Maths

In Key Stage One

Key Stage One Maths takes place in the morning, four times a week.  The Maths lessons are planned using White Rose Maths planning scheme, with additional tasks planned for carefully to develop and further extend our Greater Depth learners.  

All teachers are trained in the pedagogy of maths, and plan to ensure that all children learn and make progress within the lesson.  All children are given the opportunity to learn using a range of resources to support their learning and only move away from using the resources when they feel comfortable to do so.  

The structure of the lessons allows the children to revisit learning that they have done before, through ‘Flashback Four’ activities, these tasks comprise of four questions linked to prior learning that allow the children to work collaboratively to find the answer.  Teachers use this as an assessment of what children can remember from previously taught lessons.

Lessons always start with a True or False question, this is an assessment tool to see which children within the class will need support in the lesson and which children will be able to work more independently.

Following the teaching input the children work independently and sometimes collaboratively to practise and develop the objective from the main part of the lesson.  For those learners who have a good, independent understanding of the objectives they have the opportunity to move on to ‘GOLD CHALLENGES’ these are greater depth tasks which allow children to demonstrate their knowledge of the mathematical skills in a range of activities and begin to reason about their answers.

All children take great pride in their Maths books, demonstrating a good understanding of the maths that they are taught.

Maths in the Early Years

At St Faiths Church of England Infant and Nursery School, the Reception Curriculum is supported by the use of the scheme NCETM scheme, Mastering Number.  

All teachers are trained in the pedagogy of maths and plan to ensure that all children learn and make progress within the lesson.  All session include a multi-sensory approach to learning, often involving singing and counting alongside a vast range of practical and play based activities.

In Nursery maths takes place in a range of ways. Depending on the skill being taught the children access a range of maths activities during some key group sessions, during adult led activities and also in their own free choice play. This allows children to learn knowledge and skills and then practise and apply them in a way that suits their individual learning needs and preferences.  

In Reception, maths takes place every afternoon. The Maths sessions are planned using Mastering Number for four days a week, with additional tasks planned for carefully to develop and further extend our higher ability (exceeding) learners. The planning is adapted and adjusted to suit the needs of groups and individuals in each class, to ensure that all children make progress and all areas of the Development Matters Curriculum are taught in depth.

When teachers identify further learning is required on specific objectives, teachers plan additional activities to suit the needs of the individual children. This ensures any misconceptions are addressed immediately and children receive additional time and support to practise key skills and understand key concepts outside of the usual maths session.

'Shape, Space and Measure' skills are taught on Fridays and for block weeks. The planning for these is supported by Development Matters and White Rose Maths.