Maths | Seven Stars Primary School

Why is Maths so important?

Maths is everywhere and yet, children may not recognize that because it doesn't always look like the Maths they do in school. It seems that maths in the world around us sometimes may be invisible. However, maths is present in our world all the time--in the workplace, in our homes, and in life in general. When you buy a car, follow a recipe, or decorate your home, you're using math principles. People have been using these same principles for thousands of years, across countries and continents. Whether you're sailing a boat off the coast of Japan or building a house in Peru, you're using maths to get things done.

In a recent discussion a group of us were challenged to name a job where you did not use maths, we couldn’t think of one. Nowadays employers say there is a greater need for math skills than ever before.

INTENT

To ‘open doors’ for all our pupils to develop an appreciation of and proficiency in Maths (improving outcomes for all):

Door 1 (Key Skills)

Develop reading / question comprehension skills to understand Maths word problems

To develop proficiency in all aspects of Maths in order to engage with Maths in everyday life

Door 2 (The World)

Identifying ways in which Mathematics is used around the world (e.g. in architecture, economics, commerce, trade, work, data & science)

Identify key figures in Mathematical history and cultural contributions to Maths (e.g. Archimedes, Katherine Johnson; forms of counting)

Door 3 (Healthy lives)

Use of Maths in healthy living (data, medical/health/fitness statistics)

Building Maths confidence and financial confidence (use of Maths in budgeting)

Door 4 (Creativity)

Identifying Maths in creative arts e.g. pattern in art and music, and in design (e.g. architecture)

Develop creative problem-solving

Door 5 (Communication)

Developing Mathematical vocabulary

Use of statistics and data when presenting arguments and attempting to persuade

This intent will be achieved through ensuring that:

All staff are confident in their subject knowledge and able to plan, deliver and review Maths sessions (whole class and group) effectively addressing gaps in understanding (and staff are implementing the school calculation policies)

Children are growing in Maths confidence through improved proficiency (quick recall of number facts and mathematical concepts) and applying their understanding in cross-curricular and real-life contexts.

Parents/guardians are engaged in supporting their child’s mathematical development.

Aims of the National Curriculum

To ensure that all pupils:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.

• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.

• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

The Aims of our school:

To develop the pupils knowledge and enjoyment of mathematics

For the children to enjoy maths together

To develop the children's awareness of links between maths and other subject areas

To know that maths is useful in nearly everything we do.

To raise standards in Maths

To offer a range of mathematical activities catering for the needs of all levels of interest and aptitude.

We are implementing the Red Rose Maths Mastery scheme throughout school

(it is currently in Years 1,2,3 and 4 - Years 5 and 6 will be introduced in ensuing years)

Maths Mastery has a multi-layered approach and covers the following areas

- representation and structure (effective pedagogies for modelling, concrete-pictorial-abstract approaches, effective use of manipulatives and transition between them)

- coherence (curriculum design, progression of objectives, sequencing learning, small steps, contextualising learning between different areas of mathematics)

- mathematical thinking (effective questioning, identifying patterns and relationships, deep understanding through reasoning and problem solving, supporting children to achieve deeper learning where appropriate)

- variation (progression through representations using conceptual variation, progression through questioning using procedural variation)

- fluency (efficiency, accuracy, flexibility, developing unconscious competence)