Maths at Hill View Primary Academy

 

Maths adaptation guidance

Maths Intent

At Hill View, our intent is to deliver active, engaging and challenging Maths lessons that are well-planned and underpinned by the National Curriculum, using clear knowledge and skills progressions. Through the use of the Power Maths scheme and our own adaptations, we teach Maths using a mastery approach to enable every child to make at least good progress from their starting points. In addition, we use fluid groupings, concrete, pictorial and abstract methods to ensure that all children have a secure understanding of their mathematical learning within an equitable culture. We teach children to think and reason mathematically and to have a good understanding of number fluency. Through the use of reasoning and problem solving, children work both independently and collaboratively to nurture their ideas and solve challenging Maths problems. All children will approach maths with a growth mind-set and resilience, happy to grapple and be flexible in their thinking, grounded by sound mathematical knowledge and understanding.

Our ASCENT values are evident throughout our Maths approach, and exemplify our commitment to the development of well-rounded, aspirational life-long learners, who strive to show excellence within maths. We ensure that our children leave Hill View as competent and confident mathematicians for the future and are able to meet new challenges in the next key stage and beyond.

Maths Progression
The Progressions show progress within Maths for EYFS, and Key Stages 1 and 2; they describe the subject knowledge, skills and understanding pupils are expected to develop during the key stages. Children develop at different rates, but our Progression Grids can give you an idea of how your child’s progress compares to what is typical for their age (Age Related Expectation).
 
What is progress in Maths about?
Learning maths is about solving problems using key processes such as:
  • looking for patterns and relationships between numbers
  • making sense of and checking information
  • communicating and presenting maths using words and diagrams, for example, graphs and symbols
  • reasoning and developing mathematical arguments.
Progression in maths involves using and applying these processes and skills in mathematics lessons and where applicable, across the whole school curriculum and in everyday life. To do this, children need to understand key elements such as number, geometry, measures and statistics. As a mathematical problem-solver, your child should learn and use skills such as:
  • sorting
  • ordering
  • grouping
  • measuring
  • calculating
  • comparing
  • manipulating, organising and interpreting information.
Maths is an imaginative, creative way of thinking which is part of everyday living. Learning maths is also about knowing where it has come from, why it is necessary and how different cultures have contributed to the way it has developed over time. Children learn maths best through tasks where they have to make choices in order to solve a problem or a puzzle. It helps them to practise skills, ideally in an enjoyable and engaging way, supporting the development of understanding as well as their confidence and their competence.
 
How can I help my child’s mathematical development?
For younger children playing and talking about games together will really encourage their mathematical development and support their learning in school. All activities you do which are seen as a puzzle, a game or as a ‘finding out’ process will enhance your child’s confidence to play with numbers and help them be more competent puzzlers and problem-solvers. Encouraging them to play with numbers and develop a range of mental calculation strategies will also help build their confidence and competence. As well as playing and discussing games, older children need to practise and consolidate skills such as mental arithmetic, solving equations, working out angles and calculating an average. These skills are necessary for solving the ‘bigger’ problems they will encounter as their mathematics develops. You can also encourage your child to engage with maths in the media, looking at how numbers and graphs are used to support arguments and encouraging them to question the reasonableness of what they are presented with. They may want to investigate further by searching on the internet, for example. Many parents will find that the way maths is taught is different from their own experience. If there are aspects of maths you would like to know more about, talk to your child’s teacher.
Hill View Primary Calculation Policies

Power Maths Reception Calculation Policy

Power Maths KS1 Calculation Policy

Power Maths LKS2 Calculation Policy

Power Maths UKS2 Calculation Policy

Maths Learning at Hill View
Hill View adopted the mastery approach to teaching Maths last year; this year we have adopted “Power Maths”, a scheme that was developed by the educators at White Rose and has been approved by the Department of Education, to develop and improve our Maths offer even further. For further information about the scheme and how we teach Maths at Hill View from Year R to Year 6 please follow this link.
 
Number Facts - Fluency Overview
Addition and subtraction facts: The full set of addition calculations that pupils need to be able to solve with automaticity are shown in the table below. Pupils must also be able to solve the corresponding subtraction calculations with automaticity. Pupils must be fluent in these facts by the end of year 2, and should continue with regular practice through year 3 to secure and maintain fluency.
We use NCTEM scheme of Mastering Number to practice automaticity and to make links and see patterns daily, in Years 1 and 2. We start Mastering Number in the Summer Term for children in EYFS.
Once children are fluent and confident, they can earn their ADDER badge!
It is essential that pupils have automatic recall of these facts before they learn the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction.
Multiplication and division facts: The full set of multiplication calculations that pupils need to be able to solve by automatic recall are shown in the table below. Pupils        must also have automatic recall of the corresponding division facts. Pupils must be fluent in these facts by the end of year 4, and this is assessed in the multiplication tables check. Pupils should continue with regular practice through year 5 to secure and maintain fluency. The 36 most important facts are highlighted in the table. Fluency in these facts should be prioritised because, when coupled with an understanding of commutativity and fluency in the formal written method for multiplication, they enable pupils to multiply any pair of numbers.
We use daily 2-minute Mastering Multiplication practise booklets to develop fluency across Years 3, 4 and 5 (if needed). Children learn the multiplication tables in the families, making connections between the multiplication tables in each family enables children to develop automatic recall more easily, and provide a deeper understanding of multiplication and division.
Once children are fluent and confident, they can earn their SMILE badge!
 

