Maths at Stonesfield
At Stonesfield Primary School, we intend to give every child a sound understanding of the underlying structures and concepts of Maths; and confidence with fluency, reasoning and problem-solving (the core aims of the National Curriculum). This will give them confidence and pleasure in the subject while equipping them for the remainder of their formal education and providing them with the numeracy life skills they will need.
National Curriculum Aims:
Fluency: 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;
Reasoning: reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language;
Problem Solving: 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.
The core principles of our maths provision are inclusivity and consistency.
What does it look like?
All children are present for high quality teaching input, including rich subject-specific vocabulary, and are exposed to the full curriculum. In EYFS, our Long Term Plan is based on the NCETM Mastering Early Number programme. In Key Stage 1 we follow the White Rose Single Year Groups Long Term Plan as Maths is taught separately to Years 1 and 2. In Key Stage 2, we follow the White Rose Mixed Age long term plan and year groups are taught together. These approaches both ensure that concepts are taught in a way which builds securely on prior learning.
In addition to NCETM and White Rose resources, we also draw on resources such as Nrich and I See Reasoning to ensure children encounter problems presented in a range of styles.
Lessons are carefully structured in line with Rosenshine principles, starting with recall from an element of previous learning and then moving to new learning, delivered in small steps with clear modelling by the Teacher. During the main part of the lesson there is plenty of partner talk with children working in books or on white boards. Teacher questioning is used to develop understanding and bring out reasoning and the use of accurate maths vocabulary. Stem sentences support learning and during the lesson, there is guided practice with an “I do, We do, You do” approach, often followed by a section of independent work. All children are regularly exposed to reasoning and problem-solving tasks. During the independent tasks, Teachers and TAs circulate and live mark, providing support and scaffold and high level questioning as appropriate.
Manipulatives and representations are used as appropriate in whole class teaching and all children will become confident at showing their understanding using these tools. Resources on the Maths help desk are available to all children all of the time. Accurate, technical vocabulary is explicitly taught.
Fluency
In addition to the daily Maths lesson, each class in KS1 and 2 has a short Fluency session four days a week, focussing on key number facts. These sessions reinforce the learning of key facts to the point of automaticity but also develop and consolidate mental strategies for tackling calculations, for example a confident and flexible grasp of filling the ten in a range of situations and with a variety of sizes of number. KS1 uses NCETM Mastering Early Number materials. KS2 uses White Rose Fluency Bee materials. Developing automaticity with multiplication facts is supported by the children’s home learning on Times Tables Rock Stars. Mastering Early Number may be used in Key Stage 2 to support children with gaps in learning.
Assessment
Formative assessment takes place in all lessons with additional support provided as needed. There are three summative assessment points through the year for which we use the Cornerstones Maths materials. Children in Years 2, 4 and 6 are prepared carefully for the KS1 SATs, the KS2 SATs and the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check.
Our goal
As a result of the Maths teaching at Stonesfield, children will leave with robust fluency skills, a deep understanding of the underlying structures of mathematics and an ability to apply maths knowledge confidently across areas of the subject. This will stand them in good stead for secondary school where they will continue their maths journey building on deep, firm foundations.
Children will appreciate the interconnectedness of maths, partly through deliberate teaching of maths skills in other subjects, such as data handling in Science lessons and co-ordinates during map-reading in Geography. They will learn of the significance of maths in helping to understand the world and the importance of maths in a range of subjects.