Pucklechurch CE VC Primary School

Aspire - Believe - Achieve

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Maths at Pucklechurch

Curriculum Intent

At Pucklechurch CEVC Primary, we aim for children to:

  • become confident mathematicians who are able to notice connections and patterns in all of their mathematical learning;
  • explore links to real-life maths through which they can experience the world’s diversity and our school Christian values.
  • acquire and confidently use rich mathematical vocabulary and continue to develop their reading fluency;
  • aspire to a good level of understanding and confidence, believing that there is no mathematical skill they cannot master without dedication and a growth mindset;
  • achieve fluency in arithmetic skills and develop secure times table knowledge.

Curriculum implementation

We follow the National Curriculum for Mathematics. For more information, click here. We ensure the 3 aims of the National Curriculum (Fluency, Reasoning and Problem Solving) are planned for routinely in our lessons. All children have regular opportunities to explore and represent mathematics using carefully selected equipment and a concrete and pictorial approach will be used alongside abstract representations. Children are expected and supported to explain their reasoning and understanding and use an APE approach to do this (Answer, Prove, Explain). We also take every opportunity to learn outside in our maths lessons. 

The White Rose Scheme of Work is the basis of our approach. It sets out clear small progressive steps per term, per year group so that children acquire declarative (facts and formulae), procedural (methods and algorithms) and conditional (strategies for problem solving) knowledge. Each small step requires our children to demonstrate explicit skills in calculations, through reasoning and in problem solving. Across the curriculum, we seek to provide children with learning opportunities that will utilise and embed maths skills and vocabulary learned during core maths lessons - for instance, using their knowledge of nets of shapes to create packaging for a product in a Design & Technology lesson or using addition and subtraction skills to deepen understanding of historical chronology. 

Concrete: this is the “doing” stage, using concrete objects to model problems. This approach brings concepts to life by allowing children to experience and handle physical objects themselves. Every new abstract concept is learned first with a “concrete” or physical experience.

For example, if a problem is about adding up four baskets of fruit , the children might first handle actual fruit before progressing to handling counters or cubes which are used to represent the fruit.

Pictorial: This is the “seeing” stage, using representations of the objects to model problems. This stage encourages children to make a mental connection between the physical object and abstract levels of understanding by drawing or looking at pictures, circles, diagrams or models which represent the objects in the problem.

Abstract: this is the “symbolic” stage, where children are able to use abstract symbols to model problems. Only once a child has demonstrated that they have a solid understanding of the “concrete” and “pictorial” representations of the problem, can the teacher introduce the more “abstract” concept, such as mathematical symbols. Children are introduced to the concept at a symbolic level, using only numbers, notation, and mathematical symbols, for example +, –, x, / to indicate addition, multiplication, or division.

Arithmetic

Children have daily arithmetic lessons, to build their fluency in calculating and help them to develop accurate and efficient methods. This is also the focus of our homework each week. By increasing their skills in this area, children become more confident mathematicians and are able to tackle more complicated reasoning and problem-solving questions.

Times Tables

Fluency in times tables is an important feature of mathematical learning. Here at Pucklechurch, we are always looking for interesting ways to engage and challenge children in their times tables learning. Each week, children from Year One to Six are set weekly times table home-learning. We have subscribed all learners to Times Tables Rockstars (www.ttrockstars.com). This website is intuitive and recognises which tables children know and need to learn; and it automatically adjusts questions to allow for revision and introduce new facts. Children have the option to play a range of sessions: Garage (tables automatically set by the software); Studio (all tables up to 12X 12); Soundcheck (five second timing for each question up to 12 X 12); and tournaments, which the children can gig against other band members, children from local schools or children from across the world!

We have also implemented a scheme which focuses on the memorising of times table facts. We ensure consistency when saying times table facts out loud to increase the speed at which they are commited to memory. e.g. when referring to 5 x 4, we always use the same soundbite 'five fours are twenty' to ensure this is embedded in the children's long term memory as quickly as possible. Even when the calcualtion is written 4 x 5, the children know to flip it so the larger number is first, triggering the fact in their memory. 

In addition, the children are tested on their times tables daily in school with the marking of the tests further embedding the times tables sound bites.

Times Tables Hints & Tips for Parents

Other useful documents and links:

 
Impact
The impact of our mathematics curriculum is that children understand the relevance and importance of what they are learning in relation to real world concepts. Children know that maths is a vital life skill that they will rely on in many areas of their daily life. Children have a positive view of maths due to learning in an environment where maths is promoted as being an exciting and enjoyable subject in which they can investigate and ask questions; they know that it is OK to be ‘wrong’ and that this can strengthen their learning because the journey to finding an answer is most important. Children are confident to ‘have a go’ and choose the equipment they need to help them to learn along with the strategies they think are best suited to each problem. Our maths books evidence work of a high standard of which children clearly take pride; the range of activities demonstrate good coverage of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our feedback, pre-teach and interventions support children to strive to be the best mathematicians they can be, ensuring a high proportion of children are on track or above. Our school standards are high, we moderate our books both internally and externally and children are achieving well.
 
Diversity in Maths 
At Pucklechurch CE VC Primary, we are committed to providing opportunities for our children to experience the diversity of the world around them. This extends across our curriculum. 
In maths, we have taken part in 'World Maths Day' events where we explored early counting systems around the world.
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In recent maths weeks, we were inspired by maths around the world - past and present - so investigated islamic and roman mosaics.
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We have linked maths to the book 'If the world were 100 people.' and discovered incredible facts such as 'If the world were 100 people, only 1 person would have access to the internet' and 'If the world were 100 people, only 6 people would be able to read and write.' We discussed where in the world might have the lowest internet access and literacy and thought about why this might be. 
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During our Wider Curriculum reading weeks, we endeavor to include texts linked to a wide range of scientists, mathematicians and engineers including historical greats such as Ada Lovelace, Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing as well as the incredibly pioneering  NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson. 
 
In our 'Artful maths' event in July 2022, year 4 showed off  their times table skills by creating patterns inspired by 'Veldic Squares' which were first used in ancient India.
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