The 2014 National Curriculum for Maths aims to ensure that all children:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
• Are able to reason mathematically
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics

At Aspull Church, these skills are embedded within maths lessons and developed consistently over time. We are committed to ensuring that children are developed as skilled and confident mathematicians who recognise the importance of mathematics in the wider world. We strive for every child to be able to use their mathematical skills, knowledge and language in a range of different contexts. Wanting all children to enjoy mathematics and experience success, we endeavour to develop children’s curiosity about the subject, as well as an appreciation of its beauty and power. 

The content and principles underpinning the 2014 Mathematics Curriculum and the Curriculum at Aspull Church reflect those found in high-performing education systems internationally, particularly those of east and south-east Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China. These principles and features characterise this approach and convey how out curriculum is implemented:

• Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in mathematics.
• The large majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace. Differentiation is achieved by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention.
• Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge.
• Practice and consolidation play a central role in building fluency and understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.
• Teachers use precise questioning to assess conceptual and procedural knowledge thus identifying those children who need support to keep up.
• Children are encouraged to explain their mathematical thinking both verbally and on paper and are given frequent opportunities to practice this.

To ensure consistency and progression across the year groups, the school uses the ‘White Rose Maths Scheme of Learning’. We are actively involved in a Maths Hub programme which ensures staff are well supported in planning, teaching and assessing. 

Children in EYFS are provided with opportunities to improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces and measure. Our EYFS indoor and outdoor learning environments ensure that every child engages in a range of both teacher-led and independent mathematical activities focused around their ‘number of the week’.

In KS1 and KS2, daily maths lessons are crafted for each specific cohort. Fluency, reasoning and problem-solving  opportunities are interwoven into each unit enabling children to develop both their procedural and conceptual understanding. Teachers assess children’s prior learning before commencing a new unit and adapt their teaching accordingly. New units are begun with further teaching input and modelling which is withdrawn as understanding develops to ensure children can develop their independence.

Children are encouraged to talk mathematically as a class, independently and in small groups. The use of teacher modelling, repetition of language and stem sentences encourages children to accurately explain in clear steps verbally. This then impacts on the clarity of children’s written explanations. 

Concrete manipulatives and pictorial representations are used to support conceptual understanding and make explicit links. Our school calculation policy ensures that children can see and use a range of images and pictures to support their numerical understanding. Teachers ensure that steps for learning are displayed in classrooms as appropriate for their children. 

The use of ‘Mathletics’ online learning and ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ further develops the fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills of our children. Teachers regularly check children’s progress and achievements ensuring that tasks are well matched to individual children’s learning stages. 

Assertive Maths Weekly Skills lessons are taught weekly in KS1 and KS2. This provides all children with the opportunity to keep all aspects of mathematics afresh on a weekly basis. It also ensures that our children who are working at Greater Depth within Age Related Expectations have additional challenge and those needing additional support can work in a smaller group with a greater focus on areas that need further practice. 

Mathematical understanding in practised and consolidated throughout learning in other curriculum areas and through class estimation stations,  themed weeks and charity fund raising weeks, where children have the opportunity to take part in a range of mathematical activities and challenges.