Mathematics
Maths progression of skills, knowledge and understanding
Being confident with number - and able to tackle problems is not just about 'learning maths' - at Woodlands C. of E. Primary School we see mathematics is a life skill. As such, we place great emphasis on helping all of our children to become number confident and able to enjoy the challenge and need for perseverance that mathematics presents.
At our school we understand that mathematics is not only about getting 'sums' right or wrong - we see maths as an opportunity to develop the following key skills:
- Looking for patterns and generalising
- Showing curiosity and persevering
- Solving and posing problems
- Making connections across maths topics
- Communicating mathematically
- Reflecting on learning and knowing next steps
The National Curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:
- become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems
- reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
- can solve 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.
The content of the mathematics curriculum is divided into parts, which are covered through our maths calculation policy which ensures a continuity and progression of skills.
- Number, Place value, Rounding, Approximation & Estimation
- Addition and Subtraction
- Multiplication and Division
- Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
- Measures
- Geometry - Properties of Shapes
- Geometry - Position, Direction and Movement
- Data
- Ratio and Proportion
- Algebra
Throughout the above content, children are focused on ‘Using and Applying’ throughout; children use the skills and knowledge they have gained in solving practical problems independently and with others to both learn and develop mathematical concepts.
Children at the end of Year 4 will complete the standard multiplication times tables test.
Calculation Policy
As we use White Rose Maths to form the basis of our maths curriculum, we also follow their calculation policy. As children move through school they begin to see operations represented in different ways. These move from informal methods involving manipulatives through to more abstract formal methods.
These methods can be seen by following the links below: