Intent

At Rowsley CofE Primary School, we appreciate that maths is an essential part of daily life. Therefore, mathematics forms an important part of our curriculum where we endeavour to ensure that children develop an enjoyment for maths. Our aim is to trigger an enthusiasm that will stay with them throughout their lives and empower them in their future. By thoroughly and practically teaching we ensure that our children know more and remember more. We endeavour to cross skills so that the children can make links between knowledge for example they realise that by learning their tables, they can use this to calculate percentages. As a staff we have worked on what content our pupils need to know, what they pay attention to, we avoiding overload and we always allowing for practice.

We have a comprehensive intervention timetable in place for mathematics in order to help those children who struggled to access the curriculum over lockdown. We understand that cumulative dysfluency has impacted greatly on some children so we are working to bridge those knowledge deficits.

We believe that by unlocking mathematical fluency, this then supports children to problem solve and reason. Because of this, maths will be a continuous cycle of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our aim is to develop a positive culture of deep understanding, confidence and competence in maths that produces strong, secure learning. We support children with their resilience in maths and encourage children to try and work through problems logically and use the CPA approach in order for them to achieve this. We use concrete resources and pictorial representations where appropriate, to enable children to fully understand the key concepts and principals. Our maths curriculum is progressive; in EYFS we are building the foundations which will then be built on in KS1 and KS2. By the time children leave Rowsley CofE, they will be confident, passionate mathematicians, who feel they have the skills and knowledge to tackle real life mathematical problems and attempt more sophisticated problems at KS3 and beyond.

Implementation

Our Maths curriculum provides breadth and balance; is relevant and engaging; is differentiated to match the needs and abilities of all our children to ensure that all pupils are able to excel. All staff are aware of and utilise the mastery approach in maths where we scaffold the children’s learning to suit their ability. As a school, we believe in the concrete-pictorial-abstract-approach. From EYFS children will be introduced to concrete apparatus to support with their understanding of maths. This will then develop into pictorial representations and then finally abstract problem solving. From Reception to Year 6, we adhere to our calculation policy which outlines the progression of strategies and methods that the children will be taught. Maths will be taught at least 4 times per week and times tables are practiced on regular basis. Our timetable allows for 15 minutes a day to focus on arithmetic skills followed by the maths lesson.

The arithmetic session covers either a range of areas to build on prior knowledge or a focus on one particular area to deepen understanding.   

We created our medium-term plans in line with the White Rose scheme, but as a school we have altered the order and length of units to have the greatest impact on our children. We use a variety of resources alongside White Rose, such as Grammarsaurus, our own knowledge and Teach Active- a multi-award winning resource that provides schools and teachers with lesson plans and resources designed to deliver the Maths curriculum through physically active learning. This is important for our school as we have some very active members! . Every maths lesson, begins with a recap on prior learning: thus enabling our children to embed their learning further and make the links across the different areas of maths.

Children are provided with rich learning opportunities that deepen thinking and understanding that supports children to make independent connections.

At the end of every half term, assessments are used from ‘Cornerstones’. This assessment data is then collated and used to identify gaps that need to be retaught or embedded within our maths sessions or interventions. Termly assessments 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. Teachers input their own professional judgements, which consider the tests and their own understanding of the child.

Times tables play an important part in our maths learning, with children developing their fluency in rapid recall of tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4. To support this as a school, we use ‘TTRockstars’, which is an online game that is used to assess the speed and accuracy of all the children from Year 1 – Year 6. Children in Year 3 and 4 also complete times table practice in order for them to achieve well in the Year 4 times tables test.  

Times tables are a focus within every classroom and the children are encouraged to practise at home with family.

Impact

By the end of Year 6, transitioning to secondary school, we aspire that a Rowsley CofE learner will have developed a bank of efficient and accurate skills that can be used to calculate effectively. We will monitor the impact of teaching of maths to ensure it is consistent, accurate and of a high standard. To do this, we will use triangular monitoring – which includes looking at books; learning walks and lesson visits; speaking to pupils; and talking to relevant members of staff. As we are a small group of staff, we get together regularly to discuss the impact of interventions, celebrate the progress of our children and discuss how the children are doing.

At the end of every week we hold a celebration assembly and one child receives the ‘Golden Calculator’ this is in recognition of their good work, their progress and their attitude to maths. Staff work together to decide who receives this.

Throughout a child’s journey through school, we ensure that each child is monitored to show that they are meeting or exceeding their potential. This is carried out in a number of ways:

• Checking children have the language to be able to justify, reason and explain their answers. This achieved by staff modelling the correct vocabulary.
• Children are enthusiastic, passionate mathematicians.
• Children know their 12 X 12 times tables by Year 4 and their relevant times tables in years 1 – 4.
• Children are confident when given a real-life maths problem at an appropriate level.
• Children become more accurate and work at speed during arithmetic style questions.
• Children meet or exceed their KS1/2 target.
• Children can complete multi-step problems, at an age appropriate level,
• Children have a resilient attitude when solving mathematical problems.

Infants - Making 3D Shapes

Infants - Position & Direction