Mathematics

School Policy

January 2016

Head Teacher: Mrs Olivia Bates

MISSIONSTATEMENT

We at Totternhoe Lower and Pre-School, strive for excellence in education by providing a safe, secure, caring family environment, where all are valued and respected as individuals, enabling them to reach their full potential, whilst growing in their love and understanding of the Christian Faith.

Totternhoe Lower and Pre-School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and visitors to the school to share this commitment

Policy statement

Mathematics teaches children how to make sense of the world around them through developing their ability to calculate, reason and solve problems. It enables children to understand relationships and patterns in both number and space in their everyday lives. Through their growing knowledge and understanding, children learn to appreciate the contribution made by many cultures to the development and application of mathematics.

Aims

At Totternhoe Lower and Pre-School we aim that our numeracy curriculum should result in numerate pupils who appreciate the power of mathematics in everyday life. It is therefore our aim that they should

  • Have a sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system;
  • Know by heart number facts such as number bonds, times-tables, doubles and halves;
  • Use what they know by heart to mentally figure out answers;
  • Calculate accurately, both mentally and with pencil and paper, drawing on a range of calculation strategies;
  • Recognise when it is appropriate to use a calculator and then do so competently;
  • Make sense of number problems and recognise the operations needed to solve them;
  • Have strategies for checking their answers to judge whether they are reasonable;
  • To be able to explain their methods and reasoning using correct mathematical terms;
  • Suggest suitable units for measuring, and make sensible estimates of measurements;
  • Explain and make predictions from numbers in graphs, charts and tables.

This is aligned with the school’s aims and objectives to continually raise the standard of achievements of pupils across all subjects.

Objectives

  • To promote enjoyment of learning through practical activity, exploration and discussion
  • To promote confidence and competence with numbers and the number system
  • To develop the ability to solve problems through decision-making and reasoning in a range of contexts
  • To develop a practical understanding of the ways in which information is gathered and presented
  • To explore features of shape and space, and develop measuring skills in a range of contexts
  • To understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life
  • To develop initiative and the ability to work independently and in conjunction with others as part of group lessons

Teaching and Learning Style

At Totternhoe Lower and Pre-School we use a variety of teaching and learning styles in mathematics. Our principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding to allow them to use and apply mathematics in a range of situations to a deeper level of understanding for their age. During our daily lessons we encourage children to ask, as well as answer, mathematical questions. They have the opportunity to use a wide range of resources, such as number lines, number squares, digit cards and small apparatus to support their work. IT (Information Technology) is used in mathematics lessons for modelling ideas and methods. Wherever possible, we encourage the children to apply their learning to everyday situations.

Pre-School, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are taught in their classes. In KS2 children are taught in sets according to ability. In all sets and classes children have awide range of mathematical abilities. We recognise this fact and providesuitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challengeof the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this through a range ofstrategies – in some lessons through differentiated group work and inother lessons by organization of children to work in pairs on open-endedproblems or games. We use teaching assistants to support some children,and to ensure that work is matched to the needs of individuals.

Mathematics Planning

Mathematics is a core subject in the National Curriculum, and we use theHamilton Trust plans in association with the National Numeracy Strategyas the basis for implementing the statutory requirements of theprogramme of study for mathematics 2014.

We carry out the curriculum planning in mathematics in three phases(long-term, medium-term and short-term). The Hamilton Trust plans andNational Numeracy Strategy Framework for Teaching gives a detailedoutline of what we teach in the long term, while our yearly teachingprogramme identifies the key objectives we teach to in each year.

We use the Hamilton Trust half termly plans for our medium-term. Thesegive details of the main teaching objectives for each half term and definewhat we teach. They ensure an appropriate balance and distribution ofwork across each half term. These plans are kept by the set teacher andreviewed by the subject leader.

It is the class or set teacher who completes the weekly plans for the teaching ofmathematics. These weekly plans list the specific learning objectives andexpected outcomes for each lesson, and give details of how the lessonsare to be taught. The class teacher keeps these individual plans, and theclass teacher and subject leader reviews them on a regular basis to checkfor progression and continuity.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

We teach mathematics in our Pre-School and Reception classes. We relate the mathematicalaspects of the children’s work to the objectives set out in the EarlyLearning Goals, which underpin the curriculum planning for children agedfrom birth to five. We give all the children ample opportunity to develop theirunderstanding of number, measurement, pattern, shape and space, throughvaried activities that allow them to enjoy, explore, practise and talkconfidently about mathematics.

Assessment and Record Keeping

Assessment is used:

  • To help future planning
  • To motivate pupils
  • To maintain records
  • To report to pupils, parents, other teachers and governors

Assessment is in line with the school policy for assessment. All teachers are tasked to carry out informal assessments continuously throughout the academic year against the key learning objectives – to link with target setting and to track progress on SPTO. At least 80% of children should be meeting the Age Related Expectations as set out for their respective year group. Summative records are kept of work covered by the class and of individual levels attained by each child, against key objectives. The latter are updated once a term, and passed on to the child’s next teacher.

Setting targets for pupils is an important factor in helping children to achieve the key objectives over the medium term.The children should be clear about their targets and where possible should have been involved in identifying and setting them.The targets should be linked to precise periods of time and relate to whole year groups, classes, groups or individual children.

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

As a school, we recognise and value the interest, support and involvement of the parents in their children’s mathematical development. Hence our aim is to keep the parents up-to-date with all developments in the curriculum and teaching of mathematics across all Key Stages. As such, we actively encourage parents to help their children in learning mathematical facts and skills, through regular parental meetings. Homework may be set to consolidate classwork and to encourage the involvement of parents in assisting their child’s knowledge & understanding of mathematics. To assist this process, targets are shared with parents on a term by term basis.

Resources

The school is adequately equipped to meet the requirements of the National Strategy.Each class has its own basic equipment and other more specific resources are kept centrally and made available on a shared basis. The school uses the New National Numeracy Strategy, Framework for Mathematics, and other published documents, the Curriculum Guidance for the Early Years, school/ teacher produced resources, and additional published resources.

Monitoring and Review

Monitoring of the standards of children’s work and of the quality ofteaching in mathematics is the responsibility of the subject leader. Thework of the subject leader also involves supporting colleagues in theirteaching, being informed about current developments in the subject, andproviding a strategic lead and direction for mathematics in the school. Thesubject leader follows a timetable for monitoring the subject and includesregular book scrutiny, examples of children’s work, planning and observationsto oversee the teaching and learning of mathematics throughout theschool. Regular release time is given to achieve this. The subject leadergives the headteacher an annual summary in which s/he evaluatesstrengths and weaknesses in the subject, and indicates areas for furtherimprovement. A named member of the school’s governing body is briefedto oversee the teaching of numeracy. This governor meets regularly withthe subject leader to review progress.

Review: Jan 2018

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