Maths Curriculum
Our aim at Gentleshaw Primary Academy is to equip all pupils with the skills and confidence to solve a range of problems through fluency with numbers and mathematical reasoning. We have created a Maths curriculum that makes learning meaningful, relevant and engaging. Our children learn through a mastery approach where children have opportunities to extend their learning at their own pace, ensuring that the small steps are mastered, whilst also allowing children to dive deeper into each of these steps. A key aspect of this mastery teaching throughout the school, is the use of practical apparatus to promote understanding of mathematical processes and ideas following the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract) approach. This progression of concepts promotes strength of understanding and children are challenged to apply this understanding in Maths lessons and the wider curriculum.
Children
Our Maths curriculum is designed to create learners that are:
•Actively engaged and committed to developing themselves as mathematicians
•Successful, self-motivated and confident mathematicians
•Smart thinkers that problem solve with confidence and resilience
•Methodical in their approach and able to utilise written methods and apparatus to support their learning
•Able to work independently and as a member of a group, discussing concepts, ideas and processes
•Able to apply their Maths skills to a variety of real life situations and subjects
What Maths looks like in KS1
Maths in KS1 will:
Focus on learning skills through a heavily practical and pictorial approach
Take content in small steps to ensure a depth of understanding
Provide the foundations for secure place value knowledge
Equip children with a variety of different representations for each concept
Mastering Number in EYFS and KS1
Children in Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2 follow the NCETM Mastering Number program. These short daily sessions allow children to develop their understanding and fluency of core number sense. This has a huge impact on children’s understanding and application of number to other areas of Maths and the wider curriculum.
For more information on Mastering Number: https://www.ncetm.org.uk/maths-hubs-projects/mastering-number-at-reception-and-ks1/
What Maths looks like in KS2
Maths in KS2 will:
Focus on embedding skills through a more abstract approach
Consolidate formal written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Provide and develop strategies for answering reasoning problems and multistep word problems
Useful links for Parents
Times Tables Rockstars (KS2)
Numbots (KS1)