At Beacon View Primary Academy, we follow a mastery approach to teaching maths. Our approach gives children the best chance of acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of mathematics which enables them to become competent mathematicians. This evidence based approach is underpinned by five key ideas: coherence, representation and structure, mathematical thinking, fluency and variation.
Our aim is to deepen children's understanding of maths and not accelerate learning; as a result our children develop fluency before moving onto reasoning and problem solving. Our learning follows the White Rose Scheme of Learning with lessons taught in small steps enabling children to build on what they already know. Our teaching is richly supported by the use of pictorial and concrete resources, before moving children to the abstract representation. We value the microscopic gains pupils make in maths and, therefore believe offering opportunities for all pupils to deliberately practise their fluency is vitally important and this is a key feature of our lessons.
Throughout each year, children will cover and build on their understanding in:
- Knowing and using numbers
- Addition and subtraction
- Multiplication and division
- Using fractions
- Understanding the properties of shape
- Describing position, direction and movement
- Using measures
- Using statistics
- Using algebra
Once they have a firm grasp of each mathematical technique through deliberate practice, we challenge our pupils to use what they have learnt and to make rich connections across the distinct areas in order to solve problems. We believe it is important for children to be able not only to find the answers to problems but also to be able to explain the reasoning behind their lines of enquiry using accurate mathematical vocabulary.
By celebrating learning and through engaging challenges, we inspire our pupils to increase their fluency in maths and to become increasingly sophisticated problem solvers, both in maths and across the curriculum.
Whilst at Beacon View, our pupils learn the following essential characteristics of mathematics:
- An understanding of the important concepts and an ability to make connections within mathematics;
- A broad range of skills in using and applying mathematics;
- Fluent knowledge and recall of number facts and the number system;
- The ability to show initiative in solving problems in a wide range of contexts, including the new or unusual;
- The ability to think independently and to persevere when faced with challenges;
- To embrace the value of learning from mistakes and false starts;
- The ability to reason, generalise and make sense of solutions;
- Fluency in performing written and mental calculations and mathematical techniques;
- A wide range of mathematical vocabulary;
- A commitment to and enthusiasm in the subject.
If you would like to get an overview of the National Curriculum for maths, you can find more information here.
National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study
Resources
Supporting learning at home:
Whiterosemaths - Maths with Michael