The Maths Curriculum.
Maths at Woodgate
Our Intent and Vision Statement
The 2014 National Curriculum for Maths aims to ensure that all children:
• Become fluent in the fundamentals of Mathematics
• Are able to reason mathematically
• Can solve problems by applying their Mathematics
At Woodgate Primary School, all of these skills are embedded within Maths lessons and are developed consistently over time. We are committed to developing our children’s curiosity about the subject, to recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world and that they are able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently in their lives in a range of different contexts. We want all children to enjoy Mathematics and to experience success in the subject, with the ability to reason mathematically and problem solve. As a result, our maths curriculum is designed to meet the needs of our children; objectives are broken down into smaller, key learning points and include a range of concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches. Links across other mathematical topics and subjects are established, allowing pupils to apply their new skills. Our philosophy is ‘Inch wide, mile deep’. This ensures that new content is not introduced too quickly but instead allows pupils to go ‘deeper’ with their learning, thus developing a greater understanding.
Scheme of Work
Woodgate Primary School follows a scheme of work called White Rose Maths, which is designed to enable children to develop a mastery of mathematics. In this scheme, National Curriculum objectives are grouped together into units of learning. Each unit focuses on a small number of key learning points. Teachers then develop these key learning points and plan lessons which involve fluency, reasoning and problem solving activities.
Lesson Organisation
Children at Woodgate undertake a main maths lessons each day and a maths on track lessons per week:
Main Maths Lesson - a 50 minute lesson focusing on key learning points from the National Curriculum where children complete fluency, reasoning and problem solving tasks.
Maths on Track – a 20 minute arithmetic based lesson which focuses on key arithmetic skills. Same day intervention and further challenge can also happen in this session.
Main Maths Lesson
Every lesson begins with a ‘Learning Together’ stage. This involves the introduction and discussion of key vocabulary. The use of maths vocabulary is crucial to the development of a thorough understanding, allowing pupils to form solid foundations to which they make connections to other concepts, reasoning mathematically with precision and solve sophisticated problems.
A wide range of examples are included in this stage, allowing pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of the concept being taught. This will involve simple examples to promote procedural fluency. Teachers then develop this to include varied fluency, which involves standard and non-standard examples, allowing pupils to apply their understanding.
Once pupils are fluent, pupils complete reasoning tasks to demonstrate that they more secure with the concept. Reasoning tasks at Woodgate promote pupil discussion, allowing opportunities to describe, explain, justify, convince and prove. Tasks focus on misconceptions, what it’s not and active arguments such as ‘true or false’ and ‘yes or no’.
Pupils are then given the opportunity to apply their knowledge to solve problems. A variety of activities are planned using a range of resources to ensure pupils solve quality, rich and sophisticated problems.
Lessons are planned to include a range of social learning strategies, such as whole class learning and discussion, grouped work and paired work.
Maths on Track Lesson (MOT)
The purpose of the MOT sessions is to develop and sustain basic skills in arithmetic. Arithmetic objectives are taught and revised. This is practice to become skilled (deliberate practice).
Also, the design of this lesson allows for appropriate intervention to take place. This includes support and challenge.
Times Tables
A short session allowing pupils to practise their times table occurs every day.
To aid the development and acquisition of times table facts, all children from Years 2-6 have Times Table Rockstar accounts. Each lunchtime, pupils are invited into TTRS club to play and battle each other online through a variety of fun times table games. Regular class battles take place across the school.