Maths

  WESTGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL - MATHS POLICY

 

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. To encourage children to develop a positive attitude to mathematics and understand that mathematics will provide both a challenge and a sense of achievement for all
2. To ensure all children gain fluency and confidence in the fundamentals of mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately
3. To teach children to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
4. To support children to solve problems by applying their mathematics to different types of problems, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions, working independently or cooperatively
5. To give children the opportunity to use and apply mathematics across the curriculum and to real life problems
6. To promote an interest, resilience and love for mathematics which will help children with their life long learning of the subject

 

 

APPROACH

We use mathematics every day in all areas of our life. It helps children to make sense of the world around them, calculate and solve problems, even communicate with others. Therefore, it is vital that our children are able to understand what numbers represent, understand how numbers are used and be able to describe the world mathematically.

 

At Westgate, we strongly encourage all children to see themselves as mathematicians. Promoting resilience, perseverance and confidence in this subject is vital for children to meet the challenges that the subject presents as they move through their time at school and therefore make good progress and reach their full potential in the subject.

 

To ensure we provide the best teaching for ALL our children we follow the reverse planning model for planning and teaching mathematics. This involves carrying out a pre-assessment of the topic being taught and then planning objectives and lesson content based on the children’s understanding. This allows teachers to precisely differentiate lessons to meet the needs of their class (this may require some children needing work from previous year groups); teachers can then move at the right pace for the cohort; it helps identify areas of weakness or gaps in learning; it highlights target children for that unit of work and possible required interventions; and it also highlights children who will need to be given more challenge during the topic to deepen their understanding (not move onto the next years’ curriculum). Teacher’s planning is written to allow for changes and adaptions throughout the week as ‘assessment for learning’ is continuously used in lessons.

 

We strongly believe that children need to succeed in maths as it impacts many other areas of learning and life. Low numeracy skills can lead to poorer outcomes in life later on so we strive to make sure our pupils get the most out of their maths teaching and be the best they can be!

 

CURRICULUM ORGANISATION

The Maths curriculum at Westgate follows the National Curriculum 2014. The areas of study are: Number (Place Value, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division and Fractions), Measurement, Geometry, Statistics, Ratio and Proportion and Algebra. Each year group has a long-term plan to follow for the year which has been adapted from the White Rose schemes of learning to meet the needs of the children in our school. This plan ensures all curriculum objectives are covered over the year but it allows teachers to be flexible if more or less time is needed on a particular topic or skill. Each scheme of learning builds on from each other in terms of key skills, content and knowledge.  From this Long-Term Overview, teachers produce Medium Term Plans (overview of objectives) for each term and weekly plans (using the reverse planning model) supported by a variety of resources: White Rose, Active Learn (Abacus), CGP textbooks, Twinkl resources and other online resources.

 

Each year groups topics are covered in depth at one point in the year. This is to ensure children are able to build up fluency and all children are able to move onto problem-solving and reasoning activities (at their ability levels). This also ensures that children will not be moved onto a different topic if they have not ‘got’ the previous learning-this is vital as many of the units in mathematics build on each other and skills from one unit are needed in the next in order to progress. It also allows time for in-class interventions to be put in place if children are struggling with a particular concept. Topics are then revisited through key skills lessons, 5-a-days, cross-curricular maths opportunities and links in other topic areas (e.g. using multiplication facts to calculate the area of a rectangle).

 

Teachers use a variety of tools and structures to deliver quality first teaching in maths lessons. These might include: pre-teaching, double teaching, peeling off, whole class teaching, active tools, partner talk, group work, paired work, independent work, verbal feedback, peer/self-marking and plenaries. 

 

Mathematics is a core subject with a range of cross-curricular links, especially through the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) but it is (most often) taught discretely as outlined below: 

 

 

EYFS

• The 2 strands of Mathematics taught in the EYFS are Numbers and Shape, Space and Measure.
• All children in the Foundation Stage have daily opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding, primarily through play.
• Each week the children will work with the class teacher or teaching assistant on a maths concept and the children will have the opportunity to develop skills through using concrete resources, exploration, questioning and teacher talk.
• Children are also encouraged to engage in maths areas and activities set up as part of their continuous provision.
• A lot of focus is placed on numbers 20 in Reception and children are assessed and targeted for additional support with this skill if needed.

