Hill View Junior Academy
Maths at Hill View Junior Academy
Intent
At Hill View Junior Academy, we embed our GROW approach to the maths curriculum and therefore have high expectations for all of our pupils and believe that they can become confident and skilled mathematicians. Maths is a skill we use on a daily basis and is an essential part of everyday life; it forms an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum, where we endeavour to ensure that children develop an enjoyment and enthusiasm for maths
that will stay with them throughout their lives.
As a school, we recognise that the key to unlocking the potential in our children is through the development of basic mathematical skills and the understanding of mathematical concepts. We therefore place great emphasis on the use of concrete resources and pictorial representations at all ages, to enable children to fully understand the concepts and principals, when presented with abstract calculations and questions. In concurrence with this, mathematical discussion to aid reasoning and problem solving is vital in our curriculum. We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenge through rich and sophisticated problems. We want our children to see mathematics as being relevant to our ever-changing world and useful in everyday life, as well as being something useful as they move through their school life and into employment.
In line with the 2014 National Curriculum, the emphasis has been to ensure that all children:
• Become fluent,
• Reason and explain mathematically,
• Can solve problems.
Our 5 main aims when teaching maths at Hill View Junior Academy are to develop:
• A solid conceptual understanding and for children to make links between different mathematical concepts,
• Fluency with number,
• Children who see maths as relevant in the real world,
• Positive, enthusiastic attitudes,
• Children who are curious, resilient and great team-workers.
Implementation
At Hill View, children are introduced to mathematical concepts using the CPA (Concrete/Pictorial/Abstract) approach. This means moving from practical use of apparatus to representations using pictures, to finally using numbers to calculate, reason and problem solve with. This approach is used as a means to developing a solid understanding of mathematical concepts, which can be applied in a variety of contexts through reasoning and problem-solving challenges.
We use the National Curriculum (2014) as the basis of our maths programme, supported by White Rose to aid teachers in resourcing, planning and sequencing. Teachers may also supplement questions from a range of other sources that follow the WRM small step that they are teaching in order to support their teaching further. This means that children are not being stretched outside their year group but rather deepened within it. Additionally, our calculation policy is used within the school to ensure a consistent approach to teaching the four operations over time; it outlines the progression of strategies and methods to be taught.
Children receive daily maths lessons that are 1 hour and 15 minutes long. In years 3,4 and 5, maths is taught in mixed ability classes, but sets are used in year 6 to aid with transition to secondary school. At the beginning of each maths lesson across all year groups, ‘Turbo Maths’ is used. This is a 10 - 15 minute daily starter which is designed to enable children to develop their basic skills, including counting and rapid recall of facts.
During each maths lesson, children are taught through clear modelling and have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts through a range of questions, beginning with fluency. Reasoning and problem solving is explored in all lessons for children to be able to develop deeper mathematical thinking. In all classes, maths should involve lots of talking, discussion and reasoning where mistakes and warmly
welcomed. Resilience and confidence are key skills which we strive to build into our daily maths lessons, as they transfer across the whole curriculum and even into real life!
Times tables play an important part in our maths learning, with children developing their fluency in rapid recall of tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of year 4. While the rapid recall of times tables are being developed, children are also learning how to apply and manipulate their understanding of this to reason and solve problems. In years 3 and 4, explicit teaching of times tables is used until children become proficient. Throughout all year groups, children have the
opportunity to consolidate and apply their times tables knowledge using Times Table Rockstars.
Daily assessment is incorporated throughout the lesson through live and verbal feedback. Where children require additional support, immediate intervention that lesson or that day are used to support children; this ensures that they are ready for the next ‘small step’. Termly WRM assessments and fortnightly arithmetic tests are used as a diagnostic tool to ensure that teachers are adapting learning to meet the needs of all children and ensure that any necessary interventions are targeted specifically to meet the needs of children.
Impact
By the end of Year 6, as our children transition to secondary school, we aspire that a Hill View Junior mathematician will have developed a bank of efficient and accurate skills that can be used to calculate effectively. Our CPA process will ensure that children understand rather than just do, ultimately allowing children to identify when answers do not make mathematical sense. In addition to this, children will demonstrate a quick recall of basic skills through ‘Turbo Maths’ sessions, Times Tables Rockstars and are able to apply this widely. Children will be able to apply these calculation skills and understanding of other areas to become confident and resilient problem-solvers with the ability to reason and articulate their ideas mathematically. As a result of this, children will have the language to be able to justify, reason and explain their answers. Mathematical concepts of skills are mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas and can independently apply the concept to new problems.
Overall, our Hill View Junior mathematicians will use the GROW approach to show confidence and resilience, as well as developing a love of number and a love of learning.
White Rose Maths Yearly Overviews
Support for Parents
The White Rose Maths Hub have produced some fantastic resources for parents.
They have short and very clear videos explaining about how place value, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and algebra are now taught in school. The videos also have free, downloadable easy to follow, step by step guides with copies of resources that we use in school. Please check them out here!
