Maths Subject Leader: Miss N Manning

Maths SLT Link Leader: Miss M Glazin

Mathematics is essential to everyday life.  It “provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject”.

We are committed to ensuring that the children build their confidence in using varied concrete equipment (manipulatives) as a method for solving calculations, including having the opportunity to explore the equipment in play situations, in order to make connections.  When ready, the children then have the confidence to progress on to using pictorial and finally, more abstract methods when solving calculations. We strive to enable our children to be able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently in different contexts and when solving problems, therefore developing a mastery approach. 

At The Willows Primary School we implement our Maths curriculum by:  

• ensuring that teachers have high expectations of what the children are capable of achieving.  

• differentiation is achieved either within a whole class context or ability groupings.  

• providing the ability to achieve mastery of skills through problem solving activities.  

• assessing children to identify those needing intervention so that all the children have the opportunity to succeed.  Identified children received tailored interventions by a teacher or a teaching assistant.  

• focussing on embedding the use of manipulatives.  

• developing the use of pictorial representations to help with understanding.  

• learning abstract methods to solve problems.  

• emphasising clear learning objectives and success criteria so that the children understand what they need to do to be successful, as well as the use of subject specific vocabulary.  

• subscribing to online mathematical content (Times Tables Rock Stars and MyMaths).  This cultivates an enthusiasm for Maths as well as providing a platform for the children to consolidate the skills that they have been learning.  

To ensure consistency and progression the whole school uses the White Rose maths scheme.  This promotes the teaching of subject specific vocabulary and gives plenty of opportunities for the children to develop their fluency, before progressing to related problem solving questions.  Across the school the calculations encourage the use of manipulatives as well as developing the children’s understanding and use of pictorial and abstract methods.  We provide the children with a specific problem solving lesson every two weeks, which provides the teacher with the opportunity to lead children through strategies for solving problems. This ensures that children have range of methods to address reasoning problems. Mathematical topics are taught in blocks following the order within the White Rose scheme.  

CPD is offered to all teachers through partnership with the Angles Maths Hub, to continue to develop their subject knowledge and develop the curriculum across the school.