Mathematics

At Old Clee Academy, we aim to build happy, confident and resilient mathematicians!

National Curriculum Intent

‘The national curriculum for mathematics intends to ensure that all pupils:

1. Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.

2. Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.

3. Can 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.

Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The programmes of study are, by necessity, organised into apparently distinct domains, but pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects. The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.’

Our Intent

It is our intent at Old Clee Academy to provide pupils with a high-quality education that will teach pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. We intend to provide a curriculum, which caters for the needs of all individuals and sets them up with the necessary skills and knowledge for them to become successful in their future adventures. We aim to prepare them for a successful working life therefore, maths is taught across the curriculum, and ensuring pupils apply their mathematical skills across the whole curriculum in a variety of contexts. Our focus is to ensure maths teaching for mastery supports the idea that everyone can do maths. All pupils are encouraged by the belief that by working hard at maths they can succeed.

Teaching for Mastery

At Old Clee, we teach the five important elements of Mastery Maths:

Coherence: Lessons are broken down into small, connected steps that gradually unfold the concept, providing access for all children and leading to a generalisation of the concept and the ability to apply the concept to a range of contexts.

Representation and Structure: Representations used in lessons expose the mathematical structure being taught, the aim being that students can do the maths without recourse to the representation.

Mathematical Thinking: If taught ideas are to be understood deeply, they must not merely be passively received but must be worked on by the student: thought about, reasoned with and discussed with others.

Fluency: Quick and efficient recall of facts and procedures and the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics.

Variation: This is twofold. It is firstly about how the teacher represents the concept being taught, often in more than one way, to draw attention to critical aspects, and to develop deep and holistic understanding.

It is also about the sequencing of the episodes, activities and exercises used within a lesson and follow up practice, paying attention to what is kept the same and what changes, to connect the mathematics and draw attention to mathematical. We incorporate sustained levels of challenge through varied and high quality activities with a focus on fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Pupils are required to explore maths in depth, using mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their workings. A wide range of mathematical resources are used and pupils are taught to show their workings in a concrete, pictorial and abstract form wherever suitable. They are taught to explain their choice of methods and develop their mathematical reasoning skills. We encourage resilience and acceptance that struggle is often a necessary step in learning. Our curriculum allows children to better make sense of the world around them relating the pattern between mathematics and everyday life. It is our intention to ensure that, by the end of their primary education, all pupils become mathematically fluent.

Our Implementation

At Old Clee Primary Academy, our children study mathematics daily covering a broad and balanced mathematical curriculum including elements of number, calculation, geometry, measures and statistics. Our Maths curriculum is spiralised; topics are revisited to consolidate understanding from Y1-6. Our spiral curriculum builds skills, revisits prior learning and deepens understanding before new learning is taught. Topics are broken down into manageable steps so all children are able to access the learning. Maths lessons are adapted to meet the needs of the class. Our curriculum plan identifies powerful core knowledge that pupils need to take with them to the next stage of their math’s education. The categories of content are broken down as follows:

Due to our maths curriculum being spiralised, the sequence in each topic follows the same logic as the curriculum progression itself: procedural knowledge and the relevant conceptual knowledge. Both feed into mathematical reasoning and problem solving tasks.

The above is an example of our spiralised maths approach (Y4 curriculum map- long term plan).Each topic is broken down into smaller steps (objectives) for each term. This is then recapped and built upon before starting the new topic for the term. For example, the pupils will tackle multiplying/dividing by 10 and 100 in the Autumn term which will be revisited and embedded in the Spring and deepened further in the Summer term. As a result of revisiting prior learning each term, it allows pupils to gradually develop a deeper understanding of the skills and processes within each topic, at their own pace! 

During the Autumn term, fluency is the primary focus as this allows pupils to master this element before progressing onto reasoning and problem solving. Once a child has grasped a mathematical concept, the idea is that they are exposed to varied fluency activities, which develop their understanding. This is then embedded in the Spring term through reasoning and problem solving activities and further deepened in the Summer term. 

