Meet the Leader:

"Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas."

 Albert Einstein

The value of Mathematics within our Curriculum

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

Intent

Every Child Numerate.

An integral line of our vision statement, ‘Every Child Numerate’ really signifies how important the mathematics curriculum is within the values of our school and is underpinned by the three statutory aims of the National Curriculum: fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our aim is to ensure that every child has a secure understanding of the four rules of number so that they can use and apply their knowledge across the mathematics curriculum with accuracy, being able to use these skills to reason and problem solve across all areas of maths – being proficient mathematicians. With this knowledge securely embedded, the children will be ready to begin the next phase of their education and flourish as lifelong learners. We aim to provide a rigorous and sequential mathematics curriculum which develops all pupils’ knowledge, confidence and enjoyment in mathematics and allows them to apply their skills to the wider curriculum and real-life contexts. We endeavour to surpass the National Curriculum expectations, at every stage, to ensure all pupils in our school can access the full curriculum and have strong foundations for future learning.

Implementation

At Prestolee, we use the National Curriculum for mathematics as a basis for our Mathematics Programme of Study. We follow the National Curriculum objectives in a logical and sequential order, building on previously learnt skills.  To support with the effective delivery of this, teachers follow our Progression of Objectives Document, their individual Year Group Curriculum Overviews and our Basic Skills Document when planning units and lessons. Alongside these documents, there is also our school Calculation Policy to adhere to. To further support our planning, we use Power Maths and White Rose Maths across the school. All of these documents combined, ensure continuity and progression and high expectations for attainment in mathematics in our school. The Basic Skills Document ensures that key number objectives, that are essential in the successful implementation of the curriculum, are revisited daily in a Basic Skills Slot allocated time within each lesson.

We believe that the essential components to teaching maths effectively are:

• A logically sequenced and carefully planned curriculum so that children make progress (why this, why now?)
• An emphasis on automaticity with mathematical facts (knowing more and remembering more) We use our Basic Skills Document to ensure this happens
• A focus on problem solving and the development of mathematical thinking
• Consolidation and repetition of key learning (we have consolidation time built into lessons and the Basic Skills Document for number consolidation)
• Assessment to ensure pupils have acquired understanding and automaticity in the facts, concepts and procedures required (careful analysis of this is carried out)

EYFS

• We follow the EYFS curriculum guidance for mathematics and use the White Rose curriculum to support our curriculum. We are committed to ensuring the confident development of number and put emphasis on mastery of key early concepts. Pupils initially explore the number system to 20 and the development of models and images for numbers as a solid foundation for further progress. Pupils are involved in manipulating numbers through calculation processes. Pupils also learn about pattern, shape and space and measure through a range of teaching and practical activities.

KS1 and Lower Key Stage Two  

• In KS1 and lower KS2, the implementation of the National Curriculum is supported by the ‘Power Maths’ planning guidance.  Teachers use and follow the above documentation (which is in line with The Power Maths Scheme) alongside Power Maths to plan and deliver their lessons. Whilst delivering on this, there is also the opportunity to build in additional consolidation lessons if needed or lessons to deepen children’s understanding. In addition to Power Maths planning, teachers also plan for a daily for a daily Basic Skills lesson (Power Up) and for the consolidation of a previously taught skill that isn’t number based.

Upper Key Stage Two

• In upper KS2, the implementation of the National Curriculum is supported by the White Rose Maths Schemes of Learning. Teachers use and follow the above documentation (which is in line with the White Rose Maths Schemes of Learning) alongside White Rose to plan and deliver lessons. This is meant as a guide for teachers and there isn’t an expectation that this is solely used and followed – other resources can also be used to support the effective delivery of the National Curriculum objectives. Within each maths lesson there is a planned basic skills slot, a consolidation activity and then the objective for the lesson.

Impact-Expectations of outcomes

• As a result of the monitoring and evaluation processes, including pupil voice, work scrutinies and lesson observations, we would know that that the children are competent mathematicians through the outcomes they display. We would see the children have high attainment and have made the desired progress based on their starting points – they would have a high proficiency of maths skills. This would mean that the children were performing at or above National Standard at every stage. We would see the children enjoying maths and feeling confident within it – being enthusiastic mathematicians who like to showcase their knowledge and skills. They would be next stage ready, not only at the end of each key stage but also for each academic year. The curriculum in its progressive design and sequential approach to the objectives would contribute greatly to the outcomes that the children reach.