Maths

The National Curriculum (2014, DfE) for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately;
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language;
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The programmes of study in the National Curriculum are, by necessity, organised into distinct domains. However, we want our pupils to be able to make connections between mathematical ideas and draw upon previously taught knowledge. This, in turn, will enable them to develop their mathematical fluency and therefore enable them to succeed increasingly complex problems of problems of reasoning.

At Loseley Fields, children have daily maths lessons that cover a broad and balanced range of knowledge and skills including: number and place value; operations and calculations; fractions; geometry; measures and statistics. Teachers plan lessons on these areas of the curriculum using a five-part lesson structure:

1. Revise and review
2. Mental maths
3. Whole class teaching
4. Independent application
5. Plenary/Review

During each lesson, children are given the chance to revisit, revise and review previous learning; something that helps build mathematical fluency. Academic research shows that as little as five minutes a day of rehearsing and practising previously taught skills in maths enables children to cement their understanding of topics and then apply them more successfully when solving problems.

Mental maths

This section of the lesson focuses on developing children’s mental dexterity; it develops their ability to work with numbers in an abstract context and perform increasingly complex calculations without the need to record their thinking. Examples of mental maths concepts taught include: rapid recall of addition and subtraction facts to 10, doubling and halving, knowledge of times tables facts up to 10 x 10 and the ability to multiply and divide numbers by 10, 100 or 100.

Whole class teaching

During this part of the lesson, teaching takes place to address new concepts or ideas. At the beginning of the academic year, a strong focus in placed upon developing sound mathematical strategies and solving numerical calculations. As the year progresses, teachers will show the children how to apply the skills that they have learned to a wider range of problems that involve mathematical reason – the ability to explain and prove how a problem has been solved.

Independent application

This is the chance during lessons where children get use and apply the skills they have been taught, both during that current lesson but across the wider year as well. Whilst completing these actives, children may have access to a range of different mathematical resources to support their thinking and may also be give the chance to demonstrate their understanding of a concept or idea that they have been taught. Teachers design tasks that are matched to the needs of all the learners in the class, providing support where required and offering challenge when needed.

Plenary/review

At the end of the lesson, teachers give children the chance to demonstrate what they have learned as well as giving them time to reflect upon their learning. These sessions take different forms and can sometimes be a chance for children to assess their confidence with a particular topic, challenge misconceptions that have arisen during the teaching or even play a game that helps apply the skills that have been taught.

Curriculum Impact

Throughout each lesson formative assessment takes place and feedback is given to the children through marking and next step tasks to ensure they are meeting the specific learning objective. Teacher’s then use this assessment to influence their planning and ensure they are providing a mathematics curriculum that will allow each child to progress. The teaching of maths is also monitored on a termly basis through book scrutinies, learning walks and lesson observations. Each term children from Year 1 and above complete a summative assessment to help them to develop their testing approach and demonstrate their understanding of the topics covered. Results from both the formative assessment and summative assessment is then used to determine children’s progress and attainment.

The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should 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.

National assessments

When children reach the end of the Foundation Stage, they are assessed against the Early Learning goals for maths. These teacher assessments are the used as part of the school’s published EYFS data.

At the end of the Key Stage 1, children in Year 2 take nationally standardised assessment tests, known as SATs, which, alongside teacher judgments, determine the school’s published Key Stage 1 data.

As of 2019/20, children in Year 4 will take a nationally standardised online Times Table Check which will asses their rapid recall of multiplication facts up to 12x12. The results of this check will be used to generate published data.

At the end of Year 6, students will SATs tests, which comprise of both arithmetic and reasoning papers. These are then marked externally and used to formulate the school’s published end of Key Stage 2 data.