Early Years
Maths in Reception at St Joseph’s is matched to the new EYFS Framework by focusing on a deeper understanding of numbers 1-10, with more focus on addition and subtraction facts, verbal counting beyond 20, recognising patterns, subitising to 5 and a deeper understanding of shape, space and measure.
The mathematics learning that takes place is matched closely to the Early Learning Goals, using both Number Sense Maths and Power Maths throughout the year, to ensure a deeper understanding of number and to encourage confident early mathematicians.
Curriculum Progression
At St Joseph’s, we use a mastery approach to mathematics to meet the individual needs of all children. Using the National Curriculum as its core, we use the Power Maths Scheme of Work to ensure that our mathematic curriculum is an adventure for all children to be immersed in, get creative with, make mistakes and conquer.
Our mathematics teaching is structured around a whole-class interactive teaching model that focuses on all children achieving. All mathematics lessons are built around a child-centred design that models and embeds a growth mind-set approach. Our mathematics teaching model is structured to help to teach concepts for longer, ensuring teaching and learning goes deeper.
For each year group, the curriculum strands have been broken down into core concepts. Each concept has also been broken down into small, manageable steps. Each lesson and concept builds on prior knowledge to help children to build a robust and deep understanding of the concept before moving on. Lessons include regular checks of progress with same day interventions taking place where needed.
Times Tables
At St Joseph’s, we encourage all children to succeed with their times tables and number bonds. Children are given number bond and times tables badges as they progress through the curriculum. Before being awarded their badge, children need to be able to answer three rounds of questions on the specific number bond or times table that they are currently studying, this also includes inverse questions. As the children progress, they are also expected to retain the knowledge of the previous times tables. Once children have reached their 12 times table badge, they then move to the prestigious Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. These are highly sought after awards that the children really aspire to obtain.
We utilise Times Table Rockstars to aid the practice of Times Table and to Numbots to help with number bonds. All children will have logins for these websites.
Developing Confidence and Mathematical Fluency
To ensure all children are catered for and all needs are being met, we use quality first teaching, self and peer assessment, immediate, verbal feedback, interventions and moderation. This helps us to plan and intervene where needed and to give immediate support.
To encourage reading, communication and vocabulary, we use planned paired and shared talk with prompts and modelling of appropriate vocabulary, as Power Maths ensures that vocabulary is built into each lesson and taught explicitly. We use feedback to encourage justification of opinions and answers that include high-level vocabulary.
To promote development of knowledge and skills, we use a range of strengthening, deepening and challenge activities that involve fluency, reasoning and problem-solving style questions. These activities provide challenge in all areas for all groups of children, encouraging them to have high expectations of themselves.
Assessment and Monitoring
The regular checks of progress and child-friendly assessments throughout Power Maths are used to embed knowledge, inform teaching and produce next steps for children.
The progress of all children, including those with SEND and disadvantaged, is closely monitored and the curriculum is designed to ensure that any identified gaps are closed.
Teachers and teaching assistants provide additional practice and support for the children who are making the slowest progress.
A teaching and assessment timeline is in place to ensure all children reach key milestones by certain dates.
Documentation
Long Term Plans
Progression/Policies
Times Tables
At St Joseph’s, we encourage all children to succeed with their times tables and number bonds. Children are given number bond and times tables badges as they progress through the curriculum. Before being awarded their badge, children need to be able to answer three rounds of questions on the specific number bond or times table that they are currently studying, this also includes inverse questions such as 7 x 8 = 56, 8 x 7 = 56, 56 ÷ 7 = 8 and 56 ÷ 7 = 8. As the children progress, they are also expected to retain the knowledge of the previous times tables.
Once children have reached their 12 times table badge, they then move to the prestigious Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. These are highly sought after awards that the children really aspire to obtain.
Bronze is awarded for answering multiple questions on all of the times tables, both multiplication and division.
Silver is awarded for completing the math factor check, scoring 25 out of 25, three times in a row (on separate days).
Gold is awarded for scoring under 60 seconds on Studio in Times Table Rockstars, for the ten most recent games (no mean feat!).
As mentioned above, we have subscriptions to Times Table Rockstars to aid the practice of Times Table and to Numbots to help with number bonds. All children will have been given their logins for these websites.
We love maths at St Joseph’s! Take a look at some of the work we’ve been doing below.
