Mathematics Policy
MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Mathematical development, including later numeracy, depends on becoming confident
and competent in learning and using key skills. This area of learning includes counting,
sorting, matching, seeking patterns and working with numbers, shapes and measures.
Mathematical understanding should be developed through stories, songs, games and
imaginative play, so that children enjoy using and experimenting with numbers,
including numbers larger than 10.
To give children the best opportunities for effective mathematical development,
practitioners should plan for:
Providing maths opportunities in all areas of the class, inside/outside
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Many different activities, some of which will focus on mathematical development
and some of which will draw out the mathematical learning in other activities,
including observing numbers and patterns in the environment and daily routines.
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Practical activities underpinned by oral development
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Activities which are imaginative and enjoyable
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Help for those children who use a means of communication other than spoken
English in developing and understanding specific mathematical language
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Opportunities to observe, assess and plan the next stage in children’s learning
Being flexible with our resources – use them for many different
purposes/activities
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Relevant training to improve practitioners’ knowledge, skills and understanding
Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance
We aim to develop confidence in mathematics by encouraging curiosity, questioning
and by developing the idea that number/maths is fun.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum mathematics is divided into:1. Numbers
2. Shape, space and measure
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1) NUMBERS
Used in everyday situations – house, building, streets, car registration numbers.
Numbers used to select television channels, microwave food etc. Children will begin to
recognise numbers and learn some number names. They will see number in the
setting, know how old they are and start to mark make to record.
Children should experience and learn about number through planned, adult led
activities, spontaneous activities and play. There are many opportunities for
matching one to one e.g snack time – counting and estimating/recording using tally
sheets: cups to saucers, cake to cake tin, plate to child, etc. More abstract
opportunities can be supported through board games and picture matching.
This involves saying number names in order, matching numbers to objects counted,
knowing that you use one number for each object you count and that the last number
you say gives the number of objects in the group, and later that counting involves
knowing that the number in a group is the same even if the objects are counted in a
different way. Counting will be carried out at every opportunity. Number rhymes
counting games, dice games, ring games will be used to re-enforce number
understanding and make it fun.
This section is about using numbers in practical contexts making logical deductions,
making estimations. Using the language of more than, less than. Asking questions –
‘who do you think is tallest/smallest’. It involves comparing numbers of objects [leads
to subtraction] combining numbers [addition] and sharing objects equally between
some children or grouping objects in 2’s or 3’s [division, multiplication], objects can be
actual objects or events like number of jumps.
2. SHAPE, SPACE, AND MEASURE
[2 Dimensional and 3 Dimensional Objects/shapes]
We believe that experiencing the properties of shapes is more important than the
naming of shapes, although the correct mathematical label for shapes will be used by
staff.
Shape
Children will develop an awareness of shape by recognising similarities and
differences and being able to distinguish the properties of shape [which will roll,
which will stay flat on a table, how many edges/face corners a shape has] It requires
being able to identify and name some familiar shapes in the environment, [shape of
windows, plates, cans of food, packets of cereal.]
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Space
Materials will be provided that fit together, take apart and build. Children will have
opportunities for problem solving through play and construction, junk modelling and
matching. They will be encouraged to talk about what they are doing and can be
encouraged to use some shape or positional language. Children will extend their spatial
awareness through handling objects inside and outside. Dance, movement, and gross
motor activities enable children to develop their awareness of themselves in space.
Building opportunities in the block room.
Measurement and Time
Understanding measure develops from activities such as packing, filling and emptying
bags and containers or making something fit. Measuring involves being able to
compare sizes and quantities. This can be by direct comparison [standard units] or by
finding something to compare it with [strip of paper for hat measuring]. A sense of
pattern, through measurement of time comes through talking about day and night
time, weekends, weekdays. A regular routine of the nursery session helps children
anticipate and plan (visual timetables/visual clues). Children will be able to compare
short periods of time with uniform non-standard units. [Large egg timer a
task/activity like pedalling around the track.] Activities like cooking, weighing,
balancing.]
Methods of Teaching
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Through individual opportunities to work with children during their play
Through adult led mathematical activities
Through small group teaching
As a response to environmental/locational/investigative activities at the
nursery
Through inside and outside activities
Through modelling
Progression will be developed through
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Weekly and termly planning
Individual targets for children
Through observation, monitoring and assessment
Through delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
Assessment and Record Keeping [refer to policy]
Opportunities for staff to moderate judgements
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[Guidance Assessment with exemplars]
 Entry assessment current level of understanding
 Assessment through observation systems in the Nursery aligned with delivery
of the planned curriculum
Evidence to substantiate child’s progress
 Planned observation
 Conversations with children
 Recordings – photo’s, video
 Samples of work
 Analysing the ‘evidence’ to decide on the implications and responding to them
through the planning process
 Pupil progress is recorded in yellow files and transferred onto assessment
sheets.
Reporting to Parents
 Informal opportunities to share achievements
 Formal opportunities to share pupil progress
 Photographic evidence of children’s mathematical experience in children’s
books to share with parents
 Written reports that give a summative account of pupil progress
Reference to other policies:
All foundation stage curriculum area policies
Teaching and learning policy
Assessment and record keeping policy
Reviewed; January 2014
Review: January 2017
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RESOURCES FOR MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Large/small boxes, beads, buttons, pegs, plastic containers, bottle tops.
Leaves, flowers, stones, twigs, conkers, collections of objects for sorting/classifying.
Large/Medium/Small bricks
Sand, water, clay, dough and equipment that develops this play
Cookery equipment and ingredients
outdoor activities
P.E. opportunity
observing growth of plants
sets of graded objects
art straws/pipe cleaners
number jigsaws
money/food items for shopping
purses/shopping trolley & list
growth charts
books including counting and rhyme
pictures, posters & friezes
puzzles, board games
charts
computer software programmes
measuring equipment, scales, balance
number lines – adjustable and fixed
climbing apparatus indoors/outside
printing blocks and collage material
mirrors
Soft Toy Maths
ICT equipment e.g. remote control/programmable toys
MATHEMATICAL RESOURCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT
house numbers
size, tags, labels, tickets
car number plates
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clocks, egg timers
calendars/birthday charts
MATHS SONGS (NEW RESOURCE)
Maths in the Foundation Stage Curriculum – reference material
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