Mathematics

Intent: What are we trying to achieve in our Curriculum?

At St Bede’s Catholic Primary School we believe that mathematics equips pupils
with a uniquely powerful set of tools, through developing an ability to calculate,
reason and solve problems. It enables children to understand and appreciate
relationships and patterns in both number and space in their everyday lives. Through
their growing knowledge and understanding, they also learn to appreciate the
contribution made by many people to the development and application of
mathematics.
It is our aim to develop:
 A growth mindset about ability to learn mathematics
 A positive attitude towards mathematics and an awareness of how fascinating
elements of mathematics can be
 Competence and confidence with numbers and the number system and other
mathematical knowledge, concepts and skills
 Problem solvers, who can reason, think logically, work systematically and
apply their knowledge of mathematics
 An ability to communicate using mathematical language
 An ability to work both independently and with others

Implementation: How is our curriculum delivered?

At St Bede’s Catholic Primary School, our aim is to embed the Mastery Approach to teaching Mathematics using the White Rose Maths Hub schemes of work and planning materials, together with materials from NCETM and NRich. Learning will be deepened through the use of resources from Deepening Understanding, Headstart and Picture Maths.

We aim to deliver high quality maths lessons using some key principles. This approach has mathematical problem solving at its heart and has three key
principles:
1. Use spoken and written language with confidence and clarity to explain and
justify mathematical reasoning. Every lesson involves children explaining mathematics.

2. Have a deep conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts. This is achieved through covering fewer topics in greater depth. Pupils master concepts rather than learning procedures by rote. They do this using concrete objects and pictures before moving to abstract symbols (numbers and signs).

3. Develop mathematical thinking, including generalising, classifying and
comparing, and modifying.

Structure of Lessons

Lessons will follow a six part structure to allow for continuous Assessment for Learning:

1) Starting Point (A short task or question on the board for the children to be thinking about)
2) Sharing of the learning objective and modelling of the new learning
3) Partner/small group Talk Task
4) Develop Learning
5) Independent Work
6) Reflection and next steps

Quick Maths Fluency
Daily fluency sessions of quick maths should last for 15minutes, delivered independently from main lesson and include, times tables, number bonds, 4 operations and arithmetic.

Revisiting Concepts
We always encourage revisiting concepts through other topics across the year.
We incorporate quick questions covering something from the previous lesson, last week and then topics from earlier in the year – maybe even last year! – into our daily fluency sessions and our weekly arithmetic lessons.

Differentiation
In some lessons children ‘self-differentiate’ and choose the level of challenge right for them. In other lessons, teachers direct children to the correct level of challenge based on their assessment in the initial phases of the lesson. Differentiation of tasks is done in various ways:
• Open ended questioning and activities which allow more able children to offer
more sophisticated mathematical responses
• Stepped Activities which can be accessed at different steps, supporting and challenge all
• Recording e.g. allowing some children to give verbal responses and photographing
their learning
• Resourcing eg. Use of cubes, 100 squares, number lines, mirrors to support.
• Grouping according to ability so that the groups can be given different tasks when appropriate. Activities are based on the same theme. Part of independent work often
involves some focused, targeted group work from the teacher. However groupings
are ‘fluid and flexible’ based on the needs of individual pupils.

Vocabulary

Developing children’s language and vocabulary is absolutely essential.
• In all lessons attention is given to whether key vocabulary has been learnt.
• Key vocabulary is visible on the Maths Working Wall during lessons and instantly
added to as new words arise.
• Paired talk activities are used to encourage children to talk about their
mathematics.
• Teachers insist that children mirror the language they hear the adults using.
• Where appropriate, children are encouraged to answer using STEM sentences. “eg.
I have ____ groups of ____ and ____ remaining.”
• Children are required to provide justification and reasoning for their answers. For
example, ‘I know the shape is a square because….’

Impact

At St Bede’s, we strive for all pupils to achieve their full potential and this is reflected in our pupil outcomes at each phase. Our pupils achieve highly, and make good progress from starting points.
Teachers promote a positive attitude towards maths and have high expectations of
all pupils, providing challenge and engagement through quality teaching and learning small step sequences. Children are supported to develop both collaborative and independent skills as well as developing a growth mindset. A range of assessment, monitoring and moderation is undertaken as well as intervention when necessary to ensure the success of all children. .

Maths Policy

Addition and subtraction calculation policy

Multiplication and Division calculation policy

Maths Subject Overview