Maths

Intent

The intent of our mathematics curriculum is to provide our pupils with a foundation for understanding number, reasoning, thinking logically and problem solving with resilience so that they are fully prepared for the future. It is essential that these principles of Mathematics are embedded throughout all strands of the National Curriculum. By adopting a Mastery approach, through the use of White Rose Maths it is also intended that all pupils, regardless of their starting point, will maximise their academic achievement and leave St Patrick’s Primary with an appreciation and enthusiasm for Maths, resulting in a lifelong positive relationship with number.

• Our maths Curriculum will develop secure building blocks for the development of mathematical understanding, reasoning and problem solving. 
• Pupils will develop skills in fluency, mathematical reasoning and problem solving, through well taught progressive steps. 
• As part of their maths journey pupils will build on their previous learning, both within and between year groups. 
• Progression documents in Maths National Curriculum objectives, recall facts and problem solving will underpin planning. 
• Pupils will follow a concrete - pictorial - abstract approach in their learning. 
• They will develop skills of resilience and determination in their work and will be able to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. 
• Our intent is that children will aspire to, and be able to achieve, the National curriculum objectives for their year group. 
• All pupils will have positive attitudes towards maths, they will be engaged and motivated to be able to achieve their true potential.
• We want pupils to know that Maths is essential to everyday life and that our children are confident mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks. 
• Our pupils will be fully developed independent learners with inquisitive minds who have secure mathematical foundations and an interest in self-improvement.

 Implementation

Our implementation is developed through secure understanding of the curriculum and subject area.

• Using prior knowledge as a starting point for all future planning and teaching, we plan lessons which are required for all pupils to make good progress. 
• Lessons are engaging and follow a cycle of planning, to ensure that we can evidence progress over short and long periods of time.
• Maths lessons are designed with a concrete – pictorial- abstract (CPA) approach, providing our pupils with the scaffolding required to access the learning at all levels, including SEND. 
• They will be taught in line with the sequenced blocks of teaching specified in the White Rose Maths Hub schemes of work, which focuses on depth rather than acceleration, ensuring that key concepts are fully grasped before moving on.
• Lesson starters will allow children to revisit, consolidate and extend learning in a range of mathematical topics. 
• Well-targeted questioning will assess understanding and challenge mathematical thinking. 
• Formative and summative assessment will enable the next steps of learning to be planned for, with analysis of any tests the children complete is undertaken and fed into future planning. Summative assessments are completed at the end of the academic year (White Rose Maths/TestBase Assessments).
• Links with other curriculum areas will be made as appropriate- including data handling in science and representing data using computer programmes. 
• Class display, working walls, connections models and targeted resources will support and enrich learning. 
• Quality First teaching will enable all pupils to make progress and will be enhanced through appropriate CPD and training, along with subject monitoring and supportive subject leadership.
• If appropriate evidence based interventions and small group or 1:1 support will be used in addition to QFT to enable all pupil groups to develop confidence and progress.
• The Maths leaders have clear roles and overall responsibility for the progress of all children in Maths throughout school. Key data is analysed and regular feedback is provided and discussed at pupil progress meetings to inform on progress and future actions.

We encourage the use of Times Tables Rock Stars and Numbots at home to support the fundamental times table recall. MyMaths is also used to set homework weekly.

 Impact

A mathematical concept or skill has been mastered when a pupil can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations. 

• Most pupils will achieve end of year expectations for their year group.
• Pupils will have a positive and engaged attitude towards maths.
• Pupils will be ready to progress to the next stage of their maths learning. 
• Pupils will be confident in applying their maths skills in a range of familiar and unfamiliar contexts. 
• They will be resilient in their work with a “can do” attitude and will talk enthusiastically about their maths learning. 
• Pupils will have made connections within their maths learning, but also with how their learning relates to the real world. 

We measure impact by the triangulation of learning walks, work scrutiny and pupil voice, as well as this we carry subject leader and teaching staff discussions – where areas for development are discussed, and whole school foci are collaboratively developed. The outcome of this work forms a basis for the coming year’s action plans, and evaluation of impact.

 At St Patrick’s, we believe that every child can succeed in maths. We provide a curriculum where children have access to maths that is both challenging and enjoyable. We provide opportunities for children to use maths in the real world such as; enterprise week, charity collections, geography field work and many others.

The National Curriculum outlines that all children should:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasing complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions

Our school follows the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract)  approach when solving calculations.

Concrete

Children use equipment to represent and manipulate calculations physically. They do this in a range of different ways. Showing children multiple representations allows teachers to identify any misconceptions or gaps in their learning. This hands on approach starts in the early years and continues right the way up into Year 6 where children may be seen using equipment to help them solve complicated fractions questions! It is vital that children understand what is happening with numbers in a calculation, we do not want children follow a set of rules without a deep understanding.

 Pictorial

Once children have mastered manipulating equipment to represent calculations, they move on to drawing pictorial representation of equipment. This provides children with the understanding of what is happening without the need of equipment.

Abstract

This is the 'end goal', the formal, written method for calculations. For example, column addition or subtraction. We only want children to use this approach when they are secure with the first two stages. This is to ensure that they fully understand what is happening with numbers.

Our Maths Learning

Addition - Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract