‘Confidence in numeracy and other mathematical skills is a precondition of success across the national curriculum.’ (National Curriculum, 2014, p. 9)

Mathematics is a creative discipline that transcends cultural boundaries. Our aim is for it to be taught as part of a rich and progressive curriculum, where we plan and sequence mathematical lessons carefully, to build upon previous learning, and secure new learning successfully. 

We plan for all pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practice so they develop conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems. Children who grasp concepts rapidly are challenged through rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those not sufficiently fluent with earlier material consolidate their understanding through additional practice before moving on. Our exceptional adult-pupil ratios make sure all pupil-groups have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

Our Aims

At Mugginton CE Primary School, we aim to help all children reach their full potential in Mathematics. Fundamental to our maths teaching are the following aims:

• Taking the ‘fear’ out of mathematics. We promote enjoyment and enthusiasm for the subject by delivering lessons with clear, attainable objectives, celebrating successes and supporting pupils with areas of difficulty.

• Appreciate the importance of mathematics in daily life and to future life-chances. Wherever possible, we encourage children to use and apply their learning in everyday situations (such as time-management and money-use).

• Develop a secure foundation of thorough understanding of the number system and numerical knowledge (for example, place value) in preparation for secondary school.

• Through daily practice, we expect every child to be able to swiftly recall times tables facts and use written methods to multiply, divide, add and subtract numbers with accuracy and efficiency by the end of their primary school career.

• By celebrating success and through effective planning, teaching and evaluation, we encourage pupils to develop greater independence, resilience and determination to succeed.

• All children are taught and encouraged to develop logical thinking and reasoning skills through the use of effective ‘real-life’ problems. Children who master new concepts rapidly are continually challenged to broaden their understanding through rich and increasingly complex written problems.

• Children at risk of falling behind their peers are identified quickly and additional support work is planned, implemented and reviewed on a termly basis.

• Through effective questioning, teaching staff assess individual pupil’s procedural and conceptual understanding and can subsequently identify those requiring additional support so all pupils keep up.

• Promote positive attitudes to maths amongst parents.

 In line with the National Curriculum our Mathematics teaching has three core aims

1) Ensure ALL pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practice.

2) Encourage children to reason mathematically. This is achieved by following lines of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.

3) Ensure that children can solve problems by applying their mathematics to problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems in to a series of simpler steps.

It is strongly emphasised that our pupils be able to ‘move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas’ and that ‘rich connections’ should be made between mathematical ideas. We believe children must develop secure understanding of fundamental numerical and arithmetical content before moving on to more abstract concepts. Children not sufficiently fluent in earlier material consolidate their understanding through additional practice before moving on. Children who grasp concepts rapidly are challenged through rich and sophisticated problems (termed ‘Reasoning’) before any acceleration through new content.

Curriculum objectives for Years 1 - 5 are separated into 7 domains, 4 of which have a number focus:

1) Number & Place Value 
2) Addition & Subtraction 
3) Multiplication & Division 
4) Fractions

The 3 remaining domains are measurement, geometry and statistics. By Year Six, the four number operations are grouped together under a single domain heading and additional focus on ratio and proportion and algebra is introduced.

Implementation

At Mugginton Church of England Primary School, our maths curriculum follows the sequence of White Rose Maths. This sequence has been refined by our highly skilled staff to meet the needs of every child in our care. Additionally, they have created a Progressive Skills Document where objectives for each year group are progressively mapped out to ensure our pupils are given the acquired skills and knowledge to further enhance their education journey into mathematics at Key Stage 3 and beyond.

Maths at Mugginton

All pupils take part in a daily maths lesson following the teaching sequence outlined on White Rose - adjusted based on the needs of our children.

All children will be exposed to a Fluency based activity, set at age related expectations. Examples of fluency-based activities include:

• Number Club

• Reciting Times Tables

• Number of the Day

• ‘Big Maths’

• Number Grid Challenges

• Times Table Rock Stars App

• Kahoot! quizzes

• Games such as ‘Times Table Shoot-Out’

Children are exposed to a wide range of fluency style questions within a range of everyday contexts often recording these in their books in a traditional manner in order to ‘over-learn’ key number/arithmetical skills. Pupils progress to applying their skills within reasoning and problem solving style questions, ending their sequence with an increasingly complex challenge or investigation.

Tackling progressively difficult problems, which draw upon learning and skills from many mathematical areas, is what we intend children to be confident and efficient at doing by the end of Year Six.

Teachers will seek to take advantage of opportunities to make cross curricular links. Staff will plan for pupils to practice and apply their skills, knowledge and understanding acquired through maths lessons in other areas of the curriculum.