Mathematics

Intent

Our aim at The Rosary Catholic Primary School is to empower pupils to become independent and enthusiastic mathematicians who possess a range of practicable Maths skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

We seek to enable and inspire pupils to flourish in their Mathematics learning, stamina, resilience and perseverance. Our aim is to develop in our pupils a secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts through manageable steps, endeavouring to ensure that they become proficient mathematicians who are unafraid to take risks, explore and investigate. We make use of mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenges through our daily lessons and reasoning & problem-solving tasks.

By the time children leave The Rosary, they will have mastered a range of skills in Maths that will support their future development. These skills will be developed for children to

Have a sense of inquisitiveness and enjoyment in Maths by participating in lessons that stimulate their curiosity, build confidence in their Maths ability and provide them with opportunities to question and explore and to challenge themselves.
Have experience of Cultural Capital in a variety of different forms, as opportunities will be provided for children to replicate real life practical Maths experiences in EYFS up to Year 6. We will organise authentic ‘real life’ Maths learning involving financial management, making purchases for the school and being exposed to a range of experiences, some with unfamiliar contexts, and some that model real-life scenarios. Experience will be reinforced via school trips, experience days and organised activities which will help to nurture pupils’ interest, help them become aware and open to opportunities to learn and have a desire to achieve and to be receptive to acquiring knowledge, skills and behaviours that demonstrate their cultural awareness.
Be resilient, independent and self-motivated by taking part in lessons in which they learn to resist seeking immediate help and to persist in applying learned principles to a problem.
Develop skills and gain a knowledge of number operations, which facilitate mental calculations. They will be taught written procedures that can be performed efficiently, fluently and accurately, applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication – these will include some in unfamiliar contexts and some in ‘real-life’ scenarios.
Have the confidence to ask questions and problem solve by being given opportunities to follow lines of enquiry and develop and present justifications, arguments or proofs using mathematical language. Pupils will be shown how to apply 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.

Be global citizens of the twenty-first century - Maths can help pupils better understand different people, places and patterns in the world. Understanding, empathy and appreciation of other cultures can be fostered in mathematics by referencing world statistics, relative global opportunities, varying national approaches and origins of mathematical breakthroughs in history.

Implementation

At The Rosary Catholic Primary School, we aim to provide a motivating, challenging and comprehensive Maths curriculum.

Through our Creative Curriculum, the teaching of Mathematics extends beyond our daily Maths lesson and links with other subjects when relevant and purposeful. This provides children with opportunities to apply their Maths skills as well as enabling them to appreciate that Maths is a necessary part of everyday life.

The National Curriculum leads the school curriculum and teachers use a range of resources including White Rose, Target Your Maths, HeadStart, NRich and NCETM to support, stretch and challenge all learners within the classroom. Lessons are planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before.

The Calculation Policy shows the formal teaching methods that are taught across the school. A Times Tables focus is planned each week to give children the opportunity to practise and improve their rapid recall skills with facts up to 12x12. Challenges are set by teachers which give an opportunity for pupils to work to improve their speed and score each week. Children are encouraged to compete on Times Tables Rockstars, an online portal where they can compete against other pupils and enter tournaments to increase their times table recall speed and build their confidence to enable them to apply their number facts knowledge to help solve other more complex, mathematical problems.

During Maths lessons, children work on a Learning Question and then choose a task to help them develop and consolidate their Maths skills. At the end of the lesson, the children review how successfully they tackled the challenge and assess their ability to achieve the set Learning Question.

If the progress of a pupil is limited during the lesson for any reason, Quality First Support (QFS) is put in place in order to help pupils to keep up with their Maths learning.

Teaching staff embrace Maths teaching and learning and are keen to develop their pupils and help them reach their true Maths potential, ready to be global citizens of the twenty-first century.

Impact

We measure the impact of Maths in the following ways:

In-Class Feedback

Pupils have opportunities to self- mark and peer- mark in addition to the teacher marking, which is carried out within the lesson.

