Maths
At our school, we take a mastery approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Essentially, our ethos is that all children can be successful in the study of mathematics. We do not accept that ‘some children cannot do maths’ or that children should be limited by prior attainment. Maths is for everyone! We teach the skills to ensure our children are resilient learners who become life-long mathematicians. We aim to deliver an inspiring and engaging mathematics curriculum through high quality teaching. In order to improve our mastery approach and improve the quality of our maths teaching, we have implemented the Power Maths approach this year. Our Maths Lead will support and embed this new approach into school and will also develop their knowledge of maths mastery by attending sessions with the maths hub.
The Power Maths approach enables children to be numerate, creative, independent, inquisitive, enquiring and confident. Children should not be afraid to make mistakes and should fully embrace the fact that mistakes are part of learning! A mastery curriculum promotes a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject, so that children become fluent in calculations; possess a growing confidence to reason mathematically and hone their problem-solving skills.
Our curriculum builds on the concrete, pictorial, abstract approach. By using all three, the children can explore and demonstrate their mathematical learning. Together, these elements help to cement knowledge so children truly understand what they have learnt.
Impact:
Summative assessment takes place at the end of each unit and children’s progress and attainment are discussed by teachers and Head of School. Formative assessment takes place on a daily basis and teachers adjust planning accordingly to meet the needs of their class. In addition, we place a strong emphasis on the power of questioning: this enables us both to explore topics together as a class as well as verbally develop reasoning skills during our lessons. Children are encouraged to take ownership of their learning through self- and peer- assessment and learning coach activities. Leaders monitor the effectiveness of teaching frequently through lesson observations, book scrutinies and pupil interviews