Intent

Children are lifelong mathematicians

Research shows that students bring their own perceptions and emotional responses to build on prior experiences which in turn can affect cognitive ability to process ideas and their ability to pay attention. We build on children’s experiences and ensure children have the basic information needed to thrive and be educated citizens. As a result, we ensure there is engagement with parents with regards to the maths curriculum. We celebrate maths through workshops and provide an avenue of support from which they can build on their child’s skills and understanding, making them competent mathematicians who recognise maths as a subject of beauty and necessity in our world.

What is Mathematics? What is a Mathematician?

Mathematics is both a physical and mental act. It deals with the logic of shape, quantity and arrangement.

‘Mathematics reveals its secrets only to those who approach it with pure love, for its own beauty.’

Archimedes

We cover the full national curriculum for Mathematics and use national curriculum statements to ensure we cover a broad and balanced curriculum, but essentially, the programme of study for both KS1 and 2 are constructed as follows:

• Number (Number and place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fraction inc-decimals and
• percentages)
• Ratio and proportion
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Geometry- properties of shape, position and direction
• Statistics

At Linden, we teach children to be Mathematicians by:

Clear modelling, practice and using concrete examples which are the bedrock of cultural capital instruction’ (Zimmerman-1983)

In light of this we ensure learners see the building blocks, the stages, the constituent parts of each skill or concept. This is done through a well planned structured curriculum and lessons.

Implementing the mastery –approach (Using White-Rose Maths/NCETM Materials)

At Linden we adopt the mastery maths approach to the teaching of mathematics.

‘In line with early thinking on mastery learning there is an underpinning assumption that, under appropriate instructional conditions, virtually all students can and will learn most of what they are taught’ (Block & Anderson, 1975).

• Reinforcing an expectation that all pupils are capable of achieving high standards
• Ensuring we teach the 5 Big Ideas-coherence, representation and structure, mathematical thinking, fluency and variation.
• Differentiation through an emphasis on deep knowledge and through support and intervention
• Providing a CPA approach (concrete, pictorial, abstract)
• Underpinning curriculum design carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge
• Allowing practice and consolidation
• Precise questioning to test conceptual and procedural knowledge, and assess to identify those requiring intervention so all pupils keep up

At Linden, children are mathematicians because pupils;

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• are able to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language.
• have an appreciation of number and number operations, which enables mental calculations and written procedures to be performed efficiently, fluently and accurately to be successful in mathematics.

Across the school, this is achieved through:

• Teaching the national curriculum ensuring knowledge and skills are built upon year on year
• Providing through lesson design clear opportunities to problem solve and reason using mathematical stems
• Providing ‘catch-up’ sessions through interventions

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