First Federation Trust
Maths at Hawchurch enables children to build mathematical fluency through coherent sequencing.
What is a mathematician?
At Hawkchurch C of E Primary School, we believe that a mathematician is described as: - Someone who can see patterns, - Someone who shows deeper application, - Someone who identifies and understands the interconnectivity and demonstrates this through the transfer of skills, - Someone who is systematic and resilient and can extend their own learning. As a school, through our mathematics teaching and learning, we aim for all pupils to be a ‘mathematician,’ as stated above, by the time the children leave in Year 6.
Our Intent
The intention of the maths curriculum at Hawkchurch C of E Primary School is to equip all pupils with the skills and confidence to solve a range of problems through fluency with numbers and mathematical reasoning. Children are encouraged to see the mathematics that surround them every day and enjoy developing vital life skills in this subject. Our approach to the teaching of mathematics develops children's ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team. Through mathematical talk, children will develop the ability to clarify, refine and extend their understanding of important mathematical concepts and language.
Statement of Intent for Mathematics “Learning and Growing together”, as a rural school we have linked the journey of our pupils to the nurturing and growing of seeds. We encourage children to articulate and discuss their thinking. By the end of Key Stage Two, children will leave our school prepared for the next step in their mathematical education.
Our Implementation
At Hawkchurch C of E Primary we recognise that for the pupils to progress to deeper and tackle more complex problems, children need to be confident and fluent across each yearly objective. In order to secure this, the three aims of the National Curriculum should be addressed every day: Fluency – Reasoning – Problem Solving. This may not always be in the maths lesson. The children may complete problem solving tasks through their topic and fluency questions at different intervals throughout the day. We believe that every child has the right to achieve their maximum potential without a preconceived limit being put on their ability and attainment. In order to achieve this, we teach mathematics as a whole class. Lessons are based on formative assessment of what students already know and we include all children in learning mathematical concepts. During the planning stage, teachers consider the scaffolding that may be required for children struggling to grasp concepts in the lesson and suitable challenge questions for those who may grasp concepts rapidly. All pupils should be able to demonstrate their understanding through the use of concrete materials, pictorial representations and abstract jottings. Children’s learning in maths should focus on depth of understanding before breadth. Challenge tasks and questions are provided in the context of ‘Diving for Depth’ to allow children to learn and apply their skills more deeply. We follow the White Rose scheme of work and underpin the NCETM mastery approach in lessons, where modelling, discussion and grappling with problems is embedded. We also use the Mastering Maths materials across the school. Pupils are assessed using the ready to progress criteria to ensure children are ready to move onto new concepts. Lessons are adapted and interventions are deployed to ensure children grasp the key concepts in each year group.
Our Impact
Rapid intervention occurs for children following the lesson that has been taught. This ensures that any misconceptions or areas of difficulty are dealt with as quickly as possible before the next step of their learning, usually this is the next lesson. Ideally this would happen on the same day but if not the following morning. Pre-teaching is a tool used to prepare our children, where appropriate, for the following maths lesson as a tool to support learners to be able to access the new whole class learning. Pre-teaching/ Post teaching can take different forms including addressing misconceptions, exploring vocabulary or completing examples of questions used in the lesson. Summative assessment takes place at the end of every term and children’s progress is shared with themselves and HOTL. Daily, teaching staff are conducting formative assessment and teachers adjust planning accordingly to meet the needs of their class. Attainment and outcomes in mathematics have a prominent focus throughout our school. The teaching of mathematics is monitored frequently by HOTL through lesson observations, book scrutinies and pupil interviews. Children at Hawkchurch leave with a good mathematical understanding. Children show a huge improvement in problem-solving skills when using this approach. Maths at Hawkchurch fosters a deep and lasting understanding of mathematical concepts, ensuring children build a strong foundation before tackling more complex problems.