MATHEMATICS
Intent
When teaching mathematics at Dalton school, we intend to use a variety of teaching methods and resources that allow all pupils equal access to mathematics and to experience success and enjoyment. Over time, children will become resilient learners who are able to accept that to struggle is a necessary step in their learning. Children will be appropriately challenged and supported through varied fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Irrespective of personal starting points, children will explore maths in depth, and use a range of mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain. Pupils will persevere by building on previous knowledge and skills, and apply these to a wide variety of contexts both within maths and across the curriculum. They will appreciate the relevance of maths in real life situations, recognising that it is not simply ‘sums’ and ‘rules’.
Implementation
We implement our approach through high quality teaching and the delivery of appropriately pitched work for all groups of learners supported by the materials from 'White Rose Maths'.
Pupils in Foundation Stage and Year 1 will access their maths learning through continuous provision. Mathematical concepts are introduced and built upon through a series of direct teaching sessions. Within the provision, children have the freedom to further explore these mathematical concepts through concrete resources and creative opportunities. In addition to this, they are encouraged to follow their own mathematical lines of enquiry, which are supported through effective adult modelling and interactions.
In Y2 through to Y6, differentiation is used to encourage and support children’s development of metacognition and to motivate them to challenge themselves within a concept. Maths lessons are planned and delivered in accordance with White Rose Maths’ small steps progression, which is underpinned by the concrete, pictorial, abstract (CPA) approach. Each classroom has a range of mathematical resources made available for children to self-select. These include, but are not limited to, Numicon, Diennes, place value counters, number lines and hundred squares. Varied starting points and timely teacher interventions are utilised in response to teachers’ ongoing formative assessments through effective deployment of teaching assistants. Some children with SEND receive a tailored programme of maths teaching in order to close their gaps.
In addition to daily maths lessons, Y2 through to Y6 provide daily opportunities for all children to practise their mental and calculation knowledge through ‘calculation blasts’. This serves to reinforce and consolidate previous learning; increase fluency, speed and accuracy; and improve confidence. Regular use of ‘TT Rockstars’ within school and home enables children to practise multiplication and division knowledge.
Impact
Ongoing formative assessment takes place within each maths lesson. This includes: teacher observations, questioning, discussions and marking and feedback. These outcomes are fed forward into timely teacher intervention and subsequent planning to ensure gaps in knowledge are closed and progress is not limited.
End of unit assessments from White Rose are used to support teacher assessments, and end of term assessments are used to track progress and to identify knowledge that has not been well retained. Outcomes from both end of unit and end of term assessments are used to identify gaps in knowledge and will inform future planning. Pupil progress will also identify precise actions and objectives for targeted focus children, including the lowest 20% who are not likely to meet end of year expectations and/or not making expected progress.
We recognise that quality first teaching in maths is the essential first step in improving outcomes for all children. With this in mind, we ensure that teachers and teaching assistants are kept up to date on the latest initiatives and news. This is through continuous professional development by outside providers and within school (such as local authority networks and TA training). In response to monitoring, evaluation and review outcomes, weaker areas in staff subject knowledge and pedagogy are developed through the school’s coaching/mentoring programme.
What children say about mathematics at Dalton School:
‘I like maths. I’m really good at it. I like doing column addition and doing calculations in my head.’
‘I like maths because it is really fun and getting things right makes me feel excited.’
‘I love it. It’s one of my favourite lessons. I love using all the equipment.’
‘I like maths. I feel empowered when at first I can’t do it but then I can.’
‘Struggling shows that you are learning. We all struggle when we learn new things.’
‘It’s ok to struggle because it means that I’m not quite there yet.’
‘When teachers share basic, better, best, BYM I can see how good I am at something and what I need to do to get better. My teachers give me time to correct my work. Sometimes when we get things wrong the teacher stops and reteaches us.’
‘If I am stuck I can use diennes, coins and numicon. I get them myself. I’ve got to believe I can do it!’
‘If I struggle I can always go back a step to ‘better’ and do a few examples and then move back to best. We have a box of resources e.g. times-table cards and place value counters. I can get them when I want.’
‘When I’m in the shop and I want to buy some things, I can estimate how much it will be to check that I have enough money.’
‘Maths will help me in whatever job I get and in my daily life.’
‘I can start my independent learning when I know I am ready.’
‘Sometimes I work on my own, I don’t have to sit and listen to the teacher all the time.’
Progression of Knowledge and Skills in Mathematics linked to White Rose Maths
This document gives an at-a-glance guide to how the White Rose Maths curriculum links to the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 National Curriculum, and how it progresses through the topics. The progression helps class teachers see what to cover in their year group and what is taught in other years.
Yearly Overviews
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Calculation Policy