Maths
Intent
Resilience and Responsibility are two of the key values at Brampton Ellis Primary and can be found in abundance at the heart of our maths curriculum. At Brampton Ellis we believe in providing challenge and ownership to all learners and this is reflected in the design of our maths curriculum. We understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life and, with this in mind; we aim to provide a curriculum that will build on previous knowledge in order to develop an individual’s ability to solve problems whilst working systematically and accurately. Through the programmes of study in the National Curriculum, children will build on prior knowledge and new mathematical concepts are taught using the White Rose Hub small steps. Arithmetic and basic math skills are practised daily to ensure key mathematical concepts are embedded.
In EYFS, children develop their learning which is designed with the development matters statements in mind. In Y1-5, we offer a challenge-based learning environment, where there is no such thing as ability grouping and children from Y3 are encouraged to choose their own level of challenge. This allows children to take responsibility for their own learning journey and have ownership of their progress, promoting reflection and motivation whilst developing maturity and confidence. In year 6, maths has its own curriculum design that is built on retrieval practice and arithmetic strategies to secure key objectives before progressing to reasoning and problem solving. At KS2, we also include children in the assessment process; children complete a pre and post unit assessment, which allows them to initially make the right challenge choices and then later on reflect on the progress they have made.
Implementation
Our teachers are enthusiastic about this subject and promote a positive attitude towards learning and developing mathematical skills. Maths lessons at Brampton Ellis are built on a shared understanding of the importance of feedback and lessons are consistently adapted to meet the needs of our learners. High quality curriculum materials are used to support classroom teaching. Concrete and pictorial representations of mathematics are chosen carefully to help build procedural and conceptual knowledge together.
In terms of structuring our curriculum, we follow the White Rose Hub small steps of progression in Y1-Y5. The aim of this is to move through the year group curriculum in small steps allowing all children to master the objectives and provide deeper learning opportunities. Children are provided with a variety of tasks to deepen their learning and enhance their reasoning and problem solving skills. We value the impact of a blocked curriculum and use a range of retrieval practice strategies such as maths meetings to ensure retention of previous learning. In EYFS, provision is planned to support children to gain an understanding and knowledge of maths whilst supporting the progression of the children. In year 6, the curriculum is designed to build arithmetic strategies to secure key objectives before progressing to reasoning and problem solving. We aim to provide early support children to ensure they are ready for their next step or support their learning development by using smaller focus groups. Children in school are exposed to a wide range of mathematical vocabulary which is modelled by their teacher during the lesson.
Impact
Our maths curriculum shows clear progression of skills as children move through school. It will provide children with the opportunity to build on their prior knowledge whilst building their resilience and confidence. Children will be engaged and enjoy learning in a challenging environment where they can actively take part in lessons. Children can confidently use different representations of mathematical concepts and are confident to talk about their maths learning. Assessment is effective and the use of monitoring ensures all children are supported.
