At Higher Failsworth, we value every pupil and the contribution they have to make. As a result, we aim to ensure that every child achieves success and that all are enabled to develop their skills in accordance with their level of ability.
Mathematics is both a key skill within school, and a life skill to be utilised throughout every person’s day to day experiences. Therefore, we strive to ensure all children have a secure understanding of the fundamentals of mathematics and build on these to reach their full potential.
The aims of the national curriculum state that all pupils should:
- Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics.
- Reason mathematically.
- Solve problems by applying their mathematics.
Intent
From understanding the needs of our school and its pupils, and listening to the aims of the national curriculum, we have created a set of intentions for our school’s maths curriculum.
- To provide children with the skills needed to develop a fluent knowledge of arithmetic understanding.
- To provide children with transferable maths skills which will support them in the wider world.
- To develop children’s resilience in regards to problem solving.
In order to achieve our intentions, we have clear routines which are used throughout school.
Implementation
Throughout their time at Higher Failsworth, our children will be taught maths in a supportive and engaging way using a variety of tools and supports to develop their understanding. Some of the things they access will also be introduced as a part of their home learning, to strengthen their understanding and the relationship between home and school. Please make sure you are encouraging your children to access this home learning to ensure they are able to embed their learning and become fluent with their knowledge.
Arithmetic Time
Each class takes part in 15 minutes of arithmetic recap over the course of the day. During this time, they embed lots of knowledge that they have learnt previously and get the chance to practice their fluency. The learning is often done practically and in a way that gets the children excited and engaged in their maths.
White Rose Maths Hub
Our school uses White Rose Maths to support the children’s learning. This scheme supports our mastery approach in maths.
What does Mastery look like in HFPS?
Our mastery approach for teaching mathematics ensures that everyone can learn and enjoy mathematics. Mathematical learning behaviours are developed such that pupils focus and engage fully as learners who reason and seek to make connections. Lesson design links to prior learning to ensure all can access the new learning and identifies carefully sequenced steps in progression to build secure understanding. Pupils are taught through whole-class interactive teaching, enabling all to master the concepts necessary for the next part of the curriculum sequence. In a typical lesson, the teacher leads back and forth interaction, including questioning, short tasks, explanation, demonstration, and discussion, enabling pupils to think, reason and apply their knowledge to solve problems. The use of precise mathematical language enables all pupils to communicate their reasoning and thinking effectively. Key number facts are learnt to automaticity, and other key mathematical facts are learned deeply and practised regularly, to avoid cognitive overload in working memory and enable pupils to focus on new learning.
Ways to support your child with their mathematical skills
Numbots
Numbots is a game-based platform that helps children develop fluency with their basic number facts. When they log in, the children can access a variety of games that help them to improve their maths skill and earn coins which they can spend in the shop. All children, from Nursery to Year 2, can have their own unique log in username and password. Please ask your teacher if you need to know yours.
Times Tables Rockstars
Times Tables Rockstars is a fun and engaging way for the children to learn their multiplication facts. In school they have daily tests to improve their fluency and at home they can play games to win coins and buy items for their avatar Rock Hero! All children, from Year 2 upwards, have their own unique log in username and password. Please ask your teacher if you do not know yours. You can log into to Times Tables Rockstars here.
You can find out more about our Maths curriculum here.