23rd March 2024Maths
“Everything is maths … and there will always, always be mathematics.”
Katherine Johnson, Mathematician and NASA employee
At Hinchley Wood Primary School, we promote an enjoyment and enthusiasm for mathematics, while encouraging children to develop their competence and self-confidence in this subject. We want to ensure that children are prepared for, and understand the importance of, mathematics in everyday life, in order to help them to make sense of real-world situations. Our mission is to assist pupils to become resilient learners, who can think deeply about a wide range of scenarios. We strive to nurture their curiosity and to enable them to understand all aspects of number. Additionally, we want them to build reasoning and problem-solving skills, which will serve them well in many other subjects – and in their lives beyond the classroom.
We aim for each child to:
• Have a positive attitude towards maths and develop self-confidence in this subject.
• Experience a sense of achievement regardless of age or ability.
• Be able to work systematically, co-operatively and with perseverance.
• Be able to think logically and independently.
• Use mental calculations and efficient strategies to work out their answers.
• Understand the fundamental underlying concepts and to develop a strong and secure knowledge of aspects of number, measurement, shape, space and statistics.
• Be able to communicate with peers and adults, clearly and fluently, using the appropriate mathematical language to describe their thinking and to ask questions.
• Be able to apply previously acquired knowledge, skills and understanding to new situations, through a variety of reasoning and problem-solving activities.
Teaching for maths mastery places emphasis on the cumulative mastery of essential knowledge and skills. It embeds a deeper understanding of maths by utilising a ‘concrete, pictorial, abstract’ approach so that pupils understand exactly what they are doing. They will also become familiar with various models and representations.
Class Organisation
During their time in the Foundation Stage, children will explore mathematics through play, songs and rhymes, investigative work, as well as through other activities and opportunities provided through their daily provision. Children will start to build an understanding of numbers and shapes. Developing these initial skills helps to create a strong foundation, which will be vitally important as they progress through school.
A typical lesson in Year 1 to 6 will usually include oral work and mental calculation. This will involve whole class learning to rehearse, sharpen and develop mental and oral skills. The main teaching activities will include both teaching input and pupil activities and a balance between whole class, grouped, paired and individual work.
Plenaries and ‘mini-plenaries’ will involve discussion with the whole class to sort out misconceptions, identify progress, make links, and to summarise key facts and ideas. Collaboration between pupils is encouraged to develop children’s reasoning skills.
Each class will be taught the objectives set out for their year group. These are carefully sequenced into a series of small steps, which help to both illustrate and emphasise how new learning is built directly upon prior knowledge and skills.
Syllabus
This academic year we have adopted the revised schedule developed by White Rose Maths, which is fully aligned with the National Curriculum objectives. Further information on these programmes of learning can be located here:
https://whiterosemaths.com/resources/primary
We use materials from Power Maths too, which follow the same learning pathways.
Along side that, we also utilise the TT Rockstars & ‘Numbots’ website to encourage children to practise their fluency skills and further develop their recall of key facts.
Yearly overviews can also be found on the ‘Curriculum’ area of this website, which provide further detail on the content covered within specific age groups.
Maths Overview for EYFS (Reception year)
Maths Yearly Overviews for Years 1 & 2
Maths Yearly Overviews for Years 3, 4, 5 & 6