MathsHelpGuide

Number Bonds to 20 Years 1&2

Multiplication Tables Years 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

NumBots parent guide

TTRS Parent guide

Homework

Homework

Key Stage 2

In Key Stage 2, Years 3 to 6 are set weekly online Maths homework from Maths Flex – this is an intelligent, flexible and personalised KS2 maths practice service, with work set by the teacher, (supporting the learning that has taken place and that reflects the small steps teaching approach) with a recommendation engine to set practice while adapting to your child’s own strengths and weaknesses. Your child should receive personal log-in details for this – please speak to your child’s teacher if you have not been provided with these. Homework is set on a Friday and is due back into school on a Wednesday. There will be a Wednesday Homework Club to support children who have found it difficult to complete that week’s homework.

Click here to view the Maths Flex PowerPoint video

Your child also has the opportunity to practice their Multiplication Tables through the Times Tables Rock Stars website. Your child should have a personal log-in to this site, please speak to their class teacher if you do not have this.

Key Stage 1

Children will be provided with a Maths Homework book. Maths homework is set by their teacher, and directly relates to the learning taking place in school. Homework is set on a Friday and is due back into school on a Wednesday. There will be a Wednesday Homework Club to support children who have found it difficult to complete that week’s homework.

Your child also has the opportunity to practice their Number Bonds through the NumBots website, and in Year 2, Multiplication Tables through the Times Tables Rock Stars website. Your child should have a personal log-in to these sites, please speak to their class teacher if you do not have this.

Please find all links to these websites and other useful site below.

Entitlement and enrichment:

At Hill view, we ensure children have access to a rich Maths curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of all children: girls, boys, children with Special Educational Needs, Pupil Premium children and children with English as an additional language. All children are given opportunities to use Maths skills across a range of activities, within the wider community, including: TT Rockstars clubs and Girls Maths Groups. This affords children the opportunity to experience real life Maths problems in different contexts and builds on Cultural Capital.

Breadth and Balance: (progression of skills):

Please see links to all year groups that shows progression of skills for Maths as children move through the school.

Teaching narrative:

Within a Maths lesson, children will have daily opportunities to “grapple” or freely explore problems using known strategies to “figure it out” – this pedagogy is designed to build schema, resilience and mastery. Teachers will use mathematical language and concrete representations to model new concepts to all children. Children will then use such mathematical language to explain their reasoning around the decisions and choices they have made to solve a problem.

Concrete Pictorial Abstract representations (CPA)

In all year groups, multiple representations will be used to help children explore and demonstrate mathematical ideas. Initially, when a new concept is introduced, all children will use concrete objects and manipulatives to help with understanding – this will encourage them to explain the processes and methods used to find answers.

After exploring concepts with concrete resources, children will be given opportunities to build on their understanding using appropriate pictorial representations. Once children are confident with this, they move on to an abstract approach using numbers and symbols with key concepts. In addition, children will be given reasoning and problem solving opportunities daily in order to fully understand, explore and apply ideas rather than accelerate through topics. Challenge will come from investigating a concept in new, alternative and more complex ways with the use of mastery challenges.

Fluency

Children will be given opportunities to recall and apply their mathematical knowledge through frequent, well-targeted practise. This will help them to achieve a high level of fluency. However, as well as articulating facts and processes, children will begin to move between contexts and representations, recognise relationships and make connections within number. Adder and Smile badges will be rewarded to children with fast recall of facts. Teachers will use TT Rock Stars and Numbots from Year 1 to Year 6 to promote practice of recalling number facts and times table facts, at home and in school.

Reasoning

Children will be given the opportunity to explore reasoning during Maths lessons. Such tasks can be implemented both verbally and written. This type of mathematical learning will have the greatest impact on your children’s understanding of Maths concepts. Power Maths is designed to introduce new vocabulary in a sequenced and structured manner. Key vocabulary is reinforced during each lesson; encouraging the children to explain ideas and processes in full detailed sentences.

Problem Solving

Children will identify, understand and apply relevant principles to make connections and links between different concepts. The aim is to build on the skills needed to tackle new problems, understand, in depth, how to get to an answer and use many methods and apply them in different contexts.

Assessment and outcomes:

Pupils are assessed in multiple ways throughout the year:

  • Summative assessment is implemented on a daily basis in class by both children and adults. This may occur through questioning or live feedback against the Learning Intention and Success Criteria
  • Work produced in books
  • On-going teacher assessment against the Ready To Progress Assessment Criteria with triangulation of Formative Assessment (termly PUMA tests and in Year 6 practise SATs tests.)
  • Pupil conferencing
  • Assessment in PUMA and SATS tests (formative assessment)
  • Homework
Resources and Links
Information for Parents and Carers: Family Maths Toolkit – National Numeracy
How we Feel About Maths…

Power Maths: https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk

Maths Flex (Key Stage 2 Homework): Maths Flex login

White Rose: https://whiterosemaths.com/

NumBots:  https://play.numbots.com/#/account/school-login/20786

TT Rock Stars: https://ttrockstars.com

Oak National Academy: https://www.thenational.academy/

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