Maths

Mathematics equips pupils with the uniquely powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. These tools include logical reasoning, problem solving skills and the ability to think in abstract ways.

Mathematics is important in everyday life. It is integral to all aspects of life and with this in mind at St Charles Primary School we endeavour to ensure that children develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics that will stay with them throughout their lives.

It is vital that a positive attitude towards mathematics is encouraged amongst all of our pupils in order to foster confidence and achievement in a skill that is essential in our society. At St Charles we use the new National Curriculum for Mathematics (2014) as the basis of our mathematics programme. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils achieve mastery in the key concepts of mathematics, appropriate for their age group, in order that they make genuine progress and avoid gaps in their understanding which could become barriers to learning as they move through education. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.

Assessment for Learning, with an emphasis on fluency, reasoning and problem solving and the development of mathematical vocabulary and thinking combined with a rigorous approach to the development of teacher subject knowledge are therefore essential components of St Charles’ approach to this subject.

Aims

We aim to provide the pupils with a mathematics curriculum and high quality teaching to produce individuals who are numerate, creative, independent, inquisitive, enquiring and confident. We also aim to provide a stimulating environment and adequate resources so that pupils can develop their mathematical skills to the full.

Our pupils should:

Have a well-developed sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system.
Know by heart age appropriate number facts such as number bonds, multiplication tables, doubles and halves.
Use what they know by heart to figure out numbers mentally.
Calculate accurately and efficiently, both mentally and in writing 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/’real’ problems and identify the operations needed to solve them.
Explain their methods and reasoning, using correct mathematical terms.
Judge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them where necessary.
Suggest suitable units for measuring and make sensible estimates of measurements.
Explain and make predictions from the numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.
Develop spatial awareness and an understanding of the properties of 2D and 3D shapes.

See below for Maths Overviews.

N.C Maths Key Objectives

Year 1 Maths Overview

Year 2 Maths Overview

Year 3 Maths Overview

Year 4 Maths Overview

Year 5 Maths Overview

Year 6 Maths Overview