Maths
Led by: Miss Jackson, Miss Moffatt, Mrs Noon and Miss Pearson
Battyeford’s Maths Vision
At Battyeford Primary School, we dream, believe and achieve.
Together, we build a culture of deep understanding, confidence and competence.
In our maths, we REACH for success by being:
RESPONSIBLE – Children feel responsible for their own learning by finding efficient and varied mathematical methods.
EMPATHETIC – Children work collaboratively to support each other with their mathematical learning in a safe environment.
ASPIRATIONAL – Children embrace new challenges with resilience and perseverance.
CONFIDENT- Children develop a ‘can do’ attitude and aren’t afraid to make mistakes.
HAPPY – Children believe in themselves and develop a growth mindset to allow them to thrive and enjoy their own success.
Intent
At Battyeford Primary School, mathematics is a journey and long-term goal achieved through a mastery approach.
What do we mean by mastery?
A mastery approach explores mathematical knowledge at a much deeper level. Children are supported to be able to gain a complete understanding of mathematical content and can consistently demonstrate the skill through:
- coherence
- representation & structure
- mathematical thinking
- fluency and variation
We intend on delivering a curriculum which:
- Allows children to be a part of a challenging and enjoyable curriculum, where they can be responsible and aspirational within their learning.
- Gives each pupil a chance to develop confidence in themselves as mathematicians.
- Recognises that mathematics underpins much of our daily lives.
- Makes rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency and reasoning.
Implementation
Our long-term plan divides the academic year into blocks of learning for each year group based upon the White Rose Maths Scheme. Within each block, short term planning ensures granular steps of learning are taught in a sequenced and structured order, and build upon each other to create a deep and meaningful understanding of mathematical concepts. Through this, we gradually move towards mastery which allows our pupils to be fluent in the unfamiliar and apply their skills in new situations.
REACH for Mastery - How do the two interlink?
Responsible: Our mastery approach to maths empowers children to become independent and self-reliant learners. They are given the tools and resources to tackle mathematical challenges.
Empathetic: Children are encouraged to work together. A supportive and safe space is cultivated to ensure all pupils can engage with tasks and enjoy the collaborative adventures of using concrete manipulatives; creating and unpicking pictorial representations; and working through those trickier reasoning challenges.
Aspirational: The curriculum ensures children reach a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. They master foundational skills which they then apply to more advanced topics, making connections and applying their skills to the unfamiliar.
Confidence: Confidence and resilience are cultivated through overcoming challenges. Our learning approach reinforces concepts until pupils are secure, and allows them to embrace challenges.
Happy: Our pupils are given the tools to enjoy exploring maths. Their mastery of fundamental skills provides them with foundations to tackle harder challenges; collaboration and respectful dialogue are encouraged; and mistakes are seen as valuable because they help us learn.
Long Term Plans
Here at Battyeford, we use the White Rose Maths: Schemes of Learning to support the delivery of our maths curriculum. These schemes are designed alongside the National Curriculum objectives and are split into termly blocks of learning for each year group. These blocks are ordered in a way to ensure logical reasoning behind whether to teach a topic earlier or later, and ensure that concepts are revisited throughout a pupil's maths journey.
Medium Term Planning - Small Steps
Within the progression of each block, WRM has designed Small Steps to ensure full curriculum coverage - these Small Steps are directly linked to the National Curriculum objectives and the Ready to Progress criteria designed by the DfE. The Small Steps are not designed to necessarily translate to 1 step = 1 lesson; the teacher can extend learning on a single step, or combine several steps into one lesson based upon the specific needs of their pupils.
To ensure pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of maths and are able to reason and problem solve, the WRM lessons we deliver will focus on:
- Concrete, Pictorial & Abstract Methods
- Mathematical Vocabulary
- Reasoning & Problem Solving
Lesson Cycle - What does a typical maths lesson look like?
Each lesson is designed to ignite curiosity, build fluency, and foster a deep understanding of mathematical concepts.
Lessons unfolds with a three-part starter. These begin with focused counting practice to strengthen foundational skills and support children in making those all important connections e.g. counting in 25s, 250s, 0.25s, quarters. We then move onto calculation practise; this section always visits the four operations with an addition, subtraction, multiplication & division question and will then move onto percentages, fractions and / or decimals. The final chunk of the starter inspires mathematical thinking and discussion with a reasoning & problem solving question.
The main body of the lesson will then draw upon the WRM Schemes of Learning where the small steps of progression will be delivered embracing concrete, pictorial & abstract methods; promoting an understanding of mathematical vocabulary; and encouraging critical thinking & the application of knowledge through reasoning and problem solving.
Impact and Assessment
Our approach to mathematics ensures that children can:
- Demonstrate a quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of the times table and key number facts.
- Show flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and mathematical representations.
- Make connections and recognise relationships in mathematics.
- Showcase mastery by discussing mathematical concepts in multiple ways, using mathematical language to explain ideas and can independently apply the concept to new problems.
- Show a willingness to ask questions as well as answer them.
- Reach their full potential.
Formative Assessment: Underpinned by a mastery approach to mathematics, our curriculum design ensures coherent progression; our lessons are designed to link to prior learning and carefully sequenced steps build a secure understanding.
Formative assessment occurs throughout each lesson, beginning with the 3-part starter which recaps prior knowledge. The new teaching is weaved with concrete examples, pictorial representations and abstract models, each selected to expose the structure of concepts and emphasise connections. Procedural fluency (the ability to apply procedures efficiently, flexibly and accurately) and conceptual understanding (an integrated and functional grasp of mathematical concepts) are developed in tandem, and the importance of targeted practice is recognised.
In our classrooms, whole-class interactive teaching fosters mastery by encouraging thinking, reasoning and application. Precise mathematical vocabulary enables effective communication of reasoning, and the timely identification of any conceptual gaps ensures systematic intervention. A deep understanding of key ideas is prioritised, and the mastery approach ensures key facts are learned to automaticity, promoting a focus on new learning without cognitive overload.
Summative Assessment: At the end of each block of learning, children complete a short end of block WRM assessment which focuses specifically on that topic. Further termly WRM assessments are used to assess children in all areas of the mathematics curriculum. These assessments serve as crucial benchmarks for us to monitor pupil attainment. The outcomes of these tests are used as a tool to inform teachers on how secure pupils are on the topics taught, and also guide further teaching practise, gap analysis and targeted interventions.
Battyeford's One Page Profile - Maths Policy
Calculation Policies
Our calculation policies align seamlessly with the principles of White Rose Maths, providing a clear and cohesive approach to teaching mathematical calculations. Rooted in the mastery philosophy, our policies emphasises a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and fosters procedural fluency. By following the White Rose Maths policies, we ensure a systematic and progressive development of calculation skills, allowing students to confidently navigate various mathematical operations. These policies serves as a foundational guide, promoting consistency and excellence in the teaching and learning of calculations across all year groups.
Early Mathematics
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