At Victoria Community School, our vision is
that all children will become fluent, resilient mathematicians
with an ability to analyse and communicate information and ideas,
and to tackle a range of practical tasks and real life problems.
The 2014 National Curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all children:
At Victoria Community School, we believe that Mathematics is a key skill for everyday life. We aim to develop positive, curious learners who can use and apply their mathematical skills confidently, use mathematical language effectively and be fluent mathematical thinkers. We value every child and aim to ensure that they all achieve their potential in mathematics, regardless of their gender, ethnic or social backgrounds.
At Victoria Community School, we use the White Rose Maths Scheme to ensure whole school consistency and progression of skills with the MASTERY approach to mathematics. Mastery involves knowing 'why', 'that' and 'how'.This enables children to build solid foundations for developing their knowledge and understanding of mathematics. It involves using this knowledge appropriately, flexibly and creatively, and being able to apply it in new and unfamiliar situations. Mathematical topics are taught in blocks to enable fluency and the understanding of mathematical concepts to be achieved.
We use the concrete - pictorial - abstract approach to ensure that our children achieve academic mastery in mathematics.
Resources such as NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics) are also used to support the White Rose scheme and provide activities which allow children to demonstrate their depth of knowledge towards the objectives.
Calculation Policy
Our calculation policy reflects the renewed focus from White Rose in providing children with opportunities for practical mathematics before they engage with abstract problems.
Our policy adopts some approaches being taught in countries like Singapore where children experience 'concrete' mathematical activities which they then begin to represent with 'pictorial' representations. Once children are comfortable with these approaches they are then introduced with the more recognisable 'abstract' problems.
The calculation policy show the methods we teach to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems and the progression across the school. Children are taught a range of mental and formal written methods, and encouraged to consider when different methods are appropriate and efficient.
We use these characters to support our learning with fluency, problem solving and reasoning in a fun way!
Planning
When planning for objective coverage, teachers are expected to take the following mastery strategies into account:
In our Maths lessons;
All children are encouraged to explore their understanding at a greater depth through open ended tasks, reasoning and problem solving and investigations. Some children may need more individual support and intervention. Teachers use precise questioning to test conceptual and procedural knowledge.
Mathematical Vocabulary
At Victoria Community School, the majority of our children have English as an additional language (EAL). We understand that mathematical vocabulary is crucial to children's mathematical thinking so we introduce new words in a suitable context, with relevant real objects, mathematical apparatus, pictures or diagrams, explaining their meanings carefully. This links with our 'Word Aware' philosophy. In lessons, talk partners are used to get children using mathematical vocabulary, providing the opportunity for every child to engage in mathematical discussion. Key vocabulary used in a topic is displayed on the working walls. Children are encouraged to use the correct mathematical vocabulary when answering questions and when reasoning.
Mathematical Manipulatives
A mathematical manipulative is a physical object that children or teachers can touch and move, which is used to support the teaching and learning of mathematics. In our lessons, 'Numicon', 'Base 10' and 'Place Value counters' are some of the manipulatives used regularly to support children in engaging with mathematical ideas.
Targets
Quick retrieval of number facts is important for mathematical success. It is likely that children who have problems retrieving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts, including number bonds and multiples, will have some difficulty understanding and use mathematical concepts they encounter later on in their lessons.
Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) are our half termly targets which children learn and practise in school and at home. They are tested at the beginning, middle and end of the half term and progress is tracked carefully. Some children will receive individual support, such as 'precision teaching', to support their learning.
Marking
Assessment
Formative assessment is carried out on a daily basis and provides teachers with up to date and accurate information about the specifics of what children do and do not know. This information allows teachers to modify teaching and learning activities to improve children's attainment.
Summative assessments focus on the outcome at the end of a unit or given period of time.
Monitoring
Monitoring of mathematics is carried out in different ways.
Home/School links
We encourage parents and carers to support their children's mathematical learning. Each term, we invite parents/carers to join in with one of our maths lessons. This enables them to see our teaching methods and also helps with ways to support learning at home. They help parents/carers to encourage their children to value and develop confidence in mathematics.
Cultural Capital
Staff CPD
Approach and response to reasoning activities improving term on term, with the expectation that by the end of the year, children are happy to accurately define and use mathematical vocabulary and use stem sentences to complete mathematical statements and/or reasoning.
Regular and ongoing assessments inform teaching, as well as intervention, to support and enable the success of each child.
Most children making expected or accelerated progress across the school.
Increasing proportion of children demonstrating greater depth at the end of each phase.
High standards, with achievement at the end of Key Stage 2 above the national average.
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