Corrective Teaching/Summative Assessment

Pupils self-assess their progress in a lesson along with the teacher. If they do not fulfil the learning objective, then support is provided so they are able to continue on the learning journey with their peers. Teachers adapt their planning for the next lesson to ensure there is time to address any misconception. It may be addressed in the next lesson, by a Teaching Assistant giving QFS (Quality First Support), in small groups within the lesson or at Booster Clubs. Misconceptions may also be addressed via in-class marking, conferencing, and verbal feedback or with the use of mini plenaries.

Pre-Teaching / Assessment

Through pre-learning assessments teachers become aware of the pupil’s prior attainment so they can pre-empt the difficulties for pupils. Teachers analyse the information and plan the lessons accordingly. The Pre-Learning Assessments provide the starting points for learning. Where possible, the Teaching Assistants support teachers and complete pre-learning tasks. Activities in lessons are tailored to address the learning gaps. This might be teaching the necessary Maths vocabulary or basic skills needed to access the age related objective.

Teaching Assistants and Interventions (see Interventions Policy)

When we identify a need, a teacher or the Teaching Assistants deliver short, focused, interventions. The interventions are delivered either daily or over a specified number of times per week. The interventions are specific to the need and they are given until the misconceptions are addressed or the gap in learning is reduced.

Partnership

Teachers hold meetings with parents during the autumn term. Fortnightly newsletters and Parent Consultation Days ensure an effective partnership to ensure children meet their learning potential.

Moderation

Maths is moderated by teachers internally to ensure judgements are robust, particularly on transfer between key stages. Teachers also take part in external moderation with other schools within the London Borough of Hounslow. Each term, teachers meet to moderate Maths and ensure that teacher assessments are accurate.

Formal Assessment Cycle

Maths is moderated by staff and Teacher Assessments are made based on the child’s performance in class.
EYFS assessments are recorded by teachers. Photographs and work is added to the learning journeys of each child based on the EYFS objectives.
Keystage 1 and 2 use scaled score standardised tests in Maths Arithmetic and Maths Reasoning at the end of Autumn, Spring and Summer term to help form assessments.
The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is an on-screen statutory assessment which is taken by all Year 4 pupils Key Stage 2 (in June).
Sonar Tracker is used termly to track attainment and progress against the Maths learning objectives throughout the school.

The assessments allow teachers to create intervention plans where they are required.

School reports

Reports are issued at the end of the academic year. Pupils are given a grade for their application of effort and their ability. They are marked as ‘Working towards Age Related Expectations’, ‘Meeting Age related Expectations’ or ‘Exceeding Age related Expectations’.

21^st Century World; 21^st Century Learners

Curriculum Maps

Maths curriculum maps from Reception to Year 6

Mathematics Overviews

Autumn Term

Spring Term

Summer Term

Progression in Calculation

Mathematics Coverage

Reception

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Useful Mathematics Pages

The Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check

In June 2022, the Year 4 multiplication tables check became statutory.

Your child will take a short online test to make sure their times tables knowledge is at the expected level.

What is the Year 4 multiplication tables check?

The multiplication tables check is an online test for pupils in Year 4. Pupils are asked to answer 25 questions on times tables from two to 12. They are given six seconds per question, with three seconds rest between each question, so the test should last less than five minutes.
Questions about the six, seven, eight, nine, and 12 times tables are likely to come up most often as these are the hardest for most children to learn. It’s a good idea to focus on these tricky times tables with your child.
First and foremost, the check is about finding out which children are struggling with their times tables so that they can get extra support. It is not a judgement on what your child can do but a way for the school to know how their teaching is going and to adjust their focus if needed.

Oxford Owl - Year 4 Multiplications

Useful Mathematics Websites

Top Marks - Hit the Button
Primary Games - Maths Games
Oxford Owl - Maths
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_Mathematics_220714.pdf