Redlands Primary and Nursery School

Mathematics at Redlands 

Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics.  Everything around you is numbers

Shakuntala Devi, Indian writer and mental calculator

 

Building a community of lifelong learners where everyone strives to be the best they can be - both as an individual and as part of the Redlands family - so that we can be proud of ourselves and our school.

Proud to be Redlands; Proud to be me.

 

Aims/ Intent

At Redlands Primary School, we strive to provide a mathematics curriculum which is accessible to all and which will maximise each child’s potential. In line with the national curriculum, we have five central objectives that we aim to develop within our pupils.

·       To become fluent mathematicians who can apply their arithmetic skills across a range of strands.

·       To be able to use this procedural fluency to become mathematical problem solvers who take risks and learn from their mistakes.

·       To be able to engage in mathematical reasoning using precise mathematical vocabulary to make connections across mathematical strands and explain their understanding of a concept

·       For children to be able to talk about their maths journey and apply these skills to other areas of the curriculum.

·       To develop resilience that enables all children to reason and problem solve with increased confidence.

Mathematics forms part of the school curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced curriculum to all children. Through our maths teaching, we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make progress. We do this by ensuring the level of support is differentiated through mastery while remaining challenging for each child. Marking and assessments help us to consider each child’s attainment and progress and to plan future lessons appropriately.

Implementation  

White Rose Maths

At Redlands, we base our pedagogy around the White Rose Maths Curriculum. White Rose Primary Maths resources are designed to instil a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts using a full range of fun, inspiring classroom activities. As a school we are committed to using White Rose Maths on a daily basis to inform teaching and learning as this approach helps students to develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts by moving from concrete representations (such as objects) to pictorial representations (such as diagrams) to abstract representations (such as symbols and equations). We use the White Rose booklets as a resource to allow teachers to vary starting points of the children based on assessment for learning at the start of the lesson.

Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract

At Redlands Primary School, we recognise the importance of using concrete apparatus whenever we introduce a new concept to the children. It is vital that children are able to be able to explore these concepts through the use of manipulatives. This approach is applied to support depth of understanding across calculations and mathematical concepts. Children then build upon this by using pictorial representations to be able to reason and solve problems. Once they are firmly secure with the pictorial method, children can move on to formal written methods using the abstract form. In this way we endeavour to give children a firm mathematical foundation from which to build. Daily maths lessons include fluency, reasoning and problem solving.

Big Maths Beat That

Children are individually assessed and rewarded with rapid recall of number bonds and times tables through Big Maths Beat That and, in some cases, times table challenges.

 

KS 2 Arithmetic Friday

Mental arithmetic refers to the practice of doing calculations in the head without using any calculator, device, or tools. After grasping math concepts and visualizing numbers, children are able to make correct calculations in their minds without writing down numbers. Children who master arithmetic techniques are more likely to succeed, not just in academics but also in their life. Every Friday morning, children will complete an arithmetic paper and then look at the strategies for answering key questions as a group.

Times Table Rock Stars

At Redlands, we use Times table Rockstars to develop and support children’s understanding of times tables in a fun and exciting way.

Times Table Olympics

At Redlands we are using Times Tables Olympics in Key Stage 2. This is to support children’s in school learning of times tables.

Homework

Homework is used to support Maths. This is set on a weekly basis in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Homework tasks are set according to the areas of maths each class needs to focus on. The homework is online based in EYSE and Key Stage 1- Number Bots and Times table Rockstars. In Lower Key Stage 2, children will complete Times Table Rockstars and in Upper Key Stage 2, children will complete Times table Rockstars and CGP exercise books in line with school curriculum.

 

Early Years Foundation Stage

In EYFS, we focus on developing a strong grounding in number so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. By the end of EYFS children are able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers. By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding - such as using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting - children develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. The EYFS curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. Children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and are not afraid to make mistakes and reason verbally; giving explanations for their thinking.

 

Impact

Every child engages in procedural fluency, problem solving and reasoning in each session and begin to be able to make connections between mathematical strands. We aim to develop resilience in children by providing opportunities to engage in challenging problem-solving activities which stretch them. In doing this, we strive to give children a strong foundation which will allow them to become confident mathematicians in the wider world.

Times Tables progression and Times Tables Rockstars (TTRS) at Redlands Primary and Nursery School

 

At Redlands, we firmly believe that learning and understanding times tables is a skill that underpins most elements of the mathematics curriculum. One key part of our school day is Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS); a website and app that helps our children to master their times table skills in a fun and challenging way. Times Tables Rock Stars is used regularly by the children throughout the week alongside the teaching of times tables within their daily Maths lesson.

 

There are two single player modes for children:

 

Garage – This is the main mode the children should play. TT Rock Stars works out which facts they take longer on and will give them more of these questions to answer.

Studio - the questions in the Studio can be anything from 2x2 up to 12x12. TT Rock Stars calculates each the mean speed from their last 10 games in the Studio and translates into a Rock Status.

 

Soundcheck and Gig games are used in school by the teachers for assessment.

 

Whoel School Times Table Progression

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Currciulum Journey - Mathematics

Mathematics Overview - Whole school

Mathematics Knowledge Progression