Maths at Maple Court Academy

Subject leader: Miss Marshall (Strategic Lead), Miss Screen & Miss Stevenson (KS2 Leads) & Mrs Khasriya (EYFS/KS1)

Intent

At Maple Court Academy, our intent for mathematics is to teach a rich, balanced and progressive curriculum where children use maths to reason, problem solve and develop fluency in each mathematical area. Through a range of appropriately challenging activities and experiences, we intend all children to develop deep knowledge in each mathematical area which is further built upon in subsequent years.

The Subject Leader

I have held a passion for mathematics ever since I was a pupil in secondary school and I’m delighted to be able to apply my love for the subject in a leadership role. My role goes beyond the curriculum and teaching standards; it’s about fostering a positive attitude towards maths in our children. I believe that every child has the potential to excel in mathematics, and my mission is to nurture that potential, regardless of where they start on their mathematical journey.

The curriculum

Maths is taught in blocks of topics which build children’s skills and deepen their understanding at every step of their journey in primary life. We cover: place value, addition & subtraction, multiplication & division, geometry, statistics, measurement, fractions, perimeter & area, position & direction, and decimals & percentages.

EYFS

Mathematics education within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) focuses on providing a strong foundation for young children to develop mathematical understanding and skills. The EYFS approach to teaching mathematics is child-centred and encourages active exploration and discovery. The focus is on building a strong mathematical foundation while ensuring that learning is enjoyable and developmentally appropriate for young children. Here are ways that our children learn maths in EYFS:

1. Play-Based Learning: The EYFS places a strong emphasis on play-based learning as the primary method for teaching math. Children learn math concepts through hands-on experiences, exploration, and play activities, which are designed to be engaging and enjoyable.
2. Mathematical Environment: The learning environment is carefully designed to incorporate math into everyday experiences. Classrooms may have math-related materials such as counting objects, shapes, and measurement tools readily accessible to encourage spontaneous exploration.
3. Counting and Number Recognition: Early math activities often focus on counting and number recognition. Children learn to count objects, recognize numbers, and understand basic numerical concepts through games, songs, and interactive activities.
4. Shape and Space: Children are introduced to basic shapes (e.g., circles, squares, triangles) and begin to explore concepts related to space and geometry. They might engage in activities like sorting, matching, and building with shapes.
5. Measurement: Early measurement concepts are introduced through activities involving length, weight, capacity, and time. For example, children might compare the sizes of objects, use measuring tools like rulers or scales, and explore concepts of longer/shorter, heavier/lighter, and more/less.
6. Patterns and Sequences: Children are encouraged to recognize and create simple patterns and sequences, which help develop their logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
7. Problem Solving: Problem-solving activities are woven into play and exploration. Children are encouraged to solve real-life problems and puzzles, which can involve mathematical thinking.
8. Mathematical Language: Developing mathematical language and vocabulary is an essential part of early math education. Teachers and caregivers use descriptive words, such as “more,” “less,” “equal,” “bigger,” “smaller,” and “add,” to help children express and understand mathematical ideas.
9. Outdoor Learning: Outdoor play and exploration are also used as opportunities for mathematical learning. Children can count objects in the environment, compare sizes of natural elements, and engage in physical activities that promote spatial awareness.
10. Assessment: Progress in math is monitored informally through observation and assessment. Teachers use observations of children’s play and activities to gauge their mathematical development and plan for future learning experiences.

Assessment for learning

At Maple Court Academy, assessment is ongoing throughout every lesson with teachers identifying strengths, misconceptions and next steps. Teachers use this information to feed into subsequent learning sessions. Retrieval practice is a key element of every session, revisiting prior learning. Whiteboard work, partner discussion and questioning are just some of the strategies that we use to identify children’s progress towards the learning outcome, identifying children’s understanding and progress.

Pupil voice

‘Today we did lots of maths on number lines. I learned part-part-whole model.’ – Year 1

‘Retrieval practice is something we have learned before.’ – Year 2

‘We’ve been learning about fractions and today we’ve been doing tenths.’ – Year 3

‘I am proud of using the bus stop method because I couldn’t do it at first but now I can.’ – Year 4

‘I’m proud of my mental addition because I couldn’t work it out in my head but now I can.’ – Year 5

‘When adding and subtracting fractions, it depends if the denominator is the same – you just take away or add the numerator If they are different denominators, you need to find the common multiples for each time table.’ – Year 6

JLT and School Council: We have two JLT members who are responsible for working with the maths leads on improving maths. They talk to pupils about their enjoyment in the subject and suggest ways that we can develop it further.