Maths

Intent

At Moorhill we want children to think mathematically and develop mathematical language and reasoning so that they become lifelong mathematicians. Instead of learning mathematical principles by rote, we want pupils to develop a deep conceptual understanding, which will enable them to apply their learning in different situations and problem solve.

At Moorhill we teach all aspects of the National Curriculum using Mathematics Mastery. Our school has been using the approach for five years and the key principles of conceptual understanding, language and communication and mathematical thinking are embedded across the school. After spending time researching we choose Mathematics Mastery as it is researched-based and the key principles align with the schools vision for pupils to be articulate, numerate and possess lifelong skills for learning. The programme has research-based professional development which works to build specialist expertise, develop teachers and improve teaching and learning in mathematics.

A vital part of conceptual understanding in maths is the use of concrete, pictorial and abstract representations. Throughout the school children are given many opportunities to use these representations and talk about them mathematically.

Growth mindset is a key component of our approach to maths. We believe that every child can be successful in maths if they put in lots of effort and are given the right learning opportunities.

Implementation

The curriculum at Moorhill is cumulative. Each school year begins with a focus on concepts and skills that have the most connections, which are then applied and connected throughout the school year to consolidate learning. This gives pupils the opportunity to master maths using previous learning throughout the school year and throughout their school life. They are able to develop mathematical fluency and conceptual understanding.

Teachers use curriculum maps covering the full national curriculum to inform their planning. Resources are adapted to meet the needs of learners in each class ensuring suitable support and challenge is always present.

At least three times a week, children take part in a ‘Maths Meeting’ these are 15 minute sessions which are broken down into short segments and cover several areas of the curriculum. They are designed to provide opportunity to regularly rehearse and practise key skills such as times tables and additive facts.

We regular include lessons which we call ‘Five Question Friday’ in which children complete mixed fluency questions and five mixed reasoning questions. This gives children the opportunity to apply previously taught skills and teachers the opportunity to assess, support and challenge.

Impact

Our curriculum is carefully designed to give children the self-belief, knowledge and skills to be successful mathematicians.
We measure the impact of the curriculum through the following methods:

• Pupils discussion and interview about their learning
• Assessment of standard achieved against the skills and knowledge outlined in our data tracking system ‘Pupil Asset’.
• Standardised tests at the end of each term and national statutory testing.

By the time children leave Moorhill we want them to:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including 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.
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, make conjectures, discover relationships and make generalisations, justify and prove using mathematical language.
• 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.

Maths Gallery