Mathematics- Implementation

At Intack Primary School, children take part in Mathematics activities on a daily basis in order to cover a broad and balanced mathematical curriculum. All children have access to Times Tables Rock Stars to build on their multiplication skills and Numbots to support number fluency skills. Key Stage One and Two work on these skills both in school and at home. 
We aim for each child to be confident in each yearly objective and develop their ability to use this knowledge to gain a greater depth of understanding to complete varied fluency tasks as well as problem solving and reasoning questions. We use a range of concrete, pictorial and online resources throughout the school to ensure a curriculum that is specific to each child’s learning needs. 
The following principles and features outline our approach to Mathematics and convey how our curriculum is implemented: 
● Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Mathematics. 
● The large majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace. Intervention may come in the form of pre-teaching, targeted support or timely consolidation sessions. 
● Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge. Teachers use assessment to inform future lessons. 
● Practice and consolidation play a central role. Children have the opportunity to practise their skills and improve their understanding. 
● Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention, so that all children achieve.  
● Teachers provide the opportunity for children to revisit their previous learning, including basic arithmetic skills. This is shown in maths books where children are given time to respond to marking. Children are able to use their previous learning and skills unconsciously and with ease through frequent reminders and recall opportunities.  
● Before a new unit of work, teachers remind children of the skills needed for the upcoming work.  After each unit of work children are assessed using a short test to review any misconceptions or gaps in knowledge. This data is recorded by teachers at the end of each topic block. 

To ensure whole school consistency, progression and assessment, maths is delivered through the White Rose Maths Scheme. Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of mastery over time. Within each unit children can strive to achieve understanding at a greater depth, with children being offered rich and sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks, when appropriate for the individual. We recognise that in order for pupils to progress to deeper and more complex problems, children need to be confident and fluent across each yearly objective. New concepts are introduced to children in a visual and guided example. Class discussion and targeted questioning builds the fluency levels within the class before independent practise takes place. Problem-solving activities prompt discussion and reasoning, as well as promoting an awareness of maths in relatable real-life contexts that link to other areas of learning. 
Children apply their fluency skills and increase their confidence before progressing to more complex problems. In EYFS and Key Stage One, these problems are often presented with objects (concrete manipulatives) for children to use. Children may also use manipulatives in KS2 to support learning. Teachers also equip pupils with the skills to solve problems without physical objects and encourage diagrams and sketches to help find answers.  
Additional maths lessons are taught using the NCETM Mastering Number programme, this is delivered in each classroom EYFS-Y5, with Y6 children having access to booster groups in the afternoons. The Mastering Number lessons are taught in addition to the normal daily maths lesson by each class teacher using specially prepared slides. These encourage fluency and deepen maths knowledge through steady progression and provide opportunities for children to rote learn and revise key concepts, particularly in addition and subtraction (EYFS-KS1) and multiplication and division (KS2).