Maths at North Fawdon

The intention of the maths curriculum at North Fawdon Primary School is that children are taught to become confident mathematicians who have a positive and enthusiastic attitude. We strive to embed the skills and processes necessary to enable children to use and apply their Maths learning in a variety of contexts both in and outside the classroom and ensure that Maths is a successful experience for all learners. We aim to develop children’s enjoyment of maths and provide opportunities for children to build a conceptual understanding of maths before applying their knowledge to everyday problems and challenges. Mastery of maths means a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. We want children at North Fawdon to have:

· fluency (rapid and accurate recall and application of facts and concepts)

· a growing confidence to reason mathematically

· the ability to apply maths to solve problems and test hypotheses

Our approach to the teaching of mathematics develops children's ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team. Through mathematical talk, children will develop the ability to articulate and discuss their thinking through reasoning and problem solving activities.

At North Fawdon, we recognise that in order for pupils to progress to deeper and more complex problems, children need to be confident and fluent across each yearly objective. To ensure our pupils acquire a deeper understanding in their mathematical learning journey, we follow the White Rose Maths schemes of learning. Within these, each National Curriculum objective is broken down into fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our teachers use the learning challenges to teach for mastery - an approach to extend and deepen the understanding of pupils within each year group. Our teachers use this document in conjunction with a range of high quality resources such as NCETM to support, stretch and challenge all learners within the classroom.

To raise fluency standards in Maths, we use KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) as a whole-school program. It is important that children know these facts thoroughly and can recall them instantly. The KIRFs are designed to be a set of facts that need to be learnt thoroughly as they build on each other year on year. When children are secure with these facts, they are then able to carry out calculations/methods without the lack of basic facts getting in the way.

As a school we also use Times Table Rockstars for the children to practise their times tables at home and at school.

Daily Maths Lessons involve teachers and TAs who move around the classroom and actively respond, challenge and support children with their learning. Working walls are used to display strategies that are being used and include key vocabulary. Within the daily Maths lesson, challenges are provided to stretch and challenge all abilities and ensure exposure to a mastery curriculum.

Maths meetings are held daily in each year group. They are aimed at developing fluency by allowing frequent practice of basic mental and written calculation skills and KIRFs. Misconceptions and gaps are also addressed in these sessions.

Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract Practical apparatus (including numicon and base 10) and visual models (Bar Model) are integral to classroom practice at North Fawdon, helping children to move from the concrete to pictorial to abstract, and grasp a solid understanding of key maths concepts. At every opportunity, children are encourage to see and make the links between these key concepts and between their learning in Maths.

We also place great importance upon spoken language within Maths lessons and key vocabulary is modelled and shared explicitly with the expectation that children use this when talking about their maths.

Assessment in Mathematics

At North Fawdon, formative assessment takes place on a daily basis to inform staff about the individual needs and progress of children. Staff adjust future learning accordingly to meet the needs of their class.

In Maths, we use an evidence collection system for maths and times tables to track the progress of each class half-termly and inform teacher assessment. At the end of a unit of work in maths, teachers use White Rose End of Block Assessments to evaluate the learning and progress of individual children. It is through this analysis, teachers are able to identify key skills and knowledge that need additional work and to set targets for future progress. A programme of interventions and booster work is designed to support children to ensure that they are ready to progress and become successful in their learning. All interventions are reviewed termly to ensure they are successful in supporting children’s learning.

We use Cornerstones Assessments termly in maths to support teacher assessments in Years 2-5 and to further identify and address any misconceptions and gaps in learning. In Year 6 we use SATs (Standard Assessment Tests.)

Attainment and outcomes in maths have a prominent focus throughout our school. The teaching of mathematics is monitored frequently by leaders through: lesson observations, book scrutinies and pupil voice interviews.