Maths
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.
Intent
At Bloxwich Academy Primary, we believe that all children are capable of achieving in maths. We build upon prior learning and prior skills so that children’s learning is suitably tiered. We aim to deliver an inspiring and engaging curriculum through consistent daily teaching. We follow the White Rose Maths scheme to show our long-term plan. We have signed onto the Mastering Number scheme run by the NCETM which will allow them to become more numerate and able to subitise more easily. Following the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach for new learning we build strong foundations for future learning to build upon. We teach a variety of question types within lessons so that children have a breadth of experience in the curriculum areas and so that they become fluent and confident. We are also focused on vocabulary within maths to support the children’s explanations and understanding within the subject which is supported through the use of sentence stems.
This approach allows our children to build up their confidence solving a range of questions and understanding it on a more fundamental level before they progress through the rest of the curriculum. Our methodology also allows the children to become more independent learners where they can access a range of resources for assistance. They will gain a growing confidence in their abilities to reason and problem solve through tiered activities and by the help of a teacher model. We aim to maintain and foster a love and enthusiasm for maths that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The intent for our students at Bloxwich Academy Primary is for all our children to become more competent and confident mathematicians. We develop their understanding before they apply their knowledge and apply this to problems and situations. We suitably challenge children of all abilities that stretch their understanding and capabilities to build a resilience to difficult problems.
Implementation:
To ensure that the children at our school get a full coverage of the National Curriculum, we follow the White Rose scheme that allow children’s learning to be built efficiently throughout the year in small steps. We implement a range of high-quality resources from White Rose Premium, NCETM, Oak National Academy, NRICH and Test Base to support, stretch and challenge all children appropriately. Additionally, the school’s calculation policy, which is broken down further into concrete, pictorial and abstract methods is used to ensure further consistency in methods throughout the school and moving up into secondary school. We also subscribe to Times Table Rock Stars and Numbots to help facilitate children’s number facts so that they can build automaticity within the subject.
All children when introduced to a new concept for the first time are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts (concrete). Objects and pictures are used to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas (pictorial), alongside numbers and symbols (abstract).
Children will also work through a range of questions aimed at building up their speed in answering questions to show a basic understanding (varied fluency), explaining a concept or a misconception using topic specific vocabulary (reasoning) before applying all of their wider learning and methods to solve problems embedded in real life contexts.
All year groups split three ways for their maths lessons. This enables the teaching to be more targeted to their groups, and this will aid progression. Some year groups also have teaching assistants who will provide extra support to children identified by the class teachers. We have added two afternoon arithmetic sessions and a weekly arithmetic assessment to identify gaps in learning. Maths lessons were moved to the start of the day where we feel the children are the most engaged and motivated. Because of the three-way split, there is also more opportunities for interventions, led by teachers, to take place, be that in the morning as a pre-teach or in the afternoon to support those who may have struggled to help them keep up with their peers.
EYFS:
The mathematics teaching in EYFS is aimed towards children grasping the foundations of maths through a variety of fun and engaging activities. This will be achieved through either continuous provision or through guided adult focus. All activities are carefully planned and catered to children’s abilities, so they are suitably challenged. They will access a range of concrete, real world resources that are appropriate for their age. They follow White Rose and use the mastering number program to support their learners.
Arithmetic:
From year 2 up to year 6, currently, children take part in a weekly arithmetic session. Their teachers plan to use the mental calculation scheme before then completing their arithmetic test, where teachers will monitor the room to address any misconceptions on the spot.
Mental calculation policy
Calculation policy
Our calculation policy follows what the children are expected to do across each year group – following the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach again to build up their learning efficiently and effectively whilst connecting the different methods effectively.
Calculation Police DOWNLOAD
Timetable guidance
To help your children at home, each year group has got specific targets that they need to complete to help them progress well between the year groups to assist with their learning and reduce the cognitive load, thus making them able to learn with more ease.
Finance
To go with the ever changing landscape and policies introduced, we have introduced a finance scheme where once a half term the children in Key Stage 1 and 2 will complete a financial session that builds upon prior to give children a solid understanding of how to manage their money as they grow up.
Finance Scheme DOWNLOAD
Mastering Number
From reception to year 5, as a school, we complete daily sessions of ‘Mastering Number’. These sessions are to improve the children’s ability to subitise (recognise numbers), improve their automaticity with addition and number facts (years 1, 2 and 3) and consolidate and learn the multiplication and division facts (years 4 and 5). This consistent practise has helped our children a lot when it comes to speaking about maths as well as understanding the fundamentals that they need.
Events
Throughout the year, each year group invites their student’s parents into school to experience a maths lesson – we are always thankful for the number of parents that attend these and sharing that experience with their kids. We also take part in Number Day, which we also use as our TT Rock Stars Day, where children get the chance to dress up and engage in a range of fun activities that are unique and help children to develop their love of maths.
