Curriculum Intent
Our Curriculum Intent outlines the knowledge, skills and characteristics we want children to develop and learn throughout their time with us.
At Watling Primary School, we place an emphasis on the STEM disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, recognising the importance of these subjects in preparing our children for success in an increasingly technological society.
Our approach to teaching and learning in Maths maintains a focus on fluency in the core concepts of number which are vital for our children to develop competency in the Maths curriculum overall. Alongside this, pupils are given opportunities during every Maths lesson to apply their knowledge of number facts to reasoning and problem-solving.
By providing children with high quality mathematical resources, we facilitate access to and success through hands-on active learning at all levels. Targeted support to clarify, consolidate and deepen knowledge and understanding at appropriate stages of learning takes place in every Maths lesson. In this way, we ensure that success in Maths is accessible to and fully inclusive of all our pupils.
Many of our CAPTAIN Learning Characteristics play an intrinsic part in Maths lessons. We encourage our pupils to be curious about Maths and to question and hypothesise in their investigation of number and application of mathematical knowledge. We embrace making mistakes as part of the learning process and encourage our pupils to be brave and take risks in search of innovative approaches to problem-solving.
Working collaboratively as part of a team to take on and overcome the challenges of problem-solving helps to develop important communication skills. In verbalising and explaining their mathematical methods and reasoning, children must also show that they are confident communicators.
We encourage our children to be ambitious and aspirational as they progress through their educational journey. We recognise the importance of the core mathematical principles of fluency, reasoning and problem-solving and the value of the transferable skills that competence in these areas will give our children as they progress into adult life.
Curriculum Implementation
Our Curriculum Implementation explains what we will do and how we will do it, to ensure that children learn and achieve what we intend them to.
Our approach to the teaching and learning of Maths includes the following:
- Distinct units taught during the academic year, following the White Rose Maths scheme.
- Timetabled 1-hour lesson each day.
- Adherence to the ‘Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate’ lesson structure outlined in the Watling Primary School approach to teaching Maths.
- Lessons planned using progression maps and curriculum end points.
- Lesson objectives linked to Watling Way values and CAPTAIN Learning Characteristics.
- High-quality resources used to enhance lessons.
- Separate exercise book for Maths for each child to record their learning over time as they progress through the school.
- Access to Maths Knowledge Organisers.
- Children’s Maths work is celebrated on Wonderful Watling Work classroom displays and around the school.
- Maths themed assemblies linked to national awareness days.
- Half termly year group STEAM Challenges include one week of Maths.
- Opportunities to attend extra-curricular Maths clubs throughout the academic year.
- Extra-curricular events (trips and/or visitors) linked to learning in Maths as part of our wider enrichment offer.
Curriculum Impact
The impact of the implementation of our Maths curriculum on outcomes for our children is monitored and evaluated at key points in the learning journey through the following methods:
- Formative and summative assessment strategies in line with our Feedback and Marking statement, including questioning and verbal feedback, ‘on the spot’ highlighting or annotations in line with our marking code, mini Connect 2 (Key Stage 1) or Connect 4 (Key Stage 2) reviews of learning at the start of lessons, end of unit mini assessments, and revisiting of Wonder Wall at the end of each unit
- Book looks
- Pupil voice
- Learning walks and lesson visits
- Termly Subject Lead monitoring meetings
- Analysis of Maths MAPs (Monitoring Attainment and Progress spreadsheets)
The National Curriculum Programmes of Study for Maths for Key Stage 1 and 2 provide further information.
Our Long-Term Curriculum Map for Maths gives an overview of what is taught in each year group over the course of each academic year.
