Mathematics Curriculum
The Maths curriculum fosters deep understanding, problem-solving, and fluency, using a spiral approach in mixed-age classes. Emphasising real-world applications, cultural relevance, and parental engagement builds confidence and prepares students for future success.
Intent
The intent of the Weston Lullingfields Mathematics curriculum is to provide a high-quality education that enables all pupils in our mixed-age classes to develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and skills, as well as an ability and confidence to apply this learning as resilient problem solvers. Our curriculum aims to challenge and inspire pupils, fostering a love for Mathematics, exploring its power and wonder, preparing them for future success in both education and life itself.
We understand, due to its nature and history as a subject, Mathematics is a subject that requires a skilled and well-considered, growth mindset approach from all adults involved: nurturing a positive, resilient perspective for our learners.
This is fully empowered and embraced by our school faith and vision which is at the heart of all our learning:
‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not
grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’ Isaiah 40:31
At Weston Lullingfields, ‘within our small school big family with God’ community, we live out Isaiah’s message of hope through
celebrating and nurturing resilience. Our curriculum promotes awe and wonder and is relevant to our children as we help them to
prepare for all of life beyond our school gates.
We live out our vision through the Christian values of courage, perseverance, respect, and thankfulness with forgiveness threading
through all values.
Theology
We understand that God’s heart is for all of us to soar like eagles. However, the reality is that we live in a world that is full of wows and
ows – with all the challenges this leads to. God’s heart is for us to live in community where we gain the skills, confidence, and self-belief to overcome these challenges and therefore to soar.
Understanding and Fluency:
- Develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts through a concrete, pictorial, and abstract approach.
- Build fluency in mathematical skills, ensuring pupils can effortlessly recall and apply fundamental facts.
- We use a spiral curriculum approach, designed for us by Kate Burton, which allows pupils to revisit concepts over each year, helping to embed understanding and apply their knowledge to a variety of contexts.
- Practise and consolation are central to our learning, enabling pupils to secure knowledge, skills and concepts before moving on.
- We model the use of mathematical language and vocabulary with high expectations of our staff and pupils to communicate with
confidence, coherence and accuracy.
Mathematical Reasoning and Problem-Solving:
- Encourage pupils to apply mathematical reasoning and problem-solving strategies to real-life scenarios, building towards more complex multi-step problems.
- Foster critical thinking and logical reasoning abilities through varied and challenging problem-solving tasks, including the following categories of problems: logic, finding all possibilities, multi-step calculation and solving puzzles.
- We regularly use rich tasks (low threshold high ceiling) to enrich problem solving, working as a whole class.
Independence, Confidence and Resilience:
- Promote independent thinking and self-confidence among pupils, enabling them to persevere in problem-solving and take ownership of their learning.
- Our mixed year group class structure allows children to work in mixed age groupings where concepts can be taught using a multi-level approach, helping pupils to clearly see how the complexity of each concept develops over the key stages.
- Support pupils in developing meta-cognitive skills, allowing them to reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement in Mathematics.
Adaptive Teaching:
- Provide an adaptive curriculum that caters to the varying needs, abilities, and interests of pupils across mixed-age classes.
- Personalise learning experiences through targeted interventions, support for special educational needs, and extension activities for high-achieving pupils.
Enrichment and Cultural Awareness:
- Introduce children to the cultural significance and historical context of Mathematics, fostering an appreciation for its contributions to society.
- Implementing whole school mathematics emersion and celebration days, at least twice a year, where mathematics is celebrated through a range of different approaches, throughout the whole school to raise its profile.
- Promote cross-curricular links and provide opportunities for Mathematics to be applied in real-world contexts.
- Plan for the awe and wonder of mathematics to be embraced and explored by our pupils, enabling them to see the spiritual aspects of the subject: for example, through looking at mathematics in nature or challenging the pupils with Fermi questions about mathematics such as, how many stars are in the universe or grains of sand on all the world’s beaches?
