Orrell Lamberhead Green

Mathematics at Lamberhead Green Academy

Curriculum Leader: Mr McNaboe

Curriculum Link Governor: Mr Jimmy Nicholson

Intent

Our intent is to support, inspire and prepare all children to see themselves as mathematicians.

By using a range of retrieval strategies, we support our children to confidently recall and apply mathematical knowledge.  We use Jerome Bruner’s Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach in every lesson to support progression for our children as they develop and demonstrate their conceptual understanding. We are ambitious for all our children to be proficient users of mathematical language, which will support them in their mathematical reasoning in different contexts. Mathematical vocabulary is explicitly taught to our children, and they are supported to use these alongside sentence stems to ensure quality speaking and listening opportunities and teachers seize opportunities throughout the day to reinforce mathematical vocabulary. By quickly identifying each child’s unique starting points, our ambition is for children to become competent problem solvers, through applying their mathematical knowledge to wide range of varied problems, in maths lessons, other subjects and in ‘real life’. We support our children in a safe mathematical learning environment where mistakes are celebrated as learning points. Tasks are carefully designed to be accessible for all as they are low-threshold and high ceiling. Support for all children is provided through teacher modelling, peer to peer interactions and concrete materials. Teachers regularly check for understanding in our pupils through effective questioning. We believe every child can become a confident mathematician with the right teaching and support.

We aim to inspire our children to see how mathematics is an inter-connected subject woven into their everyday lives and wider curriculum areas whether it be PE, Science, DT or Art etc. In science, the curriculum is mindful of mathematical links as well as the discrepancies that teachers need to be mindful of.  We aim for our children to be ambitious and successful at the next stage of their mathematical education.

We support our children and families at each key phase transition by providing parental workshops in an informal, welcoming environment to provide tips, support, and resources for practical strategies to use at home.

Implementation

In Mathematics, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. We use Maths No Problem in KS1 and KS2 because the textbooks provide teachers with a deep pedagogical knowledge on how to teach mathematics. They sequence the curriculum; provide models that are both conceptual and representations of completed tasks. These allow teachers to give focus on the quality of instruction either it be explicit narration of thought processes on how to teach new knowledge; link existing knowledge; reason mathematically and solve familiar and unfamiliar problems.

In the Early Years we are guided by ‘Development Matters’. White Rose Hub materials enables our teachers to create a mathematically rich curriculum. Additionally, they allow for key mathematical concepts to be revisited and developed throughout the year. Mathematics is explored through high-quality story books, so all children have many opportunities for mathematical talk prompting questioning and discussion points for the teachers.

As part of their mathematical diet for all children, retrieval practice and spaced practice activities are used to strengthen children’s retention of knowledge.

Our Maths curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’. All children, when introduced to a key new concept, can build competency through guided and independent practice. Children are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts with variation when using concrete resources, pictorial (models and images) to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas, alongside numbers and symbols.

Concrete - Examples include structural apparatus such as cubes, counters, 3D shapes or weighing scales as well as contextual objects such as teddies or coins for counting or sorting.

Pictorial - Examples include children’s own mark making and simple drawings, sketches, number lines and diagrams.

Abstract - Examples include young children’s emergent graphics, early number formation, number sentences and written expanded methods.

We believe that fluency is a fundamental of mathematics, ensuring that pupils have conceptual understanding and can recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately.

Children become confident in the two types of fluency:

Conceptual fluency: e.g. exploring the five strands of place value, (counting, recognition of cardinal numbers, knowing what each digit in a number represents, understanding our base-10 structure and exchanging), what an equivalent fraction is and identifying key features of different representations of data.

Procedural fluency: e.g. +- x ÷ calculation methods linked to whole numbers, fractions and decimals and exploring step by step mental and written methods.

Children are given regular opportunities to recall known facts, develop number sense, know why they are doing what they are doing and know when it is appropriate and efficient to choose different methods and will apply skills to multiple contexts e.g. multiplying and dividing by 10 to convert units of measurements.

Reasoning and problem solving is planned and interwoven into the mathematics curriculum. Reasoning questions are explicitly taught and modelled through the use of discussion, maths partner talk, manipulatives, written words using stem sentences which we call Captain Conjecture phrases.

Our deliberately-planned Maths curriculum ensures that children are fluent and confident mathematicians, who exude an enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. Our children are enthusiastic and competent mathematical problem solvers, within maths lessons and across the curriculum. Children perform consistently well in Mathematics and are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Impact

In 2023:

·         95% of EYFS children achieved the number stand of the specific learning goals in comparison with 76% in our consortia, 75% in the local authority and 79% nationally. 81% achieved the numerical patterns stand of the specific learning goals in comparison with 74% in our consortia, 75% in the local authority and 78% nationally.

·         63% of KS1 children achieved the expected standard in comparison with 66% in our consortia, 69% in the local authority and 71% nationally. 10% achieved the greater depth within the expected standard in comparison with 14% in our consortia, 16% in the local authority and 16% nationally. Although KS1 outcomes are below consortia, local authority and national, we know these children suffered significantly during the pandemic. We are proud of how children left KS1. We know they were prepared for the rigors of KS2. The work that supported children to self-regulate and develop their executive functions will enable the children to flourish in KS2.

·         In Y4, the average score in the MTC was 22 compared to 20 in the consortia and 21 in the local authority. 52% of children scored full marks compared to 33% in the local authority. 77% of children scored 21-25 compared to 66% in the local authority.

·         85% of KS2 children achieved the expected standard in comparison with 75% in our consortia, 77% in the local authority and 73% nationally. 33% achieved the greater depth within the expected standard in comparison with 26% in our consortia, 26% in the local authority and 16% nationally. Disadvantaged, FSM and SEN children achieved better than similar children in the consortia, local authority and nationally.