'Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country.'

~ David Hilbert ~ 

Intent

At St. Margaret’s Primary Academy, we aim for our pupils to enjoy maths, become fluent in the fundamentals and understand how our mathematical knowledge can be used to understand the world around us. To achieve this, we intend for children to know and comprehend core number sense competencies so they can understand what numbers mean, improve their performance of mental mathematics and develop the tools to engage with maths in the outside world.  Our curriculum focuses on teaching conceptual understanding, skills proficiency and the ability to problem solve using mathematical reasoning. 

Mathematics supports many of our everyday activities, from making decisions about our personal finances to being able to read train timetables so we arrive at our destinations on time. Therefore, a good understanding of maths is essential in a world filled with the need for calculations, measurements, graphical interpretations and statistical analysis. 

Implementation

The content and principles underpinning the 2014 Mathematics curriculum and the Maths curriculum at St Margaret’s Primary academy reflect those found in high-performing education systems internationally, particularly those of east and south-east Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China.

To ensure whole school consistency, we follow the White Rose Scheme of learning and carefully constructed long-term overviews, which ensures learning is sequenced effectively, builds on previous learning, and provides opportunities for consolidation and revisiting of previously taught concepts. This sets out the small steps needed to build our mathematical competence and confidence and ensures that, by the time our children leave for high school in Year 6, that they are well-prepared and ready to take on the next steps in their mathematical journey. 

How do we teach maths?

At St Margaret’s we follow the aims of the new maths curriculum, which has reasoning, fluency and problem-solving at its heart. Therefore, we encourage deeper understanding and mastery of maths; not just whizzing from one new idea to another without stopping to understand and think hard. 

Fluency 

Fluency involves a focus on the children's efficiency, accuracy and flexibility when carrying out mathematical calculations. It involves them knowing why they are doing what they are doing and making appropriate choices based on this knowledge. 

Reasoning 

A focus on children's mathematical processes and understanding will enable the development of children's ability to reason mathematically. These concepts need to be held separate from the final product that children are being asked to achieve. A move from describing to explaining to justifying is one way in which children are challenged to reason about maths. 

Problem Solving. 

This involves the children being able to apply the maths they know to a variety of different situations. 

What is maths used for in life? Solving problems!

• ‘Which is a better deal? That 3 for 2 offer… or buy one, get the second half price?’

• ‘How can I make sure I don’t buy more rolls of wallpaper than I will need?’

• ‘Will that wardrobe fit in the back of the car?’

• ‘The recipe says the cake will feed four, but I’m having 10 friends over for my party! How much of each ingredient do I need?’

So that’s where we start…learning where the hidden maths is in problems we might encounter, then solving those problems using skills we have learned, or are learning.

CPA 

CPA is an approach to teaching mathematics which is based on the work of Jerome Bruner (1960). Bruner believed that children's conceptual understanding develops through three stages of representation: enactive, iconic and symbolic (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract respectively). Bruner suggested that each of these stages built on the previous one; however they are not age-related.

At the concrete level, children are exposed to a range of manipulatives e.g. dienes, Numicon, Unifix etc and they use these objects as a 'hook' into the learning. 

At the pictorial level, the focus is on using visualisation and drawings to help embed the learning. The use of the bar model to help solve problems is an example of this. 

At the abstract level, children will be using efficient methods such as column addition to solve problems. 

What’s New?

Understanding numbers, calculation, and fractions are our priorities here at St Margaret’s. Calculators are only used by children who already know how to work fluently with numbers, in order to deepen their understanding. More advanced concepts, such as very large numbers, fractions, algebra, ratio, and proportion arrive earlier on. Pupils tackle Roman numerals in Year 3 and times tables up to 12x12 are back. Some of what Years 5 and 6 will be learning now, used to be ‘high school maths’. But we are ambitious for our pupils and have already planned our maths curriculum to deliver all this.

How can a parent or carer help?

When you’re out and about, give your children genuine problems to solve! How much is…? How far is…? What time…? Or even, ‘Are we there yet?’ and ‘How much longer?’

Contact

Pop in after school or make an appointment, and your child’s teacher will be happy to talk to you about the strategies they use to teach maths at school and how you can make a difference at home.