Implementation
Curriculum Design:
- Our Mathematics curriculum is comprehensive and sequenced so that it is aligned with the National Curriculum and reflects the specific learning needs and ages of pupils in our whole key stage classes.
- We ensure the curriculum offers sufficient opportunities to revisit and consolidate essential mathematical skills throughout the academic year through a spiral curriculum approach.
- Lesson plans are supported by the White Rose ready-made lesson plans which are adapted to suit our pupils’ needs.
- Kate Burton ‘Mathematics End Points’ form our key end-of-year descriptors for mathematics learning from Reception to Year 6.
Teaching and Learning Approaches:
- Employ a range of teaching strategies such as: direct instruction; guided practice; collaborative learning and independent work, to enable learning in a variety of contexts to match the pupils’ needs and preferences.
- Use daily ‘Flash Back’ exercises to aid recall of facts, practise skills, embed prior learning and provide opportunities for assessment.
- Utilise manipulatives, visual aids, and ICT resources to support concrete and pictorial representations of mathematical concepts.
- Encourage active participation, discussion, and questioning in Mathematics lessons, fostering a positive and inclusive classroom environment.
- Provide daily opportunities for mathematical reasoning: developing and communicating justification, argument or proof using effective coherent mathematical language.
Our typical daily lesson design model:
- Begin with a short fact fluency or flash-back challenge
- Share the main goal of the lesson
- My turn – teaching input and modelling, ensuring key language is modelled and used by pupils
- Your turn – pupils are challenged to do the focus mathematics themselves, with adaptive learning in place
- Explore and share any misconceptions
- Deepening – pupils try more complex problems
- Lesson recap
Alongside these ‘typical’ lessons, staff will embed ‘out of the box’ learning experiences into their lessons, to enable the pupils to experience a wider sense of the subject through investigations, rich tasks, cross-curricular lessons, outdoor learning and special events.
The CPA mastery approach, using a variety of practical manipulatives, images and models will be weaved through our daily lessons, with a clear progression through the year groups.
Multiplication facts are rehearsed, explored and practised on a regular basis (at least twice every week) from Year 2 (x2, x5, x10) to
Year 6 – through a variety of formal and informal activities. We carry out our own half-termly ‘times table’ to record and monitor progress.
Assessment and Feedback:
- Regularly assess pupil progress using formative and summative assessment methods, including questioning, observation, and written assessments (using termly NFER tests).
- Provide timely and constructive feedback to pupils, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
- Use assessment data to inform planning, identify gaps in learning, and differentiate instruction accordingly.
Pedagogy:
- As a staff, we keep up to date with current research and recommendations with regards to the teaching and learning of mathematics, thus enabling us to continually grow and refine our provision in the light of this.
- We are part of our local Mathematics Hub and aware of current programs to improve mathematics teaching and learning for our pupils – implementing those which suit our developmental journey.
Impact
The impact of the Mathematics curriculum will be measured through a range of indicators to ensure its successful implementation and
Effectiveness:
Progress and Attainment:
- Monitor individual pupil progress and attainment in Mathematics through regular assessment and tracking systems.
- Aim for all pupils, regardless of their starting points, to make at least good progress and achieve age-appropriate expectations.
- Celebrate and recognise achievements, both individually and collectively, to foster motivation and a positive attitude towards
Mathematics. - Staff take part in moderation meetings, involving all year groups in monitoring accurate daily lesson assessment judgements.
Engagement and Enjoyment:
- Promote a positive and enjoyable learning environment in Mathematics lessons, evident through high levels of pupil engagement, enthusiasm, and participation.
- Conduct regular pupil voice surveys and gather feedback to assess pupil attitudes towards Mathematics and act upon any identified areas for improvement.
Close Collaboration with Parents and Carers:
- Establish effective and open lines of communication with parents and carers to promote their active involvement in supporting their child’s Mathematics learning at home.
- Organise regular parent workshops, information sessions, and opportunities for parental engagement in Mathematics-related activities.
By implementing this comprehensive intent, implementation, and impact statement for Mathematics at Weston
Lullingfields CE School, the school will be well-positioned to provide an outstanding Mathematics education.
