Maths

Maths at Whiteley Primary School

Mathematics is a tool for everyday life. The purpose of maths at Whiteley Primary School is to develop an ability to confidently solve problems, reason, think logically and work systematically and accurately. We are ambitious for all children and expect them to be successful.

Our maths curriculum for Reception year is in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile and focuses on developing children’s skills and knowledge in two key areas: Number, and Numerical Patterns.

In years 1 to 6, our curriculum is in line with the Mathematics National Curriculum.

Year groups use these frameworks alongside the HIAS (Hampshire Inspection and Advisory Service) schemes of learning for maths to plan tailored units of work which encourage a clear focus on children acquiring knowledge and becoming fluent in their recall and use of these principles.

In addition to this, we deliver the ‘Mastering Number’ programme, run by the NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics). This aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 2. The aim over time is that children will leave KS1 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number.

This year, we are one of the schools who are participating in the ‘Mastering Number at KS2’ project. This enables pupils in Years 4 and 5 to develop fluency in multiplication and division facts, and a confidence and flexibility with number that exemplifies good number sense. It also provides staff the opportunity to be part of a professional learning community to refine their practice in these domains.

Across the school, we plan for problem solving in context and the skills of using and applying mathematical understanding which can incorporate: practical “hands on” experiences, games, ICT opportunities, group tasks, investigations and a range of real life contexts.

New mathematical concepts are introduced using a ‘Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract’ approach, enabling all children to experience hands-on learning, and exposing them to clear models and images to aid their understanding.

The curriculum is sequenced and broken down into smaller components, or steps, so that all children can master the key knowledge.

Children are taught maths in their class group with careful scaffolding, catering for the needs of all. Teachers will work with a combination of individuals, small groups or the whole class depending on the focus. In older year groups, there are also weekly opportunities to work in focused ability groupings with an additional teacher.

By the end of KS2, we aim for children to be fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics with a conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. They should have the skills to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of situations with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios. Children will be able to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language.