St John the Baptist CE VA Primary School Maths

The National Curriculum states that: “Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.”

At St John’s, we aim to ensure that all children are prepared for the next step in their mathematical education by:

• being fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• solving problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios
• reasoning mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language.
• having an appreciation of number and number operations, which enables mental calculations and written procedures to be performed efficiently, fluently and accurately to be successful in mathematics.

It is our intention that all children develop a love of mathematical learning, whatever their ability and starting point.  We have high expectations for all of our pupils and believe that all pupils can achieve highly and become confident and skilled mathematicians. We strive for all pupils to be curious, resilient mathematicians, who relish the challenge of maths and understand how it fits into the ‘bigger picture’.

At St John’s, we believe that our youngest children develop firm mathematical foundations in a way that is engaging and appropriate for their age.  In Reception, the children learn through play and experience and we encourage a ‘hands on’ approach.  This early mathematical learning underpins everything that they will encounter as they progress through the school.   In Reception, we use the statutory EYFS Framework to structure our mathematics curriculum supplemented by Essential Maths.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, we follow the National Curriculum Programme of Study as the basis for teaching and this is supported by the HfL Education Essential Maths sequences.  These support the development of a spiral curriculum where learning is built upon step by step, sequence by sequence and year on year.  The materials are aspirational and ensure progression and coverage throughout the school.  The learning sequences are designed to cover National Curriculum statements and key concepts, through small learning steps with a mastery approach. They aim to develop conceptual understanding and procedural fluency in parallel, including speaking frames, practice examples, games and problem-solving opportunities for the children to build upon their prior learning.

Opportunities are built-in for children to think deeply and develop explicit reasoning and problem-solving skills, so that they can confidently apply their learning to new contexts.  Mathematical Fluency is developed through use of the Big Maths programme.

Maths lessons, which are taught daily, are taught with a balance of whole class work, group teaching, practical tasks and opportunities to practice individually.  Lessons track back to prior learning in order to remind children of what they already know before moving on to new learning and concepts.

In order to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children at St John’s, their progress and attainment is monitored in several ways:

• progress in checked by the teacher within lessons through a variety of class and individual tasks based on the unit being studied.  This ongoing assessment enables teachers to adapt the learning to address individual needs and misconceptions.
• Marking and feedback ensures that children’s successes are celebrated and next steps are identified.
• Termly diagnostic assessments enable teachers to monitor progress and provide intervention where necessary.
• Moderation takes place between year groups so that a child’s new teacher is aware of their strengths or weaknesses in mathematics.

Statutory Assessment

Children in Year 4 take the Multiplication Tables Check in the Summer Term. Children in Year 2 and Year 6 complete Statutory Assessments in reading

In line with our school vision and values, children will become resilient, confident and encouraging of others as they pursue their own mathematical learning journey and will be equipped and ready for the next stage of their education.