Subject Leader: Mrs L Richardson-West

Whole School Curriculum and Ready to Progress Map

At St Augustine Catholic Primary school, we are committed to ensuring that children are able to recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world and that they are also able to use their mathematical knowledge and skills confidently in a range of different contexts. We believe all children can achieve in mathematics, and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts through manageable, sequenced steps. We want all children to enjoy mathematics and to experience success in the subject, with the ability to reason mathematically. We aim to ensure that our children have access to a high-quality mathematics curriculum that is both challenging and enjoyable. We want to develop our children into confident mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks. Children need opportunities to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. It is vital for the children to be able to see how mathematics is relevant to their world, and applicable to everyday life. 

Intent

We aim to provide a high-quality mathematics curriculum so that all children: 

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics;

• can solve problems by applying their mathematics.

• develop as far as possible the knowledge, skills and understanding in mathematics, that will be   required in further study and adult life. 

• are confident to use their mathematical knowledge and understanding with fluency, accuracy, reasoning and problem solving.

Our overall objectives for all children are:

• to enjoy mathematics and to be stimulated and motivated by moments of pleasure and wonder. 

• to encourage the selection and use of mathematical vocabulary and resources with confidence. 

• to develop appropriate written and mental strategies to solve mathematical problems. 

• to reason and problem solve logically and to develop the ability to think in abstract ways. 

• to use and apply mathematics in practical tasks, real life problems and within mathematics itself. 

• to work with increasing independence on extended mathematical tasks but also have the opportunity to work as part of a group.

We have a mastery approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics, with the expectation that most children will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. Children who grasp concepts rapidly are challenged through rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content.

Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice and intervention, before moving on.

At St Augustine of Canterbury, our children will:

·        calculate accurately and confidently using the four operations;

·        have quick recall of times tables facts and key age-related facts to enable fluency in Mathematics;

·        derive answers from knowledge held in their long-term memory;

·        reason in Mathematics, using a range of precise mathematical vocabulary, including well- structured stem sentences;

·        represent their thinking through the use of models, images and concrete apparatus;

·        problem solve, using a range of strategies, including bar modelling, always choosing the most efficient methods;

·        demonstrate resilience when tackling a difficult problem and be able to describe the small steps to achieve a solution;

·        demonstrate confident in the topics taught within the National Curriculum showing age appropriate fluency, knowledge and skills to reason and problem solve in a variety of contexts;

·        develop confidence when problem-solving independently;

·        develop an understanding of mathematical vocabulary and notation;

·        develop mathematical concepts in real situations through handling materials, discussion and practical situations;

·        have the confidence to apply the knowledge and experience they have gained to other mathematical tasks;

·        have an appreciation of the logical aesthetic aspects of mathematics, through problem solving and investigation, linking this with other areas of the curriculum.

The intention of the Maths curriculum at St Augustine of Canterbury is for children to become competent, curious mathematicians. Mathematical skills and knowledge will be taught, explored and revisited so that children know more, remember more and can therefore apply more.  Children will develop resilience and self-confidence in applying their learning skills and knowledge.  

Through wider curriculum links, we strive to embed maths throughout the curriculum, bringing the subject to life.  We aim to go beyond the minimum requirements within the National Curriculum as we aim to prepare the children for later life in the ‘big, wide world’ and for the next step in their education.  We need the children to know the relevance of their learning and that maths is essential to everyday life.

Whole School Key Instant Recall Facts

Whole School Key Instant Recall Facts Progression Map

Practising the rapid recall of number facts is vital throughout our school.  This happens regularly in EYFS and Key Stage 1 in the form of singing, chanting and games.  As well as these techniques, in Key Stage 1 and 2, a weekly number-based ‘Maths Practice Test (Arithmetic test) is planned to give children the opportunity to practise and improve their recall of number facts.  In Key stage 2, all children have access to their own personal account of ‘Times Tables Rock stars’ and in all Year groups ‘Mathletics.’

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), we relate the mathematical aspects of the children’s work to the Development Matters statements and the Early Learning Goals (ELG), as set out in the EYFS profile document. We follow EYFS curriculum / Development Matters guidance for Mathematics. Through this guidance, we are committed to ensuring the confident development of number sense and put emphasis on the mastery of key early concepts. Children explore, experiment with and investigate numbers and become aware of key models and images (tens frame, Numicon, part- part whole etc). Teachers use the concrete- pictorial- abstract approach to conceptual development.

 Each year group has a planned aspect of multiplication tables. Each class focusses on these through the term by chanting, rapid recall, singing songs and by counting forwards and backwards on the class counting sticks.