Maths

Mathematics at Willesborough Junior School

At Willesborough Junior School, we are committed to providing high-quality teaching and learning of mathematics, providing a wealth of opportunities for all pupils. We aim to inspire children’s curiosity of mathematics encouraging them to pose their own questions making connections between their understanding of the subject and real life circumstances. As a school, we believe that securing a strong attainment in mathematics provides children with a greater grounding in understanding the world around them, further granting them access to a great breadth of opportunities in later life.

Intent:

· Children become fluent in the core areas of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time.

· Children can reason mathematically using mathematical language e.g. ‘I know that… therefore…’

· Children can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing confidence.

· Children are given all relevant opportunities to apply their subject knowledge in foundation subjects to further develop and consolidate their mathematical fluency and reasoning skills.

Implementation:

The teaching and learning of mathematics is a core element of the curriculum at the Willesborough Schools. Children are taught a lesson of mathematics daily with further opportunities given to engage in mathematics within the foundation subjects, where appropriate.

At Willesborough Junior School, mathematical concepts are progressively planned for using the White Rose Scheme. We teach maths lessons following a mastery approach to ensure children master mathematical concepts appropriate for their age-related expectation. In addition, the Willesborough curriculum is designed to promote reasoning, problem solving linked deeper thinking when pupils have mastered a concept.

In Key Stage Two, the approach to teaching mathematics incorporates the following principles:

· A maths lesson is taught every day.

· Arithmetic 5-a-day starter: allowing children to make rich connections between areas of learning and further consolidate fluency.

· Lesson inputs are pacey incorporating key questions to ascertain children’s prior knowledge and address any misconceptions. Teaching incorporates the CPA (concrete, pictorial, abstract) approach, as outlined in mastery teaching, showing children different representations of a given concept. When modelling, teachers use age-appropriate, progressive mathematical language and provide opportunities for children to actively engage (e.g. whiteboards or jotters).

· Once children are ready, the lesson moves onto the ‘Developed Learning’ section where skills of fluency, reasoning and problem solving are practised and embedded. At this point, lessons are differentiated to suit the needs of the individual child. Children complete the same task and differentiation is implemented through scaffolding, resources and adult support. Where appropriate, some children are provided time to develop their prior ‘essential knowledge’ through a task personalised to their learning ability on the same learning outcome. We aim for the majority of our children to be exposed to our ‘challenge’ activity, where they can strengthen the depth of their understanding when a concept has been mastered.

· Focused reasoning is a key part of our maths lessons – it aims to build children’s confidence, familiarity with mathematical language and gives them an opportunity to connect and apply their skills. All children are given the opportunity to engage in reasoning in some capacity.

· All maths lessons end with a plenary to summarise learning, address misconceptions or encourage deeper thinking. Mini-plenaries are used where appropriate to assess children’s understanding.

Impact

As a result of the mastery approach, carefully structured lessons and high quality teaching, we aims for our learners to make good or better progress in lessons and we aim to inspire them to have a love for maths.

Please click the links below to view our curriculum documents

Progression of Key Concepts in Calculation

Willesborough Schools Mathematics Curriculum Overview

Home Learning

During our school closure, our teaching staff pre-recorded lessons that the children could access at home.

Here are some examples of our pre-recorded maths lessons:

Multiplication Tables

At Willesborough Junior School, the teaching of times tables is at the heart of mathematics. A strong knowledge of multiplication and division facts up to 12x12 gives children a firm basis when working with number, lending itself across the mathematics curriculum. We believe that by incorporating a variety of interactive and engaging activities helps secure knowledge in Years 5, 6 and beyond.

Times tables are taught on a daily basis across the school, using a range of strategies. These include:

Games
Challenges
Chants – Active Times Tables
Songs
Times Tables Rock Stars

Times Tables Rock Stars

Times Tables Rock Stars is a tool which is used to supplement the teaching of times tables. In addition to the opportunities provided in school, all children should be using Times Tables Rock Stars as part of their home learning (3 times per week).

Times Tables Rock Stars is promoted every week in our celebration assembly. In these assemblies, battles are set up between classes and year groups for children to participate in. In addition, children are awarded in the following categories:

Fastest in each year group
Most coins earnt over seven days in each year group
Most improved in each group
Class battle winners

Please click below for our parent guide for further details.

Times Tables Rock Stars: Parent Guide

Home Learning Help:

Listed below are a selection of useful websites which may assist children in completing their home learning.

BBC Bitesize KS2 Maths https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
Maths is Fun https://www.mathsisfun.com/
Primary Maths Arena http://primarygamesarena.com/