Maths – curriculum information

Intent

At Rokeby Park Primary School, we offer the children a progressive mathematics curriculum based on the National Curriculum to develop mathematical knowledge and skills for our children. They will be positive and enthusiastic towards mathematics, with an awareness of the diversity of the subject.

  • They will be competent and confident in taking risks to apply mathematical knowledge, concepts and skills.
  • They will be able to solve problems, reason mathematically and think logically and systematically.
  • They will be able to work independently and in cooperation with others.
  • They will be able to use and apply mathematics across the curriculum, and to understand the application of mathematics in real life contexts and scenarios.

All children have equal access to the mathematics curriculum, regardless of race or gender. Children access the curriculum at the level appropriate to them, ensuring rapid measurable progress. Resources and learning environments are planned and designed to enable all children to access to the learning required. Differentiated activities are provided to support less able learners and challenge rapid graspers so they are able to work at greater depth in mathematics. The mathematics curriculum is ambitious for pupils with SEND to ensure they can access the subject at an appropriate level and make progress towards clearly defined end points.

Mathematical knowledge can be linked to engaging topics but will be gained by the teaching of year group progressive skills which build on previous learning, ensuring pupils’ learning becomes embedded. In addition to this, pupils will engage in enrichment activities to support their learning of mathematics for a real purpose through Jigsaw and cross-curricular lessons.

By the end of EYFS children will:

Have a secure understanding of Number and Numerical Patterns across the EYFS Framework. Children will have a deep understanding of numbers to 10, being able to develop their skill of subitising up to 5 as well as automatically recalling number bonds up to 5 and even 10. Furthermore, children will be able to verbally count beyond 20, recognising the counting system, comparing quantities up to 10 in various contexts and exploring and representing numbers within 10, including odds, evens and doubles. The EYFS children will use every day language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects in order to help them solve problems. They will recognise, create and describe patterns, exploring characteristics of everyday objects and shapes, using their mathematical language to describe them.

By the end of Key Stage 1 children will:

Develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This should involve working with numerals, words and the four operations, including with practical resources, e.g. concrete objects and measuring tools. Pupils should develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary. They should also use a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money. By the end of year 2, pupils should know their number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value. An emphasis on practice at this early stage will aid fluency. Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at key stage 1.

By the end of Lower Key Stage 2 children will:

Become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. They will develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers. Pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value. Pupils will have the opportunity to draw with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties and confidently describe the relationships between them. It should ensure that they can use measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number. By the end of year 4, pupils should have instant recall of their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work. Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary correctly and confidently using their growing word reading knowledge and their knowledge of spelling.

By the end of Upper Key Stage 2 children will:

Extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio. Pupils should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation. With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems. Teaching in geometry and measures should consolidate and extend knowledge developed in number. Pupils will classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the required vocabulary they need to describe them. By the end of year 6, pupils should be fluent in written methods for all four operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages. Pupils should read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly.

Any child working below their age-related expectation, will receive a tailored curriculum with personalised objectives taken from the Curriculum Assessment Toolkit. This will enable all children to build the skills and knowledge needed to bridge the gap between themselves and their peers enabling them to reach their full potential.

Implementation

At Rokeby Park Primary School uses planning documents which have been adapted by the mathematics leaders throughout the Constellation Trust, from The White Rose Maths Hub scheme. These Constellation Trust planning documents ensure key concepts are taught progressively as pupils move through the school and that units are sequenced throughout the year to build knowledge and skills.

Progressive knowledge such as number bonds, times tables and the four operations are used to underpin pupils’ understanding of place value and number within year groups. Lesson objectives are structured and sequenced so that final outcomes are secure and meaningful. Children do not learn objectives in isolation but continue to embed these through carefully planned application of their learning throughout the year.

Teachers plan topics following a Mastery Approach. EYFS follow Power Maths scheme in line with the EYFS Framework 2021 and updated Development Matters documentation. Years 1 to 6 follow the White Rose Maths scheme building upon the firm foundations created in EYFS. Subject-specific vocabulary is presented interactively in all classrooms from EYFS to Year 6, allowing frequent repetition and practice throughout the year. Stem sentences are provided during inputs and on classroom displays to frame how pupils should respond and to ensure basic skills and vocabulary acquisition is paramount. High-quality modelling, repetition, variation and intelligent practice need to be evidenced in every lesson across each year group with teachers anticipating misconceptions and how to address them. Reasoning and problem solving is a focus for the school and wherever possible children are encouraged to apply their knowledge and skills in different situations.

All children have access to the Maths curriculum, as work is tailored appropriately for children with SEND. Children will learn through similar activities, with outcomes modified to suit all needs. It is the responsibility of the class teacher to adapt planning to suit the children’s needs.

KPIs are used to assess children’s understanding and are updated regularly. Cross-curricular mathematics is planned to allow further depth across our thematic approach and is outlined on Medium-Term and Short-Term Planning.

Impact

Work in books and regular ongoing assessment is used as a measure of progress towards the identified end points. Pupils are given regular opportunities to recap and embed learning as well as applying their knowledge to solve a range of tasks and problems. Where gaps in learning are identified, the reasons for this are analysed and this information is used to plan further teaching or intervention activities where needed.

Maths Impact This is shown in:

  1. Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) records
  2. Evidence of work in books, including evidence of applying key knowledge to solve more complex problems
  3. Regular low stakes assessments
  4. Progress records and data overviews
  5. Benchmarking against national tests
  6. Pupil voice
  7. Links to Staff Performance Management targets
  8. Subject Action and School Development Plans and SSE cycle.

Learning can be defined as an alteration in long-term memory. Outcomes in maths and foundation subject books evidence a broad and balanced mathematics curriculum and demonstrate the pupils’ acquisition of identified key knowledge, skills and vocabulary which in turn helps to reduce the ’word gap’. As pupils progress throughout the school, they develop a deep knowledge and understanding and how vital mathematics is to their future. Our pupils develop the knowledge, skills and cultural capital needed to ensure they successfully progress onto the next stage in their education and life and develop into responsible, respectful and resilient citizens.

Further information

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