Gardners Lane Primary School

Mathematics is a tool for everyday life. It is a whole network of concepts and relationships which provide a way of viewing and making sense of the world. It is used to analyse and communicate information and ideas and to tackle a range of practical tasks and real-life problems. It also provides the materials and means for creating new imaginative worlds to explore.

The National Curriculum [2014] for primary mathematics has three aims at the heart of how the content of the curriculum should be interpreted. These state that all pupils should:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems [conceptual understanding]
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language [mathematical reasoning]
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions [problem solving]

It is our aim to develop lively, enquiring minds encouraging pupils to become self- motivated, confident and capable in order to solve problems that will become an integral part of their future.

We do this by developing:

• a positive attitude towards Mathematics and an awareness of the fascination of mathematics.
• competence and confidence in Mathematical knowledge, concepts and skills.
• an ability to solve problems, to reason, to think logically and to work systematically and accurately.
• initiative and an ability to work both independently and in cooperation with others.
• an ability to communicate Mathematics.
• an ability to use and apply Mathematics across the curriculum and in real life.
• an understanding of mathematics through a process of enquiry and experiment.

Planning

Teachers ensure that all parts of the National Curriculum Programme of Study are planned for and delivered. To ensure that all children are able to access Mathematics, teachers may adapt their planning.

To support planning and delivery of the curriculum, teachers use a range of resources. These include elements of different published schemes, and a variety of useful websites.

Furthermore, children have the opportunity to practise new concepts, to secure and deepen their knowledge and understanding of Mathematics. We have adopted  a ‘Discover, Develop and Deepen’ approach to planning to ensure continued development of Mathematics.

We aim to give children a range of Mathematical opportunities including:

• practical activities and mathematical games.
• problem solving.
• individual, group and whole class discussions and activities.
• open and closed tasks, with greater depth challenges.
• a range of methods of calculating eg. mental, pencil and paper and using a calculator.
• developing fluency in Maths.
• working with computers as a mathematical tool.

Problem Solving/Reasoning

In addition to the problem solving that takes place in class, each class receives regular sessions, which focus on various problem solving strategies such as working backwards/trial and improvement/drawing a diagram etc. A timetable for the teaching of such strategies ensures consistency across the whole school. At the end of the year, a report on each child’s progress in these sessions is sent home with their general report.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, a further two 15 minute sessions are dedicated to the using and applying of arithmetic skills, as children often find it difficult to recognise the appropriate calculation to solve a problem.

To view what your child is studying access the 'Our Curriculum' part of the website under the 'School Information' section.