Mathematics
At St Charles, we develop confident and fluent mathematicians through an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum. Mathematics is accessible to all pupils and encourages resilience, preparing them to use their skills confidently in everyday life.
“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.”
Albert Einstein
What Mathematics Looks Like at St Charles
At St Charles Catholic Primary School, mathematics is engaging, challenging and built on deep understanding. Our pupils:
- Develop fluency in number, calculation and mathematical facts
- Reason mathematically and explain their thinking clearly
- Solve a wide range of problems using different strategies
- Build secure understanding of key mathematical concepts
- Make connections between different areas of mathematics
- Develop confidence and resilience when tackling challenging problems
Through carefully sequenced lessons and meaningful practice, pupils develop strong mathematical knowledge, logical thinking and the confidence to apply mathematics in everyday life.
Intent
At St Charles we are committed to developing mathematicians who are fluent, confident and proficient young people with a curiosity for and love of mathematics. Our curriculum is academically ambitious for all: knowledge-rich, logically sequenced, challenging and designed to support memory.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion means that our mathematics curriculum is accessible for all pupils, regardless of disadvantage or SEND. It positively encourages resilience and perseverance.
Our goal is for our pupils to be able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently and successfully throughout their lives.
Implementation
At St Charles we have adopted a mastery approach to mathematics in order to deliver the three aims of the National Curriculum: fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Underpinning this pedagogy is the belief that all children can achieve in Maths.
Pupils at St Charles follow the Mathematics Mastery programme of learning in Years R to 5. Nursery pupils are taught maths through the areas of learning outlined in the EYFS Framework. In year 6 learning is also drawn from Mathematics Mastery as a framework and supplemented to ensure pupils are secondary ready at the end of year 6. The Mathematics Mastery curriculum is cumulative – each school year begins with focus on the concepts and skills that have the most connections, and this concept is then applied and connected throughout the school year to consolidate learning. This gives pupils the opportunity to ‘master maths’, by using previous learning throughout the school year.
We recognise the value of making a coherent journey through the national curriculum and each year group follow a medium term plan where small, cumulative steps are built upon.
Formative assessment is threaded throughout both each lesson and unit of work; and appropriate adaptations to planning are made by teachers to ensure lessons are tailored to best meet the needs of all their pupils, ensuring they all enjoy success. Interventions support pupils who may have gaps in their knowledge and understanding.
Termly assessments take place to review progress and adapt planning and any additional intervention as necessary. In this way, teachers are able to closely monitor the mathematical development of each child and respond swiftly to any identified additional need.
Maths lessons at St Charles provide:
- Collaboration and opportunity for partner talk
- Opportunities for children to work independently, applying their learning.
- Correct mathematical vocabulary used in all year groups.
- Working walls used to model and scaffold learning.
- Concrete manipulatives which are accessible to children to select to support their mathematical understanding
Pupils from Reception to year 2 are engaged in the Mastering Number programme (NCETM). Teachers deliver short sessions of 10 minutes in addition to the daily maths lesson, at least 3 times a week. Activities aim to give pupils a solid foundation in number facts and develop fluency to calculate. As their mathematical journey progresses, this fluency allows them ‘freeing up’ of cognitive space to focus on other mathematical skills they are developing.
We use TTRockstars as a tool to supplement the development of fluency in multiplication tables. Pupils have individual logins which they can access from home.
We recognise the importance of Mathematics in everyday life, and promote the ability to handle money, read timetables, understand percentages and take measurements etc.
We want all of our children to succeed in mathematics. We aim to spark excitement and curiosity, encouraging them to carry their love of maths beyond primary school. Our goal is for children to see how mathematics equips them with the skills and confidence to thrive in the future.
Impact
As a result of our mathematics curriculum, our pupils are mathematically fluent and able to confidently approach mathematical problems using a range of knowledge and strategies. They demonstrate a quick recall of facts and procedures. This includes the recollection of the times tables.
They are able to show that mathematical concepts or skills are mastered by talking enthusiastically, using correct, acquired mathematical vocabulary, about what they are doing and the methods they choose. They can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
They understand how mathematical areas are connected and use this knowledge to approach and solve a broad range of age-appropriate problems. Pupils know how and why maths is used in the world and in the workplace. They know about different ways that maths can be used to support their future potential.
Our pupils make excellent progress in maths regardless of their starting points. We know this because by the end of Key Stage 2, our attainment outcomes are either at or above national average.
At the end of each year we expect the majority of pupils to have achieved Age Related Expectations (ARE) for their year group. Some pupils will have progressed further and achieved greater depth. Pupils who are identified to have gaps in their knowledge receive appropriate support and intervention and as a result, most make good progress.
How you can help at home
Parents and carers can support their child’s mathematical learning in a number of ways:
- Talk about maths in everyday life, for example measuring ingredients when cooking, telling the time or planning journeys. This helps children to see that maths is useful and relevant.
- Practise number facts regularly. Having secure knowledge of number bonds and times tables helps children become confident mathematicians. Short, frequent practice (5–10 minutes) is more effective than long sessions.
- Encourage children to explain their thinking. Ask questions like: How did you work that out? Is there another way to solve it? Explaining their thinking strengthens understanding and reasoning skills.
- Play maths games. Board games and card games help children practise maths in a fun way. Games that involve counting, strategy, or quick recall are particularly helpful.
- Support a positive attitude towards maths. Children benefit from hearing that everyone can improve in maths with practice. Avoid saying things like “I was never good at maths” and instead encourage perseverance.
Please click on the link below for the link to TT Rockstars and details of other websites that will help your child with their maths learning.