CURRICULUM NARRATIVE
MATHEMATICS

Aims of the EYFS Curriculum

• To develop confidence with numbers from one to 20 by counting reliably and placing them in order
• To identify numbers that are one more or one less than a given number
• To begin to add and subtract two single-digit numbers using quantities and objects, and count on or back to find the answer
• To solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing
• To use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems.
• To recognise, create and describe patterns.
• To explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them

Aims of the KS1 Curriculum

• To  develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value involving working with numerals, words and the four operations, including with practical resources [for example, concrete objects and measuring tools].
• To develop the ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary.
• To have a range of experiences working with a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money.
• To recall the number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value.
• To read and spell mathematical vocabulary, at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at key stage 1.

Aims of the Lower KS2 Curriculum

• To become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value.
• To develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers.
• To develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value.
• To increase accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them.
• To experience using measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number.
• To recall multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work.
• To read and spell mathematical vocabulary correctly and confidently, using their growing word reading knowledge and their knowledge of spelling.

Aims of the Upper KS2 Curriculum

• To extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers.
• To develop the connections made between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.
• To develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation.
• To become familiar with the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems.
• To extend knowledge developed in number through geometry and measures.
• To classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they need to describe them.
• To be fluent in written methods for all four operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages.
• To read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly.

Curriculum Transitions

How KS1 builds upon EYFS

In KS1 pupils will continue to develop the concept of number in a range of representations. They will continue to use practical resources to embed counting and knowledge of place value. Pupils will build on their knowledge of numbers to 20 to identify patterns and make links such as number bonds. They will build on their knowledge of shape and use mathematical vocabulary to identify, classify and draw. Pupils will experience a wider range of measures and will be able to describe and compare. They will increase the number of mathematical words that they are able to read and spell.

How LSKS2 builds upon KS1

In Lower KS2 pupils will continue to embed the concept of number and will become increasingly fluent with larger whole numbers. They will continue to embed number facts and knowledge of place value. Pupils will build on their knowledge of four operations to develop efficient mental and written methods.  They will develop their understanding of fractions and will extend to their knowledge to decimals. Pupils will build on their knowledge of shape and use mathematical vocabulary to not only to identify, classify and draw but to reason and analyse. Pupils will develop their accuracy with measures and start to make links between these and number concepts. They will increase the number of mathematical words that they are able to read and spell.

How UKS2 builds upon LKS1

In Upper KS2 pupils will extend the concept of number and will become fluent with large integers. They will embed knowledge of the number system and place value. Pupils will build on their knowledge of four operations to develop efficient mental and written methods and will make connections between these.  They will also be able to apply these methods to a range of complex problems. Pupils will develop their understanding of fractions and decimals and will extend to their knowledge percentages and ratio. They will build on their knowledge of shape to increasingly complex geometric properties and use mathematical vocabulary reason and analyse. Pupils will develop their accuracy with measures and make clear links between these and number concepts. They will increase the number of mathematical words that they are able to read and spell. Pupils will be introduced to the language algebra and will use this to solve a range of problems.

How UKS2 prepares pupils for KS3/Secondary readiness

Throughout Upper KS2 pupils will build on mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence involving increasingly sophisticated problems to prepare them for KS3. They will also apply their mathematical knowledge in science, geography, computing and other subjects. In preparation for KS3, pupils will need to discover that mathematics is an interconnected subject in which they need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas.

Curriculum Sequencing

At the beginning of each Maths lesson all pupils will complete a ‘Flashback 4’ challenge. This is a range of questions that rely on the pupils being able to recall prior learning. Each challenge recaps the learning from, last lesson, last week, last unit and last academic year. This allows teachers to assess if learning has been retained.

At the end of each half term there is a consolidation block which allows teachers to revisit units or areas of maths as necessary based on informative or formative assessment of the pupil’s understanding.

 As pupils progress throughout the school they will build on the skills and knowledge already acquired. Units of work are designed to build on and extend the pupil’s understanding.

Although as a school we follow White Rose Scheme of Learning to support teaching of learning of maths, the sequence has been adapted to meet the needs of our pupils. Each unit of maths has been tailored to allow key concepts to be revisited regularly. This change has been made to provide the pupils the opportunity to practise and embed skills and enable learning to be retained in the long term memory.

Curriculum Differentiation

All lessons are differentiated to meet the needs of the pupils.  This could be through the use of scaffolding, complexity of the task or through challenging pupils to apply their skills.

Concrete apparatus is used regularly to support the understanding of basic skills and to enhance the understanding of more abstract concepts. The Maths learning walls provide additional scaffolding where the learning for the week/unit is displayed to allow the pupils to recap on prior leaning and build on this. WAGOLLs are also displayed to support pupils in understanding the expectations of the lesson. Key mathematical vocabulary relating to the unit is added to the learning wall as it is introduced, this is regularly referred to, to deepen the understanding of the language needed.

Pupils are provided with the opportunity to extend their learning through carefully planned problem solving or reasoning activities when they have shown a secure understanding of the mathematical concept at a varied fluency level.  These activities can demonstrate the depth of knowledge and understanding and can identify pupils who are exceeding.

Curriculum Skills

Mathematics has many links with other areas of the curriculum

• Writing – Recording and explaining reasoning problems using correct vocabulary
• Reading – Reading and understanding problems
• Oracy – Explaining and justifying ideas. Articulating reasoning using appropriate vocabulary
• Science – Applying measuring skills in real life contexts. Presenting results in a range of ways e.g. bar chart, table etc
• Geography – Applying position and direction skills e.g. compass points
• History – chronology and dates
• Computing – problem solving, data handling  

Curriculum Assessment and Intervention

Prior knowledge will be assessed daily during the ‘Flashback 4’ challenge. Throughout the lesson, questioning will be used to assess pupils’ ability to demonstrate their learning through discussions where pupils will be challenged to explain and justify their thinking. Teacher assessment will be used throughout all lessons and other appropriate times to continually make judgements on pupil’s knowledge of key content and skills. Teachers will indicate whether a pupil is working at identify, develop, enhance or assess level within the lesson depending on the evidence obtained to show depth of understanding. Pupils that demonstrate gaps in their knowledge and understanding are identified by teachers throughout the lesson and time is allocated for them to work within an intervention group with a TA to plug gaps.

To allow for standardisation the pupils are formally tested each term on their arithmetic and reasoning & problem solving skills. These are then marked and data is inputted to Integris to allow for monitoring of trends. Pupils that begin to decline or stagnate are strategically intervened with in and out of lesson time.