Maths

“Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations, or algorithms: it is about understanding.” – William Paul Thurston.

At Staplegrove Church School, we aim to develop competent, confident mathematicians who are excited about maths and who have the ability to apply their learning in context.

We aim to develop our children’s skills, knowledge and understanding of fluency, reasoning and problem solving alongside their ability to make links between the mathematical concepts and to different situations across the curriculum.

Curriculum

We have used the White Rose scheme of learning to structure our Maths teaching sequence and curriculum progression. We use our long-term overviews to guide our teaching and learning, however we may modify our planning to suit the needs of our children.

To ensure that our children are exposed to a wide range of question types and levels of challenge, we may supplement White Rose with other resources.

We follow a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach to ensure children have a full and deep understanding of mathematical concepts.

Teaching of Times Tables

We teach times tables using the step-counting approach. This approach enables children to develop both fluency and a deeper understanding of times tables, understanding how to use known times table facts to derive other times tables facts.

From Year 2, children will have 3 step-counting lessons each week and complete a weekly times table test.

Mastering number and arithmetic

In Early Years and Key Stage One, we follow the mastering number approach to teaching children fluency in number facts, including securing understanding of number bonds.

In Key Stage 2, children are explicitly taught strategies for efficient calculation using the 4 operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). This will include strategies to deepen their understanding of number, including compensation and partitioning.

Helping your child at home

Here are links and resources that you can use to help your child at home:

Times Table Rock Stars - for practising fluency in times tables - please ask your child's teacher if you require a reminder of login details.

Numbots - for practising fluency in number bonds - please ask your child's teacher if you require a reminder of login details.

BBC Bitesize - activities for Key Stage 1

BBC Bitesize - activities for Key Stage 2

Step counting resources: