At Combs Infant School, we value maths as central to success in school, work and life. We recognise that mathematical learning is key for all young children and aim to deliver this through a broad, knowledge-based curriculum. Learning maths helps our children to solve everyday problems, organise their lives e.g. playing games, drawing a picture or managing money etc.
Mathematics is an essential life skill and is used as part of our everyday lives, therefore it is vital that children in early years and KS1 have plentiful opportunities to explore mathematical concepts in a variety of different ways in order to ensure firm foundations on which children can build and test their knowledge. We aim for our maths curriculum to engage, inspire and empower children through a rich knowledge of linked to science, technology and computing.
We aim to deliver a broad and rich maths curriculum, giving all children the opportunities to develop as mathematicians, exploring the world in which they live through number and pattern. All children will have the opportunity through both our curriculum and extra-curricular activities, to participate in a variety of mathematical experiences, exploring the value and importance of maths in our lives and our world.
Our maths curriculum has been planned to be ambitious and enables our children to learn and grow as mathematicians, developing a range of core skills, methods and knowledge required to solve problems confidently. It builds on prior learning and makes connections through our maths scheme- White Rose Maths, supplemented with other resources such as the NCETM materials, and any adjustments we feel necessary. Children use and apply maths skills daily, to solve problems and make connections with prior learning. We aim to lay strong mathematical foundations, using practical and pictorial problems, leading to more abstract problems. We want to build up to problem solving and really delve into the curriculum, going broad and deep so that children really understand concepts and strategies as well as methods.
By nurturing and fostering a love for numbers and a curiosity about how to solve problems, we aim to give all children the opportunity to develop a passion and love of maths. We want them to grow as talented and happy mathematicians who are not afraid to make and learn from mistakes, and can apply what they know, to many different situations, ready for lifelong learning.
Intent
At Combs Infant School, we follow the White Rose Maths Scheme alongside the National Centre of Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) Mastering Number scheme. We have an active approach to the teaching and learning of Maths, which enables us to respond to the needs of our children as they move from Nursery to Reception and then on to Year 1 and 2. In relation to Maths, this means that the teaching of mathematics is planned to be creative, practical and enjoyable.
We understand that maths is an important part of learning for all children both in the Early Years and KS1 and therefore we provide a broad, ambitious, knowledge-based curriculum based on a mastery approach so that children become successful in work and life. This includes teaching about numeracy and concepts such as subitising (perceptual and conceptual), counting, numerosity, how numbers behave in different ways (e.g. cardinal, ordinal, nominal) and unitising. These concepts are then built on, to develop an understanding about fractions, time, division, multiplication, addition and subtraction and problem solving. The curriculum has been carefully planned in order to build on prior learning to allow children to make connections.
Teaching staff have received maths training and all maths lessons are carefully planned for, so that teachers and teaching assistants have the correct knowledge in order to ensure that children are challenged and supported, as appropriate, scaffolding learning where required and gradually encouraging children to become more independent in making connections and using these to solve mathematical problems.
Children in our Nursery and Reception class follow our EYFS curriculum which is underpinned by the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework alongside Development Matters. We ensure that the children are immersed in mathematical concepts and vocabulary and that they have the opportunity to explore and embed these within their play. Staff continually assess the children against the Development Matters statements, which inform individual next steps, with the aim of ensuring all children meet the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) by the end of Reception.
In Key Stage 1 (KS1), children study a coherently progressive curriculum, which is ambitious for all children with objectives taken from the National Curriculum. The children are assessed daily through formative teacher assessment at the end of each lesson, as well as through written summative assessment at the end of each taught unit. These assessments together, form an accurate judgement of where each child is developmentally, and any areas in which interventions are required to support individual children, to achieve their full potential.
We encourage our children to play and explore with numbers, developing curiosity and resilience when faced with mathematical problems. We aim to foster a love of mathematics, providing opportunities for our children to grow as talented and happy mathematicians who are not afraid to make and learn from mistakes, and whom can apply their mathematical skills and knowledge in a variety of contexts.
Implementation
Our approach to maths, means teachers use their professional judgment to determine the activities, timing and organisation of mathematics input to suit objectives and the needs of the children in a broad range of contexts. These are contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding. Learning activities are ambitious and carefully selected to remove barriers and ‘lift the lid’ to maximise children’s learning.
Mathematics is taught daily, with the learning assessed and evaluated on a daily basis. Teachers check pupils understanding through questioning and effective marking that enables the addressing of misconceptions and the extension and application of knowledge, skills and understanding. Mathematics is taught, with an emphasis on concrete (practical) resources and visual images to develop children’s understanding and skills before moving on to abstract questions in KS1.
Children are taught the correct mathematical language to discuss mathematical concepts and explain their thinking. Children are taught how to use first their own and then standard notation to support their mathematical calculations and to record their mathematical thinking and methods.
All teachers ‘know where their children are’ through the use of assessment, prior learning, maths talk and ‘understand where their children need to be’ through a secure understanding of the mathematics curriculum.
