MATHEMATICS

Mathematics is essential to everyday life. Through teaching and learning in this area we aim to ensure that all pupils become confident and fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time.

Our teaching programme is based on the Primary National Curriculum and sets out what children learn on a year-by-year basis in the areas of:

• Number – place value; addition & subtraction; multiplication & division; fractions, decimals and percentages;
• Measurement;
• Geometry – properties of shape; position & direction;
• Statistics.

The mathematics curriculum content is split into declarative, procedural and conditional knowledge.

• Declarative knowledge: consists of facts, formulae, concepts, principles and rules; it can be prefaced with the sentence stem, ‘I know that…’.
• Procedural knowledge: involves recall as a sequence of steps... includes methods, algorithms and procedures - everything from long division and ways of setting out calculations in workbooks, to the familiar step-by-step approaches used to solve quadratic equations. It can be prefaced with the sentence stem, ‘I know how…’.
• Conditional knowledge: gives children the ability to reason and solve problems.
• Useful combinations of declarative and procedural knowledge are transformed into strategies when children learn to match the problem types that they can be used for. It can be prefaced with the sentence stem, ‘I know when…’.

To ensure whole consistency and progression, the school uses the White Rose Maths scheme. Our curriculum details the core facts, concepts, methods and strategies that give pupils the best chance of succeeding in the subject. New concepts are shared within the context of an initial related problem; which children are able to discuss in partners. This initial problem-solving activity prompts discussion and reasoning, as well as promoting an awareness of maths in relatable real-life contexts that link to other areas of learning.

Linked facts and methods are taught in an order that helps pupils to build on their existing skills and knowledge. Sequences of learning allow pupils to recall the facts and methods they need in order to be successful at different types of problem-solving. In KS1, these problems are almost always presented with objects (concrete manipulatives) for children to use. Children may also use manipulatives in KS2. Teachers use careful questions to draw out children’s discussions and their reasoning. The class teacher then leads children through strategies for solving the problem, including those already discussed. Independent work provides the means for all children to develop their fluency further, before progressing to more complex related problems. Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time. Each lesson phase provides the means to achieve greater depth, with more able children being offered rich and sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks, within the lesson as appropriate.

We understand the importance of maths in life and are committed to ensuring that every child leaves our school with confidence in the subject and a sound mathematical knowledge.  We teach daily maths lessons in the classroom, and also outside, taking account of every type of learner and making maths fun and engaging at all levels.  

Foundation Stage (EYFS/Reception)

The children in our Reception (Foundation Stage) class follow the Early Years and Foundation Stage Curriculum EYFS. The focus of mathematical teaching and learning for this age group is very practical to ensure that the children are fully engaged while learning the initial concepts through role play, dressing up, storytelling etc.

Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2)

In Key Stage 1 the children continue to build on the skills and knowledge gained in Foundation Stage.  They learn about number bonds, how to count, read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond, where appropriate. Through practical activities children explore and gain a better understanding of shape and space and through talk they begin to grasp and use mathematical language. By the end of Year 2 they start to use the written methods of calculation.

Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

By Key Stage 2 children are becoming much more confident and fluent with numbers, calculating mentally and using written methods. They increase their understanding of the links between the four mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and how to use that knowledge to check calculations. Children are given every opportunity to link their mathematics to “real life problems.”   

Why Is Mathematics So Important?
Mathematics equips children with a uniquely powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. These tools include logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and the ability to think in abstract ways. As such, mathematics is a creative discipline. It can stimulate moments of happiness and wonder when a child solves a problem for the first time, discovers a more efficient solution to a problem or suddenly sees hidden connections.

Throughout history, mathematics has shaped the way we view the world. The early study of astronomy demanded the expansion of our understanding of mathematics and made possible such realizations as the size and weight of the earth, our distance from the sun, the fact that we revolve around it, and other discoveries that allowed us to move forward in our body of knowledge without which we would not have any of our modern marvels of technology.

Mathematics remains as important today.  Many life stages and skills require a solid grasp of mathematics, from entering university to balancing a household budget, applying for a home loan, or assessing a possible business opportunity. When children eventually leave education and seek out a career, they will inevitably need to call upon the mathematical skills and strategies they have learnt at school. They will soon realise that many careers require a solid understanding of maths. Doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals use maths on a daily basis, as do builders, plumbers, engineers and managers. Maths is a critical skill for many professions and opens a world of opportunity for children.

Mathematical Knowledge

Declarative knowledge

• Teachers create the best possible start for pupils by closing the school-entry gap in knowledge of the early mathematical code: facts, concepts, vocabulary and symbols;
• We teach core facts, formulae and concepts that are useful both currently and also in the next stage in learning;
• We help children to develop their recall of core declarative knowledge, rather than having to work things out, guess or look for clues.

Procedural knowledge

• Younger children are taught mathematical methods that encourage them to use recall over derivation;
• Older children are taught efficient, systematic and accurate mathematical methods that they can use for more complex calculations and in their next stage of learning;
• Teachers help children to use these methods to see new connections of number, geometry and time;
• Children are encouraged to use core mathematical methods, rather than resort to guesswork, look for clues or attempt to use trial and error.

Conditional knowledge

• Children are taught topic-specific strategies and how to match these to different types of problem;
• Confidence is grow using linked facts and methods that are the building blocks of strategies, before strategies are taught;
• Teachers encourage children to use core, systematic strategies, rather than resorting to guesswork or trial and error.

Meeting pupils’ needs

• New content builds on the knowledge and understanding that children have previously acquired;
• Curriculum progression is planned intentionally, rather than happening by choice or chance.
• Rehearsal sequences align with curriculum sequences;
• Children who are at risk of falling behind are given more time to complete tasks and additional scaffolding/adaptions, rather than different tasks or curriculums. This helps them to commit core facts and methods to long-term memory.

