Mab’s Cross CP School
Mathematics Policy 2010
Introduction
Mathematics is central to the curriculum of all pupils. It is important because:
it provides a powerful means of communicating information or ideas;
it is a search for patterns and relationships:
it is a creative activity, involving intuition and discovery;
it is a way of solving problems;
it is a way of making sense of the world around us;
it is important and useful in other fields of knowledge.
The mathematics curriculum should provide breadth and balance and be relevant and differentiated. It should be flexible, motivating all pupils, thus encouraging success at all levels.
Aims
We aim to provide a curriculum that promotes enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning through practical activity, exploration and discussion enabling children to become confident mathematicians. We believe that this will take place through the development of key skills, concepts, strategies and personal qualities. These are outlined below.
Facts and Skills
Using appropriate mathematical terms
Applying mathematical notation
Remembering conventions
Knowledge of facts
Using number operations
Acquiring practical skills
Using mathematics as a means of communication
Using calculators in appropriate contexts
Concepts
Acquiring basic concepts
Seeing relationships between concepts
Applying skills and concepts to real life situations
Using appropriate data
Appropriateness and accuracy of results
Strategies
Estimating
Approximating
Trial and Error
Working systematically
Looking for pattern
Reasoning logically
Making and testing hypotheses
Selecting appropriate materials
Proving or disproving results
Qualities
Enjoyment
Confidence
Interest and motivation
Flexibility
Creativity and imagination
Persistence
Cooperation with others
Independence
The Mathematics Curriculum
Early Years Foundation Stage
Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. We give all children the opportunity to talk and communicate in a widening range of situations and to practise and extend their range of vocabulary and numeracy skills. They have the opportunity to explore, enjoy, learn about, and use mathematics in a range of situations. Mathematics is planned on a half termly basis and assessed using the criteria from the Early Learning Goals. Mathematics is taught both as a discrete subject and within the whole Early Years Curriculum to give children opportunities to use their Numeracy skills in real life situations.
Key Stages 1 and 2
Children at Mab’s Cross Primary School follow the teaching sequence and progression as laid out in the renewed Primary Framework for Mathematics. Daily maths lessons are between 45 minutes and one hour depending on the age of the children. There are medium term plans for each half term’s work. There are also weekly plans, which cover the daily content of each lesson. The planning structure for each year is organised into five blocks. The structure is the same for each year group. A block is designed to cover the equivalent of 6 weeks or 9 weeks of teaching. Each block has incorporated into it objectives from the Using and applying mathematics strand and from two or three of the other core strands. Short term plans are for each block (2 or 3 weeks). These may include examples from the New Primary Framework, other published resources (such as Collins New Primary Maths) or the teacher’s own ideas. These will be adapted to meet the needs of the class.
| Block A:
Counting, partitioning and calculating (6 weeks) |
Block B: Securing
number facts, understanding shape (9 weeks) |
Block C:
Handling data and measures (6 weeks) |
Block D:
Calculating, measuring and understanding shape (6 weeks) |
Block E: Securing
number facts, relationships and calculating (9 weeks) |
| Unit A1 | Unit B1 | Unit C1 | Unit D1 | Unit E1 |
| Unit A2 | Unit B2 | Unit C2 | Unit D2 | Unit E2 |
| Unit A3 | Unit B3 | Unit C3 | Unit D3 | Unit E3 |
Resources
Basic resources are located within individual classrooms with a further resource bank in the Numeracy cupboard. Resources within individual classes should be accessible to all pupils who should be encouraged to be responsible for their use.
Technology
Calculators will be used at appropriate moments within the mathematics curriculum. We have a variety of computer programs for numeracy work. The school also has a programmable toy. There are a range of Numeracy programmes available on the interactive whiteboard and individual computers designed to reinforce and extend the children’s learning. Teachers share resources and websites.
Assessment and Record Keeping
We assess children’s work in mathematics regularly and use this to help us adjust our daily plans. These short-term assessments are closely matched to the teaching objectives. We make medium term assessments to measure progress against key objectives and use this to help us plan the next unit of work. Individual targets for maths are given at the end of each term and are shared with the children and parents. We make long-term assessment towards the end of the school year and we use these to assess progress against school and national targets. We can then set targets for the next school year. We pass this information on to the next teacher at the end of the year. We make the long-term assessments with the help of end of year tests and teacher assessments. We use national tests for children in year 2 and the optional national tests at the end of year 4. Foundation children are assessed half-termly against the Foundation Stage Profile.
Contribution of mathematics to teaching in other curriculum areas
English
Mathematics actively promotes the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. For example we encourage children to read and interpret problems in order to identify the mathematics involved. The children explain and present their work to others during plenary sessions. Younger children enjoy stories and rhyme that rely on counting and sequencing. Older children encounter mathematical vocabulary, graphs and charts when using non-fiction texts.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Children use and apply mathematics in a variety of ways when solving problems using ICT. Younger children use ICT to communicate results with appropriate mathematical symbols. Older children use ICT to produce graphs and tables when explaining their results or when creating repeated patterns,
such as tessellation. When working on control, children use standard and non-standard measures for distance and angle. They use simulations to identify patterns and relationships. All children play games to reinforce mathematical concepts.
Personal, health and social education and citizenship
The work that children do outside their normal lessons encourages independent study and helps them to become increasingly responsible for their own learning. The planned activities that children do within the classroom encourage them to work together and respect each other’s views. We present children with real-life situations in their problem solving and money work.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
The teaching of mathematics supports the social development of our children through the way we expect them to work with each other in lessons. We often group children so that they can work together and we give them a chance to discuss their ideas and results. Mathematics contributes to children’s spiritual development. Children can find shapes and pattern in nature. They can see the order, logic and pattern that numbers offer.
Equal Opportunities and Special Educational Needs
The mathematics curriculum should be delivered in a flexible way, which gives equal access to all children regardless of gender, race or ability. Teachers provide differentiated learning opportunities matched to the needs of children. Children with special educational needs in mathematics have specific targets set in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Children who are more able or gifted and talented are provided with differentiated work according to their learning needs.
Every child matters
Maths allows every child apply their knowledge in practical ways to solve number problems in their everyday lives.
Monitoring and Review
Monitoring the standards of children’s work and the quality of teaching in mathematics is carried out termly. The work of the Numeracy subject leader involves supporting colleagues in the teaching of numeracy, being informed about current developments in the subject and providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school. The Numeracy subject leader has
leadership and management time in order to enable her to review samples of the children’s work and undertake lesson observations of Numeracy teaching
across the school. The subject leader reports to the governor’s Curriculum Committee regularly. There is a named governor responsible for Numeracy. There is a named governor responsible for Numeracy.
| Author | Carolyn Smith |
| Date | July 2010 |