Why do we teach Maths? Why do we teach Maths in the way we do?	How do we teach Maths? What does this look like?
By the time children leave our school what will they be able to do?	Target Trackers for Maths
Web links	Teaching methods at Holy Cross

At Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, we believe that every child can master an understanding and love of maths. We aim to ensure that all our children develop into enthusiastic mathematical thinkers who are ready to take on the world of mathematics by the time they leave us in Year 6. We plan for our children to be confident mathematicians who have achieved fluency in all aspects of the curriculum. We have the highest expectations for every learner; we want our children to master maths rather than having only surface knowledge and skills in this subject.


The mathematics curriculum at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School uses a combination of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) and Oak National Academy, alongside the Primary National Curriculum and Department for Education (DfE) ready to progress criteria, to carefully sequence our mathematics curriculum.

Lessons are planned and sequenced using the Oak National Academy resources. The lesson sequence ensures that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught previously. We use a concrete, pictorial and abstract (CPA) teaching approach to develop our pupils’ conceptual understanding of the fundamentals of mathematics. Children of all abilities use resources as a way to model their thinking and demonstrate understanding of a mathematical concept.

Concrete – children have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing (if required). Children are provided with resources such as Base 10, place value counters, Cuisenaire rods. Children of all abilities will use resources as a way to model their thinking and demonstrate understanding of a mathematical concept

Pictorial – children build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations, which can then be used to reason and solve problems.

Abstract – With the foundations firmly laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence. Children are encouraged every lesson to talk through their reasoning using mathematical vocabulary. The Oak National Academy resources support this through the use of stem sentences to help them to structure answers.

Once pupils have grasped the concept, they then develop their fluency skills and understanding through varied intelligent practice rather than mechanical repetition. Our pupils are regularly encouraged to use the correct mathematical vocabulary when explaining or justifying their answers. We ensure children learn key vocabulary; mathematical talk is a key learning tool for all pupils. Where necessary, pre-teaching, key vocabulary is a driver for pupil understanding and develops the confidence of children to explain mathematically and therefore consolidate and embed their conceptual understanding.

Additionally, pupils are encouraged to check their answers using different strategies and experience rich and sophisticated problems in order to stretch, challenge and develop deeper thinking. Our expectation is that the majority of our pupils will move through the curriculum at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress will be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material will consolidate their understanding, through additional practice, intervention and top up teaching, before moving on.

Times Tables are taught throughout the school and counting time is found during the week although this may not always be part of the math’s lesson. This is aimed at improving the children’s rapid recall skills. Staff also use the Purple Mash website to practice speed and fluency. The children have their own personal accounts so that they can practice in school or at home.

The children in Key Stage 1 also participate in the Mastering Number programme supported by the NCETM to develop their basic number knowledge.

EYFS: All children in the Foundation Stage have daily opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding, primarily through play, to meet the needs of Development Matters. The two strands of mathematics taught in the EYFS are Numbers and Shape, Space and Measure. Teachers will use end of block assessments to inform assessment and intervention. These will be administered when time has elapsed after teaching the topic.

The learning and teaching of mathematics consider all children, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities through thorough and rigorous planning and assessment.







The impact of our approach to mathematics means that by the time the leave us in Year 6, they should be able to quickly and easily manipulate numbers and apply their mathematical knowledge to a variety of problems and applications. Children should have good mental maths and arithmetic skills and a solid grasp of the key vocabulary. They are not frightened of numbers and instead relish the challenge and sense of achievement they get from truly mastering mathematics. By the end of Year 6, the children are ready for the next stage of their mathematical journey and will have developed a bank of efficient and accurate skills that can be used effectively to navigate every day and real-life situations. They will become confident and resilient problem-solvers with the ability to reason and articulate their ideas mathematically.

Year 1

Year 2 Number...

Year 2 Properties of Shape...

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

EYFS
	Early years Maths - BBC Bitesize Practise recognising numbers, counting, sequencing and basic adding and subtraction.
	www.topmarks.co.uk Games aimed at early mathematicians
	www.crickweb.co.uk/Early-Years.html 16 Free online EYFS educational games. Fun learning through play helps kids achieve Foundation stage goals.
Addition and Subtraction
	Videos all about addition and subtraction. KS1 www.bbc.co.uk KS2 www.bbc.co.uk Click on this link to watch videos all about addition and subtraction.
	KS1 nrich.maths.org. KS2 nrich.maths.org
	Assorted addition and subtraction activities www.primaryresources.co.uk
Multiplication and Division
	Videos all about multiplication and division. KS1 www.bbc.co.uk KS2 www.bbc.co.uk
	Fun multiplication and division games. KS1 nrich.maths.org KS2 nrich.maths.org
	Assorted activities in multiplication and division www.primaryresources.co.uk
Times Tables
	www.timestables.me.uk Use this website to generate your own times tables quiz.
	www.topmarks.co.uk Times tables games aimed at 5 - 7 year olds. www.topmarks.co.uk Times tables games aimed at 7 - 12 year olds.
General Resources
	Woodlands Resources Maths Zone - Free Maths Games (primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk) Created by a school in Kent and contains hundreds of interactive maths games aimed at Key Stage 1 and 2
	www.ictgames.com/resources.html Assorted games for Key Stage 1 and 2
	www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths Assorted printable resources for Key Stage 2