Maths

National Curriculum Aims for Maths

The 2014 National Curriculum for Maths aims to ensure that all children:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of Mathematics
• Are able to reason mathematically
• Can solve problems by applying their Mathematics 

Mathematics at Bishop's Waltham Junior School  

Intent

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.

• Children can recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world
• That they are also able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge fluently and confidently in a range of different contexts.
• We want all children to enjoy mathematics and to experience success in the subject
• To have the resilience to problem solve
• Have the ability to reason mathematically using subject specific vocabulary.
• We want children to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems.
• We intend for our pupils to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.
• We are committed to developing children’s curiosity about the subject, as well as showing appreciation and passion for mathematics.

Implementation

• Follow the Hampshire Unit – units have been designed by the Maths HIAS team following a spiral coverage idea. (revisit concepts/knowledge)
• Mathematics resources is integral to the concrete – pictorial – abstract approach and planned accordingly into teaching and learning.
• Demonstrating or modelling an idea, an operation or method of calculation. Each class has a Maths working walls designed to aid children through each topic.
• ‘Honesty Marking’ - understanding that if they have errors in more than one question, they need to ask for support. This is a way of gaining instant feedback and misconceptions/misunderstanding can be addressed quickly to ensure good progress by the end of the lesson.
• Pre-assessment will be undertaken before units – influences planning, pace and groupings
• Pupils will be re-grouped where necessary to ensure focus work on securing.
• Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly will be challenged through being offered 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, before moving on.
• Problem Solving session are interlinked during units which enables varied and frequent practice of mathematical application through increasingly complex problems, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• In addition, children will be completing an arithmetic test fortnightly to ensure fluency in the four operations and exposure to test like material.
• All children have access to Timetables Rockstars, a web-based ability appropriate timetables programme, which children access at home, and school.
• In Year 3 & 4, the systematic teaching of Timetables ensures that children develop rapid recall which they can use as a tool to effectively and efficiently solve more complex problems.
• Time limited Interventions are planned for those children who are working below their expected level of attainment and progress. Those children on the SEND register, will have a granular tracking document.
• Pupil Premium children being targeted for small focus groups where necessary to ensure good or better progress is achieved throughout their junior years.
• Children complete a summative assessment to help them to develop their testing approach and demonstrate their understanding of the topics covered. The results from both formative assessment and summative assessment is then used to determine children’s progress and attainment at the end of the year.
• Doodle maths: Green zone to aid learning. It targets their gaps in knowledge as well as having the option of having tasks set by teachers.

Impact

As a result of our whole school curriculum, pupils of Bishop’s Waltham Junior School will:

• Children will make at least good progress in Mathematics from their last point of statutory assessment of from their starting point (KS1 SATs).
• Children will be accurate and confident in the four operations. This includes being able to calculate mentally as well as using a formal written method by the end of year 6. They will have a secure knowledge of their times table facts and associated division facts up to 12 x 12.
• Children will use their Mathematics knowledge and skills, in all curriculum areas, to enable them to know more, remember more and understand more.
• Children will recognise the importance of Mathematics as a facilitating subject to enable them to access other areas of learning and operate successfully is everyday life both now and in the future.

Success will be monitored through:

• End of key stage 2 data shows us being above national average for Expected & Above average Summative assessments throughout the school show good progress being made
• Learning walks and books look show a range of maths topics being covered
• Pupil dialogue about maths is positive and they can recall prior learning during conversations
• Inline or above national average for MTC pass percentage

Resources for Parents/Carers

Calculation Strategies

In line with the new curriculum and the methods the children are expected to use, we have updated our Mathematics Calculation Progression. If you are unsure of any strategy, please speak or email your child’s class teacher who will be happy to help you. 

Our Mathematics Calculation Progression Document is available here.

We have made some calculation videos that you can see here.

How can you help?

• Help your child to maintain a positive attitude towards mathematics - even if it is not your favourite subject!  In a link below, there are some ideas for fun activities to do at home to build confidence.
• Support your child in completing any Maths homework that they are set (without doing it for them!).
• Insist that your child regularly practises their basic skills such as their number bonds and multiplication tables - there are plenty of ways of making this fun with card games, passing a ball, playing multiplication shoot out etc.
• Have an analogue clock (one with hands and preferably numbers!) in the house as well as digital displays.  Help your child to tell the time by constantly referring to it.
• Become familiar with the way in which we are teaching calculation strategies by attending parent workshops whenever they are held at the school. 

Parent Maths Workshops

In recent years, the school has hosted a selection of maths workshops for parents - one based around addition and subtraction, and two based around multiplication and division.  The hand-outs for these sessions are available here.

Addition & Subtraction - Year 3

Addition & Subtraction - Years 4, 5 & 6

Multiplication & Division - Years 3 & 4

Multiplication & Division - Years 5 & 6

Times Table Rockstars

As a school, we are subscribed to Times Table Rockstars.  This is a programme we use at school, and it is supported by an app / website that can be used for Times Tables practise at home.

Times Table Rockstars - Parents Info - Year 3 

Times Table Rockstars - Parents Info - Year 4

Times Table Rockstars - Parents Info - Year 5 

Times Table Rockstars - Parents Info - Year 6