At Loatlands Primary School, mathematics is taught daily to ensure all children meet the aims of the National Curriculum in terms of fluency, problem solving and reasoning. We want children to see maths as a creative and exciting subject. Maths lessons are planned to embrace challenge, encourage children to learn from mistakes and take pride in making maths connections.

We want children to:

• Acquire the appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding
• Be able to apply their knowledge to everyday situations
• Develop the ability to work both independently and co-operatively
• Gain a positive attitude towards mathematics and enjoy the subject

Mastery – I know how to do it. It becomes automatic and I don’t need to think about it. I’m really good at doing it.  I can show someone else how to do it.

We follow the White Rose scheme for mathematics, which is designed to support a mastery approach to teaching and learning of mathematics and to support the aims and objectives of the new National Curriculum (2014). Children learn through a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach, which allows them to explore and make connections. Mathematics in Reception is planned to support the aims and objectives of the Early Years Framework.

Subitising and Number sense

Starting in Reception children learn to Subitise, this is the ability to instantly recognise a number of objects, for example the number of dots on a die without counting. Children learn to instantly recognise small amounts and use this knowledge to then recognise six dots, as they break this down into two groups of three, which when combined gives us six. Subitising is an essential part of developing number sense, which is relating numbers to actual items or groups of items. Through play and structured activities, children will learn to match a numeral to an amount so they develop an understanding of the meaning of number.

Multiplication Tables

Multiplication tables are practised regularly so children develop mental recall and become fluent.
Year 1 – counting forwards and backwards in 2’s, 5’s and 10’s.
Year 2 - 2, 3, 5 and 10 multiplication tables
Year 3 – 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 multiplication tables
Year 4 – children should be able to recall multiplication tables up to 12 x 12.

Concrete

To support our teaching of mathematics we use a range of concrete objects (Numicom, Cubes, Two Sided Counters, Tens Frames, Bead Strings, Tens and Ones, Place Value Counters) and allow children to manipulate and learn by doing, seeing and discussing. This supports them developing a strong sense of number, mathematical understanding and being able to make connections as they use a variety of resources to explore number patterns and the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).

Pictorial

When children become confident using practical resources to aid their calculations and mathematical understanding, they are encouraged to use pictorial methods including jottings or pictures, bar models, whole part model, number lines and partitioning. Examples of these methods can be found in the maths videos.

Abstract

Developing a strong and secure understanding of maths concepts and number fluency provides children with the knowledge to solve abstract calculations. Before moving to problem solving and being able to explain and justify how they calculated an answer or solved a problem. Daily mathematics lesson provide opportunities for problem solving, reasoning and mathematical investigations.

Maths Games

To help parents support maths learning at home we have added links to maths games, we hope that you enjoy and find these useful.

• https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=maths
• https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/kids-activities/fun-maths-games-and-activities
• http://www.transum.org/Software/Game
• http://www.crickweb.co.uk/links-numeracy.html
• https://nrich.maths.org/9086
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/maths
• http://mathszone.co.uk
• https://www.mathsisfun.com

Mathematics Weblinks and Videos