St Mary’s Catholic Primary School follows the National Curriculum for Mathematics. This describes in detail what pupils must learn in each year group. Details of the Programme of Study for Mathematics can be found here.
The school has developed a mastery approach to mathematics using resources from White Rose Maths Hub to support teachers in delivering this approach. St Mary’s is part of the Great North Maths Hub Mastery workgroup. This gives the school the opportunity to receive support from a mastery specialist teacher as well as the opportunity to share good practice with other schools in the workgroup.
As part of the mastery approach, a positive teacher mind-set and strong subject knowledge are key to student success in Mathematics. It is not the case that some pupils can do Mathematics and others cannot. No pupil should be left behind. The focus is keeping up over catching up. By making high expectations clear and emphasising the value of Mathematics education, pupils are encouraged to build confidence and resilience. Abilities are neither fixed nor innate, but can be developed through practice, support, dedication and hard work. Natural talent is just a starting point and does not determine who has more or less potential to achieve. A positive teacher mind-set in Mathematics encourages a love of learning and resilience that enables everyone to achieve. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils are given the opportunity to achieve mastery in the key concepts of Mathematics, appropriate for their age group, in order that they make genuine progress and avoid gaps in their understanding that provide barriers to learning as they move through education. Assessment for Learning, an emphasis on investigation, cross-curricular mathematics, problem solving and the development of mathematical thinking and a rigorous approach to the development of teacher subject knowledge are therefore essential components of St Mary’s approach to this subject.
Rationale
Mathematics equips pupils with the uniquely powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. These tools include logical reasoning, problem solving skills and the ability to think in abstract ways.
Mathematics is important in everyday life. It is integral to all aspects of life and with this in mind at St Mary’s we endeavour to ensure that children develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics that will stay with them throughout their lives.
It is vital that a positive attitude towards mathematics is encouraged amongst all of our pupils in order to foster confidence and achievement in a skill that is essential in our society. At St Mary’s we use the new National Curriculum for Mathematics (2014) as the basis of our mathematics programme. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils achieve mastery in the key concepts of mathematics, appropriate for their age group, in order that they make genuine progress and avoid gaps in their understanding, which could become barriers to learning as they move through education.
Assessment for Learning, with an emphasis on investigation, cross-curricular mathematics, problem solving and the development of mathematical thinking combined with a rigorous approach to the development of teacher subject knowledge are therefore essential components of St Mary’s approach to this subject.
Aims
We aim to provide the pupils with a mathematics curriculum and high quality teaching to produce individuals who are numerate, creative, independent, inquisitive, enquiring and confident. We also aim to provide a stimulating environment and adequate resources so that pupils can develop their mathematical skills to the full.
Our pupils should:
- Have a well-developed sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system.
- Know by heart age appropriate number facts such as number bonds, multiplication tables, doubles and halves.
- Use what they know by heart to figure out numbers mentally.
- Calculate accurately and efficiently, both mentally and in writing and paper, drawing on a range of calculation strategies.
- Recognise when it is appropriate to use a calculator and be able to do so effectively.
- Make sense of number problems, including non-routine/’real’ problems and identify the operations needed to solve them.
- Explain their methods and reasoning, using correct mathematical terms.
- Judge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them where necessary.
- Suggest suitable units for measuring and make sensible estimates of measurements.
- Explain and make predictions from the numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.
- Develop spatial awareness and an understanding of the properties of 2d and 3d shapes
