Maths
Intent:
At Thaxted, we aim to ensure that children develop an ‘everyone can do maths’ attitude and an enjoyment and enthusiasm for maths that allows children to make better sense of the world around them by making connections between mathematics and everyday life. We are determined that children become resilient and resourceful mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks and make mistakes in order to learn.
Our intent for mathematics is to teach a rich, balanced and progressive curriculum using maths to reason, problem solve and develop fluent conceptual understanding in each area. We believe that mathematical fluency and secure understanding of number is an essential life skill for all learners and is a pre-requisite to being able to reason and solve problems mathematically confidently.
Implementation
Mathematics in the foundation stage is guided by the Early Learning Goals and is taught using the White Rose mathematics scheme. Key Stages I and 2 learning is based on the National Curriculum 2014 guidance and is also taught using White Rose. Our curriculum is mapped out using the yearly overviews of blocks of learning and age-related small steps learning objectives from White Rose. We focus on progression from concrete resources, to pictorial representations and finally to the numerical abstract to aid our children’s conceptual understanding. Other resources, such as NCETM and Nrich, are also used to support fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Maths is taught throughout the school on a daily basis with a balance between practical, mental and written methods which relates directly to the needs of pupils. Mathematics is planned carefully to be in line with the demands of the National Curriculum but also taking into account the needs of the class, groups of children and individual children.
Homework
Opportunities are provided for the children to practise their Mathematics skills at home. In Key stage 1, Year 2 are given a maths task every other week to complete at home and are encouraged and challenged to use Numbots and TTRockstars to begin to learn their multiplication tables facts. In EYFS and Y1 children are also challenged to learn their number bonds to 10, 20 and 100.
In Key Stage 2, Year 3 and 4 are set a mathematical task for homework alternate weeks and Year 5 and 6 have a weekly maths homework task to complete. This may take many forms including mental and practical tasks. Homework is linked to learning in class for that week or previous learning to aid retrieval practice of mathematical concepts. In addition, children from Reception- Year 6 are able to access Numbots and TT Rockstars in order to help them become fluent in number and the multiplication facts.