Maths

Mathematics Curriculum

Subject Leader for Mathematics: Miss Oakes

Vision and Intent:

At St Michael and St Martin Catholic Primary School, we believe that children should leave their primary education as confident, resilient mathematicians with a deep conceptual understanding of the skills and knowledge required to approach any mathematical problem. We intend for the children to first become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice.  

All children should achieve well academically by gaining the skills and knowledge that will allow them to be literate, numerate and problem solvers. Our aim is to enable all of our pupils to use Maths as a tool to make sense of the world through the use of rich, inspiring and challenging mathematical tasks. We aim to provide opportunities to think about maths beyond what is tested in national examinations and to be equipped with an understanding of mathematics that will be relevant and useful in their future studies and in the world of work. 

Implementation

At St Michael and St Martin, we follow Development Matters (EYFS) and the National Curriculum (KS1 and KS2).  By the end of Reception children must develop a strong grounding in numbers so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. During KS1 and KS2, children must become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and solve problems by applying their knowledge to a variety of routine and non-routine problems.

As a school, we believe in the importance of following the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach as a means to developing a solid understanding of mathematical concepts which can be applied in a variety of contexts through reasoning and problem solving challenges. From Reception to Year 6, we follow the White Rose scheme to support the children in learning the fundamentals behind the meanings of numbers and exploring other key mathematical areas of learning. 

Children participate in daily maths lessons where learning is sequenced into small steps to break down key areas of learning. This allows for progression in lessons and over time/throughout units, and also throughout year groups. Differentiation is achieved by emphasising this deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention. Adopting a mastery approach to teaching mathematics, focuses on developing deep conceptual learning to ensure secure foundations that pupils can build on throughout their education. 

Impact

As a result of our school vision, maths here are St Michael and St Martin provides opportunities and experiences for children to:

• Enjoy the subject and study it with confidence and a sense of achievement.
• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly 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. 
• 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.
• Apply their mathematical skills and knowledge to other areas of the curriculum.
• Understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life.

If you were to walk into a Maths lesson you will see:

• Enthusiastic and keen mathematicians
• Well-planned and confident teaching
• Passionate teachers encouraging the use of key mathematical vocabulary 
• Clear modelling examples of new concepts
• Use of concrete resources where applicable
• Children who are willing to take risks and think flexibly

Pupil Voice

How do the pupils at St Michael and St Martin Catholic Primary School develop the school ‘STRIVE’ values through Mathematics? 

 Our children strive to:

• develop deep thinking and question the way in which the world works, promoting their spiritual growth. 
• challenge themselves through the use of critical thinking and develop efficient and effective approaches to solve problems.
• take risks and challenge their mathematical thinking;  recognising that ‘FAILing’ is just a First Attempt In Learning which helps to facilitate their resilience.
• draw upon their knowledge and skills to tackle problems with independence.

• confidently share their thoughts and approaches, instilling within themselves that they are valued members of the class.
• show empathy towards their peers, establishing a safe and supportive learning environment.