This page contains information about the importance of this curriculum subject at Newton Primary School. Please click the documents at the bottom of the page to view progression documents, policies and planning.
Intent, Implementation, Impact
At Newton Primary we recognise the importance of Maths throughout each child’s every day and future life. It enables children to understand relationships and patterns in both number and space in the world around them. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. We intend to give each child the self-confidence and resilience to reach their full potential by ensuring that they have the tools to calculate fluently, reason logically, problem solve and think in abstract ways.
Intent – What are we trying to achieve?
- Children become confident, competent and independent mathematicians.
- To build a deep conceptual understanding of Maths and its interrelated content so that children can apply their learning in different situations.
- For children to have the ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others.
- To build and develop a positive attitude towards Maths and an awareness of the relevance of it in the real world.
- To develop children’s ability to articulate, discuss and explain their thinking using appropriate mathematical vocabulary.
- ‘Mistake friendly’ classrooms where children see mistakes as learning tools – there is an emphasis placed upon developing the power to ‘think’ rather than just the ‘do’.
- Instil the mind-set in every child and staff member that everyone can do Maths and that it is for everyone…EVERYONE CAN!
- Children develop into resilient and inquisitive learners – skills needed to become life-long mathematicians.
- Deliver an inspiring and engaging Maths curriculum, taught by highly-enthusiastic staff, which sparks curiosity and excitement and which nurtures confidence in Maths.
Implementation – How is our vision translated into practice?
In order to improve our mastery approach and further improve the quality and consistency of our maths teaching, we have implemented Power Maths: a government recommended, high-quality mastery textbook, working alongside White Rose.
We recognise the value of making a coherent journey through the national curriculum and each year group follow a medium term plan where small, cumulative steps build a solid foundation of deep mathematical understanding. Formative assessment is threaded throughout each lesson and unit of work; and appropriate revisions to planning are made by the class teacher to ensure all lessons are tailored to best meet the needs of their children.
It is essential that children have a deep understanding of the most important elements that underpin the mathematics curriculum so that there is consistency and continuity as children move from one-year group to the next. Therefore, if necessary, time may be weighted towards those objectives set out in the ready-to-progress criteria (non-statutory guidance provided by the Department for Education, created in partnership with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics).
In order to meet our aims above and the requirements set out in the EYFS framework and the Primary National Curriculum, we will implement the following:
- Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Maths – EVERYONE CAN! Maths is for EVERYONE!
- Teachers promote positive learning characteristics through the Power Maths and White Rose characters.
- To develop secure and deep conceptual understanding, staff plan for the use of concrete resources, varied representations and structures (outlined and guided through Power Maths and White Rose)
- The vast majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace: adaptions are made where necessary to suit the needs of the child.
- Regular and ongoing formative assessment informs teaching, as well as intervention and catch up sessions to support and enable the success of each child.
- Pre and post assessments take place at the start and the end of a unit to show progress (Year 1 beginning in the Spring term) and planning is adjusted accordingly.
- Children’s attainment and progress is discussed by teachers and Reviewers/Appraisers of Pupil Progress and if progress is not made, support is immediate and steps are provided.
- Children’s attainment and progress is discussed with parents/carers during parent’s evenings.
- Differentiation is achieved by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention. It is seen through the concrete resources used, and/or the reliance on the representations and structures within a lesson to help embed a mathematical concept. All children are expected to be exposed to age related expectations and staff allow the time to plug gaps children may have in a particular area of mathematics. Staff understand what age-related expectations and mastering looks like for each objective and plan for how their children will get there. In order to meet the needs of all pupils, children working at a greater depth of understanding within an area of mathematics will be provided with reasoning opportunities for going deeper. Adaptions are made for those children that require them to enable them to progress and develop bridging gaps of their learning.
- Children’s success criteria will follow small steps of learning.
- Provision will be made for children who are not making the expected level of progress through T.L.G's and interventions and any adaptions to the planning that is needed.
- Teaching that is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge.
- Practice and consolidation play a central role. Carefully designed variation within this builds fluency and understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.
- Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention, so that all children keep up. Children’s explanations and their proficiency in articulating mathematical reasoning, with the precise use of mathematical vocabulary, are supported with teachers placing a strong emphasis on the correct use of mathematical language.
- The curriculum time for mathematics is non-negotiable and will be followed by all staff in school (1 hour maths sessions daily from Y1-6; and 1 hour (Reception) daily sessions which are then consolidated through the enhancements in the learning environment.
- Weekly fluency sessions are timetabled to develop skills from Reception to Year 6.
During our Maths lessons you will see:
- Collaboration and opportunity for partner talk
- Consistency in routines and the delivery of Maths.
- Opportunities for children to work independently, applying their learning.
- Vocabulary and correct mathematical terminology used in all year groups.
- Working walls may be used to model and scaffold learning. –
- Concrete manipulatives are accessible to children to select to support their Mathematical Understanding.
Impact – What is the impact of our curriculum?
Our curriculum is designed so that every academic year we begin with number and place value units – children revisit and consolidate the relevant material required to access the age appropriate learning. Children will deepen their mathematical understanding, year on year while also applying their Reasoning skills to understand the prevalence of Maths in ‘real-life’. Children will become independent Mathematicians and develop a confidence to use both concrete and pictorial scaffolds to support them in their learning. Children at Newton Primary will grow a confidence to challenge themselves in Maths. They will embrace their mistakes by appreciating the opportunity which mistakes present, and they will leave us as resilient Mathematicians – understanding that effort yields result.
We believe:
- Our children are happy learners who talk enthusiastically about their learning and are eager to further their progress in Maths.
- The impact of ‘mastery’ and the emphasis on accurate use of mathematical language is evident during class/pupil discussions.
- Children’s fluency in number is improving.
- More consistent teaching practices that are well-known to be more effective for pupil progress long term, evident across school highlights the high level of challenge for all ability groups and shows progression between year groups.
- The ongoing working relationship that we have with our local Maths hub provides us with current initiatives and research based evidence to enable us to plan and deliver an enriching curriculum.
- These factors ensure that we are able to achieve high standards, with achievement at the end of KS2 in-line with that of the national average or higher, as well an increasing proportion of children demonstrating greater depth, at the end of each phase.
- 98% of children who completed the Y4 multiplication test attained over half marks and 93% at least 75%.
