Mathematics

Mathematics at Castle Academy

Mathematics is a tool for life and one of our key priorities. We aspire to instil a real love of maths, where children are excited by their learning and achieve highly. The greatest of mathematicians find joy, not only in learning, but in the mistakes they make along the way. We encourage our children to think like mathematicians, to be confident at taking risks, to investigate mathematical ideas and concepts, to solve problems by drawing upon and using a range of strategies, and to express their ideas in the language of mathematics.

Intent

At Castle Academy, our Mathematics curriculum is built around the Mathematics Mastery approach, which has three key principles: conceptual understanding, mathematical thinking and mathematical language, with problem-solving at its heart. We want pupils to build a deep conceptual understanding of concepts which will enable them to apply their learning in different situations, instead of learning mathematical procedures by rote. The habits of thinking mathematically are life-enriching as it is vital to be numerate to participate fully in society. Therefore, we ensure we make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop those skills from EYFS to Year 6.

We are committed to the vision that by the end of their time with us, every child will be secure in these vital mathematical skills outlined in the National Curriculum:

Becoming fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
Reasoning mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
Solving problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

All teaching staff at Castle attend staff meetings that regularly have a maths focus, which provide information on current thinking and introduces them to new teaching methodologies and ideas.

Implementation

In order to successfully implement the National Curriculum, build varied fluency, problem solving and reasoning and develop brilliant mathematicians, we use the Maths Mastery Ark Curriculum. This resourced programme of study is based around what current research has proven is effective practice in Math and is underpinned by these design principals:

Knowledge Rich – a rich and broad body of core knowledge is clearly and meticulously specified. Knowledge is selected for its power in developing expertise in the mathematics – supporting the claim that it is ‘the best that has been thought and said’.
Academically Ambitious – the content selected is ambitious in order to challenge the most able and provide a rich and empowering education to all
Logically Sequenced – within units and across the whole Mathematics Curriculum, knowledge is positioned to build on what has come before. As children progress through the curriculum, they grapple with greater complexity and develop both increasing conceptual understanding and disciplinary competency
Structured to support memory – our curriculum is structured to help children remember, not simply encounter, the core knowledge they learn. ‘Memory is the residue of thought’, therefore, tasks are designed to ensure that children learn more and remember more.
Inclusivity – our inclusive approach to curriculum aims to widen participation and engagement with Mathematics long after students have left our school.

The Mathematics Mastery Curriculum is cumulative, coherent and sequenced. This means that mathematical concepts that are taught earlier in the curriculum are revisited in the context of a new area of mathematics. Each school year begins with a focus on the knowledge, concepts and skills that have the most connections; such as, place value, addition and subtraction. These concepts are then applied and connected throughout the school year to consolidate learning.

Using a Success for All approach, the curriculum is created and adapted to allow all children to have inclusion through the use of scaffolds and challenges.

As Mathematical language is a key principle of our approach, at the start of each new topic, key vocabulary is introduced, revisited throughout lessons and embedded as the topic progresses.

Children are taught through the C-P-A (Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract) approach. This allows teachers to show clear modelling and reinforce the learning that is achieved by going back and forth between the representations, building pupils’ conceptual understanding.

All teaching staff also use a six-part lesson structure which allows the lesson to be pacey whilst the children acquire a new skill, apply the skill and deepen the skill within the lesson.

Maths Meetings

Maths Meetings are timetabled at least 3 times per week lasting 15-25 minutes per session. They are a vital part of the Mathematics Mastery programme. Using the Maths Meeting guidance, sessions are planned to give children the opportunity to rehearse and readdress key concepts enabling the information to stay in their long-term memory. The topics selected must be included each term for both fluency and because some key learning will not be revisited until a later term and requires ongoing consolidation.

Times Tables

At Castle Academy, we believe that quick recall of multiplication and division facts are essential in order to create confident, successful mathematicians. Fluent and quick recall of these facts facilitates learning in all areas of Maths throughout a child’s educational journey through school. In addition to this, implemented in June 2020, the government introduced a new Times Table test to be sat by Year 4 pupils. The Multiplication Tables Check Assessment Framework (2018), describes the online test as a process that is used “To determine whether Year 4 pupils can fluently recall their multiplication tables.” Due to this, Year 3 and 4 in particular have a focus on Times Tables that is supported through regular and effective teaching and learning. At Castle, we use Sum Dog and Times Tables Rock Stars; each child and adult has access to their own account where they can practise their tables, participate in whole-school competitions and familiarise themselves with the format of the Year 4 Times Tables test.

Sumdog and Times Table Rock Stars

Every child from Year 1 to Year 6 has a Sumdog account and every child from Year 2 to Year 6 has a Times Table Rockstars account. This supports maths learning at home and allows teachers to set consolidation or pre-learning tasks to support learning at school.

Each week, we hold a Maths Morning where families are invited in to school to partake in a range of mathematical activities and games with their child/children. We also have maths weeks with puzzle and problem-solving workshops, and half-termly challenges to create a buzz of mathematical learning. Children also have the opportunity to take part in a range of Sumdog and Times Tables Rock Star challenges, where they compete against, teachers and other schools to support and excite the children in their mathematical learning journey.

https://www.sumdog.com/user/sign_in

https://play.ttrockstars.com/auth/school/student

Impact

All children will become confident and inquisitive mathematicians who learn through reasoning and asking questions, as well as working methodically and with tenacity as a result of this well-rounded and carefully sequenced mathematics curriculum. They will have exceptional fluency and retrieval abilities, which will strengthen their capacity for deductive reasoning and problem-solving. They will be able to explain their mathematical reasoning and speak mathematically. Castle Academy aims to produce mathematicians who confidently comprehend the fundamental ideas in the subject, possess the mathematical abilities necessary to succeed at the next level of their education, and are capable of performing at an age-appropriate level. Children will recognise that Mathematics is both enjoyable and useful.

In addition, we measure impact of mathematics through:

lesson observations – how well children are learning and how they explain mathematical understanding;
learning walks – how well the curriculum intent is embedded
book looks – as part of triangulation with learning walks and assessments
pupil voice – enables us to listen to pupils’ views about their learning and how well curriculum content is taught and understood;
assessment data tracking by the mathematics subject leader