Asquith Primary School
The Asquith Way for Maths
Growing to succeed- Mathematics The Asquith Way
“Without mathematics, there's nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.”
Shakuntala Devi
At Asquith Primary School we have ambitious expectations for our children in mathematics and use a mastery approach to prepare children for the next stage of their education and the real world. We develop a secure understanding of mathematical concepts through concrete, pictorial and abstract methods. Children become fluent in essential number facts and procedures. There are daily opportunities for reasoning and problem solving and children explain and justify their problem-solving decisions with confidence and clarity. Children persevere with complex problems and learn from their mistakes. Mathematical skills are used across the curriculum so that children see the relevance of these skills in enabling them to advance in the real world.
Pupils are encouraged to think of themselves as ‘mathematicians’, using concrete, pictorial and abstract methods to solve mathematical problems. Our curriculum is underpinned by 5 golden threads: High aspirations for all, Fostering resilience, Embedding key skills, Respecting diversity and Creating global citizens- with the intent that all our children have the opportunity to grow and succeed as a mathematician.
Intent
At Asquith Primary School, we recognise the importance of mathematics as a vital tool for everyday life. We aim to deliver a balanced, progressive and enjoyable curriculum with a range of cross-curricular links to support the application of both skills and understanding. We want all children to develop a secure knowledge and understanding of concepts so they can experience both success and enjoyment as their knowledge and skills progress throughout their time at primary school and beyond.
Our three principle aims for mathematics are:
- For children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
- For all children to have the ability to reason and solve a range of problems
- For all children to make choices about the maths they use and be able to apply with confidence
It is our intent to ensure that all children have access to a high-quality maths curriculum that is both challenging and enjoyable and raise children’s aspirations. Our maths curriculum is carefully planned to enable children to build on their prior knowledge at each stage of their journey through the school. Learning from mistakes, building resilience and encouraging inquisitiveness is at the heart of our maths teaching. We strongly believe that anyone has the aptitude to learn maths, and our curriculum is carefully planned to ensure small steps of progression so that each child has every opportunity to be challenged, to deepen their mathematical learning and to reach their potential.
Implementation
We deliver a broad and balanced mathematical curriculum that follows the White Rose Maths blocks of learning from Reception through to Year 6. This ensures a consistent approach, with each unit of work carefully planned to build on the prior year’s learning. This includes elements of number, calculation, fractions, geometry, measures and statistics. A wide range of resources (White Rose Maths, Classroom Secrets, NCETM, and Nrich ) are used to support the delivery of lessons and there are regular opportunities to use concrete, pictorial and abstract resources to represent mathematical concepts. Basic skills are developed in arithmetic lessons to develop mathematical fluency and there is a focus on the secure knowledge of mathematical vocabulary to broaden and deepen understanding. Moreover, in our teaching across the curriculum, we implement a range of mathematical skills so that children can see the relevance of maths in enabling them to advance in the real world.
Throughout our school, we develop children’s understanding of mathematical concepts by implementing concrete, pictorial and abstract teaching methods. Children firstly experience mathematical concepts through hands-on experience of concrete resources. When they are ready, they move on to pictorial representations which support their understanding. Abstract methods are only introduced when children show a secure grasp of the concept at the concrete and pictorial.
We implement daily opportunities for reasoning and problem-solving within maths lessons and children are given opportunities to explain and justify their problem-solving decisions. There is an expectation that children will use the correct mathematical vocabulary, and this is modelled by teaching staff. Our school’s strong focus on growth mind-set means that children are encouraged to persevere with complex problems and learn from their mistakes.
To develop fluency, we implement daily practice of essential number facts and procedures through “Fluent in 15” sessions Year 1 – Year 6. During these sessions children revisit prior learning to embed and revise facts and procedures. This approach means that children are constantly strengthening their memory and understanding so that when these facts and procedures are needed, they can be quickly retrieved.
Same Day Intervention is a key strategy we implement to ensure that all children are given the targeted support they need to keep up with their peers. This involves a split lesson approach to the daily maths lesson. In the first part of the lesson, whole class teaching takes place followed by a short check of children’s understanding. During a break in the lesson, teachers review children’s understanding and identify any children who need additional support. In the final part of the lesson, identified children receive targeted teaching support while children who have shown that they have a secure understanding are provided with additional challenge.
Parents and carers are encouraged to take an active role in their child’s learning. We use Class Dojo to facilitate communication between teachers and home. Children are expected to engage in skill practice at least 3 times per week in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Maths in EYFS
In Early Years, we implement a mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics to develop a deep understanding of each number in turn. Each number is initially explored through hands on experience of concrete resources and children are encouraged to make their own jottings to show their understanding. Mathematics is taught in daily lessons but is also developed in other areas of provision to allow children to make links in their learning and to experience mathematics in different contexts.
In Nursery and Reception, the statements from the EYFS Development Matters are used to inform planning. In Reception, the White Rose Maths scheme of learning and NCETM resources are used to plan lessons and enhance indoor and outdoor provision.
Maths is taught through whole class sessions involving stories, rhymes and songs. Lessons to begin with a few minutes of; oral counting, a number rhyme or subitising practise. Adult focus and independent activities are built into areas of provision around the classroom building on prior or current learning so that children gain a practical and hands on experience of mathematical concepts and exploration.
Assessments are mostly through adult observations some of which are uploaded to Tapestry. The children in Reception also have Maths books to showcase some of their written work from independent and adult focused tasks.
Impact
We assess children's knowledge and understanding in mathematics all the time using observations of children, discussions with children and work in children’s books. This information is used to inform future lesson planning and to provide feedback to children. We assess more formally at the end of each term, using standardised tests in Year 1 to Year 6. The school carries out the following statutory assessments in mathematics:
- End of year Early Years judgements.
- End of Key Stage 1 SATs tests and Teacher Assessment.
- Year 4 Multiplication check
- End of Key Stage 2 SATs tests.
We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the role mathematics plays in the world around them and have the confidence to tackle any problems that may be presented.
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