Mathematics
Our Maths Curriculum
All pupils can achieve in mathematics! At Kingshurst Primary School, it is our belief that pupils are not learning to be mathematicians but that they are mathematicians.
Intent:
We aim to equip pupils with the tools to understand Maths. These tools include reasoning, problem solving and the ability to think in abstract ways. Mathematics is integral to all aspects of life; with this in mind, we strive to ensure that our children develop a healthy and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics that will stay with them and support them in the next stage of their education and beyond.
At each stage of learning, children are actively supported to reach their full potential as mathematicians.
Implementation:
We follow the White Rose scheme of learning, a typical Maths lesson provides the opportunity for all children, regardless of their ability, to become confident and capable learners. We are committed to building on prior learning and enabling our children to demonstrate a deep, conceptual understanding of each topic that they can develop over time. They are encouraged to develop fluency in their recall of key facts and a whole school approach to the teaching of calculation strategies is deployed across the school. This ensures a consistent and progressive approach and prepares our children for the upper key stage 2 curriculum. Reasoning and problem-solving skills are explicitly taught to enable children to become independent learners who are prepared to take risks. Additional time is allocated to arithmetic to ensure key skills in calculation are retained. The teaching of multiplication facts continues to be a discrete focus, where the applications of these skills are essential for accessing other areas of mathematics. To make the learning relevant, cross-curricular links are made wherever possible and children are encouraged to apply skills from all areas to complete real-life challenges and give learning a sense of purpose.
Maths in Key Stage 1
In Years 1 and 2, the focus of Maths is to ensure the children develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This often involves working with numerals, words and the four operations (+ - x ÷). The children should be precise in using and understanding place value and know number bonds to 20.
The children also develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes. The children will use a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities (such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money).
Kingshurst Primary School is taking part in the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) project to support the teaching of basic maths skills in our school. This project aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense (a deep understanding of number). Each class, in KS1, has a daily ‘Mastering Number’ session in addition to their maths lesson. Over the year, the children will experience using a range of resources and representations, including a small abacus-like piece of equipment called a rekenrek. Click the links below to find out more about this fantastic resource.
Our Y2 pupils are prepared for KS1 SATs
Maths in our Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4)
In Years 3 and 4, the focus is to ensure the children become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations (including number facts and place value). Pupils should also begin to develop efficient written and mental calculations with increasingly large whole numbers.
Children should begin to develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including simple fractions and decimal place value. The children should begin to develop mathematical reasoning to help them analyse shapes and their properties and confidently describe their relationships.
By the end of Year 4, children should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 times table and be able to show precision and fluency in their work.
Pupils in Year 4 are prepared for the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), from 2020 onwards.
Maths in our Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6)
In Years 5 and 6, the focus of Maths is to ensure that children extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. Pupils should be able to make connections between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.
Children should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems that demand the use of efficient written and mental methods of calculation. Children are introduced to algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems.
The children’s understanding and knowledge in geometry and measures consolidates and extends the knowledge they have developed in number; children should be able to classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties, using the vocabulary they need to describe them with accuracy and confidence.
Our Y6 pupils are prepared for KS2 SATs.
Impact:
The impact of our Maths curriculum is that at the end of Key Stage 2 our pupils achieve and make progress in line with other pupils nationally, evident through:
- Fluency in their recall of key number facts and procedures
- Accuracy in the formal calculation methods for all four operations
- The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics.
- The ability to recognise relationships and make connections in mathematics
- The confidence and resilience to reason mathematically and solve a range of problems.
