Barford Primary School

Intent

At Barford Primary School, we believe that developing mathematical skills is an essential foundation to a child’s development. Maths enables children to make interconnections in everyday life and transfer and apply skills in different contexts. Maths is the foundation for understanding the world and our mission is for our children to know the purpose behind the learning and to apply their knowledge to their everyday lives. It is a powerful, universal language used to explain, predict and represent events and tackle everyday problems. Mathematics is of central importance to our modern society. We embed basic skills and encourage children’s use of explanation and understanding of different concepts. Verbal reasoning and use of manipulatives throughout the school gives children a stable foundation to progress with their mathematical learning. We want all children to enjoy their maths learning and succeed in all they do.

Implementation

We have implemented the Mathematics Mastery approach, which provides a firm basis for developing mathematical skill. At Barford Primary, we teach using White Rose Maths, from EYFS to Year 6, which provides a spiral curriculum for teaching Mathematics across the school.

Maths lessons take place on a daily basis:

EYFS

Adult led maths sessions are timetabled and taught each day. This daily session, based on the mastery-based scheme of learning, aligns with the statutory framework for EYFS 2021. Teachers lead each session using practical resources and activities.

In addition to the core adult led maths sessions, maths is further developed in children’s interactions in the wider continuous provision.

Year 1 – 6 Daily Maths Lessons

In Years 1 to 6, daily maths lessons are taught using White Rose Maths. Every lesson contains an element of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. In Year 1 this is done through verbal reasoning, manipulatives and pictorial representations, progressing to Upper Key Stage 2 where most reasoning and problem solving is presented through a written process.

In order to emphasise the processes of fluency, reasoning and problem solving, children actively mark their progression within Maths lessons within the margin of their book. An agreed format is then followed to allow children to demonstrate clearly their understanding and then refer back to their learning. See Appendix 1 - Maths Expectations – Books and Presentation of Our Learning

Each lesson is taught around a carefully prepared ‘Can I?’ question – selected to clearly identify the learning for each lesson. These ‘Can I?’ questions are selected from the small steps provided by White Rose. At the end of each lesson, children will have the opportunity to reflect on their learning in two ways. Firstly, they will complete their Key Learning Points (KLPs) – a new addition to our Maths lessons in September 2023, which allow children to reflect on the learning for that lesson and pinpoint key elements they need to remember from the lesson. Teachers will encourage pupils to return to KLPs when revisiting the maths focus KLPs are designed to help children to make the next steps in their learning and aid them to commit learning  to their longer-term memory. In addition, each child will self assess at the end of the lesson using Barford’s agreed symbols. Complete triangles in purple pens show children have assessed themselves as meeting the ‘Can I?’ question for the lesson. Partial triangles show children feel they have not met the learning intention. Similarly, triangles in green show that the teacher judges the work to have met the learning intention (‘Can I?’) for that lesson whereas partial triangles demonstrate that the child has not fully met the learning intention. Next steps opportunities are set for the start of the next lesson to support pupils progressing further. See Barford’s Feedback Policy.

At Barford Primary, we have access to White Rose Maths resources to support teaching Maths. These resources (including PowerPoints -Teaching slides, true/false questions and worksheets) can be used in lessons but should be adapted by the teacher to ensure the needs of their class are best catered for.  White Rose Videos are not to be used for teaching of maths in school.

We also firmly believe that resources, in particular manipulatives are VITAL for supporting teaching and learning. Manipulatives should be used across school and can be used for all children. In order to encourage the use of manipulative in our lessons, Maths Bays have been set up in each classroom, situated underneath the Maths learning wall. These manipulatives will be modelled by adults and children are encouraged to self-select from the maths bays to support their learning.

Arithmetic Sessions

In addition to daily Maths lessons, Years 1-6 have additional arithmetic sessions timetabled to aid with the teaching and learning of basic skills. During arithmetic sessions, teachers select concepts to cover based on their assessment for learning – including areas arising from QLA. These sessions are also used for teaching and learning of times tables. Teaching of times tables is supported by the use of Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS).

Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS)

TTRS, launched in school in September 2023, is used both in school and at home to develop rapid recall of facts. In school, worksheets are used at least 3x per week, giving the opportunity for children to develop their speed of recall. Each week an online session is set up for homework and children are directed to complete this in the first instance before accessing additional online modes for pleasure.

Year 4 pupils will partake in the TTRS Officially Unofficial MTC (OUMTC) 3 times during the year. This will provide valuable preparation and support for the MTC. QLA will be gathered by teachers following each OUMTC to support the setting of next steps for individuals.

Daily Counting

Number confidence is promoted through the use of a Daily Counting session. Counting every day is used to introduce the daily maths lesson as a warm up and is an opportunity to explore number at an appropriate level for the group of children.

Impact

Assessment of White Rose units through End of Unit Assessments

Assessment is carried out regularly through the use of White Rose End of Unit Assessments. The assessments are used to monitor how well children have understood a unit of work and to identify any child needing additional support in an area of learning. End of Unit Assessments are used alongside other forms of assessment to inform next steps for teaching i.e. subsequent arithmetic lessons may be used to cover areas of need.

Summative Assessment using White Rose Assessments and SATs Papers.

White Rose assessments, which reflect the content delivered in Maths sessions, are used in Years 1, 3, 4 and 5 as a means of assessing what each child has achieved each term. In Years 2 and 6, teacher’s assessments are informed using SATs papers from previous academic years alongside teacher’s knowledge of each child as an individual. SATs Papers are used at least termly.

Statutory Assessment

Statutory assessment of Maths is undertaken in Year 4 through the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) and in Year 6 through the SATs.

Barford Primary School Mathematics Policy