Intent statement for mathematics 

Mathematics is essential for everyday life as it underpins so much of the world around us. It is a core element of the National Curriculum for all pupils in school and is a language that contributes to the understanding and knowledge of the world through an understanding of number, pattern and sequence. At Howitt our intent is to provide a solid foundation of skills and understanding, ensuring pupils are “fluent” solving calculations and are able to “reason mathematically” when solving problems by applying their knowledge. By developing pupil’s ability to identify relationships and their importance through a wide range of mathematical experiences, we intend to contribute to each pupil’s personal, social and intellectual development. 

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected 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. (2014 National Curriculum) 

We aim to promote the joy and wonder of mathematics and to enable pupils to use their knowledge and understanding of mathematics confidently, now and in their future lives.  This learning journey begins in EYFS by working towards the Early Learning Goals in Number and Numerical Patterns. Children will develop a deep understanding of numbers to 10 including subitising, number bonds and recall facts. They will be able to count beyond 20, recognise and investigate patterns in the counting system, compare quantities and develop their spatial reasoning skills introducing shape, space and measures. This learning develops through KS1 and KS2, covering the National Curriculum statutory objectives for mathematics. 

We had a great time celebrating NSPCC number day with fun number activities and some fantastic number outfits and t-shirts! Thankyou for all of your support, we raised £312 for the NSPCC!

Maths is everywhere...

...we are all mathematicians!

At Howitt Primary Community School our aim is to promote the joy and wonder of maths and to enable pupils to use their knowledge and understanding of mathematics confidently, now and in their future lives.

Aims

• Provide pupils with opportunities for rich and rewarding learning through the highest quality of teaching;
• Foster and develop the necessary skills and attitudes that enable all pupils to reach their full potential in mathematics;
• Develop pupils’ mathematical independence and resilience;
• Provide a broad and balanced curriculum, ensuring pupils experience all components of the National Curriculum for mathematics;
• Ensure pupils acquire mathematical fluency, develop mathematical language and reasoning skills and develop the ability to solve a variety of problems.
• Provide equality of opportunity through a mastery approach to mathematics teaching and learning;
• Build on previous experience, knowledge and understanding;
• Allow pupils to develop concepts and acquire knowledge and understanding of all areas of the subject;
• Encourage the development of an enquiring mind, analytical thinking and a logical approach.

Throughout their time at Howitt, your child will have opportunities to:

• use information sources and mathematics tools to solve problems and to support learning in a variety of contexts;
• understand the implications of mathematics for working life and society;
• develop positive attitudes towards mathematics and confidence in mathematics;
• have a sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system;
• know by heart number facts such as number bonds, multiplication tables, doubles and halves;
• use what they know to figure out answers mentally;
• calculate accurately and efficiently, mentally and with pencil and paper, drawing on a range of calculation strategies;
• recognise when it is appropriate to use a calculator and be able to do so effectively;
• make sense of number problems, including non-routine problems, and recognise the operations needed to solve them;
• explain their methods and reasoning using correct, mathematical language;
• judge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them;
• suggest suitable units for measuring and make sensible estimates of measurement;
• explain and make predictions from the numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables;
• explain properties of 2d / 3d shape, position, direction and movement.

In each year group, your child will have 5 hours of mathematics lessons per week. We use a mastery approach to mathematics teaching, which means that they will work together at broadly the same pace covering their yearly maths objectives. Lessons will be structured into small steps of learning. Children will use practical equipment to explore the mathematical concept, which will lead to written recording and finally reasoning and problem solving, applying their skills, knowledge and understanding to real-life maths problems.

Above all, we aim to ensure lessons are fun, engaging and challenging for the children and they all have fun while learning. Less confident mathematicians will be supported by small step teaching and practical maths equipment, while more confident learners will be challenged and extended by problems requiring a greater depth of understanding.

At Howitt we have two main online resources to support the teaching of mathematics:

My Maths provides specific lessons, games and homework tasks directly linked to your child’s weekly learning objectives. The games and lessons are fun and engaging and the homework tasks are monitored by the class teacher to assess your child’s understanding. Your child has their own personal login details for this resource. Please ask your child to login weekly to check for homework tasks.

Times Tables Rock Stars is specifically designed to support your child’s knowledge and recall speed of times tables. There is a variety of different games and modes to play. Your child earns coins the more they play, which they can spend in the online shop and buy things for their avatar. Your child has their own personal login details for this resource. Please ask your child to login at least 3 times per week to practise their times tables.  

Interventions and extra support

If your child is struggling with maths and needs extra support, the class teacher may offer your child a weekly additional maths lesson using our On Track Maths intervention programme. This is designed to help children catch up and keep up with their peers. They are mini-lessons, recapping the learning that has taken place that week and use games and activities to support their understanding. They may also have these lessons before the rest of the class have been taught the concept, to boost confidence in maths.  

Please do contact the maths team, via the school office, if you have any questions about maths learning in school.