 

Key Stage 1

• In Key Stage 1, the children have an hour maths lesson every day.
• Children complete additional key skills maths lessons at least twice a week for 20 minutes (these are supported by the ‘Ready to Progress’ documents 2020) with a focus on learning number facts (number bonds and early times tables) and arithmetic skills
• Children also complete additional maths practise of skills previously taught. This might be in the form of a Flashback 4, 5 a day or recap questions at the beginning of a maths lesson.
• There is additional emphasis on arithmetic practice in Year 2 to help children prepare for the end of Key Stage 1 assessments.

 

 

Key Stage 2

• In years 3-6, the children have an hour maths lesson every day.
• Every day children complete a 5 a day (Corbett maths) which gives the children the opportunity to practise various skills and areas of maths from previously taught content (including previous years). These are self-marked by the children in lesson time.
• Children complete additional key skills maths lessons at least three times a week for 20 minutes (these are supported by the ‘Ready to Progress’ documents 2020), with a focus on learning number facts (times tables) and consolidating arithmetic skills.
• In Year 6 the children will have additional practise on reasoning and problem solving skills (i.e. answering word problems) to help prepare them for the end of Key Stage 2 assessments.

 

Resources (including visits)

Subject leaders work with teachers to ensure resources are available for teaching their topics. Resources are kept in individual classrooms and in a central Maths resource area located in Key Stage 2 (The Space Between).

 

• Basic resources to be available in every classroom (dependent on year group): number lines, number square, times table grid, place value apparatus (e.g. Numicon, Dienes, Cuisenaire), counting apparatus (e.g. multi-link cubes, counters), dice and number cards, place value grids

• Yearly subscriptions to websites to support planning and resourcing: Abacus (Active Learn), White Rose Premium Resources and Twinkl
• Yearly subscription to TTRockstars to support times table practice
• Links with Warwick School (More Able Maths Group-Year 5/6)

 

Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

All learners will be given equal opportunities to access Maths. They will be supported or challenged through clear and precise differentiation, determined by pre-assessment. Planning will reflect the varying needs of all the children in the class, including provision for children with additional needs (including SEND). Where possible, the diverse society in which we live in will be reflected in the teaching and learning of this subject.

 

Assessing, Recording and Monitoring

‘Assessment for learning’ is carried out during a sequence of lessons by teachers to assess how children are coping with the content and challenge. Then further lessons are altered or adapted to reflect this assessment.

 

Number facts (times tables and number bonds) are assessed regularly throughout the year by class teachers to monitor the children’s progress and an overall formal assessment is carried out at the end of each term. This data is collected and analysed by the maths co-ordinator to monitor overall progress of the school.

 

At the end of each term the children complete a formal maths assessment (arithmetic and reasoning). This, alongside teacher judgement from the pupils’ work over the term, is used to give a formal assessment of each child against the year group expectations. STAT Sheffield assessment grids are used to help teachers make a judgement on where each child is working against their year group objectives. Data is entered onto Otrack, analysed by the Maths Co-ordinator and SLT, it is then discussed with the class teacher during Pupil Progress Meetings and then headlines of this are shared with the Head Teacher and SENDCo during IMPACT meetings, where additional provision is discussed and put in place for the next term.

 

Statutory Assessment Tests (SATs) are carried out at the end of Year 2 and 6. Year 4 are also required to sit a statutory times table test in the Summer Term.

 

In Early Years, an initial baseline assessment of the children is made when they first begin school. Early Years Assessments are carried out throughout the year to give an individual assessment of each child’s ability in Number and Shape, Space and Measure each term. These strands contribute towards the individual child’s Early Learning Goals assessment at the end of the year. The information for these assessments is gathered through daily observations, photos (Tapestry), oral interactions and questioning.

 

Maths assessment data is reported to parents in Autumn, Spring and Summer assessments. At the end of Reception, Year 2 and Year 6 results from SATs are also reported. 

 

Subject leaders carry out a range of monitoring activities as detailed in the Teaching and Learning Policy.

 

Safety

Equipment is checked for signs of damage and replaced as needed

 

 

Date ratified by Performance and Standards Committee: October 2020

Next review date: October 2023 (every 3 years)

 

Associated Policies: Calculation Policy, SEN, Learning and Teaching (for roles and responsibilities of teachers and subject leaders), Equal Opportunities and Assessment