Learning activities are designed and arranged to help all learners, through appropriate scaffolds and challenges.
The class teacher, key workers and Maths subject leader work together, to support staff with appropriate targets and ways of working for those pupils whose progress or attainment is below expectations and appropriate interventions are in place.
The classroom environment is set up to support children’s learning of mathematics with:
Impact
The impact of our high-quality Maths curriculum is that through our high expectations, by the end of KS1, children are able to achieve their full potential, with evidence of a deeper level of understanding for all learners. Children, including those with additional needs, are well prepared, for the next phase of their education and leave us as increasingly independent learners.
Children are proficient, competent and confident in recognising relationships and making connections in mathematics, and have an ability to solve related problems in a variety of contexts including everyday applications of the subject.
Children have positive attitudes towards mathematics and the vast application of mathematics in our world. Children feel pleasure and wonder, when they solve a problem for the first time, discover patterns, or notice connections and are increasingly independent recorders of their mathematical thinking and methods.
Mathematics is valued throughout the school.
Book audits, observations and interviews with children, provide strong evidence of children’s learning and progression.
EYFS End Points
By the end of Reception, children will have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number. They will be confident in subitising up to 5 and be able to automatically recall number bonds up to 5, and beyond, including some doubling facts. Children will have the ability to verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system. The children can compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater then, less than or the same as the other quantity. They will be confident to explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed evenly.
Key Stage One End Points
By the end of KS1 previous learning will be built upon further, as children are able to recognise the place value of each digit in two-digit numbers and can compose and decompose two-digit numbers using standard and non-standard partitioning. The children will be confident to provide reasoning about the location of any two-digit number, in the linear number system, including identifying the previous and next multiple of 10. They will be secure in fluency in addition and subtraction facts within 10, through continued practice. In regard to addition and subtraction, the children will be able to add and subtract across 10. They will be confident in recognising the subtraction structure of ‘difference’ and answer questions of the form, ‘How many more…?’, as well as adding and subtracting within 100, by applying related one-digit addition and subtraction facts: adding and subtracting only ones or only tens to/from a two-digit number. In addition to this, the children will have the ability to add and subtract within 100, by applying related one-digit addition and subtraction facts: add and subtract any two-digit numbers. The children will be confident in recognising repeated addition contexts, representing them with multiplication equations and calculating the product, within 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables. They will be accurate in relating group problems where the number of groups is unknown to multiplication or division equations with a missing factor. The children will confidently use precise language to describe the properties of 2D and 3D shapes, and compare shapes by reasoning about similarities and differences in properties.
Teaching and Learning
Teachers ensure that all children meet learning objectives in our progressive Programme of Study, which encompasses the objectives from the KS1 National Curriculum, through a discrete or specific approach to teaching and learning, as well as through cross-curricular learning opportunities.
Maths within EYFS provides opportunities to practically experience and explore number, shape, space and measurement through carefully planned child-centred learning environments linked to current themes and interests.
In Key Stage One, teachers ensure that the knowledge and skills children have acquired in EYFS are built upon. They will extend their knowledge of number and shape such as number bonds and patterns within numbers
Extra Curricula opportunities (clubs)
Children are provided with a vast range of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills and knowledge. They have opportunities to take part in a range of afterschool clubs which include Dance club (space) Gardening club (measurements such as height), Food club (measurements/quantities) as well as every day opportunities to notice and explore number.
Role of Subject Leader
The role of the subject leader is to:
Reasonable Adjustments
In all Maths classes there are children of differing abilities. At Combs Infant School we recognise this fact and provide suitable learning opportunities for all children. Teachers make reasonable adjustments through adaptive teaching, including; flexible grouping, level of support, equipment available (including technology), questioning and scaffolding. The SENCO and class teacher work closely together to ensure reasonable adjustments are made for all children.
Equality Statement
The Maths curriculum adheres to our school Equality Policy. It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure that all children are treated equally, regardless of their background, gender, race or ability. We are an inclusive school and teach Maths to all children respecting individual needs. The Maths curriculum takes into account issues of difference including: gender, race and ethnicity.
SMSC
Opportunities to promote children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is threaded throughout our Maths curriculum. Opportunities for children to work collaboratively whilst investigating for example, supports children’s on-going social development.
SMSC in Maths lessons
During Maths lessons children will:
How can you help with your child’s learning at home
Maths is all around us and children are constantly observing their surroundings. Help your children make sense of number around them by showing them maths in everyday activities e.g. weighing ingredients when cooking/baking, talking about time, looking at prices when shopping. Be it outdoors or indoors, draw their attention to objects or things happening around them to trigger their curiosity and encourage them to explore.
As they explore, children tend to generate many thoughts and ideas. Engage your children by inviting them to ask questions or by asking them questions.
Fun activities and games are great ways to engage children too. Check out some of these educational resources which you can try out together with your children:
