Maths
Maths Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum aims to inspire children to become mathematical thinkers and problem solvers, whilst ensuring skills for life are learnt. We use the Hampshire model in Years 1 through 6 to ensure that our curriculum is recursive and each strand of mathematics is taught and revisited across the three phases (3 terms). We have adopted this curriculum approach to ensure that the pupils have a chance to learn, develop and then master each strand as a result of regular return to the strands and not once in a 12 month period. We also use the CPA (concrete, pictorial, abstract) approach to our learning which is a highly effective approach to teaching that develops a deep and sustainable understanding of maths in pupils.
Our Early Years provision is the building blocks to our children’s understanding of numbers and concepts in maths whilst developing the joy of being a mathematician. We do not teach from a scheme as our focus is upon child development in maths and the observations of our needs. From this, we have created our own long term plans that meet the needs of our children. The curriculum is also recursive and ensures that topics are taught many times and built upon each time thus ensuring Early Learning Goals are achieved before transition into Year 1. The children are taught directly in discrete lessons and also through the continuous provision where they enjoy the maths corners and the outdoor spaces. During this time, they are encouraged to continue with their counting and pattern making using a range of manipulatives provided by the school and by nature. The SHREC approach (SHaring attention; Respond; Explore; Conversation) is used alongside shared thinking to really explore and talk about maths and ask those higher order thinking questions to really develop mathematical understanding.
Each lesson in KS1 and KS2 is based on the SOLO approach (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) and is a blend of fluency and reasoning. Using this approach allows for all children to access lessons at the right entry point for themselves so they build the skills and confidence to challenge themselves at the level to suit their needs (and ultimately ensures the maximal number of children accessing Age Related and Greater Depth materials). It also means that children are learning skills and mathematical procedures and then having the chance to apply them in a different context in lessons using our purple challenges. We also provide children with a further Blue challenge which is a harder challenge that may well take several lessons to solve.
Teachers use robust AfL to assess children’s understanding of the lesson objectives at the beginning of lessons in order to be able to allow those ready to begin work to do so independently and for those that need further input and support to continue to work with their teacher until they are also ready to work independently. Our teachers, with the support of TAs, use live marking which allows them to be responsive to the needs of the children through the lessons and then carefully plan interventions to address misconceptions and provide opportunities for pre-teaching or overlearning.
Assessments are carried out after each unit of work against the objectives taught in the unit. These assessments, along with teacher assessment at the point of teaching, are used to record progress in our trackers. These trackers are then used to identify children that may need booster group work to consolidate understanding of objectives not fully understood. When a unit of work is revisited in a later phase, these trackers provide information of where the children’s learning is at and ensures that the right entry point of teaching is provided for every child. More formal termly assessments are carried out that help to support teacher judgements of the children’s attainment.



