“Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics.

Everything around you is numbers.”

Shakuntala Devi, Indian writer and mental calculator

Intent

Maths is an integral part of everyday life and one which will play a vital role in our children’s futures. At New Milton Infant School, we provide our children with a foundation for understanding the world and prepare them for the next stage in their learning. We want all children at New Milton Infant School to experience the power of maths and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject. By adopting a mastery approach to teaching and learning, we are committed to fostering children’s deep, long-term and adaptable understanding of maths. At New Milton Infant School, every child is a mathematician and we believe that all children can succeed. We want all children, irrespective of background and starting points, to experience a sense of awe and wonder as they solve problems, discover different solutions and make links and connections between areas of maths. Our high quality maths mastery education will challenge and develop fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills, through the use of a wide range of resources, representations and technologies. Being confident, resilient, able to persevere and show determination is at the core of what we want to achieve.

Implementation

At New Milton Infant School, we use a Department for Education recognised scheme of learning called 'Maths: No Problem!’. This scheme is based on approaches used in Singapore which carefully build the children’s knowledge of mathematical concepts and processes and also meets the requirements of the National Curriculum.

The Maths: No Problem! mission statement reads:

“We believe that every child can master an understanding and love of maths with the right kind of teaching and support. We want you to join our mission to build the confidence of the nation’s maths teachers and learners.” Maths No Problem (2016).

Our chosen scheme follows a spiral approach which means that there is ample opportunity for children to revisit previously learned knowledge, concepts and procedures. Maths: No Problem! uses a highly effective Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach whereby children are encouraged to use a wide range of manipulatives to bring their maths to life, moving onto pictorial representations to help the children make mental connections and finally using abstract symbols and calculations. Children use a series of textbooks and workbooks which they use alongside each other to show their understanding of the concepts taught.

In Year R, children are introduced to a variety of mathematical concepts through a range of stories and exploratory activities. Lessons are taught daily through whole class inputs and small group work. Children take part in practical activities, have the opportunity to explore different concrete and pictorial representations and also record their understanding in their workbooks to show their independent application of skills. Children are given time to think and talk about how they have approached their activity, with adults modelling the correct mathematical vocabulary and carefully questioning children to develop and deepen understanding. In Year R, children have access to a range of mathematical resources which they can use in their play. Where appropriate, mathematical enhancements are included in the learning environments throughout Continuous Provision to help develop a secure understanding.

Throughout Key Stage One, children are taught maths daily in their separate year groups. Children may move between classes at various points in the year to ensure that they are learning on the pathway that is most appropriate for their individual starting points. High quality interactive teaching and purposeful collaborative learning underpin all lessons, with everybody aspiring to be the best mathematician they can. In KS1, each lesson starts with an ‘Explore task’ which children complete in partners. They have access to a wide range of resources, as well as whiteboards so they are able to record their thinking pictorially. Adults rotate around the children during this time and their effective use of assessment in the moment, questioning and immediate feedback provide support and challenge where needed to ensure the best possible outcomes for all. The lesson then moves on to a ‘Master’ section where the teacher brings together the children’s findings from the explore task, compares strategies used, guides the children towards the most efficient method and introduces new concepts, modelling the use of the correct mathematical language. At New Milton Infant School, we use misconceptions as an essential part of learning experiences and therefore during each lesson, at least one wrong answer will be discussed and explained. Children will then be given the opportunity to practise similar activities, consolidate previous learning or if they are more able will independently apply their thinking to complete a task in their workbook. In KS1, maths lessons often cover two sessions. The second session starts with a ‘Guided Practice’, which the class complete together to consolidate the key learning from the previous day. The children then complete their linked learning in their workbook, or if necessary complete a higher-order thinking task to extend their skills. At our school, we have high expectations for all and therefore learning may need to be varied slightly so it can be accessed by all children. This may be by providing scaffold to a task or by helping simplify language to support any child who needs it, including those on the SEND register and those who speak English as an Additional Language. Adults at New Milton Infant School use their skills and knowledge of the children to grasp spontaneous opportunities to consolidate skills and embed understanding. At various points in the year, there are opportunities for the children to complete ‘review’ tasks. These are used to revisit previously taught learning and alongside the adults ongoing assessments, provide teachers with vital knowledge about children’s next steps and areas for development, enabling all children to achieve their full potential in maths.

Impact

Our inclusive and engaging maths curriculum means all children at New Milton Infant School make very good progress and achieve well. Our keen mathematicians use their flexible thinking skills to represent concepts in multiple ways, solve problems fluently and are also able to communicate their ideas effectively using the correct terminology. By promoting our Aspirations of ‘I try my best’ and ‘I am courageous’, our children are keen to take on challenges and apply concepts to new problems in unfamiliar situations, working both independently and in a team. Our collaborative approach to learning allows adults and children to progress together, exploring, discovering, and deepening the knowledge of key ideas needed to access more sophisticated learning in the future.

As a result of the high quality education we provide, our children leave our school with a strong subject knowledge and fluency in the fundamental mathematical domains, can reason effectively and have a positive mind set for mathematics so that they can be successful in the next stage of their learning and beyond.