Intent
The aim at Hamstead Infant School is to provide children with an ambitious, coherent curriculum allowing children to develop their confidence and independence regardless of their independent needs.
We provide a broad and engaging curriculum based on the EYFS Development Matters and National Curriculum allowing children to extend their knowledge and understanding. We aim for all of our children to develop the characteristics of a mathematician by showing resilience when solving more complex problems, using a range of mathematical vocabulary to justify their answers and becoming independent learners, applying their skills across the curriculum. We aim to provide all children with positive and enjoyable experiences of mathematics.
The mathematics curriculum is rooted in the following three key aspects,
To provide experiences that allow our children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practise with increasingly complex problems over time. Pupils will develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
To reason mathematically by asking questions, discovering relationships, forming generalisations and justifying answers using mathematical language.
To solve problems by applying their mathematics in a variety of contexts, including breaking down problems into smaller steps and persevering to seek solutions.
When teaching mathematics at Hamstead Infant School, we intend to provide opportunities for all individuals and their needs. We incorporate challenge by including activities which aim to build upon the children’s prior learning and continue to move knowledge and skills on while allowing opportunities for reasoning and problem solving. We are committed to ensuring that children recognise maths and its importance in everyday life and also how they will be able to apply their skills in real life situations.
Our curriculum drivers are used to personalise the curriculum to meet the needs of the children in our school with the aim of provide challenge for all:
Language – Children at Hamstead Infant School will be able to communicate confidently within their maths lessons, using a range of mathematical vocabulary in the correct contexts. The children will be able to communicate their thoughts and ideas when working and will begin to learn how to use communication to ensure others understand their thought processes and abilities. The children will be able to use communication to reason with others and explain how they have solved different mathematical problems.
Independence– Children will take part in challenging and engaging maths lessons. When answering questions, solving problems and completing tasks, the children will learn how to build resilience and understand that they can learn from their mistakes. They will choose equipment they need to help them along with strategies they think are best suited to each problem. The children will become resilient mathematicians who are confident to apply their skills across all areas of the curriculum and in everyday life. Children will take pride in their work and strive to achieve their best.
Outdoor- The children at Hamstead Infant School will have the opportunity to experience their learning through outdoor opportunities and to use what is around them in the immediate and local area to enhance their learning. The children will experience mathematical concepts in the real world and engage in play-based learning, particularly for early learners.
Implementation
Planning
Learning is broken down into ‘small steps’ and lessons are planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills are built on what has been taught before.
Teachers follow the White Rose Maths Hub and NCETM Mastering Number schemes of learning. Teachers enhance the scheme of learning with NRich Problem Solving
Staff refer to the Calculation Policy when teaching formal methods, understanding that some children find their own efficient methods along the way
Teaching
Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in mathematics
The majority of our children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace
Differentiation is achieved by moving children on as soon as they are ready and also through interventions and support from staff.
Some curriculum content is subject specific and is taught discreetly whilst other content is delivered in a cross curricular approach.
Continuous provision in Early Years provides opportunities to reinforce and retrieve information and skills. It is also used to replace the teaching of some aspects of the curriculum in order to apply the knowledge and skills that they have learnt.
Continuous provision ensures that children repeat their learning in order for it to become embedded and to develop a mastery of the subject.
Curriculum maps are spiral in form to ensure repetition in order to embed learning over time and develop sustained mastery for all pupils. This happens over time and requires regular retrieval.
Our practice is to provide opportunities to practise, retrieve, embed, master, revisit and extend through a range of individual and group activities. Children are encouraged to be active, talk, experiment and use their imagination at every opportunity.
We follow a CPA (concrete, pictorial, abstract) approach. Children have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing. They build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations. With the foundations laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.
In KS1, mathematics lessons are taught at a minimum of 4 lessons per week at 45 minutes per session and Mastering Number fluency sessions are taught 4 lesson per week at 15 minutes per session.
Leadership, Assessment and Feedback
Assessment informs teaching and learning, and children work on the objectives they are being assessed at.
Children who are not making required progress are given extra support through intervention sessions and support in class.
In order to support teacher judgements, children are assessed using White Rose Maths assessments termly. Analysis of these assessments is then fed into future planning.
The maths leader has a clear role and overall responsibility for the progress of all children in maths throughout the school. Working with the senior leadership team, key data is analysed and regular feedback is provided and discussed at pupil progress meetings to inform on progress and future actions.
Monitoring of the subject takes the form of lesson observations, learning walks, pupil voice conversations, book scrutinies, data analysis, moderation within and between year groups and communication with the Governing body.
Impact
By the end of EYFS, the vast majority of pupils have achieved a good level of development; some pupils will have gained a deeper understanding.
By the end of Key Stage 1, the vast majority of pupils have sustained mastery of the content; some pupils will have a greater depth of understanding.