Maths
The All Saints’ Way…
Working together as a TEAM
Taking Risks – children who show courageous determination in their learning
Encouraging Learning – children being curious in their learning
Achieving Goals – children having the desire to be the best that they can be
Making Memories – in a school where children are respectful, show kindness and experience joyfulness!
The Lord says "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you" (Psalm 32 v8). This psalm gives us strength and courage in our convictions as curriculum designers.
Maths Curriculum Intent...
At All Saints’, we believe that mathematics is an important, creative discipline that helps us to understand and change the world. We want all pupils at All Saints’ to experience the beauty, power and enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject with a clear understanding. We want pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, to be able to reason and to solve problems
“I just don’t get maths,” or “I can’t do it!” is all too common compared to other subjects, yet we know good numeracy skills have benefits all through our lives, day in and day out. This is why we employ a quality first teaching approach for all and identify early which pupils require additional support to succeed.
We foster positive can do attitudes and we promote the fact that ‘We can all do maths!’ It is our intent to provide children with a broad and varied experience of maths, ensuring strong links throughout the taught curriculum and seamless progression through the year group.
Implementation...
We recognise that for children to achieve a secure grasp of mathematics we need a high-quality, progressive curriculum for them to explore. Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be. We teach the National Curriculum, using small-step, mastery-based schemes of learning from White Rose. It has the teaching for mastery concepts interwoven throughout each lesson.
Visualisers: we use the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract approach to help pupils understand mathematics and to make connections between different representations.
Describers: we place great emphasis on mathematical language and questioning so pupils can discuss the mathematics they are doing, and so support them to take ideas further.
Experimenters: as well as being fluent mathematicians, we want pupils to love and learn more about mathematics.
Staff also refer to the Calculation Policy when teaching formal methods, understanding that sometimes children find their own efficient methods along the way.
We complement this scheme with fortnightly arithmetic tests and mental maths tests that order to bridge gaps in pupils’ knowledge or as a check for what has been learned in the previous week’s teaching and to aid the retention of key skills. Children relish the opportunity to drive their own progress and the repetition and opportunities to practice previous skills are important
To help secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2 we follow the Mastering Number project in conjunction with NCETM.
All children in Key stage 2 have access to their own personal account of ‘Times Tables Rockstar’ where they can compete against other pupils and classes in school and we enter local and national competitions.
We are also part of the Maths Hub programme, again led by NCETM, which helps develop and spread excellent practice, for the benefit of all pupils and students.
Impact…
By the time the children finish their maths education at All Saints they have confidence to ask questions, share ideas, make mistakes and reflect on their maths journey. Our children need to be strong and know that they can overcome many obstacles and challenges if they work hard and give it all they’ve got.
Children demonstrate quick recall of facts and procedures, including the recollection of the times tables and have the flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics.
We look for positive impact and resilience of our children through observing learning regularly, early intervention where necessary and reviewing pupil’s test scores and performance; outcomes of work in both maths books, topic or science books and formal assessments (NFER or National Formative Assessments).
