Maths

Without Mathematics there is nothing you can do. As everything you do is mathematics, everything is numbers.

S. Devi

Pure mathematics is its own way, the poetry of logical ideas.

Albert Einstein 

At Van Gogh Primary, we believe that  maths is magical. It is everywhere and we can’t survive without it – it is an essential part to everyday life. Throughout their school journey, children will be taught Effective Maths in order to develop an understanding of numeral fluency and  mathematical concepts. Through teacher input, partner work, questioning and suitable challenges we encourage children  to develop their own reasoning skills, which in turns equips them, with a wide range of skills to master a concept.  During lessons  they are encouraged to seek patterns and make justifications, using the appropriate language to empower them to become confident speakers and  critical mathematical thinkers.  

Key Curriculum Principles

1. Deliberate practice: Children should be taught deliberate practice, using varied and frequent skills, such as My Turn Your Turn (MTYT), teacher input, partner work and Whole Class Choral Response (WCCR). These skills should increase in complexity which develop their conceptual and procedural understanding of maths.  Children, through these techniques should be taught to master mathematical skills, numbers and to reason efficiently. 

2. Retrieval: Children should be taught to retrieve past learning, in order to make connections between different blocks in effective maths. They should be encouraged to make links between their learning and  be shown how to make justifications in order to  reason effectively. All children  should be exposed and encouraged to use a high level of mathematical oracy every lesson in order to  seek mathematical  patterns  and generalisations whilst developing coherent arguments.

3. The bigger picture: As a school we use Effective Maths which means all lessons follow a narrative, children should be taught and exposed to a wide range of lessons, problems and challenges  that increase in complexity, allowing them to build clear and progressive connections with their long term memory.  Children should be taught to  seek independence and  perseverance to create solutions which in turn, allows children to become well rounded mathematical thinkers.  

IMPLEMENTATION

How is Effective Maths taught in KS1?  

In KS1,  lessons are taught every day in a sequential order, teachers are expected to teach procedural and conceptual instructions  which embed learning through WCCR and partner work/talk. Children are expected to jot down their  recordings onto A3 sheets and peer assess their partners' work. It is expected that children show collaborative leaning on their partner sheets everyday. Children are expected to complete the independent tasks in their books or on the sheet provided dependent on the lesson. Children should be encouraged to use mathematical vocabulary in lessons, both verbally and written. Suitable challenges such as questioning should be taught throughout the lesson which promote children to reason effectively. 

How is Effective maths taught in KS2

In KS2,  lessons are taught every day in a sequential order, teachers are expected to teach procedural and conceptual  instructions which embed learning through WCCR and partner work. Children are expected to jot down their  recordings onto A3 sheets and peer assess their partners' work. It is expected that children show collaborative leaning on their partner sheets everyday. Children are expected to complete the independent tasks in their books or on the sheet provided dependent on the lesson. Children should be encouraged to use mathematical vocabulary in lessons, both verbally and written. Suitable challenges such as questioning should flow throughout the lesson which promote children to reason effectively. 

SEND and Inclusion

Depending on the year group effective maths is adapted for the learners needs. Children are expected to access their current curriculum however this may include brigingin from other year groups this includes learning about the fundamentals of mathematics for example counting, numbers and calculations.  Resources are expected to be used to aid learning and promote independence.  

Feedback and Assessment of learning

Feedback and assessment are implemented throughout a lesson, firstly via verbal feedback, questioning, teacher teaching, whole class response and partner work.  A3 sheets are used for partner work to allow teachers to to quickly assess any spotlight children. Challenges are used to promote good recall of past learning as well as end of unit tests. 

Staff professional learning

Professional learning days, observations, shadowing and book looks are used to develop and promote opportunities of good practise and consistency across the school. 

Cross curricular links

Links are made through subjects where possible for example in science where children are observing over time. 

Curriculum Overview