White Rose have also produced free, downloadable workbooks for Years 1 - 6 which give children and parents an extra tool for enjoying maths together at home. They can be downloaded at: https://whiteroseeducation.com/parent-pupil-resources/maths/free-downloads
Hill View Junior Academy
Maths at Hill View Junior Academy
Intent
At Hill View Junior Academy, we embed our GROW approach to the maths curriculum and therefore have high expectations for all of our pupils and believe that they can become confident and skilled mathematicians. Maths is a skill we use on a daily basis and is an essential part of everyday life; it forms an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum, where we endeavour to ensure that children develop an enjoyment and enthusiasm for maths
that will stay with them throughout their lives.
As a school, we recognise that the key to unlocking the potential in our children is through the development of basic mathematical skills and the understanding of mathematical concepts. We therefore place great emphasis on the use of concrete resources and pictorial representations at all ages, to enable children to fully understand the concepts and principals, when presented with abstract calculations and questions. In concurrence with this, mathematical discussion to aid reasoning and problem solving is vital in our curriculum. We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenge through rich and sophisticated problems. We want our children to see mathematics as being relevant to our ever-changing world and useful in everyday life, as well as being something useful as they move through their school life and into employment.
In line with the 2014 National Curriculum, the emphasis has been to ensure that all children:
• Become fluent,
• Reason and explain mathematically,
• Can solve problems.
Our 5 main aims when teaching maths at Hill View Junior Academy are to develop:
• A solid conceptual understanding and for children to make links between different mathematical concepts,
• Fluency with number,
• Children who see maths as relevant in the real world,
• Positive, enthusiastic attitudes,
• Children who are curious, resilient and great team-workers.
Implementation
At Hill View, children are introduced to mathematical concepts using the CPA (Concrete/Pictorial/Abstract) approach. This means moving from practical use of apparatus to representations using pictures, to finally using numbers to calculate, reason and problem solve with. This approach is used as a means to developing a solid understanding of mathematical concepts, which can be applied in a variety of contexts through reasoning and problem-solving challenges.
We use the National Curriculum (2014) as the basis of our maths programme, supported by White Rose to aid teachers in resourcing, planning and sequencing. Teachers may also supplement questions from a range of other sources that follow the WRM small step that they are teaching in order to support their teaching further. This means that children are not being stretched outside their year group but rather deepened within it. Additionally, our calculation policy is used within the school to ensure a consistent approach to teaching the four operations over time; it outlines the progression of strategies and methods to be taught.
Children receive daily maths lessons that are 1 hour and 15 minutes long. In years 3,4 and 5, maths is taught in mixed ability classes, but sets are used in year 6 to aid with transition to secondary school. At the beginning of each maths lesson across all year groups, ‘Turbo Maths’ is used. This is a 10 - 15 minute daily starter which is designed to enable children to develop their basic skills, including counting and rapid recall of facts.
During each maths lesson, children are taught through clear modelling and have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts through a range of questions, beginning with fluency. Reasoning and problem solving is explored in all lessons for children to be able to develop deeper mathematical thinking. In all classes, maths should involve lots of talking, discussion and reasoning where mistakes and warmly
welcomed. Resilience and confidence are key skills which we strive to build into our daily maths lessons, as they transfer across the whole curriculum and even into real life!
Times tables play an important part in our maths learning, with children developing their fluency in rapid recall of tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of year 4. While the rapid recall of times tables are being developed, children are also learning how to apply and manipulate their understanding of this to reason and solve problems. In years 3 and 4, explicit teaching of times tables is used until children become proficient. Throughout all year groups, children have the
opportunity to consolidate and apply their times tables knowledge using Times Table Rockstars.
Daily assessment is incorporated throughout the lesson through live and verbal feedback. Where children require additional support, immediate intervention that lesson or that day are used to support children; this ensures that they are ready for the next ‘small step’. Termly WRM assessments and fortnightly arithmetic tests are used as a diagnostic tool to ensure that teachers are adapting learning to meet the needs of all children and ensure that any necessary interventions are targeted specifically to meet the needs of children.
Impact
By the end of Year 6, as our children transition to secondary school, we aspire that a Hill View Junior mathematician will have developed a bank of efficient and accurate skills that can be used to calculate effectively. Our CPA process will ensure that children understand rather than just do, ultimately allowing children to identify when answers do not make mathematical sense. In addition to this, children will demonstrate a quick recall of basic skills through ‘Turbo Maths’ sessions, Times Tables Rockstars and are able to apply this widely. Children will be able to apply these calculation skills and understanding of other areas to become confident and resilient problem-solvers with the ability to reason and articulate their ideas mathematically. As a result of this, children will have the language to be able to justify, reason and explain their answers. Mathematical concepts of skills are mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas and can independently apply the concept to new problems.
Overall, our Hill View Junior mathematicians will use the GROW approach to show confidence and resilience, as well as developing a love of number and a love of learning.
White Rose Maths Yearly Overviews
Support for Parents
The White Rose Maths Hub have produced some fantastic resources for parents.
They have short and very clear videos explaining about how place value, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and algebra are now taught in school. The videos also have free, downloadable easy to follow, step by step guides with copies of resources that we use in school. Please check them out here!
White Rose have also produced free, downloadable workbooks for Years 1 - 6 which give children and parents an extra tool for enjoying maths together at home. They can be downloaded at: https://whiteroseeducation.com/parent-pupil-resources/maths/free-downloads