Mathematics
Our aim of teaching mathematics at our school are 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.
Children are encouraged to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
They are taught to 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
We stress the importance of knowing multiplication tables. By the end of year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table.
All pupils are taught to develop efficient strategies for mental and written calculations which is clearly outlined within our school policy.
Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary, at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge.
Mathematics is taught on a daily basis. Teaching methods include discussions between teacher and pupil, discussions between pupils, practical work, group activities, individual work, practice of basic skills and routines and investigative work. Each lesson begins with oral work and mental calculation; this is followed by the main teaching input and pupil activities. The main teaching points are consolidated in a plenary session in which pupils are given time to review, reflect, discuss and evaluate their work and learning. A progress assessment is carried out on a weekly basis which informs teachers of pupils who may need additional support with certain areas within the mathematics curriculum.
The school use the National Curriculum Programme of study as the basis for the teaching of Mathematics across the whole school. This is heavily extended through additional mastery materials including Power Maths, White Rose Hub schemes of learning, NRich, Shanghai Maths textbooks, Testbase online, RM Easi-Maths and the Maths Hub specialist resources for embedding a mastery approach.
Our Mastery Position Statement
At St Filumena’s Catholic Primary School, we have adopted a mastery approach to the teaching of maths whereby children are given a deeper and broader understanding of the key mathematical concepts rather than being accelerated quickly through new content. The subject leader has trained as a DfE approved Maths Specialist Teacher and the school is working in partnership with a DfE funded mastery project with 15 other schools involved (Painsley Maths Hub Lead). A National Leader in Education is supporting the school, alongside Specialist Leaders in Education through the SSIF project work. All staff have been trained through staff meetings, external CPD and supported in maths professional development meetings/coaching sessions and through modelling lessons. The DfE recommended Power Maths Textbook Scheme has been purchased for January 2019 and teachers are on the beginning of the journey with using this scheme to support teaching and learning development.
What you will typically see:
Curriculum map
With the starting point of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study, alongside the White Rose Maths Hub planning exemplification and the Power Maths scheme, pupils spend longer on key mathematical concepts in number, those children who grasp the concepts more quickly are given opportunities to deepen their knowledge and improve their reasoning skills rather than accelerating on to new curriculum content.
Each class displays the relevant sections of the whole school calculation policy to ensure progression in skills and consistency of approach in arithmetic concepts (see calculation policy).
Lesson Design
Teachers begin lessons with a ‘hook’ to engage children in learning. This sets the objective within a real-life context problem (picture, scenario, story). The teacher uses modelling and demonstrating through images/manipulatives/ ICT using clear mathematical vocabulary. Children have the opportunity to investigate new learning with the use of concrete apparatus and visuals to enforce the concept. Children have the opportunity to practise the new skills using carefully crafted and varied questioning. The problem will be revisited and children can then apply their new learning to solving the problem. The children will have the opportunity to feed back their learning. Those children who are ‘rapid graspers’ will either be challenged with deeper thinking questions, asked to show their understanding in different representations or through writing own word problems/ explanations/application of skills.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary is explicitly taught at the start of each unit of learning. All pupils have access to the vocabulary as it is displayed on the working wall, in books/on tables. The definition and application of the vocabulary is modelled continuously by the teacher/teaching assistant throughout the unit of work. There is a high expectation for pupils to use, model and apply the vocabulary in their verbal and written reasoning.
Differentiation
‘Differentiation’ will now be seen by children working on differing complexities of problems within the same objective. ‘Rapid graspers’ will have challenging problems to solve to ensure that they continue to make progress. There will be some children who are using practical equipment for longer in order to support learning. Our aim is that the gap between mathematical attainment in our classes is closed, with a particular focus on accelerating the progress of pupils to enable them to meet their personalised attainment targets.
Challenge and extension for ‘rapid graspers’
Interventions
Tracking Progress
At the beginning and end of each teaching sequence, teachers informally assess pupils using the pre-assessment and Power Maths end of unit assessments to inform their future planning/intervention support. At the end of a term, children’s learning will be assessed using White Rose Hub/NFER assessments through questions and problems that require the pupils to remember, understand, apply, analyse and evaluate their knowledge and skills. The results will be kept by the teacher and used to inform termly pupil progress meetings. A judgement of whether the children are on track to achieve ARE in maths will be made each term and recorded in Assessment Manager Tracking (SIMs). This attainment/progress will also be measured against their personalised target.
Marking and Feedback
Resources
Each class is equipped with maths base boxes, which are readily available during each lesson. These base boxes contain a variety of year group-appropriate manipulatives that children can choose to use to support their learning. Examples of these resources include place value counters, dice, bead strings, arrow cards, linking cubes, counting objects and laminated sheets of part-part whole, place value charts and bar models.
Intent, Implementation and Impact of Maths at St Filumena’s Catholic Primary
Intent:
The intention of the maths curriculum at St Filumena’s Catholic Primary Catholic Primary School is that children are taught to become competent and independent mathematicians. The ‘mastery approach’ to teaching maths is the underlying principle of Mathematics Mastery. Instead of learning mathematical procedures by rote, we want pupils to build a deep conceptual understanding of concepts which will enable them to apply their learning in different situations. Through mathematical talk, children will develop the ability to articulate, discuss and explain their thinking. We will provide the children with the necessary resources to allow all children to access the curriculum and encourage them to use this where appropriate to explain their logic and reasoning.
Implementation:
At St Filumena’s Catholic Primary, we recognise that in order for pupils to progress to deeper and more complex problems, children need to be confident and fluent across each yearly objective. We follow the Maths Hub White Rose schemes of learning to ensure that the coverage for the year is completed. As a mixed age school, we use these plans to ensure that all objectives are covered for each year group and that we are planning to the three key principles to deepen children’s understanding.
We use three key principles to deepen pupils’ understanding:
1. Conceptual understanding
2. Language and communication
3. Mathematical thinking
Within the Maths hub schemes of learning, each National Curriculum objective is broken down into fluency, reasoning and problem solving; our teachers use the learning challenges to teach for mastery - an approach to extend and deepen the understanding of pupils within each year group. Our teaching staff uses this document in conjunction with a range of other useful resources such as Abacus, NCETM, NRich and Maths No Problem.
Impact:
As a multi-academy company we are fortunate to be able to call on the support of 15 other Maths leads and specialist teachers. Through moderation of planning, lessons and books, we can be sure that progress is made across all year groups. If progress is not being made, support is immediate and steps provided to ensure all pupils achieve and make progress.
Summative assessment takes place at the end of each term and children’s progress and attainment is discussed with senior leaders in pupil progress meetings. Formative assessment takes place on a daily basis and teachers adjust planning accordingly to meet the needs of their class. The teaching of mathematics is monitored by leaders through lesson observations and book scrutinies.