Frenchwood C.P. School
Curriculum Policy for MATHS
Maths is a tool for everyday life. It is a whole network of concepts and relationships which
provide a way of viewing and making sense of the world. It is used to analyse and
communicate information and ideas and to tackle a range of practical tasks and real life
problems. It also provides the materials and the means for creating new imaginative worlds
to explore.
Aims and Objectives
At Frenchwood Primary School we aim to:
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Promote enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning through practical activity, cross
curricular learning, exploration and discussion.
Develop competence and confidence in Mathematical knowledge, concepts, skills
and vocabulary in line with the National Curriculum Programmes of Study.
Develop the ability to think Mathematically, solve problems through decision
making, to reason, to think logically and to work systematically and accurately.
Develop communication skills and the ability to work independently and in cooperation with others.
Explore features of shape and space, and develop measuring skills in a range of
contexts.
Understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life and promote
mathematical thinking as a life skill.
Teaching and Learning strategies
We use a variety of teaching and learning styles in Maths lessons. Our principal aim is to
develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding, as well as a sense of enjoyment
for Maths
Each teacher provides a daily Maths lesson. Within these lessons there is a good balance
between:
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Practical activities and mathematical games
Problem solving
Open and closed tasks
Selecting from a range of methods of calculating eg, mental, formal written
methods and jottings.
Mental and oral sessions rehearse, sharpen and develop mental and oral skills.
The main teaching activity includes both teacher input and pupil activities
Children work in ability groups for maths, working at a level that is suitable for their
academic ability.
Children’s understanding of Maths is checked and assessed during every lesson through
questioning, written work and self assessment opportunities.
Maths walls and “talking tables” are evident in every classroom to help support children’s
understanding.
Children take home homework, which will build upon the skills they have
learnt/developed throughout the week, and are also expected to learn their multiplication
tables at home.
Curriculum Planning (includes N.C. programme of study, school themes & KLIPS)
Mathematics is a core subject in the National Curriculum and we use the new
mathematics strategy as the basis for implementing the statutory requirements of the
Programme of Study for mathematics. Our school plans are developed from the
Mathematics plans produced by the Local Authority in response to the DfE guidelines.
It is the responsibility of each class teacher to plan work for their class using the objectives
listed in the National Curriculum for Maths and KLIPS.
Our weekly teaching plans state the objective to be covered in each lesson and include the
methods in which the objective will be taught, including differentiated activities for each
group of children within the class.
Planning should include:
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A mental starter
Learning objective
Success Criteria
Teaching activity
Differentiated group work
Plenary activity
Assessment opportunities
Planning is collected and monitored by the maths subject leader and SLT.
Early Years Foundation Stage
The foundation stage teachers and support staff follow guidance in the appropriate
documents to plan a suitable engaging curriculum for the needs of our children.
We aim to help children to think of the world in mathematical terms. By ensuring that
mathematics is an integral part of school routine we consciously seek to transmit a positive
attitude to mathematics and enrich the child’s understanding of the world around him/her.
Children are encouraged to use mathematics creatively and systematically in both focused and
free play situations. These are planned so mathematics is perceived as useful, necessary and
easily applicable. Children will be provided with opportunities to extend their knowledge,
understanding and skills, as they work towards outcomes identified in the Early Years
Foundation Stage framework.
Inclusion (SEN, EAL, G & T)
Teachers will aim to include all pupils fully in their daily mathematics lessons. Children
with SEN are taught within the daily maths lesson and are encouraged to take part when
and where possible through a differentiated approach. Children’s IEPs incorporate
suitable objectives for Maths including PIVAT objectives where appropriate, and teachers
keep these objectives in mind when planning lessons.
When additional support staff are available to support groups or individual children, they
work collaboratively with the class teacher. Within the daily mathematics lesson, teachers
not only provide activities for children who find mathematics difficult, but also activities
that provide appropriate challenges for children who are high achievers in maths. Children
work to their ability. Teachers are encouraged to work across age related expectations
and differentiate.
In the daily maths lesson we support children with English as an additional language in a
variety of ways eg, bi-lingual support, emphasising key words and explaining vocabulary,
using picture clues, playing mathematical games and PECS.
Resources
Each class has their own set of mathematical resources, clocks, counters, cubes, money
and shapes. Larger resources are stored in either KS1 store room or the Maths subject
leader’s store room.
Frenchwood School owns 16 ipads for use in Key Stage One and 30 tablets for use in Key
Stage Two. Key Stage Two classes also have 5 netbooks in each class. These are used to
incorporate ICT skills within the mathematics curriculum
Assessment (includes assessment template)
Children are taught a variety of methods for recording their work and they are
encouraged and helped to use the most appropriate and convenient method of recording
(refer to the written calculations policy for addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division)
The quality of marking is crucial in maths. A simple “X” is of little assistance to a child
unless it is accompanied by an indication of where the error occurred, together with an
explanation of what went wrong or a modelling of the correct method.
Marking should be both diagnostic and summative and school policy believes that it is
best done through conversation with the child, but acknowledges that constraints of time
do not always allow this.
In order to aid progress the following methods are used at Frenchwood:
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Next step marking. This should be evident in children’s books 2-3 times a week.
This may include a challenge using bigger numbers, a word problem, a true/false
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statement, an inverse of the original question, etc. Children have time to respond
to next step questions either at the beginning of the next lesson or in R&R time
(KS2 only)
Praise. All teachers have access to a wide variety of stamps and stickers in order to
praise children’s efforts.
Self assessment. Children will self assess their maths work and may choose to
write a comment relating to what they found difficult, what they have learnt etc.
Children’s work may be annotated with “Evidence of level” to be used as evidence
for monitoring and assessment purposes.
Assessment in maths is a combination of ongoing teacher assessment and formal
assessment through Pips, Securing level documents, APP and KLIPS.
Children have targets in the front of their maths books and are aware of what they need
to learn in order to progress. This information is also shared with parents.
Monitoring and Review
The quality of mathematics lessons is monitored by the maths subject leader and the Senior
Leadership team through lesson observations, mentoring, coaching and team teaching.
Teachers planning and children’s books are monitored by the Maths subject leader and the Senior
Leadership Team.
Interventions are monitored by the Senior Leadership Team, Maths team, interventions team and
assessment co-ordinator (Deputy Head Teacher)
Progress meetings take place half termly between class teachers and the Head Teacher.
Teachers use ongoing assessment data, free school meals data, previous end of year levels and
knowledge of individual children to plan interventions.