Intent

 At Wynndale Primary School, we appreciate that maths is an essential part of daily life. Therefore, mathematics forms an important part of our curriculum where we endeavour to ensure that children develop an enjoyment for maths. This aim is to trigger an enthusiasm that will stay with them throughout their lives and empower them in their future.

Our aim at Wynndale is to:

• Explore mathematical concepts and methods.
• Inspire by highlighting importance of maths in every day life by sharing realistic problems.
• Spark inquisitive minds to find new patterns and methods to problem solve at a challenging level.
• Deepen our understanding, questioning and the ability to explain mathematical concepts to our peers.

We believe that by unlocking mathematical fluency, this then supports children to problem solve and reason. Because of this, maths will be a continuous cycle of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our aim is to develop a positive culture of deep understanding, confidence and competence in maths that produces strong, secure learning. We support children with their resilience in maths and encourage children to try and work through problems logically. To support this, we use concrete resources and pictorial representations where appropriate, to enable children to fully understand the key concepts and principals. Our maths curriculum is progressive; in EYFS we are building the foundations which will then be built on in KS1 and KS2. By the time children leave Wynndale, they will be confident, passionate mathematicians, who feel they have the skills and knowledge to tackle real life mathematical problems and attempt more sophisticated problems at KS3 and beyond.

Implementation

Our Maths curriculum provides breadth and balance; is relevant and engaging; is differentiated to match the needs and abilities of all our children to ensure that all pupils are able to excel.  As a school, we believe in the concrete-pictorial-abstract-approach. From EYFS children will be introduced to concrete apparatus to support with their understanding of maths. This will then develop into pictorial representations and then finally abstract problem solving. From Reception to Year 6, we adhere to our calculation policy which outlines the progression of strategies and methods that the children will be taught. Maths will be taught at least 4 times per week with one additional fluency lesson. Additional maths will be covered within some morning activities when the children arrive and across other subjects.

From Foundation to Year 6, children follow the ‘White Rose’ scheme, which supports children in learning the fundamentals behind the meanings of numbers and exploring other key mathematical areas. We have created our medium-term plans in line with White Rose scheme, but as a school we have altered the order and length of units to have the greatest impact on our children. Every maths lesson, will begin with a fluency starter: this helps children to embed their learning further and make the links across the different areas of maths. To ensure children are confident and fluent within maths, as a school we teach a ‘Fluency Fact’ every Friday for the whole half term. This fact is an area of maths that the children should be able to recall instantly.

Children will be provided with rich learning opportunities that deepen thinking and understanding that supports children to make independent connections. At the end of a unit of work, assessments will be used from ‘Headstart Maths’. This information is then used to identify gaps that need to be retaught or embedded within fluency sessions or interventions. Termly assessments are also used as a diagnostic tool to ensure that teachers are adapting learning to meet the needs of all children and ensure that any necessary interventions are targeted specifically to meet the needs of children. Teachers will input their teacher judgements, which consider the tests and their own understanding of the child, on Otrack to monitor the progress of each child.

Times tables play an important part in our maths learning, with children developing their fluency in rapid recall of tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of year 4. To support this as a school we use ‘TTRockstars’, which is an online game that is used to assess the speed and accuracy of all the children from Year 1 – Year 6.  We also use this to Baseline the children and then undertake half termly check to ensure the children are making progress. Times tables are a focus within every classroom and the children are encouraged to practise at home with family.

Each classroom has a maths working wall, this will have current information to support the children within lessons and key vocabulary. On this wall, the ‘Ninja Maths’ belts will be displayed. This is a personalised approach to fluency that is taught once a week in years 3 – 6. The children will aim to beat their score each week and become a Gold Belt.

Impact

By the end of Year 6, transitioning to secondary school, we aspire that a Wynndale learners will have developed a bank of efficient and accurate skills that can be used to calculate effectively. We will monitor the impact of teaching of maths to ensure it consistent, accurate and of a high standard. To do this, we will use triangular monitoring – which includes looking at books; learning walks and lesson visits; speaking to pupils; and talking to relevant members of staff. Throughout a child’s journey through school, we will be ensuring we monitor each child to ensure they are meeting or exceeding their potential. This will be carried out in a number of ways:

• Checking children have the language to be able to justify, reason and explain their answers.
• Children are enthusiastic, passionate mathematicians
• Children know their 12 X 12 times tables by Year 4 and their relevant times tables in years 1 – 3.
• Children can recall their ‘Fluency Fact’.
• Children are confident when given a real-life maths problem at an appropriate level.
• Children become more accurate and work at speed during arithmetic style questions.
• Children meet or exceed their KS1 target.
• Children can complete multi-step problems, at an age appropriate level,
• Children have a resilient attitude when solving mathematical problems.