Curriculum area: Mathematics
Mathematics teaches us how to make sense of the world around us through developing a
child’s ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems. It enables children to understand
and appreciate relationships and pattern in both number and space in their everyday lives.
At our Academy we aim for children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics,
so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge
rapidly and accurately. We encourage children to reason mathematically by following a line
of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument,
justification or proof using mathematical language and to solve problems by applying their
mathematics to a variety of problems.
What this means in practice- what you will see
The teachers in a mathematics lesson will:
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Ensure lessons are meaningful and relevant to children. They will provide
opportunities for children to use their knowledge of basic mathematical concepts in
real-life situations and other areas of the curriculum to understand the importance of
mathematics in everyday life.
Provide children with a range of concrete models and visuals to support conceptual
understanding
Provide children with a range of manipulatives to develop conceptual understanding.
Develop in each child the correct use of mathematical vocabulary.
Ensure that each child experiences a wide variety of mental strategies, so that they
develop independence in selecting the most appropriate method for calculating.
Use a range of investigative and problem solving activities that promote reasoning,
justification and logical thinking.
Provide challenge for all abilities; low threshold and high ceiling activities.
Provide differentiation through resources and deployment of adults.
Respond to children’s learning and allow for progression through good subject
knowledge, careful assessment strategies and probing questions.
Scaffold learning with appropriate learning objectives and success criteria.
The children in the class will:
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Be confident to select appropriate resources and manipulatives to support their
learning.
Have opportunities to problem solve, explore and investigate a wide range of
mathematical concepts.
Be able to use mathematical language to discuss their ideas.
Be able to make connections in their learning through meaningful, cross curricular
and relevant activities.
Be able to learn in a variety of ways such as: learning partners, group work or
independently.
Pursue their own line of enquiries and explore what excites and engages them.
The mathematics learning environment reflects:
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A mathematically rich environment which draws on the maths around us.
Colour coded calculation displays of the 4 operations which are relevant to each year
group
A maths working wall which reflects current learning: modelling relevant
mathematical language, concepts, strategies and samples of work.
Mathematics targets displayed.
All classrooms must have on display: a clock, a number line, a bead bar and a place
value chart.
The children’s mathematics books:
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Will be clearly dated and include the Learning Objective and title (if relevant)
Will have targets set in the front/back of their book which are reviewed regularly by
both child and teacher; dated and signed each time it is met- must be met 3 times in
order to progress to the next target.
Show regular opportunities for children to work on their targets.
Will show evidence of the children copying mathematical vocabulary carefully into
their books (as is age/ability appropriate)
Will show the use jottings to support children’s learning
Will provide opportunities for them to make their own learning comment
Will be appropriately marked with advice given for next steps/‘green for growth’
comments which moves their learning forward, consolidate learning, or address
misconceptions.
Will be returned to the children in a timely manner to allow them to correct mistakes,
respond to next steps/‘green for growth’ comments and review / evaluate their
learning.