Maths is learning about numbers, shape, measure and problem solving.

"I like maths because I love learning timetables and solving tricky problems," - Year 4

 

Overview

At St Ann’s Heath, our overall aim is to equip all of our children with the life skills they need to be able to flourish in the real world and promote a love of maths. We aim to ensure that, regardless of background and ability, every child has a rich and meaningful maths education. We set high expectations for all pupils and do whatever possible to see that these expectations are met. Both staff and children understand the importance of automaticity and fluency within maths and this is taught through real life contexts to enable pupils to apply their understanding, reasoning and problem-solving skills to make connections across the subject and wider curriculum. At St Ann’s Heath, we believe a positive teacher mindset and strong subject knowledge are key to student success in mathematics. It is not the case that some pupils can do mathematics and others cannot. No pupil should be left behind. The focus is keeping up over catching up. By making high expectations clear and emphasising the value of mathematics education, pupils are encouraged to build confidence and resilience.

Intent

At St Ann’s Heath, our overall aim is to equip all of our pupils with the life skills they need to be able to flourish in the real world and promote a love of maths.  We aim to ensure that, regardless of background and ability, every child has a rich and meaningful mathematics education.  We set high expectations for all pupils and do whatever possible to see that these expectations are met. Both staff and pupils understand the importance of automaticity and fluency within maths and this is taught through real life contexts to enable pupils to apply their understanding, reasoning and problem-solving skills and to make connections across the subject and wider curriculum. 

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Implementation

Curriculum

As a school we use White Rose Maths as a Scheme of Work to timetable mathematical blocks that are explored progressively, drawing on resources, data and suggestions from reliable sources such as NCETM, Numberstacks, Deepening Understanding and Nrich to link mathematical talk and knowledge across the various units (e.g. multiplication and area).  This is designed to spark curiosity and excitement and help children develop confidence in maths. Each maths unit is built upon as they progress through the school.

Teaching sequences are based on small steps to ensure a good level of coherence, understanding, application of understanding and transference of skills to a range of problems and contexts.

White Rose is tailored to suit our children’s needs by adding in extra consolidation where needed and appropriate challenges for our most able.

Overall, we believe maths should be seen as fun and approached with a positive mindset.

Lessons

We teach maths for approximately one hour per day and the lesson is based on the principle that all children can achieve.  This way the children are exposed to the same content and offered the same opportunities, rather than placing a cap on the children’s learning.  Tasks are provided to enrich and stretch this learning in the form of challenges for the greater depth pupils.  Those who may need extra support receive additional support through maths manipulatives and attending maths support groups such as pre-teach, Success at Arithmetic or Numberstacks interventions.  

• Each lesson begins with a revisit of previous learning in the form of a flashback 4 (something from last year, last month, last week and the last lesson).  This enables the pupils to exercise their working memory and to better retain facts taught previously.
• Lessons are taught in the form of small steps and follow the 'I do we do you do' model as per our school policy.  There are opportunities for guided practice and independent practice. Concrete materials are always on hand for pupils to use and improve their relative comprehension of number and how it may change. Multiple manipulatives are stored in a central location so that everyone can access them: interlocking cubes, 3D shapes, Numicon, etc.  
• Independent tasks are explained and pupils complete their work.  The tasks are high ceiling low entry, so that everyone can access the first questions, which then get progressively harder, and then go as far as they can, completing Greater Depth challenges if they can.
• Children are encouraged to represent their work in different ways (Concrete Pictorial Abstract).  Representations include informal drawings, mathematical symbols, diagrams, bar models, part-part whole models, arrays; they draw these to help visualise the question and break it into manageable steps.
• Teachers provide live marking to allow immediate feedback and support where required.  Children are encouraged to self-mark where appropriate and are expected to correct their mistakes which are shown in green pen.
• Plenaries are an opportunity for the children to demonstrate their reasoning and problem solving skills.
• We encourage the children to use TT Rockstars to help them to secure their number knowledge and times tables skills.  In year 6, further quiz style questions include Numeracy Ninjas and the opportunities to enter competitions.

Assessment

Staff assess daily and provide immediate feedback to move learning forwards.

End of block assessments are carried out from the White Rose scheme and these results help us to inform future planning or the need for extra consolidation amongst specific children. NFER Spring and Summer assessments are used to help us to track the children’s progress.  These results are inputted on NFER assessment tool.  Our formative and summative assessment are used to update the children’s levels on Insight, parents evening notes and end of year reports.

Impact

• By the time children get to year 6, they are secure in their knowledge of number.
• Our children are resilient learners who do not give up when they problem solve and make mistakes.
• Our children are confident learners who can explain their learning and utilise multiple methods.
• Our children are able to reference maths within other curriculum topics such as DT, science and geography.
• Pupil voice shows our children enjoy learning maths and can talk proudly about their achievements.
• Children at St Ann's Heath perform above the national average (EXS 78% GDS 33% 2024).