The Maths Curriculum at Airy Hill Primary School
The Intent, implementation and Impact of our Curriculum – Maths.
At Airy Hill, we believe that children should be able to select which mathematical approach is most effective in different scenarios.
All pupils can achieve in mathematics! There is no such thing as a ‘Maths person’, that is the belief that some pupils can do maths and others cannot. A typical Maths lesson will provide the opportunity for all children, regardless of their ability, to work through Fluency, Reasoning AND Problem Solving activities.
Intent
Maths is a journey and long-term goal, achieved through discovering and sharing, clarification, practice and application over time. At each stage of learning, children should be able to demonstrate a deep, conceptual understanding of the topic and be able to build on this over time. At Airy Hill School we use the mastery approach to teach mathematics as we believe this achieves the deepest level of learning.
Implementation
Multiple representations for all!
Concrete, pictorial, abstract
Objects, pictures, words, numbers and symbols are everywhere. The mastery approach incorporates all of these to help children explore and demonstrate mathematical ideas, enrich their learning experience and deepen understanding. Together, these elements help cement knowledge so pupils truly understand what they’ve learnt.
All pupils, when introduced to a key new concept, should have the opportunity to build competency in this topic by taking this approach. Pupils are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts. Objects and pictures are used to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas, alongside numbers and symbols.
Concrete – children have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing.
Pictorial – children then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations, which can then be used to reason and solve problems.
Abstract – With the foundations firmly laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.
At Airy Hill School we follow the DFE approved White Rose Schemes of Learning which incorporate the mastery approach in small steps.
Impact
- Quick recall of facts and procedures
- The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics.
- The ability to recognise relationships and make connections in mathematics
A mathematical concept or skill has been mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
Mastery Curriculum
Creating challenge is a daily part of our maths lessons.
Our Mastery Curriculum incorporates the 5 big ideas;
- Fluency
- Mathematical Thinking
- Use of Representation and Structure
- Procedural and Conceptual Variation
- Coherence into every maths lesson
Mastery teaching addresses the needs of all pupils on a daily basis; support can be provided through same day intervention for those who did not grasp concepts. Challenge is provided through depth of both planned activities and higher order questioning for those for whom concepts were well understood.
A variety of manipulative resources are used to facilitate the delivery of maths lessons including White Rose planning and resources.
Doodle Maths and Doodle Tables
We know that short bursts of daily practice really helps our children to be come fluent mathematicians. For that reason, we buy every pupil a premium subscription to Doodle Maths and Doodle Tables. Children are encouraged and recognised for their progress and engagement with these programmes.