Foxhill Primary School

Intent

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At Foxhill Primary School, our children are enthusiastic MATHEMATICIANS!

Our Maths provision at Foxhill Primary School aims to build a curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and skills so that all pupils know more, remember more and understand more.  

In mathematics, we intend to use a variety of engaging teaching methods and resources that allow all pupils to access mathematics and to experience maths success and enjoyment throughout their lives. Over time, children will become more resilient learners by learning that making mistakes is one of the building blocks to success and is a necessary part of the learning process. Children will be appropriately challenged and supported through varied fluency, reasoning and problem solving. All children will explore maths in depth, and use a range of mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their own thinking. Pupils will continue to build their knowledge by recalling and adding to previous knowledge and skills, then apply these new skills to a wide variety of contexts both within maths and across the curriculum.

We implement our approach through quality first teaching and the delivery of appropriately pitched work for all learners supported by the materials from White Rose Scheme of Learning, NCETM, as well as other valuable resources.

To ensure lessons are coherent, they are broken down into small, connected steps that gradually unfold the concept through fluency, problem solving and reasoning tasks. Within this, to ensure we accommodate for all learners, we provide exposure to concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches. Mathematical thinking encourages the pupils to think, reason and discuss ideas and strategies within their classroom environment. Pupils become fluent mathematicians through quick and efficient recall of facts and procedures and the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics. Variation is built on over a sequence of lessons and represents concepts in more than one way.  

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Implementation 

 

Early Years

Through our Maths Mastery approach, number fluency is continually developed within early years, our Mathematical curriculum covers ‘Number and Shape, Space and Measures.’ Children participate in maths sessions and are given time to explore mathematical concepts, test ideas, develop their understanding and practise taught skills through play. Maths can be found in all areas of our provision and children experience it in a purposeful and meaningful context within their play and daily routines. Our mud kitchen, water wall, construction areas, large sand pit and domestic role play are just some of the areas in which children can explore number, shape, space and measures. Children are encouraged to use their mathematical understanding and skills to solve real life problems and practitioners are trained to identify and extend opportunities to foster this.

 

Key Stages 1 and 2

• From Y1 through to Y6, Maths lessons are planned and delivered following the White Rose Scheme of Learning. This resource, alongside other resources supports the careful planning of each small step for each unit. It is underpinned by the concrete, pictorial, abstract approach. Classrooms have a range of mathematical resources made available for children in each key stage.  These include, but are not limited to, Numicon, Base 10, place value counters, bead strings, number lines, digit cards and hundred squares. Pre-teaching and timely teacher interventions are utilised in response to teachers’ ongoing formative assessments.

•  Y1 - Y6 children access a daily ‘do now’ maths skills session designed by their teacher, which targets retrieval and prior learning. This serves to reinforce and consolidate previous learning; increase fluency, speed and accuracy; and improve confidence through the spaced learning approach. TT Rockstars, Hit the Button, My Maths, among others, are used within school and home which enables children to practise arithmetical proficiency and other maths skills.

• Throughout each lesson formative assessment takes place and feedback is given to the children and where appropriate targets are set to ensure they are meeting the specific learning objective. Teacher’s then use this assessment to influence their planning and ensure they are providing a mathematics curriculum that will allow all children to progress. The teaching of maths is monitored on a termly basis through pupil book studies, learning walks and lesson observations. After each unit, children from Year 1 and above complete a summative assessment to demonstrate their understanding of the topics covered, using White Rose End of Block Assessment. Years 2 and 6 also use previous SATs papers. The results from both the formative assessment and summative assessment are then used to determine children’s progress and attainment.