Mathematics

At Harnham Infant School, we aim to provide a maths curriculum which is accessible to all and whilst also maximising the achievement of every child. At Harnham we want children to make links and connections in their mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competency in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. We intend for our pupils to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge to all areas of the curriculum. As our children progress, we intend for them to gain a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. It is important to remember that maths mastery is not about big numbers but instead it is all about big thinking.

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We use the White Rose Maths progression documents and teaching resources, Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time. To help children embed new skills each year group plans a continuous provision mathematical activity linked to the previous weeks’ learning giving the children opportunities to practice new skills and giving the teachers a better understanding of children’s understanding. Addressing gaps in learning and misconceptions is just as important as the sequence of teaching and so sometimes classes will spend longer on a certain Mathematical theme/topic in response to teacher’s ongoing assessment.

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Our Maths teaching is almost always presented with objects (concrete manipulatives) for children to use. Teachers use careful questions to draw out children’s discussions and their reasoning. The class teacher then leads children through strategies for solving the problem, including those already discussed. Independent work provides the means for all children to develop their fluency further, before progressing to more complex related problems.