Mathematics
At Loughborough, we believe in the ‘mastery approach’ to teaching maths. Instead of learning mathematical procedures by rote, we want pupils to build a deep conceptual understanding which will enable them to apply their learning in different situations.
We believe in making mathematical learning come alive using a real-life contexts and endeavour to make sure that the children realise maths is essential to everyday life and good financial literacy. Throughout their school career, we want our children to have the ability to reason mathematically and have an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, whilst embracing a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.
Each school year begins with a focus on the concepts and skills that have the most connections, these are then applied and connected throughout the school year to consolidate learning. This gives pupils the opportunity to ‘master maths’; by using previous learning throughout the school year, they are able to develop mathematical fluency and conceptual understanding. To promote and develop a deep understanding in mathematics, we refer to three strands to deepen pupils’ understanding.
These are:
- Conceptual understanding
- Language and communication
- Mathematical thinking.
Teachers use Mathematics Mastery’s curriculum map, Unit Narrative, lesson plans and diagnostic quizzes to support their planning alongside national curriculum objectives.
At each key stage, the Mathematics Mastery curriculum covers the whole of the content of the National Curriculum. More than this, the scheme of learning is designed to support the development of reasoning and problem solving alongside fluency to ensure challenge and ambition for all pupils.
In addition to their daily mathematics lessons, ‘Maths Meetings’ are taught discretely, which gives children opportunities to revise previously taught content so they can remember more in the long-term. Children have the opportunity to rehearse, refine and improve their mental maths skills as well as their written calculations.
MATHS INTENT
Our ambition is ensure our maths curriculum is accessible to all and caters for every child’s ability, whilst ensuring we provide every opportunity for children to reach their full potential. We believe Mathematics is a tool for everyday life. Mathematics teaches us how to make sense of the world around us. Our maths curriculum enables us to develop children’s ability to calculate, communicate, reason and solve problems.
We endeavour to ensure all children become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. We deliver lessons that are creative and engaging. We want children to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems using a Concrete, Pictorial, into Abstract approach.
We intend for our pupils to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge to Science and across a range of other subjects. We want children to recognise that Mathematics has developed over centuries and has been the fundamental basis for huge advances in Science, Engineering, Technology and Sport.
We believe in making mathematical learning come alive within a real-life context and endeavour to make sure that the children realise the subject is essential to everyday life and financial literacy. Irrespective of year group, we want our children to have the ability to reason mathematically and have an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, whilst embracing a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. We strive for all to be actively engaged in their own learning, to be motivated and eager and to achieve and attain to their full potential in Mathematics.
MATHS IMPLEMENTATION
Planning: Lessons are planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before. Teachers use Mathematics Mastery’s curriculum map, Unit Narrative and lesson plans to support their planning alongside national curriculum objectives. Staff also refer to the Calculation Policy when teaching formal methods, understanding that sometimes children find their own efficient methods along the way. As part of this process, teachers need to plan the following for mathematics lesson:
- Precise questioning to test conceptual and procedural knowledge.
- How and when manipulatives will be used within in each lesson to scaffold difficult tasks.
- Revisiting concepts in oral/ mental starters such as flashback four to ensure learning is committed to long term memory
- Tasks and challenge questions to challenge pupils to apply and deepen their learning and mathematical reasoning.
‘Maths meetings’ are taught daily which gives children the opportunity to practise and improve their mental maths skills as well as their written calculations. Also, previous units are continually revisited in these sessions, which gives children opportunities to further consolidate their learning and allows them make connections between different units. All children also have access to their own personal account of ‘Times Tables Rockstar’ where they can practise their times tables individually and compete against other pupils and classes in school to develop this fluency.
Teaching: At Loughborough, we employ a variety of teaching styles and opportunities for children to learn and develop their Mathematical skills and competencies, both individually and collaboratively. The aim of all lessons is to develop children’s knowledge, understanding and skills, applying these to a variety of contexts. One of the key elements in lessons throughout the school should be on developing the children’s mental calculation strategies alongside developing the children’s written calculation strategies as laid out in the Written Calculation Policies for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
The progression maps are structured using the topic headings as they appear in the National Curriculum:
- Number and Place Value
- Addition and Subtraction
- Multiplication and Division
- Fractions (including decimals and percentages)
- Ratio and Proportion
- Measurement
- Geometry - properties of shapes
- Geometry - position and direction
- Statistics
- Algebra
During Mathematics lessons at Loughborough Primary School, through careful planning and preparation, we aim to ensure that throughout the school children are given opportunities for:
- A Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract Approach
- Problem-solving.
- Individual, group and whole-class activities and discussions.
- Open-ended and closed tasks.
- A range of methods for calculating dependent on ability and type of task.
- Working with computers as a mathematical tool.
- Directly working with a teacher or a learning support assistant.
- The use of high-quality maths language (Pupils should read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly).
MATHS IMPACT
We carefully measure progression within keys skills across the curriculum. Pupils’ skill, knowledge and understanding is assessed against the National Curriculum attainment targets.
In Maths, we monitor and assess the impact of the curriculum on our learners in a number of ways. Monitoring will take place by the class teacher, subject leader, Phase Leaders and Headteacher on a regular basis in the form of observations, data analysis, pupil progress meetings, work sampling and pupil conferencing. Formative Assessment will be a key part of every lesson. The teacher will share the objectives for the lesson with the children and make sure they are clear what is being expected of them to successfully achieve the objective.
The short-term assessment will also involve the teacher checking the children’s understanding at the end of the session to inform future planning and lessons. Summative assessment will take place three times throughout the year and will take the form of the NTS termly tests. The results of these tests will be inputted into the Mark sheet and Sims for analysis. This will inform ‘SHINE’ interventions which provide additional support for identified pupils who need to make accelerated progress.
Ultimately, the Impact of Loughborough’s Maths curriculum will be measured in the children’s attitudes to Mathematics alongside outcomes for learners across the school and notably in the nationally released data at EYFS, KSI, Year 4 MTC and KS2 SATS.
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| Progression of skills Maths |
