Maths – Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent:

At St. Patrick’s Catholic Primary School and Nursery School we aim to deliver a progressive, inspiring and engaging Maths curriculum. We encourage our children to be confident and competent mathematicians; who enjoy exploring ideas and making connections.  We are committed to ensuring our children are successful in the three core areas of Maths; fluency, reasoning and problem solving, relating Maths to real life scenarios to deepen their understanding and knowledge of the world around them.  Our Maths mastery approach allows children to discover and deepen their understanding in small manageable steps; supporting children with practical equipment, representations and key vocabulary. Assessment, pre-teaching and same day intervention in Maths supports whole class teaching and daily progression for all children. Maths is promoted on a cross curricular basis when applicable, within other topics and subjects. We support and encourage retention of Maths concepts by offering supplementary morning maths tasks, online Maths games and mental maths sessions.

Implementation:

Maths lessons

Our Maths lessons follow a mastery programme predominately following Power Maths. This enables us to learn together as a class following small steps and objectives within each topic. The children have the opportunity to ‘have a go’ in the ‘Discover’ section of the lesson. We promote the use of practical equipment, representations and key vocabulary within the session. We encourage the use of a stem sentence to promote the consistent use of language and key vocabulary in every session. The questions and activities relate to real life Maths scenarios, encouraging children to discuss Maths in the world around us. We explore their ideas and highlight any misconceptions which can be tackled at this early stage. After sharing ideas, methods and answers we move onto ‘Think Together’. This involves episodic learning with input from the teacher and the children exploring the questions and addressing any misconceptions, to deepen the children’s understanding.  The children then complete questions related to the objective independently, with staff supporting and assessing their progress as they complete the questions. Challenge in the form of ‘deep dive’ questions are offered throughout the session; to deepen children’s learning whilst giving other children the opportunity to complete the relevant questions. Assessment, pre-teaching and same day intervention are in place to support children as necessary.

Maths Morning Task

Morning tasks at the start of the day enable the children to retain and remember all areas of Maths which they have learnt in the past, are learning now in the present and will learn in the future.  We feel it is important to ensure the children have constant access to all Maths topics so they retain the skills and have a broad knowledge and understanding. The morning task also helps with assessment, informing the need for any pre-teaching that may be required, on a whole class or one-to-one basis, before we introduce the next topic.

Classrooms and school environment

Classrooms all have working walls which display Maths vocabulary, key concepts and children’s work. Maths equipment, resources and dictionaries are accessible in classrooms, for staff and children to access independently as and when required.

Times tables

Times tables are taught using fun interactive card games from ‘Tackling Tables’ and video dance clips from BBC super movers. Times tables tests are carried out weekly to promote fluency in mental maths and interventions introduced if children need further practice or support. Maths homework bookmarks are completed, signed by parents and placed in a termly prize draw. ‘Tackling tables’ and ‘Times tables rock stars’ questions are completed in school to promote fluency and retention of skills.

Online Maths Platforms

Children have access to ‘Mathletics’, ‘Times Table rock stars’ and ‘Tackling tables’ online, within school and at home. These games/activities boost arithmetic and general Maths skills, allowing children to practice their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills in a fun and engaging way. These platforms help children to achieve, retain and remember their Maths skills across a range of topics, whilst further deepening their knowledge. In our weekly celebration assemblies, we announce leader boards for Mathletics, printing certificates as rewards on a weekly basis.

Maths competitions

Alongside the online platforms and Maths bookmarks we offer children opportunities to complete termly maths challenges and enter the national ‘Primary Maths Challenge’.

Impact:

• Independent and confident mathematicians who have been supported and challenged within fluency, reasoning and problem-solving.
• Children that are confident with a range of maths concepts, reasoning and problem-solving, using diagrams, equipment and written methods to support their understanding. This is shaped from a mastery curriculum, teaching in small steps with continuous assessment within morning tasks, lessons and same day intervention.
• Children who are fluent within times tables and mental arithmetic; with interventions for children who needed extra support.
• Mathematicians who use maths vocabulary orally, supported by the use of stem sentences and modelling of key vocabulary.
• Regular assessments at the end of topic and term showing progression and good progress from their individual starting points.