Maths

At Linthwaite Clough Primary School, we intend to offer a quality mathematics curriculum which is rich in arithmetical fluency, has opportunities to provide mathematical reasoning regularly and presents children with problems to solve.

We are focussed on preparing the children for ‘the next step’ of their mathematical education. We intend for children to leave EYFS with the skills that mean they are ready to begin Year 1 maths and we aim for children to leave primary school with the mathematical foundations required for them to flourish in secondary school.

We intend to offer a mathematics curriculum which caters to the needs of individual pupils and has high expectations for every child. The aim is to instil a love of mathematics across the school where children are given the opportunity to work collaboratively as well as independently.

To help achieve our aims, Linthwaite Clough make use of the White Rose scheme of work from EYFS to Year 6.

In EYFS, the White Rose scheme works in conjunction with the Early Years Statutory Framework to aid the children in achieving their Early Learning Goals. In Key Stage One and Two, we ensure the White Rose scheme is addressing the National Curriculum statements.

As our classes are in mixed-aged groups, we are using the mixed-aged scheme from Years 1 to Year 6 where the children are taught the small steps required to address the National Curriculum aims for both year groups. These are carefully sequenced to ensure full coverage occurs and opportunities to consolidate these small steps are intertwined into the two-year cycle. In our Year 2/3 class, the children are delivered maths on their own year group’s small steps pathway.

Lessons are delivered five times a week in Years 1-6 with an additional arithmetic lesson once a week. This arithmetic lesson is separate from the White Rose scheme of work and is designed to work in tandem with this scheme to help consolidate the arithmetical fluency of the children.

The approach from Reception up to Year 6 incorporates objects, pictures, words, numbers and symbols to help children explore and demonstrate mathematical ideas, enrich their learning experience and deepen understanding. Together, these elements help cement knowledge so pupils truly understand what they’ve learnt. Mathematics is also understood to contain skills that weave across many different subjects. The use of mathematics is particularly encouraged in design and technology, science and geography.

At Linthwaite Clough, we make use of live assessment during maths lessons to help children make progress in every lesson. We firmly believe in helping children keep up with the programme of study by intervening early when misconceptions arrive and help them progress to the next step. We also make use of adaptations to ensure that children are accessing the learning in each lesson, including using concrete and pictorial aids to help children overcome barriers.

Assessment for learning is used frequently in lessons through the use of whiteboard work, live marking and dynamic grouping. This allows teachers to have a deep understanding of where the children in the class are in their learning, what additional adaptations they may need during lessons and whether they require further intervention. Teachers implement bespoke adaptations and intervention based on the needs of the children in their class.

As well as formative assessment, the children take part in summative assessment at different points throughout the year. At the end of the year, the children in Years 1, 3, 4 and 5 take part in NFER assessments. This is then used to help assess their overall progress across a year and help identify areas they need additional support in. Children in Year 2 take part in the optional SATs paper for a similar purpose. In Year 6, the children take part in at least 3 rounds of practice SATs throughout the year.

As a result of mathematics teaching at Linthwaite Clough, children are able to speak confidently about what they have learnt. The mathematic lessons are lively, contain multiple resources and have many opportunities for assessing learning. Children perform well in formative assessments and understand the importance of showing their working out. In pupils’ books, there are a range of fluency, reasoning and problem-solving tasks in nearly every lesson.