Mathematics at Felbridge Primary School

What are we aiming for?

Our curriculum aims, through a mastery approach, are to ensure that all children are equipped with the necessary skills and confidence to solve problems and have the resilience to persevere when a solution is not always apparent. Our intent is that all children leave our school number literate and with an awareness of how mathematics is relevant to everyday life.

How will we do it?

Mathematics is taught every day, with lessons of between 45 minutes and an hour in length. We use White Rose Maths Hub plans, cross referenced against the National Curriculum, to ensure that there is appropriate breadth and depth across our mathematics curriculum; this forms the basis of our medium-term planning. We also use the PowerMaths scheme, as this is closely aligned to White Rose Maths, but teachers are not restricted to this and are encouraged to make use of other high-quality resources, in order that the most appropriate resource is used to aid the children’s learning. This approach ensures that bespoke lessons are created to suit the individual needs of all children, whilst ensuring clear continuity and progression across year groups.

Pupils have many opportunities to practise the basic skills and memorise key number facts, such as number bonds and times tables, to help them develop greater fluency in their mathematics.  There are frequent opportunities for children to develop their mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills. We use a mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics, ensuring that a solid mathematical understanding underpins each child’s journey through the concrete, pictorial, abstract (CPA) process. Children are guided through the appropriate CPA progression of mathematics and if, at any time, they struggle with the abstract, they have the necessary knowledge and understanding to revert back to pictorial or concrete methods. It is vital that children are using a strategy that is appropriate to their stage of learning. We ensure that all lessons are carefully differentiated, in order that there is appropriate challenge for all pupils. We do not set for mathematics.

How does mathematics at Felbridge Primary School promote diversity?

• When problem solving activities include the names of people, names from a wide range of cultural origins are chosen
• We have high expectations of all children, regardless of gender
• When discussing mathematics in relation to future jobs / careers, we emphasise that all jobs / careers are possible for both genders and that it is not necessary to follow a traditional career path

How does mathematic at Felbridge help children develop an understanding of SMSC?

• Social – not setting for mathematics means that children of all abilities work together to support each other’s learning
• Social – problem solving and reasoning in pairs / small groups encourages working as part of a team
• Social – asking for and accepting help from others
• Moral – supporting and encouraging peers in their learning
• Moral – offering praise and celebrating the achievements of others
• Spiritual – awe and wonder e.g. Fibonacci Sequence or understanding a new concept
• Spiritual – receiving praise from others
• Spiritual – a sense of pride and achievement when grasping a new concept or successfully solving a problem
• Cultural – life skills e.g. money, time and measures

How does mathematics at Felbridge Primary School ensure that pupil premium, SEND and other disadvantaged children can fully access the curriculum?

• TAs and LSAs support in lessons
• Work is appropriately differentiated
• Booster groups and 1:1 / small group interventions
• Support for teachers from external agencies, e.g. speech and language
• In house training for TAs and LSAs

What will our approach result in?

The impact of our mathematics curriculum is monitored and evaluated in a variety of ways, to ensure that it is effective and meets the needs of all children:

• All children have excellent behaviour for, and attitudes towards, learning in mathematics
• All children have a solid mathematical understanding, underpinned by their journey through the concrete, pictorial, abstract process
• All children can explain how the use of concrete resources and pictorial representations give them the confidence to question, explore and challenge themselves
• All children have the confidence and self-awareness to revert to pictorial or concrete methods to aid their solving of problems, where appropriate
• All children are aware of how previously learnt skills are linked to and help further develop their mathematical understanding
• All children are able to communicate their mathematical knowledge and understanding confidently and effectively and use this knowledge when reasoning and problem solving
• Summative assessments show that children are working at least at age-expected levels or have made at least expected progress from their starting points
• Ongoing formative assessments show that children are achieving learning objectives and that some children have explored areas of mathematics at a greater depth
• Year 6 children are ready for the next stage of their mathematical journey at secondary school.