Maths

Our Mathematics Vision for pupils

At Bincombe Valley we recognise that Mathematics is essential in everyday life. The intent of our Mathematics curriculum is to provide children with a foundation for understanding number, reasoning, thinking logically and resilient problem solving that all children can access so they are fully prepared for the future. Mathematics at Bincombe Valley will develop the children’s creativity by offering an engaging curriculum where children can develop personal strategies to explore and solve problems. Within this, children will build resilience with understanding that Mathematics is not always about ‘getting’ to an answer straight away but using their errors to improve and raise aspirations by equipping them with the skills to be independent learners. This will lead to learners who are enthused by Mathematics and are well-equipped to apply their learning in the wider world.

Intent

At our school, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every child feels capable and valued in their mathematical journey. Our children will foster a deep and lasting love for Mathematics from Nursery to Year 6.

Mathematics in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum comes under two strands, each of which has an Early Learning Goal attached:-

Number - Early Learning Goal

Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number;
Subsidise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5;
Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts.

Numerical Patterns - Early Learning Goal

Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;
Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity;
Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally.

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately,

reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language,

can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Implementation

To achieve our intent, we implement a structured, yet flexible, curriculum that incorporates the following elements:

Curriculum Design: Our mathematics curriculum is aligned with the national curriculum, ensuring comprehensive coverage of key concepts and skills. We follow a curriculum where concepts are revisited and built upon over time. To support planning teachers utilise White Rose Maths Hub but this is not followed strictly. It is a tool to support our planning where elements will be used in lessons to enhance the children’s development. Teachers will use planning (including adaptions for inclusivity) to show the sequence of knowledge expected in each unit. Units build up in challenge and difficulty as they progress through the school. The plans can be seen by clicking the links below.

Nursery overview

Reception overview

Key Stage 1 long-term plan

Year 1 medium-term plan

Year 2 medium-term plan

Lower Key Stage 2 long-term plan

Year 3 medium-term plan

Year 4 medium-term plan

Upper Key Stage 2 long-term plan

Year 5 medium-term plan

Year 6 medium-term plan

Quality Teaching: Lessons are delivered by skilled teachers who employ a variety of teaching strategies to meet the diverse needs of all learners. This includes the use of concrete, pictorial, and abstract approaches to ensure conceptual understanding.
Assessment for Learning: Regular formative assessments guide instruction, helping teachers identify and address gaps in understanding. Summative assessments provide benchmarks for progress and inform future planning. Traffic lights mini assessments are used in Key Stage 1 and 2 to gauge which task the children start on (Red, Amber or Green). Once complete the children tick where they started on the left of the traffic lights. These tasks are adapted so children can make progress throughout the lesson. They then tick where they finished on commencement of the lesson. This shows clear progress in each lesson. Adaptions are made for children with additional needs where required: such as further scaffolding, smaller steps of learning , time to over-learn new mathematical concepts and access to concrete resources until they are securely able to conceptualise. We may also adjust for cognitive load, such as printing the learning objective and using smaller numbers or visual supports like times tables squares, to allow for the brain to embed the new process.

Adjustments: We provide tailored support and challenges to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and those who are more-able, make significant progress. This ranges from the resources they are given to complete a task to the way a question is worded. A full range of highly effective quality-first teaching methods are used throughout the whole school to support the understanding of mathematics.
Interventions: We use Numberstacks as an intervention tool for the children who are close to reaching age related expectation. We have also introduced this to our Catch-Up children too and it has taken the place of Catch-Up interventions.
Mathematical Language: Emphasis is placed on developing precise mathematical language and communication skills, enabling students to articulate their reasoning clearly and confidently.
Engagement and Enjoyment: Interactive and hands-on activities along with the integration of technology are encouraged to make learning engaging and enjoyable. We also incorporate cross-curricular links to show the relevance of Mathematics in other subjects.
Professional Development: Ongoing professional development for staff ensures the teaching of Mathematics remains current, effective and innovative. Staff are offered training courses throughout the year to build on current practices.

Impact

The impact of our Mathematics curriculum is reflected in the following outcomes:

Student Achievement: We strive for children to demonstrate strong progress and high attainment in Mathematics, meeting or exceeding national standards.
Confidence and Competence: Children will become confident mathematicians who approach challenges with a positive attitude and are willing to take risks in their learning.
Problem-Solving Skills: Children will develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, which they can apply across various domains and in everyday life.
Lifelong Learning: Children leave our school with a solid mathematical foundation and a passion for learning that equips them for success in secondary education and beyond.
Inclusion and Equality: All children, regardless of background or ability, are given the opportunity to succeed in Mathematics, fostering a sense of achievement and self-worth.
Assessment and Progress Tracking: Children's progress is regularly assessed through end-of-term tests and data collection. This systematic assessment process helps to monitor individual and group progress, informing future instruction and interventions to ensure continuous improvement. Please see below for more details.

