Mathematics

Our Curriculum Intent

Mathematical skills are vital for all children in everyday life. Our vision and curriculum intent at Lickey Hills Primary School and Nursery is for all children to become fluent mathematicians, with the self-belief they can achieve this goal, having a deep and secure understanding of concepts to enable reasoning and problem solving in a range of contexts. We believe that all children can succeed in mathematics and our growth mindset approach is embodied in our Can-Do Kangaroo Maths Mascot. This character helps children to remember the positive messages we embody in our vision for mathematics. We intend that all children believe they can achieve excellence; that they can learn from both mistakes and challenge; and that they can experience a sense of awe and wonder as they investigate number, structure, space and change. With this approach mirroring LHPSN’s motto, ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’, we wish all pupils to leave our school with an enjoyment, confidence and love for the subject.

Our Curriculum Implementation

To achieve our vision, we have adopted a Teaching for Mastery approach to our mathematics curriculum. Children are guided along a coherent, small step journey together, using concrete, pictorial and abstract representations to explore concepts and build connections, with opportunities to both support and challenge thinking and reasoning. This approach ensures a deep, secure understanding for all, where differentiation is achieved by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention.
 

Our curriculum impact

To achieve our vision: for all children to become fluent mathematicians, with the self-belief they can achieve this goal, having a deep and secure understanding of concepts to enable reasoning and problem solving in a range of contexts.

What does Maths look like at LHPSN?

It is important to us that children enjoy Mathematics and see its relevance in everyday life, hence we try to design our lessons to be interactive and engaging.

The Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), we relate the mathematical aspects of the children’s work to the Development Matters statements and the Early Learning Goals (ELG), as set out in the EYFS profile document. Mathematics development involves providing children with opportunities to practise and improve their skills in Number and Numerical Patterns (ELGs). In addition, our curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills. 

Years 1 to 6

Our mastery approach is supported by the use of the ‘Maths – No Problem!’ programme across the school, along with a range of other resources to create further challenge and problem solving, such as White Rose, I See Maths and nRich activities. Each Maths lesson is planned to a carefully designed structure that first aims for children to explore new concepts under the close supervision of their class teacher, followed by an opportunity for guided practice before independent tasks. This allows for more successful learning, that is connected to existed knowledge and avoids misconceptions. 

In Maths, we are keen to focus on oral and mental calculation strategies, problem solving and investigational work rather than providing a multitude of mechanical pencil and paper based tasks. Written calculations are taught of course and though we are aiming for our children to be proficient in reliable and efficient methods we also want them to understand the Maths behind the procedure.

At LHPSN, we understand the importance for children in becoming fluent in procedures, concepts and key instant recall facts (KIRFs). In addition to our main Maths lessons, we provide daily opportunities for children to keep arithmetic skills ticking over and to practise and learn KIRFs. Having quick, accurate and efficient recall and application of these procedures and number facts to hand, vastly reduces cognitive load for our children, when they are challenged to solve more complex, unfamiliar problems. As well as daily practice in school, children are given further opportunity to secure these facts through weekly home learning tasks.

Mastering Number

As a school, we follow the NCETM Mastering Number programme in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. This project aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense (a deep understanding of number) for all children and an aim that over time children will leave KS2 with fluency in multiplication and division facts as well as flexibility with number. 

Times Table Rock Stars

Times tables are fundamental to support your children and underpin everything within Maths. As a school we have invested into Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) to support your child with their fluency and work towards automaticity with all times table facts. It is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master their times tables. Every child from Year 1 to 6 will have a login for this. 

Curriculum Corner

To gain an insight into Maths in action, take a look at our new Curriculum Corner article here: Maths Curriculum Corner Autumn 23 and one from last academic year by clicking this link: Maths Curriculum Corner Spring 23.

Useful Resources for Parents

Parent Videos– “Maths No Problem”

https://ttrockstars.com/- Times Table Rock Stars homepage