Maths

Further details of progression throughout the school can be found on our Maths Curriculum Overview.

The maths policy can be found here and the Maths curriculum intent, implementation and impact (3 i s) statement here.

How you can help your child with maths.

Maths Knowledge Organisers can be found on each class webpage for each topic covered. To help your child increase in confidence and make good progress please download them and help your child to learn the key facts which will help their in school learning. Please ensure your child is practising regularly on Numbots (Year 1) and/or TTRockstars (Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6). 10 minutes a day will ensure good recall and retention of the fluency facts. The links to these and other super learning resources can be found below in the Useful Websites section.

What does Maths look like at Hutton?

At Hutton, we believe all pupils can be successful in learning mathematics and have a true enjoyment of the subject. Our school follows the 2014 National Curriculum for Maths with a focus on fluency, reasoning and problem solving. When planning sequences of learning we use a mastery maths approach informed by the NCETM and White Rose Maths. We are also supported in our teaching and learning by the Boolean Maths Hub.

Using a mastery maths approach means that children are taught mathematical concepts in small steps. This is because it is important that children master the first concept in a series before moving onto next one. To help children understand and visualise the mathematical structures they are being taught we ensure all children have access to a range of concrete practical resources and visual images such as tens and fives frames, rekenreks, bead stings, part part whole and bar models, which then link to the abstract written numbers. This enables them to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of the maths they are doing.

Children take part in exciting lessons, and are encouraged through careful questioning and activities to develop their understanding by noticing patterns and relationships in both number and shape and making links between the maths they know and new learning. This method builds strong foundations and develops the key skills children need to use in the wider world. It also prepares them for the next stage of their exciting mathematical learning journey.

Fluency

Addition and Subtraction

Fluency is taught using concrete resources first, making links between the amounts the children can subitise and then identifying the parts they can see which make up the full amount. This helps develop fluency in number bond addition and subtractions as children are able to break numbers down into smaller parts. Children are then taught to link these amounts with the digits and number names we use to represent these amounts. Phrases such as ‘more than’, ‘less than’, ‘fewer’, ‘one more’, ‘one less’ are introduced in a talk rich environment supported by the BBC Number Blocks programmes. We follow the Number Sense Maths programme in Years 1, 2 and 3 to teach children different strategies for addition and subtraction, moving children away from counting on fingers to more efficient mental maths strategies. We also use the online maths game Numbots to enable children to regularly practise addition and subtraction using visual images and numbers.

Multiplication and Division

Children are first encouraged to look for and make patterns using concrete resources such a Numicon, toys, counters, moving onto pictures and then the symbol for those amounts.  The concept of ‘sharing’ is introduced. The children then move onto exploring the relationship between amounts looking at ‘What is the same?’ and ‘What is different?’ about sequences of numbers, looking for patterns on number lines, number tracks and number squares. Children begin formal learning of multiplication and division facts in Year 2 with 2, 5 and 10, then moving onto ‘3 and 6’ and  ‘4 and 8’ in Year 3. With 7, 9, 11 and 12 taught in Year 4. Sentences such as ‘3 is a factor, 4 is a factor, the product of 3 and 4 is 12, 12 is the product of 3 and 4’ alongside the use of arrays helps children to visualise the maths they are learning. Children need to know all their times tables up to 12 in Year 4. Online games such as Times Table Rockstars (set as daily homework in Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) and Topmark’s Fact Families enable children to practise and work towards learning all of their multiplication and division facts. Research shows that knowledge and instant recall of these facts (as with number bonds) can boost a child’s confidence in mathematics.

Reasoning

When teaching reasoning, children are encouraged to talk about the maths that they do from the very start of their learning journey. Developing knowledge of mathematical vocabulary is essential in providing the children with the words they need to explain the mathematics they are exploring. Specialist vocabulary now includes introducing the names of the parts of a number sentence so the children can clearly explain their answer to questions such as, ‘What can you see?’ and ‘What do you notice?’ Children are encouraged to make links and use what they already know to help them. Reasoning is modelled by teachers ‘thinking aloud’ and in class discussion. Prompts such as low stakes multiple choice quizzes using visual representations are used regularly to encourage children to share their ideas and methods of reasoning. Children are challenged to ‘Prove’ they have found the right answer or to ‘Show me’ why the others are incorrect. We use a range of reasoning resources including those from I See Maths and the NCETM.

Problem Solving

When teaching problem solving, we use resources from a range of source including NCETM, I See Maths and NRICH. NRICH is a wonderful website with many high quality problem solving questions and puzzles for all ages. As with reasoning, teachers model their thinking out loud, choosing and naming strategies, such as those below, to help the children develop a range of problem solving strategies.  This helps build resilience and determination as the children have a starting point to use when faced with a new and novel problems in mathematics.

• Trial and improvement
• Working systematically
• Pattern spotting
• Working backwards
• Reasoning logically
• Visualising
• Conjecturing

Useful Websites

TTRockstars – learn all your times tables and division facts with regular practise.

Numbots – learn fluency in  number bonds, addition and subtraction with regular practise.

NRICH – super reasoning and problem solving questions.

TopMarks – loads of great games including Hit the Button and Fact Families

Visnos – a variety of interactive maths models which can be used to explore multiplication, angles and time.

BBC Bitesize KS2 Maths – Games and revision activities and videos.

Maths is fun – lots of information and activities on all areas of maths

White Rose Place Value Grid – Interactive place value grid for exploring place value and regrouping using counters.

White Rose Rekenrek – Interactive Rekenrek (bead abacus) for exploring number patterns and number bonds.