Wigmore School
Academy Trust

Mathematics

Our mathematics curriculum allows children to solve problems, reason and think creatively. In order to do this we link the maths to real-life situations, so children have a purpose for learning. Maths lessons allow children to develop strategies to overcome problems they face. This is undertaken so that children have different ways to solve problems and reason; resulting in a variety of unique approaches to mathematics by children. In addition to this, lessons equip children with the basic skills they need to tackle arithmetic questions they may face in their daily lives.

Intent

The EYFS Framework for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

- Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers. By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding - such as using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting - children will develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. In addition, it is important that the curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes.

The National Curriculum Framework for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

- 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.

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

- 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.

Planning and Progression

We employ a whole school mastery approach using guidance and material from the NCETM CP materials. The rationale for changing to a mastery approach in 2022 was because research recommends that it progresses and accelerates learning and provides coherent sequencing for the primary maths curriculum.

EYFS

Guidance is provided through the use of ‘Development Matters’.  In addition, the use of ‘Mastering Number’ developed by the NCETM is used to support teaching and develop children’s learning and is aligned with the early learning goals. The rationale behind this choice of planning is to develop and deepen children’s knowledge of mathematical topics logically and sequentially. Shape is taught, one session a week, to give children the pre-requisites for Key Stage 1.

Key Stage 1

Long term and medium planning are provided through the NCETM curriculum prioritisation materials. The rationale behind this choice of planning is to develop and deepen children’s knowledge of mathematical topics logically and sequentially. As a result, strategies are embedded into children’s long-term memory, rather than having to be regularly revisited and retaught. Planning provides teachers with small steps to success. Therefore, it allows progression of skills within a block of work. A mastery approach to learning is undertaken so that children are keeping up rather than needing to catch up. As part of this process, pre-teaching will be a key priority to allow access for all children. In addition to this, children follow the NCETM ‘mastering number’ programme which allows them to enhance their number and number bonds skills four times a week.

Year 3

Year 3 follow the same as outlined above for Key Stage 1 but they do not follow the NCETM ‘mastering number’ as this is only applicable to Key Stage 1 children. For the academic year 2024-2025, we are trialling new material released by the NCETM via the Maths Hub which develops the mastering number scheme further and bridges the gap to the mastering number at key stage 2 materials.

Year 4 – 5

Year 4 and 5 follow the same as outlined above for Year 3 but are additionally following the mastering number at key stage 2 materials

Year 6

Year 6 follow the same as outlined above for Year 4 & 5 but they do not follow any NCETM ‘mastering number’ programme as these end at year 5. As a result, the time is used to consolidate times table knowledge and basic arithmetic knowledge.

Implementation

Teaching and learning

- Teachers adopt a whole class strategy to the teaching of mathematics that considers the prior and current attainment of learners within their classroom. This is undertaken through careful assessment of prior teaching and learning, which shapes the development of future learning. Delivering content in blocks allows teachers to teach and children to learn at the appropriate rates for both the individual and class. We are currently enhancing our knowledge through a CPD programme so that all staff are trained in a teaching for mastery style. This strategy, alongside teachers’ professional judgment to use their individual teaching style to ensure progress within each ability within their class, enables progress across key stages and throughout the school.

- In addition, the following strategies have been recommended for classroom practice:

Pre teaching

- Activities that are designed to allow children to know what topic they are covering in the future (could be the next lesson or the next topic). Undertaken in small groups with the teacher or teaching assistant – depending on classroom setup – the session allows children to develop their fluency within the forthcoming topic and feel more confident as they approach the topic. In addition to this, it allows children to be aware of what they will be doing in the future and ask any questions they may have, thus lowering their potential anxiety as they approach the new topic.

Post teaching

- At the end of a sequence of teaching (or topic), activities may be designed to revisit, recap or reteach aspects of learning that were not understood by children. Generally, this will be key learning points for lower attaining children, supporting them to catch up with content they do not understand.

Keep up

- Following marking of the classroom work – in accordance with the marking and feedback policy – teachers may decide that further development needs to immediately take place before the subsequent lesson. This could be to support lower attaining children in ‘closing the gap’ prior to the next lesson. However, it could also be to support the most able children understand the challenging task they were presented with. Another use of this time would be to further develop or challenge children who understood the task and could be extended further to progress their knowledge and understanding.

Wider learning

Opportunities to develop, enhance, revise and revisit key learning points from prior or current mathematics teaching within the year are carefully thought out by teachers to allow children to put their mathematical knowledge into further contexts.

Times Tables

In order to reduce cognitive load, we put a huge emphasis on ensuring that children are able to recall times table facts fluently. In addition to our Year 4 and 5 children continuing the journey of mastering number this academic year, the rest of the school develop their times table facts from Year 1 to assist them with the development of their mathematical knowledge.

At Wigmore Primary we believe that it is important that children are given the opportunity to see, explore, and understand the mathematical structures and patterns of times tables for real deep, embedded learning. We want our children to know their times tables really well and be able to apply these facts (and their inverse - up to 12x12). Being fluent in times tables facts means that working memory is freed up and leaves space to explore new mathematical ideas and solve more complex problems.

The EYFS Framework and National Curriculum for Maths (times tables objectives) aims to ensure that all pupils:

- 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.

- count in multiples of 2s, 5s and 10s (Year 1)

- count in steps of 2, 3, and 5 from 0, and in 10s from any number, forward and backward (Year 2)

- recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables, including recognising odd and even numbers (Year 2)

- count from 0 in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100; find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number (Year 3)

- recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables (Year 3)

- count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1,000 (Year 4)

- count forwards or backwards in steps of powers of 10 for any given number up to 1,000,000 (Year 5)

Planning and progression

Building up skills:

Step 1 – ‘Root facts’

Step 2 – ‘Root facts’ mixed up so no longer relying on patterns

Step 3 – Introduce tougher time restraints to encourage rapid recall (where appropriate)

Step 4 – ‘Root facts’ and inverses

Step 5 – ‘Root facts’ and any linked facts such as multiples of 10 or 100

Step 6 – Missing number problems