Mathematics

The vision for the school is to develop a mastery approach to the teaching of maths. The curriculum is designed to:

Ensure all children have the chance to access each area of the curriculum and thrive within it. This is done throughout each year, closing the entry gap and continuing to monitor progress throughout the school journey.
Enable children to understand the importance of maths and its many uses in the real world, inspired and highlighted by practitioners and guests speakers from a range of careers. From this allow children to contextualise maths with real world experiences, thinking logically and efficiently about problems. This is helpful in provoking enquiry and promoting mathematical language in explaining that.

Essential characteristics of mathematicians

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, showing a confidence of success.
The ability 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 passion for the subject.

Mathematics Curriculum Overview 2023-2024

Mathematics Roadmap

Mathematics in the Early Years Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Geography forms part of the learning children acquire under the ‘Mathematics' branch of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

The document below outlines in more detail the specific mathematics objectives within the Early Years curriculum, what it looks like in practice, and demonstrates the links between the Early Years and the mathematics curriculum.

Mathematics in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Mathematics in Key Stage 1 and 2

The breadth of the Mathematics National Curriculum in Key Stage 1 and 2

Key Stage 1

(Years 1 & 2)

Lower Key Stage 2

(Years 3 & 4)

Upper Key Stage 2

(Years 5 & 6)

Number - number and place value

Number - addition and subtraction

Number - multiplication and division

Number - fractions

Measurement

Geometry - properties of shapes

Geometry - position and direction

Statistics

Number - number and place value

Number - addition and subtraction

Number - multiplication and division

Number - fractions (including decimals from Year 4)

Measurement

Geometry - properties of shapes

Geometry - position and direction

Statistics

Number - number and place value

Number - addition and subtraction

Number - multiplication and division

Number - fractions (including decimals and percentages)

Ratio and proportion (Year 6)

Algebra (Year 6)

Measurement

Geometry - properties of shapes

Geometry - position and direction

Statistics

At Mowlem, we follow the National Curriculum and teach maths using the White Rose scheme of work. An approach to teaching maths that is based around demonstrating fluency, reasoning and problem solving. These skills underpin children’s understanding and are aided by concrete materials, pictorial representations and abstract methods. This is aided by practitioners contextualising mathematics to aid understanding through a variety of problems.

The White Rose scheme builds progressively from Reception to Year 6.

The approach of contextualising problems promotes a love of mathematics and genuine curiosity when engaging in mathematical enquiry and having the tools to help facilitate that. Formative assessment is utilised as a tool to identifying gaps within areas of the curriculum. Due to this, children should be automatic with number facts, ensuring they can access the breadth of the curriculum without any barriers, aiding their enjoyment of the subject.

While there is an emphasis on contextualising maths, all this knowledge is rooted in arithnmetic and secure automatic recall of number bonds, timestables, doubling and halving etc. This is monitored regularly and interventions are in place to help remove these barriers to learning when approaching the range of topics across the curriculum.

Learning clines and consistent linking to different areas of mathematics enable children to view maths as a puzzle, seeing how each piece interacts with the other and making connections and patterns within the subject as a result.

The approach enables pupils to spend enough time to fully explore a topic engaging their curiosity and reinforcing it with practice, before moving onto the next one. All ideas are built on previous knowledge and pupils have the opportunity to develop links between topics and across the curriculum. This is reinforced through the working wall and use of learning clines which serve as a reminder to children of the skills that they have previously learned to help them with the current topic, as well as limiting cognitive load during the lesson by referencing these topics in oral or written starters.

Adaptive learning, outlined in our spotlight group toolkit enables all children to make progress within individual lessons and over time. Finally, language frames introduced contextually enable children to explain their ideas mathematically and underpin the lessons conducted at Mowlem.

Learning Journeys

Learning Journeys detail the overall outcomes for each unit.
Learning Journeys detail the small steps that children will take to achieve the overall outcomes for each unit.
They show how the unit builds on prior learning
They show what children will learn in the future linked to what they are learning now.
Learning Journeys are available on the school website – on the year group page or on the subject page
They include key vocabulary for the unit
They include details of the key content to be covered

If you would like printed copies of any journeys please let us know.