Mathematics at Park

At Park, we have designed our maths curriculum to:

• Meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and Early Years Framework

• Be rich in knowledge that is meaningfully connected to what children already know

• Build a strong understanding of big ideas such as place value over their time at Park

• Develop empathetic citizens of now and the future, equipped and empowered to make a difference in an ever-changing world

• Secure automatic recall of key facts, written methods and mental strategies

• Develop children’s ability to think creatively and flexibly when reasoning and problem solving

To achieve these aims, our subject leader has planned what will be taught in each year group and set this out in a long-term plan.   To achieve the aims of our maths curriculum, we put a great emphasis on the teaching of number and calculation, beginning every year group with a focus on place value as this underpins your child’s understanding in these key skills. We carefully check that the long-term plan is followed so that your child learns about all areas of maths in the Early Years Framework and National Curriculum over the year.

We take mastery approach to teaching maths at Park, encorporating the 5 big ideas of coherence, representation & structure, mathematical thinking, variation and fluency

To be sure that our curriculum is working for your child, we regularly check whether they have gained the knowledge set out in our maths curriculum.  Within lessons, we set up short activities to check what they have understood and remembered.  Where children show they have not understood or remembered some key learning, we will make adaptations for them within the lesson and change our planning for future lessons to address this and help them remember more.

At the end of the unit, we check whether children have remembered all of the key learning for the unit.  We make a summary judgement as to whether they have met the National Curriculum expectations for their year group or are on track for their Early Learning Goal.  We will inform you of your child’s maths attainment in their mid year parents’ meetings and end of year report. There will also be regular chances to come into school to look at their books see what they have learned. 

From the end of year 1, we also use national standardised tests to check what your child has remembered. We analyse their performance by analysing the questions they have answered correctly and those they have struggled with so that we can take action to give then further learning opportunities in areas where they have gaps in their understanding. We will also let their next teacher know, so that they can plan to meet your child’s needs in the next class.

Our maths subject leader and senior leadership team regularly review the assessments made in maths, look at your child’s books and visit their lessons to check whether our curriculum is working to help your child master key mathematical understanding.  We use this to reflect on what has been taught, how it has been taught and make further improvements to our curriculum.

We follow a set structure in our maths lessons that help children build deep understanding of maths and grow in their independence as mathematicians. Our lesson structure is:

• A starter activity to correct a misconception from the previous lesson or to activate prior learning that is needed for the lesson

• Teacher modelling, using maths equipment (called manipulatives) and images to model mathematical thinking and vocabulary

• Independent practice for children to try the method the teacher has taught them, using the same manipulatives and images the teacher has to structure their thinking. Adults work closely with cildren to see if anyone needs any additional support before moving on

• Reasoning and problem solving: oncechildren are fluent in the skill, they will apply them to probelms that will support them to think creatively and flexibly

At Park, we use the White Rose materials throughout school to support this model as it provides a coherent structure throught the school

Children in F2-Y2 have an additional 15min ‘Mastering Number’ session 4-days a week. This session aims to build their flunecy and confidence in numbers to 20, using strategies other than counting in ones. Children focus on one strategy at a time, such as subitising (recognising small qunatities without counting), doubling or breaking the number into 5 and ‘a bit’. You may hear your child talk about a rekenrek which is a small 20 bead abacus that we often use in these sessions

Being confident and efficient in written calculations is really important for success in maths so we start every morning with practice or core calculation skills. Our children in Y3 and Y4 also have daily activties to support them to learn their timestables. Children in Y4 complete a times table check where theyare given 25 times table questions (up to 12x12) and 6 seconds to answer each, using an electronic device. We will inform you how your child performs in this statutory assessment. Further information is below

Y4 Multiplication Check Information for Parents

If your child is in EYFS, as well as their teacher-led taught sessions, we develop their mathematical thinking and vocabulary through their play. We carefully plan our environment to include activites that will provoke this sort of play and adults will enhance your child’s play by playing alongside them and modelling the next step in their learning