Maths
HELPING WITH MATHS AT HOME
Maths is a wonderful subject to be able to help at home with. We use Maths as part of our everyday lives whether working out how much our shopping is going to cost or which is the heaviest parcel to be posted.
The downloads below give you ideas for practical Maths activities that you can work on with your child at home:
Intent
At Thomas Russell Infants’ School, we intend to:
Ensure our children have access to a high quality maths curriculum that is both challenging and enjoyable.
Provide our children with a variety of mathematical opportunities, which will enable them to make the connections in learning needed to enjoy greater depth in learning.
Ensure children are confident mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks.
Fully develop independent learners with inquisitive minds who have secure mathematical foundations and an interest in self-improvement.
Alongside the Statutory EYFS Framework, Foundation Stage use the non-statutory Development Matters.
KS1 follow the National Curriculum 2014 so that all children -
Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
Are able to reason mathematically
Can solve problems by applying their mathematics
Implementation
Teacher and Learning
Our mastery approach to the curriculum is designed to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts from the Early Years through to the end of Year 2.
In school we use the Statutory EYFS Framework alongside the non-statutory Development Matters for EYFS, the National Curriculum and use White Rose Schemes of Work as a guide to support teachers with their planning and assessment. Teachers also implement the agreed Calculation Policies for progression.
As a school we use the Mastering Number programme produced by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM). In addition to the children’s maths lesson they receive four 10 minute sessions each week focusing on the development of good number sense.
Children are taught through clear modelling and have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts. Children are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts. Objects and pictures are used to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas, alongside numbers and symbols.
Concrete – children have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing.
Pictorial – children then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations, which can then be used to reason and solve problems.
Abstract – with the foundations firmly laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.
The large majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace. Adaptive teaching is used as a form of differentiation which allows the teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of our children. Through Assessment for Learning, children ready to move on to a greater depth activity will be given the opportunity to deepen their understanding.
To help the children’s fluency Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) are used with the children in the Foundation Stage and KS1 taking home these KIRFs at the beginning of each half term.
Reasoning and problem solving are integral to the activities the children are given to develop their mathematical thinking.
Children are encouraged to explore, apply and evaluate their mathematical approach during investigations to develop a deeper understanding when solving different problems.
Mathematical vocabulary is explicitly written within each year group’s weekly planning. This is discussed with the children who are encouraged to use it independently.
Children with additional needs are included in whole class lessons and teachers provide scaffolding and relevant support as necessary. For those children who are working outside of the year group curriculum, individual learning activities are provided to ensure their progress.
Assessment and Feedback
Feedback is given on children’s learning in line with our marking policy. Formative assessment within every lesson helps teachers to identify the children who need more support to achieve the intended outcome and who are ready for greater stretch and challenge through planned questioning or additional activities.
Each week KS1 plan a ‘Fluency Friday’ which allows the children to practise their KIRFs from that half term and also complete a ‘cold task’ relating to something the children have learnt in the previous weeks. This allows for a completely independent piece of work to be used for assessment purposes. This independent assessment is also used in the Foundation Stage through their indoor and outdoor continuous provision.
Parents are informed of and encouraged to be involved in our school maths implementation through Tapestry (Early Years), maths homework and parent consultations. Teachers are also available for parents to speak to both before and after school.
Summative assessments are completed at the end of the academic year and reported to parents in the end of year report.
Impact
Children demonstrate a quick recall of facts and procedures.
Children show confidence in believing that they will achieve.
It is our aim that each child achieves objectives (expected standard) for year group.
The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of maths.
The chance to develop the ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths lessons.
Mathematical concepts for skills are mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
Children show a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of the work.
Progression documents
Overview documents showing the different maths skills taught in each strand through year groups.
2. Addition and Subtraction Progression
3. Multiplication and Division Progression
7. Position and Direction Progression
Key Instant Recall Facts
Each half term children are given Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) to practise and learn at home as well as in school. KIRFs are designed to support the development of the mental skills that underpin much of the maths work in schools. They are particularly useful when calculating, be it adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing. They may contain number facts such as number bonds and times tables that need constant practise and rehearsal, so children can recall them quickly and accurately. Over their time at Thomas Russell Infants’ School, we believe that, if the KIRFs are developed fully, children will be more confident when working with number, understand its relevance and be able to access the curriculum much more easily. They will be able to apply what they have learnt to a wide range of problems.
Click below to see our whole school overview -