Mathematics
Mathematics Curriculum Statement
Intent
‘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.’
The National Curriculum, 2014
At Landulph Primary School, we strive to instil a love and enthusiasm for Mathematics in all our children, from Foundation to Year 6, in the hope and belief that their appreciation for the subject will carry through with them into secondary school and beyond. Mathematics encapsulates many of the fundamental skills needed to develop and succeed throughout life and, at Landulph, we believe it is our duty to produce life-long learners, capable and confident in all areas of the Mathematics curriculum.
We are aware that, historically, Mathematics may have been associated with negativity for many adults and children in our community who therefore feel able to label themselves as being ‘bad at maths’. This is a statement we are passionate about abolishing at Landulph and staff are committed to ensuring that all children, regardless of age, background, race, gender or ability, feel that they are able to succeed in Mathematics and consider themselves to be excellent mathematicians.
Implementation
The 2014 National Curriculum states that the aims for all children are to:
- 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, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
- can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions
At Landulph Primary School, children study Maths daily, covering a broad and balanced mathematical curriculum which includes elements of number, calculation, geometry, measures and statistics. Due to the interconnected nature of mathematics, we aim to teach Maths in a cross curricular manner, as well as discretely, in order to teach the practical application of mathematical skills. We focus on not only the mathematical methods but also on mathematical vocabulary and the use of Mastery and reasoning in order to broaden and deepen mathematical understanding for all pupils.
Our coverage of the subject is planned using White Rose Maths as a ‘starting point’ and adapted to suit our mixed-aged classes as well as to meet the individual needs of our children. Coverage of the curriculum is tracked and monitored thoroughly by teachers to ensure that children develop a secure knowledge of the concepts taught, without gaps forming. We strongly believe that this helps us to develop confident and capable mathematicians who are able to apply reasoning and problem-solving skills across all aspects of the curriculum.
The expectation, at Landulph, is that the majority of pupils within each year group will move through the programmes of study broadly at the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to advance to the next stage in their learning. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems to deepen their conceptual understanding further. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should continue to consolidate their understanding using the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract model (CPA) before moving on when ready.
The use of the CPA model is prominent in all classes at Landulph school and is used to build, secure and challenge children’s conceptual understanding in all elements of the Maths curriculum. Throughout their time at Landulph school, children become familiar with the resources, pictorial representations and formal written methods used and we believe this help them to develop confidence in their abilities to reason, problem solve and succeed within the subject. From the 2020/21 academic year onwards, schools in England will be required to administer an online multiplication times tables check (MTC) to Year 4 pupils. The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in Mathematics. To support the children with their multiplication practice, we use ‘Times Table Rockstars’ AND ‘Numbots’ for children in Year 1 to Year 6 as a fun, online learning platform for when both at home and when in school.
Impact
In each Mathematics lesson taught at Landulph, teachers continuously use formative assessments to inform their teaching and planning. This ensures that we teach according to the specific needs of our individual children as well as the requirements for each year group. Summative assessments are completed 3 times a year for most year groups so that teachers can address any gaps in children’s understanding and fluency of the subject and adapt their teaching and planning accordingly. We refrain from ‘over-testing’ to ensure that our pupils are given as many opportunities as possible to secure and embed their knowledge and understanding of the curriculum as well as helping to nurture our children’s passion for the subject itself. Our attainment at the end of Key Stages (1 and) 2 is/are above the national average and we feel that our children leave Year 6 with the confidence, determination and excitement to continue their Mathematics education into secondary school. It is obvious from lesson observations, governor visits, books and most importantly, pupil voice sessions, that our children love Maths and that we are creating a community of confident and capable mathematicians who have an appreciation for the subject.
The Curriculum Leader for Mathematics is: David Finnimore |