Numeracy Hour Old Clee Primary Academy

Our Numeracy Hour approach is divided into 3 Parts:

1. Teaching of mental/written strategies using Fluent in Five (10 minutes) is a whole-class approach which is to rehearse, sharpen and develop mental and written skills. The ability to calculate in your head is an important part of mathematics. It is also an essential part of coping with society’s demands and managing everyday events. Fluent in Five has been designed to provide children with regular practice and allows them to retrieve previously taught conceptual and procedural knowledge. In addition, it helps children distinguish between when to use a written method and when a mental method would be more efficient. Within these sessions, specific mental strategies are taught and shared alongside using informal jottings in order to help children to calculate accurately and efficiently. When facing a mathematical problem, children are encouraged to, ‘Say What You See’, ‘Use What You Know’, ‘What’s the relationship?’ in order to make mathematical links explicit- this is done throughout the whole maths lesson.

2. The main teaching activity (about 40 minutes) teaching input and pupil activities work as a whole class, in groups, in pairs or as individuals. Our Maths Curriculum Map plots out each objective for the year and this is then spiralised and built on in Autumn, Spring and Summer. For example, in each term, place value, number and the four operations will be revisited throughout each term. This will be revisited, misconceptions will be addressed and learning will be built upon. Our long-term plans follow the 2014 English National Curriculum (Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning). We promote a strong pedagogy of conceptual understanding through the CPA approach (Concrete, Pictorial, and Abstract), principles of collaborative learning, exploration and good teaching/assessment principles. We strongly encourage all children to physically represent mathematical concepts through concrete objects and pictorial representations to support the abstract method. In each lesson, we identify the key vocabulary, as it is important part of their language development and ultimately mathematical proficiency.

3. The last ten minutes is dedicated to Assessment for Learning. Immediate feedback is provided to the children to re-direct learning, provide additional support and to address misconceptions. Depending on the Key Stage, children independently mark their answers and the class teacher has an overview. This allows children to not only see how successful they have been in their learning but also allows them to identify their mistakes and then correct them.

Key Instant Recall Facts - (KIRFs)

Research shows that learning key facts ‘by heart’ enables children to concentrate on the calculation, which helps them to develop calculation strategies. Using and applying strategies to work out answers helps children to acquire and so remember more facts. Many children who are not able to recall key facts often treat each calculation as a new one and have to return to first principles to work out the answer again. Once they have a secure knowledge of some key facts, and by selecting problems carefully, you can help children to appreciate that from the answer to one problem, other answers can be generated. To develop our children’s fluency and mental maths skills (declarative knowledge), we have implemented KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) as homework. Children are given a set of KIRFS to learning over two weeks with a low-stakes quiz at the end. KIRFS are a way of helping the children to learn by heart, key facts and information which they need to have instant recall of. KIRFs are designed to support the development of mental maths skills that underpin much of the maths work in schools. When children move onto written calculations, knowing these key facts is very beneficial. Regular practice - little and often – helps children to retain these facts and keep their skills sharp. Key facts are revisited over the year. Over their time at primary school, we believe that - if the KIRFs are developed fully - children will be more confident with number work, understand its relevance, and be able to access the curriculum much more easily.

Times Tables

Here at Old Clee, we promote the love of learning times tables through using the counting stick and an online platform called, Times Tables Rock Stars which we use as part of homework. The counting stick is a useful tool to promote confidence and flexibility in children’s counting skills as they begin to assimilate the knowledge and understanding they can bring to their calculation. This causes increased number sense through reasoning allowing them to clarify and test their knowledge and understanding for themselves. When it comes to times tables, speed AND accuracy are important – the more facts the children remember, the easier it is for them to complete more complex calculations. Times tables are recognised as essential to access many mathematical concepts and knowledge will be assessed at the end of Y4, from September 2019, by a National test. Throughout the year, we hold times tables battles against classes and even teachers!

The Impact

If you were to walk into a mathematics lesson at Old Clee, you would see:

• Opportunities for pupils to recap previous learning
• Children talk enthusiastically about their maths lessons and speak about how they love learning about maths
• Engaged children who are all challenged
• Motivated children wanting to do their best
• Children demonstrating a quick recall of facts and procedures
• The chance to develop the ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths lessons
• A CPA approach being used, pupils exploring concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches to help understand and deepen their learning
• Children showing confidence in believing that they will achieve
• Children being able to articulate the context in which maths is being taught and relate this to real life purposes
• Our pupils understanding different ways that maths can be used to support their future potential 
• Children independently marking and correcting their own mistakes
• Children showing a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of the work

Throughout each lesson,  formative assessment takes place and feedback is given to the children through marking and next steps to ensure they are meeting the specific learning objective. The teaching of maths is also monitored on a termly basis through book looks, learning walks and lesson observations. Each term children from Year 1-6 complete a summative assessment to help them to develop their testing approach and familiarise themselves with test formats. Key Stage 1 use a combination of NTS standardised tests and previous SATs papers (Year 2) and Key Stage 2 use the NTS tests and previous SATs papers (Year 6.) The results from both the formative assessment and summative assessment is then used to determine children’s progress and attainment. Data is then used to inform interventions for the following term.

