Maths

Maths at Gaddesby Primary School

Please find our curriculum map here

At Gaddesby Primary School our approach to the teaching of mathematics aims to equip children with the confidence and thinking strategies to tackle practical and problem-solving situations in everyday life. Our maths curriculum develops a mastery approach, which we believe will allow children to achieve high standards. Using well-developed lessons from White Rose Education, adapted by teachers using a range of other supporting materials, pupils work through small steps developing fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Teachers are committed to ensuring that children are able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently in a range of different contexts. We strive to raise standards across the school and provide more opportunity to revisit fluency skills and reasoning tasks.  Throughout lessons, pupils will be appropriately challenged and supported through varied fluency, reasoning and problem-solving activities. Irrespective of personal starting points, children will explore maths in depth, and use a range of mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their methods and make links.

Teaching and Learning

In EYFS, we use the White Rose scheme of work alongside mastering number from NCETM. This approach is taken for children to master number. The teaching of maths is built upon the White Rose Education scheme of work which underpins the Educational Programme for Mathematics (DfE March 2021). Lessons involve lots of mathematical thinking and talking, are often practical, interactive, playful and inclusive with support and challenge from adults in class sessions, small groups and working with individuals. There is a combination of adult-led, teacher taught sessions as well as a wealth of stimulating continuous provision opportunities when adults scaffold learning through skillful interactions and questioning. Specific skills are taught in whole class maths mastery lessons and teacher guided practical activities that allow children to use, enjoy, explore, practice and talk confidently about mathematics.

White Rose Maths supports the small step progression of our lessons from Year 1 to Year 6. This works alongside the National Curriculum as it breaks objectives down.  There is a focus on working efficiently and accurately.  Children use a wider range of mathematical vocabulary and are expected to articulate their reasoning about mathematics clearly, using precise mathematical language and sentence stems.

Children are given the opportunity to explore mathematical concepts in many different contexts.  This variation helps to develop mastery and develop mathematical reasoning.

Ongoing assessment takes place within each maths lesson, including effective marking and feedback. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention. These are fed into subsequent planning to ensure the gaps in the children’s learning are diminishing.

PIXL assessments, are used to identify gaps in knowledge. These ensure precise teaching and targeted focus for all children in whole class teaching sessions and smaller intervention groups.

At Gaddesby, we want all children to experience challenge and success in mathematics by developing a growth mindset and learning to take a risk. Children can underperform in maths because they think they can’t do it or are not naturally good at it. Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in maths. Engaging activities help to promote the enjoyment of maths. Regular and ongoing assessment informs teaching to support and enable the success of each child with carefully scaffolded and challenging activities. These factors ensure that we are able to maintain the high standards we strive for as a school and the children experience achievement and a secure understanding of the fundamental skills needed in maths throughout primary school and to prepare them for the next stage of their education.