My New Knowledge (MNK)

Teachers understand that it is not possible for children to develop proficiency by emulating expertise, but by emulating the journey to expertise. Therefore, systematic instructional approaches are incorporated into all stages and phases and teachers deliver content in line with the planned curriculum (helping children to avoid relying on guesswork or trial and error).

 Big Maths: CLIC

BIG Maths is a teaching approach that makes progress in maths easy and fun. BIG Maths has been extremely successful both nationally and internationally with thousands of children learning through daily BIG Maths ‘CLIC’ sessions and the weekly ‘Beat That!’ challenges.

Big Maths firstly answers the question, ‘How do we get children properly numerate as they journey through school?’ It provides us with an accurate and simple, but highly effective, framework that guarantees numeracy progress. This framework is known as CLIC (Counting, Learn Its, It’s Nothing New and Calculation) and is characterised by accurate steps of progression (known as Progress Drives) that make new learning easy and obvious to children by cashing in on the timeless natural laws of Maths.
 

BIG Maths is therefore a rigorous, systematic and structured approach that provides children with a fun and lively experience as they learn through jingles, songs, games and the BIG Maths characters.

Big Maths puts the child at the
heart of the learning experience.

Don't be surprised if your children come home talking about Clic, Pom, Pim, Squigglesworth or Count Fourways. They will be talking about Big Maths which is being introduced throughout Whitchurch Primary.

Big Maths helps children to understand the links between core numeracy (the basic principles that underly all maths) and outer numeracy which is the application of these core principles.

C L I C Sessions

CLIC stands for ‘Counting’, ‘Learn Its’, ‘It’s Nothing New’ and ‘Calculation’. Maths lessons contain each of these elements.

Counting:

Children will count forwards and backwards in all kinds of steps depending on their level e.g. in 1s, 2s, 3s, 6s or even 25s! When practising counting at home with your child, make sure you go forwards and backwards. Don’t always start at 0 – make sure they can count on from 75 to 106 for example.

‘Learn Its’:

‘Learn Its’ are addition facts and times tables facts. There are 72 Learns Its in total; 36 addition Learn Its and 36 multiplication Learn Its. These are facts that children need to learn off by heart, so when they are asked ‘What is 6+4 ?’ they are able to give the answer as quickly as they would be able to tell you their name. As soon as they know 3x5=15 they also know 5x3=15 (This is known as a ‘Switcher’).

It’s Nothing New:

This is the most important aspect of CLIC. It is the way children become successful and properly numerate. The idea that 5-things and 3-things are always 8-things is a fundamental concept. Once children understand this concept, we can change the ‘thing’ to other units, e.g. ‘tens’, so that 5 tens + 3 tens = 8 tens. Children begin to learn the concept by counting random unit e.g. bananas, aliens, cats etc. It then becomes much easier to use standard

measures such as ml, m, cm, kg, whilst understanding the underlying number concepts.

Strange phrases such as ‘Jigsaw Numbers’, ‘Smile Multiplication’ and ‘Where’s Mully?’ are all part of this section of Big Maths.
 

Calculation:

This aspect of CLIC is when the teacher will focus on developing the children’s understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Big Maths maps out which steps children should do in a clear order and helps teachers to identify where to go back to if a child needs extra support.

 

Let's meet some of the
BIG Maths Characters!
 

Big Maths Beat That is a weekly timed test of your child’s Learn Its. The aim is to improve their individual score each time!

Here is an example:

How can you help your child?

Big Maths is a very useful tool to help children become numerate… but we still need your support at home.
 

• Help your child practise their Maths at home – a few minutes a day is all you need.
   

• Insist that numbers are written the correct way round.
   

• Congratulate your child if their Big Maths score goes up!
   

• Make maths a positive experience (Don’t tell your child you were no good at maths when you were at school – they will think they should be the same!) 

By the time they leave Claypole, children will:

• have a positive “give-it a go” attitude towards mathematics and resilience to stick with it when learning gets tricky;
• be fluent mathematicians, able to manipulate numbers in order to solve problems;
• understand a wide range of mathematical representations and can use these to support problem solving;
• know addition and subtraction facts for numbers up to 20 and can use these to derive others;
• know multiplication facts to 12 x 12 and can use these to derive other multiplication facts and associated division facts;
• are able to reason through describing, explaining, convincing, justifying and generalising mathematical ideas.

Useful Links for Mathematics

The internet is a rich resource of games, puzzles and activities to support and consolidate learning at home. This is especially true with Mathematics!  At school, we strive to incorporate within the teaching and learning of maths a variety of ICT based interactive resources that help to bring maths alive!  Many of these applications also serve to place the learning in a meaningful context that the children can relate to. As such, they are an invaluable resource that can be dipped into for free at home!  With this in mind, we have listed below a handful of the more effective educational sites on offer:

http://www.mathszone.co.uk/using-applying/
A fantastic site! A wealth of games and activities organised by curriculum area, i.e. shape and space.

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/
Another great site from a primary school in Kent! Lots of games organised in a very child friendly way.

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/numeracy.shtml
Brilliant site! Lots of games and an excellent revision unit – KS2 Bitesize Maths.

www.counton.org/games
An innovative site that includes the classic game – ‘Who wants to be a Mathonaire?

www.mathplayground.com
A U.S educational site with some great games. Try out ‘Pumpkin Multiples!

www.rainforestmaths.com
A very colourful site from Australia with some excellent interactive games!

www.crickweb.co.uk
Free online education resources and games.

www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/index.html
We offer mathematics in an enjoyable and easy-to-learn manner, because we believe that mathematics is fun.

www.oxfordowl.co.uk
An award-winning free website packed with expert advice, top tips, ebooks and activities to help you support your child's reading and maths at home.