Mathematics

Statement of Intent

Mathematics should be fully inclusive to every child. In our school, we are discovering a world of wonder. Through God’s spirit, we aim to equip all our children with the necessary skills which will allow them to flourish in the world they are growing up in.

At Wincle CE Primary School, we have adopted a mastery approach for the teaching of mathematics. Underpinning this pedagogy is the belief that all children can achieve in maths. We believe in promoting sustained and deepened understanding by employing a variety of mastery strategies, with teaching for conceptual understanding at the heart of everything we do. We aim to create independent mathematicians who are well equipped to apply their learning to the wider world.

Teaching for Mastery aims to provide all children with full access to the curriculum, enabling them to achieve confidence and competence – ‘mastery’ – in mathematics, rather than many failing to develop the maths skills they need for the future.

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Key features of our Mathematics curriculum:

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• High expectations for every child

• Fewer topics, greater depth

• Number sense and place value come first

• Objects and pictures always before numbers and letters

• Problem solving is central

• Opportunities given to use and apply across topics

• Calculate with confidence– understand why it works

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Mathematics Mastery places emphasis on the cumulative mastery of essential knowledge and skills in mathematics. It embeds a deeper understanding of maths by utilising a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach so that pupils understand what they are doing rather than just learning to repeat routines without grasping what is happening.

 

Teaching for Mastery is underpinned by five big ideas. These are coherence, representation and structure, mathematical thinking, fluency, and variation. The five big ideas guide our teaching to meet the aims set by the national curriculum.

 

These are:

· become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and recall and apply knowledge
· reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and using mathematical language
· can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems.

In order to incorporate the five big ideas, we plan carefully, taking into account common misconceptions and difficult learning points. Concepts are built in small, logical steps and are explored through consistent mathematical representations.

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Our Mathematics curriculum supports children to develop skills in the following key areas:

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• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, 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
   

• 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
   

• Know and use numbers - This concept involves understanding the number system and how they are used in a wide variety of mathematical ways.
   

• Add and subtract - This concept involves understanding both the concepts and processes of addition and subtraction.
   

• Multiply and divide - This concept involves understanding both the concepts and processes of multiplication and division.
   

• Use fractions - This concept involves understanding the concept of part and whole and ways of calculating using it.
   

• Understand the properties of shapes - This concept involves recognising the names and properties of geometric shapes and angles.
   

• Describe position, direction and movement - This concept involves recognising various types of mathematical movements.
   

• Use measures - This concept involves becoming familiar with a range of measures, devices used for measuring and calculations.
   

• Use statistics - This concept involves interpreting, manipulating and presenting data in various ways.
   

• Use algebra - This concept involves recognising mathematical properties and relationships using symbolic representations.  

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Click to download our Calculation Policy:

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