Curriculum Intention:

The National Curriculum for mathematics intends to ensure that all pupils:

1. 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

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

3. 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

We intend to provide children with the necessary skills: become fluent by daily practice; reason mathematically and prove how they know that their answer is correct; and solve problems, by breaking problems down and using prior learning.  We intend that our children will have a growth mindset in Maths and will persevere when they find things tricky.

Our expectation at Woodridge is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace.  We intend to challenge all pupils through additional challenges following the main activity, specifically related to that day’s learning.  For children who find mathematical concepts difficult to grasp, we aim to pre-teach or run interventions prior to the next day’s learning.  Blue Sky Thinking challenge questions are used widely to extend children’s learning and practice reasoning. 

Curriculum Implementation:

In Years 1-6, we teach a daily maths lesson, following White Rose Maths principles. In KS1, maths lessons are approximately 45 minutes per day and in KS2, maths lessons are one hour. 

At Woodridge, we have written our own programme of study for Years 1-6, based on White Rose Maths principles. Specific learning objectives are taken from the National Curriculum to create a comprehensive whole school curriculum with clearly mapped progression between lessons and year groups. Reception Class also use the White Rose Maths resources.

At Woodridge we have begun our maths mastery journey and are using different representations, including different pictorial and physical representations in lessons to ensure children recognise how mathematical concepts are linked.  We ensure children answer questions in complete sentences so the correct vocabulary is continually modelled. The mastery approach has also helped children to explain their thinking and how they know what they know.  Daily practice has helped children to rapidly recall facts.

Lessons include concrete, pictorial and abstract elements as appropriate. Children are given lots of practice using concrete resources, such as Dienes, Numicon, place value counters, cubes.  They are supported in making jottings and drawings (pictorial) to support their mathematical development.  The three elements are crucial for children to gain fluency and be able to use what they know in different contexts.

We also incorporate regular Movement Maths activities to further broaden the curriculum in a kinaesthetic way. 

We make use of a range of interactive websites and activities on our chromebooks and iPads, where appropriate, e.g. Times Table Rockstars.

Maths Subject Leader - Mrs Sara Norman