Maths
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Nihil Sine Christo
Intent
At St Anne's and St Joseph's RC Primary School, we believe that all children can succeed in mathematics. We follow a mastery approach, ensuring that pupils develop a deep, secure and connected understanding of mathematical concepts before moving on. Maths is taught through clear, well-structured lessons that build progressively, allowing children to explore concepts in depth rather than race through content.
We place great importance on mathematical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving. Children are encouraged to ask questions, investigate patterns and make connections between different areas of mathematics. Through this approach, pupils become inquisitive mathematicians who are confident to explain their thinking, justify their answers and learn from mistakes.
Concrete resources, pictorial representations and abstract methods are used consistently to support understanding and ensure all learners can access the curriculum. Careful use of variation and small-step learning helps children to become efficient mathematicians, developing fluency, accuracy and strategic thinking.
We foster a positive attitude towards mathematics, promoting resilience, independence and curiosity. By the time children leave our school, they are confident, capable and well-prepared to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills to a wide range of real-life situations and future learning.
Aims for our pupils
To develop a growth mindset and positive attitude towards mathematics.
To become confident and proficient with number, including fluency with mental calculation and look for connections between numbers.
To become problem solvers, who can reason, think logically, work systematically and apply their knowledge of mathematics.
To develop their use of mathematical language.
To become independent learners and to work co-operatively with others.
To appreciate real life contexts to learning in mathematics.
Implementation
In September 2021, St Anne’s and St Joseph’s Primary School began transitioning towards a mastery approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics. We use White Rose materials and resources to support this teaching and learning. As a school, we engage with the NCETM Mastery Programme, where staff work in collaboration with other schools and observe Maths Mastery in action. In doing so, our staff observe good practice in relation to the Mastery approach and in doing so, this supports our school in equipping our pupils with the basic mathematical skills and becoming fluent in number to become efficient mathematicians as they progress through different age phases
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Teaching for Mastery Principles
It is achievable for all – we have high expectations and encourage a positive ‘can do’ mindset towards mathematics in all pupils, creating learning experiences which develop children’s resilience in the face of a challenge and carefully scaffolding learning so everyone can make progress.
Deep and sustainable learning – lessons are designed with careful small steps, questions and tasks in place to ensure the learning is not superficial.
The ability to build on something that has already been sufficiently mastered – pupils’ learning of concepts is seen a continuum across the school.
The ability to reason about a concept and make connections – pupils are encouraged to make connections and spot patterns between different concepts (E.g. the link between ratio, division and fractions) and use precise mathematical language, which frees up working memory and deepens conceptual understanding.
Conceptual and procedural fluency – teachers move mathematics from one context to another (using objects, pictorial representations, equations and word problems). There are high expectations for pupils to learn times tables, key number facts (so they are automatic) and have a true sense of number. Pupils are also encouraged to think whether their method for tackling a given calculation or problem is Appropriate, Reliable and Efficient (A.R.E).
Problem solving is central – this develops pupils’ understanding of why something works so that they truly have an appreciation of what they are doing rather than just learning to repeat routines without grasping what is happening.
Challenge through greater depth - rather than accelerated content, (moving onto next year’s concepts) teachers set tasks to deepen knowledge and improve reasoning skills within the objectives of their year group.
Home learning support
All pupils in school have access to Times Table Rock Stars and the Century app in KS2, to support further learning at home. Children are set tables, which are the focus within school, to practice at home. Century is used by our older pupils and offers a range of various Maths problems and questions. Nuggets are set weekly and these are reviewed by class teachers to highlight any gaps in learning or misconceptions that may have arisen. The links to access these platforms are attached to the images.
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