Maths Statement of Intent

Mathematics is an important creative discipline that helps us to understand and change the world. We want all pupils at Medlar with Wesham Primary School to experience the beauty, power and enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject with a clear understanding.
At Medlar with Wesham we foster positive can do attitudes and we promote the fact that ‘We can all do maths!’ We believe all children can achieve in mathematics, and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts through manageable steps. We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenge through rich and sophisticated problems. At our school, the majority of children will be taught the content from their year group only. They will spend time becoming true masters of content, applying and being creative with new knowledge in multiple ways, including:

• representation and structure (effective pedagogies for modelling, concrete-pictorial-abstract approaches, effective use of manipulatives and transition between them)
• coherence (curriculum design, progression of objectives, sequencing learning, small steps, contextualising learning between different areas of mathematics)
• mathematical thinking (effective questioning, identifying patterns and relationships, deep understanding through reasoning and problem solving, supporting children to achieve deeper learning where appropriate)
• variation (progression through representations using conceptual variation, progression through questioning using procedural variation)
• fluency (efficiency, accuracy, flexibility, developing unconscious competence)

Maths Curriculum 

Mathematics is a core subject of the National Curriculum. It is given a high priority at Medlar with Wesham C.E. Primary School. It is a tool for everyday life. It teaches children to make sense of the world around them through developing their ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems.

At our school children develop the skills, confidence and competence with numbers and measures.  They cultivate an understanding of the number system, a range of computational skills and the ability to solve number problems in a variety of contexts.  Mathematics also demands practical understanding of measurement and graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.  At the heart of our Mathematics is the ability to calculate mentally.

Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly are challenged with rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with basic skills are given opportunities to consolidate their understanding before moving on.

 ‘Mathematics is not only a language and a subject in itself, but it is also critical in fostering logical and rigorous thinking’ – Carol Vorderman, A world-class mathematics education for all our young people (Aug. 2011)

Mathematics Teaching in E.Y.F.S.

Mathematics in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum comes under two strands, each of which has an Early Learning Goal attached:-

Number

Early Learning Goal - Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number; 

- Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5;

- Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts.

Numerical Patterns
Early Learning Goal - Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;

- Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity;

- Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally.

The Early Learning Goals define the level of development children are expected to attain by the end of the Reception year. The majority of pupils at Medlar with Wesham achieve these Early Learning Goals.

As with all other Areas of Learning, the teaching and learning of mathematics in our Reception class takes place both indoors and outdoors through a wide range of practical and "hands on" activities.

The staff use their knowledge and expertise to plan for a high quality learning environment which provides children with lots of opportunities to explore different aspects of number and shape, space and measures and learn new concepts. The children have a wide range of structured play resources available to them throughout the year - this is known as "continuous provision". The adults model the use of these resources and the appropriate mathematical language as they support the children in their play.

Mathematics Teaching in Key Stage 1

Is to ensure that pupils develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value.

This should involve:

1. Working with numerals.

2. Words and the four operations, including with practical resources [for example, concrete objects and measuring tools].

At this stage, pupils should develop:

1. Their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary.

2. Teaching should also involve using 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 the 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.

Mathematics Teaching in Lower Key Stage 2

Is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. This should ensure that pupils develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers.

At this stage, pupils should develop their:

1. Ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value.

2. Drawing with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them.

3. Knowledge when measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number.

By the end of year 4, pupils should have memorised 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. 

Mathematics Teaching in Upper Key Stage 2

Is to ensure that pupils 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.

At this stage, pupils should develop their:

1. 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.

2. Wider knowledge in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems.

Upper Key Stage 2 Teaching should enhance pupil’s knowledge in:

1. Geometry and measures should consolidate and extend knowledge developed in number.  

2. Ensuring that pupils classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the 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.