Maths Curriculum Statement

At Round Diamond School we provide opportunities for all children to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop their fluency, problem solving and reasoning skills; our aim is that all learners are equipped with the knowledge to solve ever more challenging mathematical problems. We promote a curriculum which is accessible to all and will maximise the development of every child’s ability.

Our mathematics curriculum is sequenced to promote long-term learning. The core content of number and place value and the four operations is taught within the first half of a term and then applied to other curriculum domains within the second half of a term. Our curriculum delivers a sequence of knowledge and skills that builds on prior knowledge from the previous term so that learning is regularly recapped to aid retention and allow children to embed learning in their long-term memory. Our curriculum organisation and lesson structure is supported by the Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988). 

We believe all children can achieve in maths, and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures through manageable steps within learning journeys. We value robust assessment for learning to identify gaps and misconceptions. Daily fluency sessions are carefully planned to develop automaticity in key number facts. Challenge is embedded through tasks that develop fluency, problem-solving and reasoning skills, and are adapted to children’s needs to ensure our maths curriculum is aspirational to all children. Across year groups, children build their understanding through mathematical resources and pictorial representations. With these foundations embedded, children move on to an abstract approach using symbols, numbers and key concepts. Our aim is that by the end of Key Stage 2, all children will be able to use an efficient written method for each operation with confidence, accuracy and with understanding to apply their knowledge to a range of problem solving and reasoning contexts.

Through our maths curriculum, we want all children to enjoy maths and to experience success in the subject, with the confidence to reason and problem solve mathematically in a range of contexts.

Each year group follows their own bespoke long-term plan. Below is an example of the long-term plan for Year 3.

Leaders have mapped out long-term and medium-term plans that are followed from Nursery-Year 6 to ensure full coverage of the curriculum and that knowledge and skills are build upon and recapped across the year. 

Progression of skills is clearly mapped for teachers to know what has come before and what will come next in children's mathematical understanding. 

Mastery is a teaching and learning approach that aims for pupils to develop deep understanding of mathematics. Mastery of a mathematical concept means that a child can use their knowledge of the concept to solve unfamiliar problems in a range of contexts, and undertake complex reasoning, using the appropriate mathematical vocabulary. Our approach aims for pupils to have mastered the fundamental facts and concepts of mathematics for their year or key stage so they are ready to move confidently on to their next stage.

The structure of a lesson

A typical lesson in Years 1 to 6 will be structured as follows:

• Fluency (about 15 to 20 minutes) whole-class learning to rehearse, recall and develop fluent mathematical skills. Each week, children from Year 3-6 have two fluency sessions on times tables, one session on addition and subtraction facts, one session addressing misconceptions and one session recapping prior learning. Mastering Number is followed within Reception-Year 2 to develop a firm understanding and fluency with number facts.
• The main teaching activity including teaching input and adapted pupil activities – work as a whole class, in groups, in pairs or as individuals. Each lesson begins with some retrieval practice called 'Connect' where children recap learning from the previous year, weeks and lesson. Key vocabulary for the lesson is also introduced and taught before the main teaching input.
• A plenary working as a whole class to address misconceptions and identify progress.  Also to be used to summarise key facts and to make links to other learning as well as giving the children the opportunity to self-evaluate their learning.  Mini plenaries may be used throughout a lesson to revisit, consolidate and share next steps in learning.

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Key vocabulary

Current key vocabulary is displayed on maths learning walls in turquoise. This vocabulary is taken from the Mathematics Vocabulary Progression Grid, showing key mathematical vocabulary from Nursery to Year 6. Key vocabulary is introduced and taught at the beginning of each lesson. 

EYFS

 Within the EYFS, mathematics is developed through learning experiences that will be represented throughout the indoor and outdoor provision. In Nursery, a discrete maths lesson is taught weekly, with activities linked to this lesson planned into the environment. In Reception, maths is taught daily, beginning with Mastering Number and progressing into the main lesson where children use a range of concrete resources and pictorial representations to aid their mathematical understanding. Mathematical understanding is developed through stories, songs, games, imaginative play, child-initiated learning, and structured teaching. As pupils progress, they will be encouraged to record their mathematical thinking in a more formal way.

From Year 1-6, teachers follow a times table progression grid to develop children's fluency and recall of multiplication and division facts. The teaching of times tables follows a progressive teach, practise, retrieve and assess approach so that times table facts are firmly embedded for fluency and understanding. 

Each week, the children have a Times Table Rock Star (TTRS) session within their maths fluency time. TTRS is also accessible at home and weekly certificates are awarded in assembly for a range of reasons such as: most coins earned, most minutes played, biggest improvement in accuracy and studio speed.