‘A high-quality mathematics education provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.’

National Curriculum

Intent of our Mathematics Education Provision

At Whitehouse Community Primary School, we endeavour to provide all our learners with a high-quality and inspiring maths curriculum that empowers them and develops a love of the subject. Mathematics is essential and teaches us how to understand the world around us through reasoning, problem solving and calculating. Through our own specially designed and weighted school curriculum we strive to build links, deepen children’s understanding and most importantly, equip our cohorts with valuable life skills and opportunities.

Implementation of our Mathematics Education Provision

Our children are at the heart of the structure and implementation of our maths curriculum; the ways in which they learn and achieve best are catered for and considered at all times. Children in all year groups will have a dedicated maths lesson every morning. The school’s maths curriculum and coverage is presented and delivered in a spiral model which allows children to revisit maths strands regularly and therefore deepen their understanding. Throughout their learning journey, and at all ages, children begin learning new concepts through manipulatives before moving on to pictorial and then abstract learning models. We ensure that their overall understanding of number and fluency is secure before challenging our children further through mastery, reasoning and application of these skills to other curriculum areas, particularly Science and Geography. The coverage of our school curriculum ensures that the children learn all statutory elements of the Maths National Curriculum and gives them access to non-statutory objectives in order for them to achieve further.

In every year group, a range of carefully written targets have been developed to guide teachers to plan and assess children’s mathematical learning and curriculum maps have been created to ensure key concepts are taught in a logical sequence to build mathematical understanding. All maths lessons are scaffolded using our three-step learning objectives and gold challenges. Maths targets are displayed on the learning objective so children are aware of the skill they are developing. These targets are then assessed at a later date using a skills check task. Teachers are given presentation guidance to ensure all children follow the same structure in their maths books and the same format for written methods, this ensures consistency across the school and builds confidence as children progress through the year groups.

To ensure that children are confident in the subject content, and to ensure they achieve well, we use ‘afternoon surgeries’ following morning maths sessions to embed learning and understanding. We strive to make sure no child gets left behind. All classrooms have a maths working wall displaying key vocabulary for their current topic as well as visual prompts or modelled examples of written methods. Key vocabulary for each strand through each year group has also been mapped to ensure consistency and progression. Teachers and children have access to a wide range of mathematical equipment, including IPADs, to support their learning. As a school, we have invested in the ‘Times Table Rockstars’ and ‘Numbots’ programs to inspire children to become secure with times tables and basic arithmetical facts. Each classroom has ‘Rockstars’ leader board and there is a central display showing how each class is performing. Certificates are also presented at weekly assemblies and results are published to parents in the weekly newsletter.

Impact of our Mathematics Education Provision

The top priority of our school maths curriculum is for children to be successful in real life; the skills and concepts they learn through maths will ensure that they achieve well in the wider world as they move on and grow.

• Our balanced curriculum and focus on mastery and reasoning helps our children develop transferable knowledge, skills and understanding which can be easily applied in the real world and adult life to increase our children’ opportunities in further education, day-to-day life and employment.
• Our inclusive spiral curriculum ensures all every pupil at Whitehouse has the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and confidence in maths at a level appropriate to them.
• The outcomes of children’s high quality work are evident in children’s books, particularly the high standard of presentation and consistent use of written methods.
• Marking and feedback shows clearly how children progress and address misconceptions through next steps and afternoon surgeries.
• High quality mathematical content and presentation is celebrated through displays around the school. Celebrating pupil’s achievements builds confidence and a love of the subject.
• Sequences of lessons in books and revision of core areas show progress of skills and knowledge within and between year groups.
• Reasoning and problem solving activities in maths develop the ‘Whitehouse Ways’ of perseverance and courage.
• Our whole school participation in ‘Times Table Rockstars’ has helped to motivate pupil and raise the profile of maths, and in turn it has had an extremely positive impact on attainment.
• Teacher assessment, peer assessment and children’ self-assessment are used to track progress and attainment. Assessments are recorded and monitored on classroom monitor and analysed through pupil-progress meetings termly.
• Our progress and attainment data clearly shows the positive impact of our Maths curriculum.