Linthwaite Ardron CE (VA) Junior and Infant School

Maths

INTENT

The intention of our maths curriculum is that children are taught to become competent and independent mathematicians. At Linthwaite Ardron, we use the Power Maths programme. Power Maths is an exciting whole-class mastery approach. It has been designed to support and challenge all pupils, building on the belief that every child can become a successful mathematician.

The philosophy behind Power Maths is that being successful in maths is not just about rote learning procedures and methods, but is instead about problem solving, thinking and discussing. We want our children to build a deep understanding of mathematical concepts which will enable them to apply their learning in different situations. Through mathematical talk, children will develop the ability to articulate, discuss and explain their thinking. We will provide the children with the necessary resources to allow all children to access the curriculum and encourage them to use this where appropriate to explain their logic and reasoning.

IMPLEMENTATION

At Linthwaite Ardron, we recognise that children need to be confident and fluent across each yearly objective. To ensure consistent coverage, teachers follow the Power Maths to support their planning from Year 1-6. Within EYFS, the children follow the White Rose scheme of learning. Tentown resources are also used to improve number recognition and formation. High quality resources are used in conjunction with Power Maths, such as concrete resources and NRich and NCETM resources to support, stretch and challenge all children within the classroom. In addition, the school’s calculation policy is used to ensure a coherent, consistent approach to teaching the methods of calculation across our school.

Every maths lesson is divided into sections that involve plenty of discovery, sharing, collaboration, practice and reflection. Power Maths includes practice questions to help children develop fluent recall and their conceptual understanding. Children are also encouraged to solve problems each day through the use of concrete resources, pictorial representations and abstract thinking.

Discover – Each lesson begins with a problem to solve, often a real-life example, sometimes a puzzle or a game. These are engaging and fun, designed to get all children thinking.
Share – The class shares their ideas and compares different ways to solve the problem, explaining their reasoning with hands-on resources and drawings to make their ideas clear. Children are able to develop their understanding of the concept with input from the teacher.
Think together – This is a journey through the concept, digging deeper so that each child builds on secure foundations while being challenged to apply their understanding in different ways and with increasing independence.
Practice – Children practice individually or in small groups, rehearsing and developing their skills to build fluency, understanding of the concept and confidence.
Reflect – Finally, children are prompted to reflect on and record their learning from each session and show how they have grasped the concept explored.

How do we support and challenge our pupils?

There are a range of fluency, reasoning and problem solving questions in each lesson that are designed to support the different needs and confidence levels within a class. Each lesson includes challenge questions for those children who can delve deeper into a concept.
We use manipulatives and representations to support learning and to deepen children's understanding.
Appropriate mathematical vocabulary is used and supported by the learning environment and teacher questioning.
Children who may have misconceptions of a concept are supported through 'strengthen' activities.
Challenge for pupils grasping concepts quickly is provided through depth and breadth of experience and 'deepen' activities.

IMPACT

As a result of our maths teaching you will see:

Engaged children who are appropriately challenged
Lessons that use a variety of resources to support learning
Different representations of mathematical concepts
Learning that is tracked and monitored to ensure children make good progress

Summative assessment takes place at the end of each term and children’s progress and attainment is discussed with senior leaders during pupil progress meetings. Formative assessment takes place on a daily basis and teachers adjust planning accordingly to meet the needs of their class. Monitoring takes place regularly in the form of lesson observations, learning walks and book scrutinies.

Please click on the links below for further information and documentation.

Linthwaite Ardron Calculation Policies

Maths Curriculum Overview

Maths Progression Mapping