Through monitoring:

• Monitoring of teaching and learning shows evidence of good staff subject knowledge and understanding of concepts being taught. Vocabulary is being modelled consistently in most lessons, and pupils expected to use correct mathematical terminology.
• Learning that is tracked and monitored to ensue all children make good progress.
• Pupils’ work in books consistently shows evidence of opportunities for fluency, reasoning and problem solving.

Pupil Voice:

What have you enjoyed about your maths lessons and what have you achieved?

Year 2 Pupil: ‘I feel really happy because I know now the different types of coins. I know how to add money up now.’

Why do you think maths is important?

Year 4 Pupil: ‘Maths is important for everyday jobs especially if you want to become a Scientist!’

How have you been challenged in your maths this year?

Year 5 Pupil: ‘I am finding fractions challenging but since we go over things from year 4, I find it easier to explain my answers.’

Successes in 2021-2023

• Introduction of the spiralised maths approach. As a result, each maths objective is built on, revisited each term and deepened before the new learning is taught. Research on spaced practice suggests that retention is significantly improved when pupils are given a number of practice problems relating to a topic and distributed across a period. It is evident in maths lessons and book looks, that pupils have retained more knowledge due to objectives been revisited. 
• Children are equipped with mental strategies and use this as a first resort. Pupils are confident with using an appropriate mental strategy to solve each problem. The language of Say What You See, Use What You Know, Approximate and What’s the Relationship is evident in each classroom.
• Our pupils are independent learners. Children self-mark, they can explain mistakes and reason their mathematical thoughts.

Metacognition and Mathematics

Metacognition is defined as not simply “thinking about thinking”, it is much more complex than this. Metacognition is actively monitoring one’s own learning and, based on this monitoring, making changes to their learning behaviours and strategies. Our aim is to incorporate metacognition into our teaching and learning of mathematics.

Priorities for 2023-2024

• To ensure the CPA approach is embedded and pupils use practical equipment as their first port of call.
• To improve pupils’ application of mathematical knowledge by developing problem solving skills and resilience.
• To increase times tables and key instant recall facts fluency across all year groups.
• To raise the profile of times tables through competitions!
• To identify the most useful problem-solving strategies that will support pupils learning (bar modelling).
• To develop the use of sentence stems to improve maths comprehension and reasoning.

Number Day - Friday 3rd February!

⭐️Number Day from Year 1 to 6 - from math investigations to coding/sequencing on the computer, all pupils had a fabulous time!⭐️ 
 

FS2 Parent Number Day - Thursday 2nd February

FS2 parents came in to celebrate Number Day. They took part in different activities, for example, number of the day, making numbers to 20 using everyday objects and counting. 

Multiplication Times Tables Parental Workshop - 31st January.

Please see attached documents that were shared with parents  on Tuesday 31st January 2023. 

KS1 Parental Workshop - January 23

The children loved teaching and practising mathematical skills and strategies with their parents. We had six stations where parents were able to learn about the mathematical strategies that gets taught in every day lessons. The child then practised the skills with their parents! Parents were then able to take their very own maths packs home to help support with any maths learning. 

Maths Day 21-22!

Kicked off this year's Maths Day by starting the day off with an exciting Maths Scavenger Hunt. The children worked in teams and used their skills as mathematicians to answer a range of problem solving questions! The children had a great time and enjoyed their prize from the treasure chest! The theme this year was maths across the curriculum. The children participated in a range of activities that involved looking at the Maths in different subject areas, for example, Year 5 looked at the Fibonacci sequence in Art, Year 4 looked at a book called Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar and Year 3 investigated the number systems across History.  

Year 5 made cross curricular links between Maths and Art. They investigated what the Fiboannci Sequence is and identifed the relationship between the numbers. They used the Fibonacci numbers to create some artwork based on the Fibonacci 'golden spirals' .

FS2 enjoyed taking part in the Maths Scavenger Hunt!  As part of Maths Day (making cross-curricular links to other subjects) they have read Jack and the Beanstalk and enjoyed measuring and comparing Jack’s beanstalks in class.