Maths Vision and Rationale

The basic skills of mathematics are vital for the life opportunities of our children. Our aim is for all children to think mathematically, enabling them to reason, solve problems in a range of contexts. At Burton Road Primary School, our Mathematics Mastery curriculum has been developed to ensure every child can achieve excellence in mathematics. Children can experience a sense of achievement as they solve a problem for the first time, discover different solutions and make links between different areas of mathematics. It provides pupils with a deep understanding of the subject through a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach. This ensures pupils fully understand what they are learning.

Key features of our Maths Mastery curriculum:

 · High expectations for every child – including those with additional needs such as SEND.

· Number, place value and four operations always come first

• Emphasis on declarative knowledge being taught and practised regularly as the key to unlocking learning within mathematics.

· Focus on mathematical thinking and language

 · Appropriate resources to support and scaffold

· Problem solving and reasoning is central

·Calculate with confidence and understand why it works

Mathematics Mastery places emphasis on the cumulative mastery of essential knowledge and skills in mathematics. It embeds a deeper understanding of maths by utilising a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach so that pupils understand what they are doing rather than just learning to repeat routines without grasping what is happening.

Over the last year we have continued developing our ‘mastery’ approach to the teaching of the maths curriculum across school using the White Rose Hub resources to complement our teaching. The long term plan has been adapted to ensure that place value and number always come first. Teachers follow the medium term plans and create their own short term planning that is relevant and appropriate for their class needs.

When teaching mathematics we follow these principles to ensure children have the best chance of succeeding with mathematics.

• Declarative knowledge – ensure children know the key facts confidently relevant to their age/class/ ability to enable them to succeed with the next steps in maths.
• Reconnect and review declarative knowledge (key facts) regularly and ensure pupils can recall these quickly.
• Procedural knowledge -  ensure pupils are taught clear methods and procedures as set out in the calculation policy. These methods are revisited and practised regularly.
• Conditional Knowledge – children are taught strategies for tackling problem solving and reasoning style questions within each mathematical topic. They apply both declarative and procedural knowledge to help them solve such problems.