Maths

As a school we strive to provide high quality mathematics teaching that is creative and engaging and involves a blend of approaches that direct children’s learning. We strongly believe that learning mathematics should be underpinned by a great deal of practical number work. Hence, our pupils have access to a wide range of practical mathematics equipment such as Base 10, digit cards, bead strings and other counting equipment that they will use well into key stage 2 to strengthen their understanding of number.  The children are taught using concrete things, then pictorial representation and finally abstract symbols.

In addition pupils are given daily experience of mental maths strategies. This is vitally important because so often the maths that we do in the “real world” is done at the shop counter and in other situations when paper and pencil or calculators are not available. The mental maths sessions also help to build up the pupil’s “ working memory” of number. Therefore we focus on key facts that all pupils should know including number bonds, times tables, how to tell the time and how to measure accurately.

Pupils will be given opportunity to develop logical and flexible approaches to activities. Whenever possible, lessons will be related to other subjects in the curriculum and to real life situations in the world beyond the classroom.

At the centre of the mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics is the belief that all pupils have the potential to succeed. They should have access to the same curriculum content and, rather than being extended with new learning, they should deepen their conceptual understanding by tackling challenging and varied problems.

We follow the National Curriculum 2014 programmes of study ensuring progression in knowledge, skills and understanding.  We use a range of resources that include:- White Rose and Deepening Understanding

This Academic Year 2022-23 – Our Year 2 to Year 6 Classes are going to be using Maths Mastery whilst Year 1 continue to use White Rose until the Summer term. EYFS follow White Rose throughout the year. 

• Reception White Rose Overview
• Year 1 White Rose Overview

• Maths Mastery Year 1 PoS
• Maths Mastery Year 2 PoS
• Maths Mastery Year 3 PoS
• Maths Mastery Year 4 PoS
• Maths Mastery Year 5 PoS
• Maths Mastery Year 6 PoS
• Y1-Y6 Curriculum Maps

Maths Meetings

We will be using Maths Meetings from Maths Mastery. We will be teaching this with daily sessions to help with post Covid19 catch up. An important aspect of Mathematics Mastery is the daily Maths Meeting, which is used to consolidate key areas of mathematics in your class. Maths Meetings provide an opportunity to teach and revise ‘general knowledge maths’ which may not explicitly be covered during the maths lesson, and also allows the daily integration of maths into the surrounding environment. This means that pupils are practising concepts and skills on a regular basis, meaning they are continually building on their mastery of these concepts.

Maths Meetings will be a positive part of our day that everyone looks forward to and pupils should be fully engaged with. Singing and chanting form an integral part of the Maths Meetings.  The elements of maths covered in Maths Meetings will be fun and enjoyable for pupils, so it is important that pupils appreciate, learn from and relish these experiences.

These are part of the learning of children from EYFS up to Year 6. In addition to this, EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 teachers are working alongside a local Maths hub to introduce the use of Rekenreks as part of the Maths Meetings to develop fluency with, and understanding of, number.

Helping your child  learn at home

• Parent Workbooks to help at home (White Rose)
• Maths at Home

In the street

• Recognising bus numbers
• Number plate hunt. Who can find a 7? Add the numbers up.
• Comparing door numbers
• Counting – how many lampposts on the way to school?

Doing the washing

• Counting in 2s – matching shoes
• Sorting by colour and size.
• Matching/pairing up socks.
• Find four shoes that are different sizes. Can you put them in order.

Time

• What day is it yesterday, today, tomorrow?
• Use timers, phones and clocks to measure short periods of time.
• Count down 10/ 20 seconds to get to the table/ into bed etc.
• Recognising numbers on the clock. If you cover a number, what number was missing?

Food

• Can you cut your toast into 4 pieces? Can you cut it into triangles?
• Setting the table. Counting the right number of plates etc. How many more do we need?
• Can you make shapes/ patterns out of the knives and forks. Can you put them in the right place in the drawers?
• Helping with the cooking by measuring and counting ingredients.
• Setting the timer.
• Positional language at dinner time: what is on the rice, where are the carrots etc?

Going shopping

• Reading price tags
• Counting items into the basket
• Finding and counting coins
• Comparing weights – which is heavier

Measuring

• Are you taller than a …?
• Marking height on the wall.
• Cut hand shapes out of paper. How many hands long is the couch? How long is the table? Which is longer?
• Who has the biggest hands in our family?
• How many steps from the gate to the front door?

Shape

• Cut a potato into shapes (circles, triangle etc). Use with paint to make pictures and patterns.
• Cut out shapes from coloured paper/ newspaper and arrange into pictures.
• Shape hunt: Can you find a square in your house (windows etc), a circle …

Playdough

Here’s a simple recipe:

1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Half a cup of salt
food colouring and essences (optional)

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan, and heat slowly, stirring all the time until it forms a ball. Keep it wrapped in clingfilm or in a covered tub to stop it drying out.

Then ….

• Make numerals and shapes
• Sort shapes into groups, or order by size
• Make long and short wiggly snakes.

Games

• Putting cards into piles
• Jigsaws (you can make your own by cutting up a magazine picture)
• Snap (matching pairs) or Happy Families (collect 4 of a kind)
• Snakes and ladders or other simple dice games.
• Adding numbers on two dice.
• Bingo, with numbers or shapes
• Hopscotch

Number rhymes and songs

Eg: 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mummy called the doctor and the doctor said
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
4 little monkeys jumping on the bed …