Mathematics

Intent

At Hopton C of E Primary Academy, the intent of the Maths curriculum is to provide children with a a secure understanding of fluency, problem solving and reasoning across a range of mathematical concepts.

We focus on the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach to ensure children have conceptual understanding of the topics taught and develop an a range of skills through fluency, variation, representation and structure alongside mathematical thinking.

Early Years

At Hopton C of E Primary Academy the journey into becoming confident mathematicians begins in our Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff fully embrace this area of the EYFS and promote mathematics throughout the learning environment as part of our ‘Early Excellence’ ethos. The primary aim of our early years is to nurture all children as confident, capable mathematicians for the future. We use the ‘Mastering number’ approach to develop fluency alongside White Rose Maths to focus on investigating, exploring, talking and problem-solving in real life contexts.

Key Stage 1 - Years 1 and 2

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 is to ensure that pupils develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This should involve working with numerals, words and the 4 operations, including with practical resources [for example, concrete objects and measuring tools].

At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary. Teaching should also involve using a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money.

By the end of Year 2, pupils should know the number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value. An emphasis on practice at this early stage will aid fluency.

Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary, at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at Key Stage 1.

Lower Key Stage 2 - Years 3 and 4

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in Lower Key Stage 2 is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the 4 operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. This should ensure that pupils develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers.

At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value. Teaching should also ensure that pupils draw with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them. It should ensure that they can use measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number.

By the end of Year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work.

Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary correctly and confidently, using their growing word-reading knowledge and their knowledge of spelling.

Upper Key Stage 2 - Years 5 and 6

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in Upper Key Stage 2 is to ensure that pupils extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.

At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation. With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems. Teaching in geometry and measures should consolidate and extend knowledge developed in number. Teaching should also ensure that pupils classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they need to describe them.

By the end of Year 6, pupils should be fluent in written methods for all 4 operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages.

Pupils should read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly.

Implementation

To ensure consistency and progression, the school uses the DfE approved ‘White Rose Maths Scheme’. This is fully aligned with the school’s ongoing engagement with the DFE funded Maths Hubs programme and Mastery Number in EYFS and KS1.

Ongoing CPD ensures that staff at all levels understand the pedagogy of the approach. Teachers use careful questions to draw out children’s thinking and their reasoning. The class teacher then leads children through strategies for solving the problem, including those already discussed. Independent work provides the means for all children to develop their fluency further, before progressing to more complex related problems. Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time. Each lesson phase provides the means to achieve greater depth, with more able children being offered rich and sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks, within the lesson as appropriate.

Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Mathematics.
The large majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace using the White Rose mastery approach.
Differentiation is achieved by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention.
We use the concrete, pictorial, abstract approach to introduce and teach new concepts.
All lessons focus on fluency, problem solving and reasoning.
We use metacognition approaches to deliver new content; ‘I do, we do, you do’
- ‘I Do’ – the teacher models the concept, providing clear instruction on the method and talking through possible misconceptions.
- ‘We Do’ – shared practice as a whole class, or as a group, of the concept being taught. This may be adapted or extended depending on the children’s understanding.
- ‘You Do’ – the chance for children to work independently and apply their learning.
Modelled examples and key vocabulary from ‘I Do’ and ‘We Do’ work are displayed on the Maths Working Wall to support learners in their independent work.
Working walls are used to demonstrate prior learning and to support with pre and post teaching.
Practice and consolidation play a central role. Carefully designed variation within this builds fluency and understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.
Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention, so that all children keep up.
Daily arithmetic is built in to ensure fluency of number and calculations.

Maths is a key skill to support children in a range of future careers. At Hopton, we continue to raise the profile and importance of Maths through:

Maths ‘parent share’ sessions
Maths days
Number day
AIM Higher days with other schools

These opportunities allow children the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding in a range of real life contexts and problem solving activities.

Impact

At Hopton C of E Primary Academy, we use assessment for learning and in the moment feedback to support children with their learning.

White Rose Maths assessments are used at the end of each term to assess children’s knowledge and understanding and to inform planning.

We use ‘Smart Grade’ to support staff with question level analysis and action planning meetings so that staff have a clear understanding of next steps.

Progression of Skills and Knowledge

Please see progression of skills and knowledge:

Have a look at our calculation policy: