceptance that struggle is often a necessary step in learning. Our curriculum allows children to better make sense of the world around them relating the pattern between mathematics and everyday life while encouraging curiosity for the subject, e.g. exploring patterns in nature in bush craft and making links within all subjects to Mathematics.

All children are expected to succeed and make progress from their starting points.

Teachers teach the skills needed to succeed in mathematics providing examples of good practice and having high expectations. We intend to create a vocabulary rich environment, where talk for maths is a key learning tool for all pupils.

 Pre teaching key vocabulary is a driver for pupil understanding and develops the confidence of pupils to explain mathematically.

All children will have opportunities to identify patterns or connections in their maths; they can use this to predict and reason and to also develop their own patterns or links in maths and other subjects.   

WDPS Core Values- Positive Contributors and Citizens

Through our Maths curriculum, children will become resilient when faced with solving problems, good communicators when explaining their mathematical workings and reasoning. They will develop a curiosity, exploring patterns and making links and will work cooperatively to tackle more complex problems and when offering peer support within lessons.

Academic Commitment

At West Denton Primary School we make Mathematics an enjoyable learning experience. We use high quality teaching resources including a wide range of manipulatives and access to online learning platforms including Doodle Maths, White Rose Maths and Doodle Tables. We also use a range of planning resources including those provided by the NCETM and NRICH to enrich our children’s Maths diet. We encourage children to participate in a variety of cross curricular experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children.

Implementation

We implement our approach through high quality teaching delivering appropriately challenging work for all individuals. To support us, we have a range of mathematical resources in classrooms including Numicon, Base10, tens frames and counters (concrete equipment). When children have grasped a concept using concrete equipment, images and diagrams are used (pictorial) prior to moving to abstract questions. Abstract maths relies on the children understanding a concept thoroughly and being able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer and solve maths without equipment or images.

At West Denton Primary School we follow the Skills Progression Document for Maths, which specifically maps the key mathematical skills from Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 ( Phase 1) , Lower Key Stage 2 ( Phase 2)  and Upper Key stage 3 (Phase 3). All teachers follow the White Rose Long and Medium Term Planning Documents. Teachers then use a mixture of resources to plan for the short term including: White Rose Premium, Primary Stars,  Nrich, Classroom Secrets and Master the Curriculum. The NCETM Mastering Number Programme has been introduced into Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. 

Early Years

The programme of study for the Early Years is set out in the EYFS Development Matters Framework 2012. The principle focus of mathematics teaching in the Early Years is to ensure pupils develop their knowledge of numbers, learning to count reliability with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find an answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.

The EYFS curriculum also develops pupils understanding of shape, space and measures, teaching children to use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.

The ELGs are as follows:

Mathematics

Number

• Have an understanding of number to 10, linking names of numbers, numerals, their value, and their position in the counting order;
• Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5;
• Automatically recall number bonds for numbers 0-5 and for 10, including corresponding partitioning facts.
• Numerical Patterns
• Automatically recall double facts up to 5+5;
• Compare sets of objects up to 10 in different contexts, considering size and difference;
• Explore patterns of numbers within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds.

Key Stage 1

The principle focus of teaching mathematics in Key Stage 1 is to ensure that pupils develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This involves working with numerals, words and the four operations, including with practical resources. At this stage, pupils develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary. Teaching involves using a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such a length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money. Pupils read and spell mathematical vocabulary, at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at Key Stage 1.

Key Stage 2

The principle focus of mathematics teaching in lower key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value, to develop efficient written methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers. At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value. Teaching also ensures that pupils draw with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them. Pupils use measuring instruments with increasing accuracy and make connections between measure and number. Pupils read and spell mathematical vocabulary correctly and confidently, using their growing word reading knowledge and their knowledge of spelling.

By the end of year 4, we aim for all pupils to have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work.

The principle focus of mathematics in upper key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This develops the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio. At this stage, pupils develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation. With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems. Teaching in geometry and measures consolidates and extends knowledge developed in number. Teaching ensures that pupils classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they need to describe them. Pupils should read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly.

By the end of year 6, we aim for all pupils to be fluent in written methods for all four operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages.

Assessment

Through our teaching we continuously monitor pupils’ progress against expected attainment for their age, making formative assessment notes where appropriate and using these to inform our teaching. White Rose maths assessments are used at the end of each maths topic. Summative assessments are completed at the end of each term; their results form discussions in termly Pupil Progress Meetings and update our summative school tracker. The main purpose of all assessment is to always ensure that we are providing excellent provision for every child.

Cross Curricular

Connecting maths across the curriculum highlights how maths relates to life. We regularly use mathematics in science investigations, collecting, recording and presenting data. Computing also highlights the real use of maths with statistics and data collection and analysis, while measuring and position and direction are essential skills to programme toys and sprites. Gird references, compass points, and direction are used during geography and Life skills Challenge.

Impact

Pupil Voice

Through discussion and feedback, children talk enthusiastically about their maths lessons and speak about how they love learning about maths. They can articulate the context in which maths is being taught and relate this to real life purposes. Children show confidence and believe they can learn about a new maths area and apply the knowledge and skills they already have.

Evidence in Knowledge

Pupils know how and why maths is used in the outside world and in the workplace. They know about different ways that maths can be used to support their future potential. Mathematical concepts or skills are mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations. Children demonstrate a quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of the times table.

Evidence in Skills

 Pupils use acquired vocabulary in maths lessons. They have the skills to use methods independently and show resilience when tackling problems. The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of maths. Children show a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of the work. The chance to develop the ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths lessons. Teachers plan a range of opportunities to use maths inside and outside school.

Outcomes

At the end of each year we expect the children to have achieved Age Related Expectations (ARE) for their year group. Some children will have progressed further and achieved greater depth (GD). Children who have gaps in their knowledge receive appropriate support and intervention.