Maths
At Bannerman Road, we want our pupils to see themselves as mathematicians and to develop a love of maths! We know that maths is essential to everyday life, science, engineering and technology and is a necessity for future learning and employment. Our aim is to provide a maths curriculum which is accessible to all children in the school enabling them to learn the range of skills they need to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, being able to reason and to solve problems. Ultimately, we want our pupils to be confident to use their mathematical knowledge in real life contexts.
We plan teaching and learning steps following a clear progression of skills and knowledge, using the National Curriculum. We support learners by breaking down each mathematical concept into small, fundamental steps which build on each other and allow a deeper understanding of the connection between different mathematical concepts. The school uses the White Rose resources as a spine to support the sequencing of mathematics and teachers adapt the lessons accordingly to suit the needs of the class.
All learners access a range of concrete manipulatives to give them a secure mathematical foundation. They then progress onto working with pictorial representations before moving on to abstract written methods. We ensure all children are able to work independently in lessons by providing appropriate guided practice, scaffolding independent work accordingly to help children ‘master’ key skills and setting extension opportunities for additional challenge that support the deepening of understanding.
In our teaching practice, we specifically focus on the use of high-quality mathematical vocabulary and sentence stems to ensure depth of understanding which, in turn, enables pupils to acquire the crucial skills of problem solving and reasoning.
From EYFS, pupils build a deep understanding of number and number relationships and develop fluency in calculation using the Numbersense programme. As learning progresses, we ensure children are confident with their multiplication facts by teaching times tables using the Ashley Down times table scheme and supporting this through the use of ‘Times Tables Rock Stars’ (which can also be accessed at home).
We monitor the practice and progress of all our children and provide pre- and post-teaching where necessary.
More information about White Rose resources can be found at:
Supporting your Child
Supporting your child
We hope this information is helpful to you. There are also links to websites and songs your child can access here by Clicking.
Reception
Numberblocks is a BBC television series aimed at introducing children to early number. The children in Reception use Numberblocks in their maths lessons. We recommend starting with ‘The One Song’.
Click here for BBC cbeebies Numberblocks
Year 1 and 2
In KS1, we place a large emphasis on children learning addition and subtraction facts within 20 as they are the building blocks.
For example:
This is addition by partitioning. The addition facts needed to answer this are 3+4, 6+5, 7+1 and 0+1
For this subtraction calculation using the column method, the subtraction facts needed are 12-4, 5-2 and 3-1.
When moving onto more complex problems, if children are not fluent with the basic facts, the working memory is focusing on these rather than the actual problem.
We explicitly teach the children strategies for addition and subtraction facts to 20 using Number Sense Maths. The facts are grouped into the different strategies. Click for addition and subtraction fact teaching strategies. More information can be found here: Addition and Subtraction Fact teaching | Number Sense Maths
You can help your children to practice the addition or subtraction facts they are working on in school. When starting a new strategy, your child’s teacher will give you an ‘Activities for Home’ sheet which will explain the strategy and list some ideas of games to play. Following that, your child’s homework each week will be a further worksheet or activity focusing on the strategy they are learning. Playing games and saying the facts for just a few minutes a day makes a huge difference. You can also keep practicing the strategies they have already learnt.
To listen to Mrs Crew explaining this, please click here.
Years 3 – 6
Times tables are important for mathematical learning and understanding. Children need to use the times table facts to answer more complex multiplication questions, for example 263 x 6. By knowing the facts, space is freed up to allow them to learn new mathematical ideas and apply this to solve problems. We place a large emphasis on learning the facts up to 9 x 9 as these are the building blocks they need in Year 5 and 6 for short multiplication and division.
For a detailed explanation of what, why and how we teach times tables click here to listen to Mrs Crew. If you would just like to learn about how to support your child with times tables at home, click here
We are focusing on the following times table facts in each year group:
Year 3 - Multiplication and division facts for the 2, 10, 5 and 3 times table.
Year 4 - Multiplication and division facts for the 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 times table. Also the 11 and 12 times table in a lighter touch way.
Year 5 – Continuing to practice all the times table to ensure they are fluent and any of the facts they aren’t secure with.
You can support by helping your child to practice the times table they are working on in school. You can print the fact cards below so they are double sided. The question should be on one side and the answer on the back. Cut them out and look at them with your child. Ask them to read out the fact and see whether they know the answer. They should be able to say the answer within 3 seconds. Sort the cards into two piles, ones they know and ones they still need to learn. Write out the facts they still need to learn on a piece of paper with the question and the answer. These are the ones to keep practicing.
Parent Workshops
Regular parent workshops are held on a variety of Maths topics. If you have any requests or suggestions please see Mrs Crew our Maths Leader.
View workshop PowerPoints below:
Key Documents
The National Curriculum document lays out the Maths objectives for each year group so you can see what your child will be learning over the year.
The long term plan PowerPoint details when each year group will be covering each area of Maths.
The calculation guidelines document explains how we build up the teaching of the four calculation methods using the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach.
Primary National Curriculum For Mathematics.pdf
Year 1 to 6 Long Term Plans.pdf