Mathematics

Here at Lostock Gralam C of E Primary School we ensure our Maths teaching and learning reflects our school vision ‘Children are at the heart of everything that we do and Christ is the light that guides us’ John 8:12.

Our children live out our Christian Values (Hope, Respect, Friendship, Love, Courage, Forgiveness) in their lessons. Children show friendship and love as they work together to solve challenging problems as well as perseverance when tackling tasks that require an element of wrestling and grappling. Children feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when they have those “lightbulb” moments in lessons. They are able to experience awe and wonder as they make connections and see patterns of number.

Maths learning at Lostock focuses on fluency, reasoning and problem solving in a child centered and fun way. We use a mastery approach to learning which nurtures and supports all learners through the delivery of age specific learning objectives. Children work in mixed ability pairs for the majority of the lesson however groups are targeted for further support to consolidate misconceptions or are presented with deeper learning challenges in order to strengthen their understanding. We begin by securing the basics of early number through direct teaching and child initiated learning. High quality texts and exciting resources in the early years are used to engage the children and provide a context for learning. Excellent outdoor learning opportunitues begin with our reception children and continues through into year six. Making connections, exploring patterns and providing reasons help our children to use and apply their number facts in an interesting and purposeful way.

Maths is taught through many other curriculum areas such as PE, Science and Topic where the children can use and apply their knowledge in a variety of contexts. We provide both a high level of challenge and support for all of our children to enable them to make the continued progress that our data shows. Teachers plan bespoke,stimulating lessons, drawing on a wide range of resources that meet the needs of all learners. Misconceptions in learning are acted upon immediately and sound interventions are put in place ensuring gaps in learning are closed. Our pupils tell us that they enjoy their maths lessons as teachers help them to improve and find ways that maths can be fun.

"We are singing Incey Wincey Spider with my teacher . I have made a web outside using the blocks that Incey has done. I have got 5 here but I want 2 more to make his web so big then it will be longer than me." (Reception)

" I loved being able to use my measuring skills in Design and Technology when we made hedgehog shelters to look after the animals in our school grounds. I measured the length of the wood using cm on my ruler." (Y2)

"We used our maths skills in Science when we investigated  what different liquids do to the shell of an egg. We worked together to time the egg in the liquid then we collected the results in a table that we designed ourselves. We put our results into a line graph. It was tricky to work out the scale for the graph but we had a fun time." (Y4)

"I enjoy working with my friends in maths as we help and support each other. We have a new partner each week so I get to work with everybody. Adding decimlas this week with the place value counters has really helped me to understand how decimals link to whole numbers." (Y6)

    Parent's Information:

Click here to visit the National Curriculum Objectives for Key Stages One and Two Mathematics National Curriculum Objectives

In EYFS and KS1, we use the Mastering Number programme from the NCETM.  The programme has been designed to help teachers ensure that ALL children are able to develop a fluency and flexibility with number that we can describe as ‘good number sense’. Having good number sense includes being able to subitise, understand how numbers are composed and can be decomposed, compare quantities and see how numbers are related. Having a deep and secure understanding of number lays the firm foundations that sets children up for success later on.  Children who have good number sense will find it easier to become fluent in number facts within 10, and use these to calculate efficiently and accurately across 10. 

Mastering Number forms the maths lesson in our Reception class four times per week. All other areas of the Maths EYFS curriculum are taught separately and throughout high quality interactions in our continuous provision.  In Years One and Two, Mastering Number is delivered in addition to the daily maths lesson.  Having a secure understanding of the structure of number in KS1, allows for less cognitive load and therefore more opportunity to problem solve and reason.

In all the year groups, children are explicitly taught precise, mathematical language; this helps them communicate their thinking and reasoning. Opportunities for mathematical talk are embedded in the sessions, and children are supported to learn through talk. This is beneficial for all children.

Our pupils move into Key Stage 2 with increased confidence as well as fluency. Securing fluency in addition and subtraction facts, and being able to use these to calculate efficiently with larger numbers, helps children access the Key Stage 2 curriculum much more easily. If you know that 7 + 5 = 12, then ⁷⁄₁₀ + ⁵⁄₁₀ must be ¹²⁄₁₀!  And if you know that double 8 is 16, then you can use that knowledge to find the product of 2 and 8!

In KS2, we use Number Sense Maths in our daily fluency times tables lesson. This is a ten minute session in addition to the daily maths lesson designed to systematically teach factual fluency. The programme has been carefully researched, trialled and iterated over the last decade and is modelled on the structure and pedagogy of phonics programmes. This systematic method of teaching times tables facts provides exactly what children need to achieve factual fluency in multiplicative facts. At Lostock, knowing your tables means that children can say facts quicky and easily without skip counting on their fingers or using a method to work it out.

Children learn their times tables up to 12 x 12 but we prioritise teaching the children to memorise the 36 essential facts up to 9 x 9. The 10 x table is very important too but follows an easy pattern so children don’t need to learn it in the same way. These facts are the essential building blocks for all other mental and written multiplication and division calculations the children will ever do -  in school and beyond!

Children learn the facts like song lyrics, we want the facts to trip off the children’s tongues. The saying/chanting of the facts out loud and the practice trying to recall the facts and record them is what leads to memorisation. Over time, after saying each fact lots of times, the children remember them as a sound pattern. Learning just a few new facts at a time builds on prior learning, helps children to make connections between facts, to feel the facts are achievable and prevents them from feeling over whelmed. The children can see exactly where they are on the journey to knowing all of the facts which helps them to build confidence – a key part of this approach.

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