Intent

“The only way to learn maths is to do maths.” Paul Halmos

At Outwoods we offer an approach to mathematics that enables the children to feel confident and safe in their learning. Our skilled teachers ensure that fluency and resilience are taught in a practical and creative way utilising cross curricular links. Embedding fluency and mastery skills, we develop the children’s ability to apply their knowledge across more complex real life problems. Children are encouraged to use their understanding and organisation to be able to talk and explain how they have solved problems. A real understanding and love of maths flows through Outwoods and is embodied in the children’s attitudes and experiences.

By adopting a Mastery approach, it is also intended that all children, regardless of their starting point, will maximise their academic achievement and leave Outwoods Primary School with an appreciation and enthusiasm for Maths, resulting in a lifelong positive relationship with number.

Implementation

In the Early Years, the children follow the Mastering Number scheme from the NCETM, supplemented by ‘White Rose’ for other areas of mathematics, such as shape and measure. This gives firm foundations of good number sense for children in Reception. Year 1 and 2 also follow the Mastering Number scheme as part of their daily fluency lessons. From Year 1 to Year 6, children follow the scheme of ‘White Rose’ which supports children in learning the fundamentals behind the meanings of numbers and exploring other key mathematical areas. Our maths curriculum is also supported through the implementation of resources from ‘I See Reasoning’.

• Using prior knowledge as a starting point for planning and teaching, we plan lessons which require all pupils to make good progress.
• Concrete manipulatives and pictorial representations are used to support conceptual understanding and to make links across topics.
• Progression documents are carefully used to ensure that children are not being stretched outside their year group but rather deepened within it.
• Assessment informs the teaching and learning sequence, and children work on the objectives they are assessed as being at.
• Formative assessment within every lesson helps teachers to identify the children who need more support to achieve the intended outcome and who are ready for greater stretch and challenge through planned questioning or additional activities.
• Children who are not making the required progress are given extra support through intervention and/or support in class.
• Times tables play an important part in our maths learning, with children developing their fluency in rapid recall of tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of year 4. While the rapid recall of times tables are being developed, children are also learning how to apply and manipulate their understanding of this to reason and solve problems.
• Children are assessed formally on a termly basis.

Impact

• Well planned sequences of learning support children to develop and refine their maths skills.
• Children are able to independently apply their knowledge to a range of increasingly complex problems.
• Children are reasoning with increased confidence and accuracy.
• Children are happy learners who talk enthusiastically about their learning and are eager to further their progress in maths.
• The impact of ‘mastery’ and the emphasis on accurate use of mathematical language is evident during class/pupil discussions.
• Children demonstrate quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of the times tables.
• The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics.
• Children show a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of their work.
• Most children reach end of year expectations.