Maths
"Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.”
National Curriculum 2014
Our maths curriculum at Sutton Veny is designed to enable pupils to be confident in their understanding of the number system, engage in maths activities with positivity and curiosity and to foster a love and passion for maths and problem solving. Our maths curriculum is structured to promote progression, so that:
- Pupils develop fluency in the fundamentals of mathematics.
- Pupils can reason with confidence about mathematical ideas and concepts
- Pupils can solve mathematical problems with increasing accuracy as they progress through school, whilst building resilience to keep trying if it does not work first time.
What is mathematics? It is only a systematic effort of solving puzzles posed by nature.
— Shakuntala Devi
Maths in the Foundation Stage and at Key Stage One
Throughout the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, the teaching of maths focuses on developing strong mathematical foundations for the pupils to build on. We use Number Sense as a mathematical equivalent to phonics in English; enabling children to visualise and build vocabulary to describe their mathematical thinking as well as to practice those vital early maths facts. Teachers use a range of physical resources to help the children understand the value of numbers and identify the key patterns in our number system. Counting forwards and backwards in different steps (appropriate to the age of the pupils) is an important part of helping the children master early number skills and introduces them to the rules of calculation. We ensure all children are given the same range of representations of number in order to develop progression across the key stage and into the next.
Maths at Key Stage Two
Throughout Key Stage Two, pupils’ mathematical understanding builds on the solid foundations developed in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One. Their knowledge of the number system and the four operations is taught and developed progressively, appropriate to their age and level of understanding. Pupils are given the opportunity to practise key calculation skills, which develops their fluency with the four operations. Teaching also encourages the pupils to reason and problem solve with increasing difficulty, as they progress through the Key Stage. Again, here we follow the Whiterose scheme of work to inform our planning, but it continues to be enriched in a variety of ways to ensure the needs of each cohort are met in the most vibrant way possible.
It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul.
— Sofia Kovalevskaya, Russian mathematician