ASSESSMENT IN MATHEMATICS

EYFS Assessment

At the end of each half term in our reception class, the teacher assesses each child against the areas covered within the Early Learning Goals.

Year 1 to 6

Our Mathematics curriculum is assessed is a variety of different ways as mentioned above. To track and measure outcomes and progress, we use a variety of monitoring and assessment activities across the school. These include:

Teacher Assessment- Our school uses DC-Pro as an assessment tool for teacher assessment. Throughout each blocked unit of work, children are assessed against the learning objectives as met or not met. This is supported by end of unit and summative tests. It also informs future planning and gaps needing to be revisited during interventions.
End of unit assessments- These are completed at least two weeks after a unit of work has finished to assess the children’s understanding of a subject and inform teacher assessments, interventions and next steps.
Summative Assessment- In Key Stage 2, children complete three summative assessments across the year in the form of NfER Tests for Year 3, 4 and 5 and past SATs papers in Year 6. Teachers conduct analysis of these assessments to inform their planning and guide future interventions and we use it as a guide for reporting to parents in addition to our teacher assessment. Children who cannot access these tests take the test from age group lower.
Weekly Arithmetic- Children in years 1-6 complete progressive arithmetic tasks during the week. Children also complete weekly arithmetic tests. The scores are tracked, and interventions are led by these results.
Times Table Tests – Year 1-6 take part in weekly times table tests and work their way through the tables until they reach the Golden 100 where they are required to get a 100 then beat their time each week. Times Table Rock Stars is also used across the school to develop and rehearse times table knowledge.
Marking- Teachers mark both orally and through written feedback (where appropriate) within the session. Precise and timely AfL is integral to the design of each lesson. The structure of the teaching sequence ensures that children know how to be successful in their independent work. Common misconceptions are addressed within the teaching sequence and key understanding within each ‘small step’ is reviewed and checked by the teacher and the children before progression to further depth. At the end of the lesson (In Key Stage 2), the children review their work by ticking the traffic lights where they finished (Red, Amber, Green or Greater Depth). This allows for same day or next day intervention and makes it easy to see which children need support. Follow up learning may be used in books (purple pen) in guiding pupils to identify their own errors or deepen learning.

Impact of the subject leader

The subject leaders will model lessons, as appropriate to new staff, NQTs and peers to support continued professional development. They will ensure the high quality of Maths displays around the school, present certificates of achievement assemblies (such as TTRS and other Mathematics awards) and involve the school in ‘celebrations’ of Mathematics, including participation in events such as ‘World Maths Day’. The subject leader will support staff in providing opportunities for learning outside the classroom in Mathematics and will identify and organize opportunities which enable this, as appropriate. Further impacts across the school are:

Ensuring the progression and continuity of Mathematics throughout the school remains at a high standard through lesson observations and regular monitoring of outcomes of work in Maths exercise books and ensuring all staff have access to year group plans and the relevant resources which accompany them.
Ensuring children have access to high quality resources by organising audits and purchasing central and class-based Mathematics resources.
Keeping staff up to date on current developments in Maths education through attending the DfE funded Maths Hubs programme.
Keeping up to date with what effective practice other schools utilise and what has had a positive impact by extending relationships and make contacts beyond the school.
Developing opportunities for parents/carers to become more involved in Mathematics by inviting parents to Maths workshops and attending open mornings in the classroom.
Ensuring all staff are trained to the highest standard by providing regular high-quality CPD which includes how to break the learning down into smaller steps for children with additional needs.

Parents

The school recognises that parents and carers have a valuable role to play in supporting their child’s mathematical learning. An overview of the Mathematics curriculum is available on the school’s website, as well as guidance in the progression in calculation methods used by the school. Paper copies of these documents are also available on request. Pupils are given Mathematics homework at least once a week in Key Stage 2. Parents are informed of their child’s progress at Parents Evenings and this is also communicated in written school reports. Parents and carers are encouraged to speak to their child’s teacher at any point during the year, either informally or by making a specific appointment. Information about their child’s standards, achievements and future targets in Mathematics is shared during parent/carer meetings, as well as ways that parents/carers may be able to assist with their child’s learning.

Through the consistent application of our curriculum intent and implementation, we aim to cultivate a generation of mathematically literate individuals who have built a love of Mathematics and are prepared to navigate and contribute to the world they are a part of.