MATHEMATICS

Intent  Implementation Impact

Intent: The layout of our curriculum, the units, and WHY they are taught in a particular order. What we expect the children to learn at St George’s and why.

Implementation: How we get the children to accomplish what we set out for them – what kinds of resources will we use. What sorts of tasks they will complete. How we assess the children and ensure they make progress.

Impact: Using assessment to look at how each year group will move on and develop. Looking at the impact of each unit and how it links to previous learning and future learning. What will a Year Two Mathematician look like at the end of their St George’s journey?

Intent

At St George’s we follow a teaching for depth approach to mathematics, which is sometimes termed mastery. This approach enables all children to master the mathematics curriculum and draws inspiration from a range of sources. Mathematics at St George’s 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.
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, develop an argument and use justification or proof involving mathematical language.
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Maths is a rich and interconnected subject and our aim is to support children to move fluently between different concepts and different representations of mathematical ideas.

Our approach aims to provide all children with full access to a creative and engaging curriculum, enabling them to develop their independence, confidence and competence. Concepts are taught through manageable small steps which build on skills children have learnt. We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and enable children to acquire maths skills that can be recalled quickly and transferred and applied in different contexts.  Supporting these aims is our vision “Inspire, Believe, Achieve. With God all things are possible”. This shared vision underpins everything we do at St George’s; enabling our children to become successful learners and caring, thoughtful individuals.  

Implementation

At St George’s Infant School, Maths is taught using a variety of different methods and resources:

White Rose & Deepening Understanding

Every class from EYFS to Y2 follows the White Rose scheme of learning which is based on the National Curriculum. Lessons may be personalised to address the individual needs and requirements for a class but coverage is maintained.

We also use a range of planning resources including those provided by the NCETM and NRICH to enrich our children’s maths.

Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA)

We implement our approach through high quality teaching, delivering appropriately challenging work for all individuals. To support us, we have a range of mathematical resources in classrooms including Numicon, Base10 and counters (concrete equipment). When children have grasped a concept using concrete equipment, images and diagrams are used (pictorial) prior to moving to abstract questions. Abstract maths relies on the children understanding a concept thoroughly and being able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer and solve maths without equipment or images.

Cross Curricular

Maths is taught across the curriculum ensuring that skills taught in these lessons are applied in other subjects.

Assessment

Through our teaching we continuously monitor pupils’ progress against expected attainment for their age, making formative assessment notes where appropriate and using these to inform our teaching.

Summative assessments are completed at the end of each half term; their results from discussions in termly Pupil Progress Meetings and update our summative school tracker.

The main purpose of all assessment is to always ensure that we are providing excellent provision for every child.

Cracking Maths and Cracking Timetables KS1

Children in Year 1 will begin with Cracking maths which involves children learning number bonds for a weekly test. When they have completed all seven levels they will move on to their times tables (usually this is in Year 2).

Whole school events

We celebrate National Maths Day and have a whole school maths themed week.

Teachers think carefully about the different types of resources they will use and plan tasks carefully, based on prior learning and an understanding of the children’s future learning.

 At St George’s we promote independence for all students to take responsibility in their own learning, therefore we have implemented self-assessment KWHL grids, which the children use as a working document to track their achievements and progress at the

beginning, during and at the end of a topic.

In KS1, Maths is taught consistently in standalone lessons. There are 4 lessons per week. It is also discretely taught in many different contexts throughout all areas of the curriculum.

Early Years teachers carefully observe their pupils and create learning opportunities to suit their pupils’ interests and current events.

Impact

The National Curriculum purpose of study for Maths reads:

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

At St George’s, we aim for all children at the end of their time at school to:

• Talk enthusiastically about their maths lessons and speak about how they love learning about maths.
• Articulate the context in which maths is being taught, relate this to real life purposes and know about different ways that maths can be used to support their future potential.
• Show confidence and believe they can learn about a new maths area and apply the knowledge and skills they already have.

EVIDENCE IN KNOWLEDGE

• Pupils know how and why maths is used in the outside world and in the workplace. Mathematical concepts or skills are mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
• Children demonstrate a quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of times tables.

EVIDENCE IN SKILLS

• Pupils use acquired vocabulary in maths lessons.
• They have the skills to use methods independently and show resilience when tackling problems.
• They have the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of maths.
• Children show a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of the work.
• They have the chance to develop the ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths lessons.
• Teachers plan a range of opportunities to use maths inside and outside school.

OUTCOMES

At the end of each year we expect the children to have achieved Age Related Expectations (ARE) for their year group. Some children will have progressed further and achieved greater depth (GD). Children who have gaps in their knowledge receive appropriate support and intervention.