Intent

At Horsell Junior School, we know that mathematics is vital to everyday life and necessary for most forms of employment. Mathematics can be found within science, engineering, architecture, medicine and business. Our aim is to ensure that pupils gain mathematical knowledge which will allow them to: 

articulate their success, ideas and thinking,

be brave and challenge themselves in their learning

be collaborative, working with one another to discuss their learning and solve problems efficiently.

Implementation

• In year 3, 4 and 5, the teachers continue to take it in turns to plan a unit of work. This year we have added an expectation that all lessons include a Fluent in 5 starter to support retrieval and fluency practice. This was because it was identified that children need regular practice of basic number and operations and whilst we teach in unit blocks it means children get regular access to all topics throughout the year.
• Children in Year 3 and 4 complete the Times Table Mountain throughout the year and receive a certificate at the end. They then move on to complete a range of calculations to help with their retrieval of times table facts and to enable them to regularly practice.
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• Year 6, since Autumn 2 the teachers have been implementing the White Rose scheme to help ensure consistency, support subject knowledge and provide stretch and challenge for children amongst a new teaching team. It was decided that Year 6 would teach this scheme and not Maths No Problem because we wanted to deliver the children a scheme planned in line and within the time frame to deliver the curriculum by SATs, ensuring they had full curriculum coverage.
• In year 6, children traffic light their workbook but teachers also assess the learning against the statements on Scholarpack. After assessment week teachers also complete a Gap Analysis to identify further areas that need to be revisited.
• Subject Leader has worked to support Year 6 and spent time with them observing and sharing knowledge and ideas to ensure a smooth transition into the teaching of a new scheme.

 

Impact (including pupil voice, assessment & subject monitoring)

• Reasoning – Children are becoming more confident in discussing their methods and ideas, developing a richer vocabulary when giving an example. This is evident daily during the Fluent 5 starter activity and during the Guided Practice element of Maths No Problem where, as a class, we discuss methods and ideas of how to solve problems. Occasionally, children will be met with an incorrect answer on the board during Fluent in 5 to reason why the answer is wrong and how it needs to be corrected, again, this encourages the children to explain further their thinking and ideas.
• Collaboration and listening skills – both Maths No Problem and White Rose allow for more structured pair/group work to solve problems using mixed ability groupings. This is encouraging all children to listen to their peer’s methods to solve a problem, then sharing an alternative method or discussing any misconceptions from this as a starting point. White Rose lesson workbooks have clear symbols to show the children what style of learning they are to carry out- independent, talk partner, resource activity etc.
• Persistence and resilience – Having whole class resources encourages learners to experiment with using a range of resources and different methods to solve a problem. This helps them to understand that there are a variety of methods that are available and is encouraging some learners to discuss the efficiency of the methods and resources on offer.  Children taking part in pre-teach sessions are becoming more independent and resilient in lessons as the children feel more equipped to give the calculations a go.
• Confidence- Through carrying out Pupil Voice and lesson drop ins, children’s confidence in maths is gradually improving. More children are able to discuss their learning with confidence and are becoming more confident in their exploratory approach to maths.

For more information on Mathematics within the school, please refer to the links opposite.