Maths - Millbrook Primary School

INTENT

At Millbrook, our Maths curriculum aims to nurture confident, resilient, ambitious and knowledgeable mathematicians. We recognise that Mathematics is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and necessary for all aspects of life. We aim to provide a high-quality mathematics education with a mastery approach so that all children:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics;
Reason mathematically;
Can solve problems by applying their mathematics.

WHAT DOES MASTERY MATHS MEAN?

Mastery of mathematics is something that we want pupils – all pupils – to acquire, and continue acquiring throughout their school lives, and beyond.
Mastery rejects the idea that people ‘can’t do maths’. Some may find it more challenging than others, but with hard work and the right help they will get there in the end.
Mastering maths means acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. At any one point in a pupil’s journey through school, achieving mastery is taken to mean acquiring a solid enough understanding of the maths that’s been taught to enable him/her move on.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT AND NEW?

Actually, nothing is new about teaching for mastery approaches. How we teach maths is based upon tried and tested good practice that has been around for years. However, the mastery approach brings these ideas together in a more systematic way.

We follow the White Rose Planning Scheme of work:

DO WE STILL FOLLOW THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM?

Absolutely; we want to ensure that all pupils:
Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
Reason mathematically
Can apply mathematics to solve problems

Our aims are:

To develop within their capability the mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding required for an ever changing world.
To foster a positive interest, enjoyment and confidence in Maths.
To discover the integration, relationships and patterns between Maths and many other areas of the curriculum.
To see the relationship of Maths within the whole environment and to tackle practical problems in everyday life.
To calculate quickly and accurately, make and test generalisations and simple hypotheses and the ability to estimate accurately.
To express ideas fluently in spoken and written form.
To work logically and methodically and acquire the skill of being self critical.
To be flexible and creative in approaching mathematical situations.
To develop independence of thought, and motivation and the ability to co-operate with others in group situations.

TIMES TABLE ROCKSTARS

When it comes to times tables, speed AND accuracy are important – the more facts your child remembers, the easier it is for them to do harder calculations.

Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables!

To be a Times Table Rock Star you need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds!

Each week, your child will be learning and practicing one or several times tables – they will be aiming for accuracy and speed.

LEARNING MULTIPLICATION FACTS

Learning multiplication facts is a vital part of any child’s mathematical development. Once rapid recall of multiplication facts becomes possible, a whole host of mathematical activities will seem easier. Children need to be able to recall multiplication facts in any order and also to derive associated division facts. The expectations for each year group are set out below:

Year 1
Count in multiples of 2, 5 and 10.

Year 2
Count in steps of 2, 3 and 5 from 0.
Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables.

Year 3
Count from 0 in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100.
Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4, and 8 multiplication.

Year 4
Count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000.
Recall and use multiplication and division facts up to 12 × 12.

By the end of Year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work.