Curriculum Intent

Through our teaching of Mathematics, we aim to:

• Ensure a broad, balanced, creative and stimulating mathematical curriculum in line with current curriculum guidance.
• Present Mathematics in meaningful contexts and to embed a range of practical activities designed to enhance children’s mathematical experiences.
•  Ensure continuity and progression in children’s learning as they progress through Cleveland.
• Instil in children, a positive and confident attitude towards Mathematics where independence and reasoned risk-taking are nurtured.
• Equip children with practical mathematical life skills and knowledge needed to function outside of school through to their adult lives.
• Highlight appropriate cross-curricular links.
• Involve our parents in their children’s mathematical learning both in school and at home.
• Encourage children to approach Mathematics creatively.

These aims enable our children to:

• Use a range of calculation strategies to solve real life problems competently and confidently.
• Recall number facts using a range of mental strategies to aid calculations rapidly and accurately.
• Gain a secure understanding of a wide range of mathematical vocabulary and use this to explain their reasoning and understanding.
• Have concrete number sense as well as the ability to reason with numbers, identifying when answers are sensible.
• Have a secure understanding of Shape, Space, Measures and Data Handling and the ability to apply concepts and skills in a cross-curricular way and in everyday life.
• Understand that making a mistake is a learning opportunity.

Curriculum

Within Early Years, the curriculum is broken down into 3 main strands, which align with the Early Learning Goals:

• Number
• Numerical Patterns

Throughout Key Stage One and Two, the curriculum is further broken down into the following strands: 

• Number: Number and Place Value; Addition and Subtraction; Multiplication and Division; Fractions
• Measurement
• Geometry: Properties of Shapes; Position and Direction
• Statistics (From Year 2 onwards)

In Year 6, the following strands are additionally taught: 

• Ratio and Proportion
• Algebra

When Planning Mathematics, we:

• Ensure that lessons are based on the National Mathematics Curriculum.
• Review, adapt and adjust the current daily lessons with carefully planned activities to meet children’s learning needs (in class or set). Plans may be devised as a year group (then tailored to a class/ set), or by individual class/set teachers.
• Ensure that a typical maths lesson in Gordon Primary School lasts for 60 minutes, though this may be increased slightly depending on a year group’s needs.
• Plan adequate time for children to practise independently, the skills taught/revised in the main teaching part of the lesson. 
• Enable children to practise and expand their mental maths in a way that is relevant to and engaging for all abilities in the class.
• Tailor the curriculum to pupils’ needs, including pupils working below the expected level, EAL and SEN, which enables them to make accelerated progress towards the age-related expectations.
• Develop Maths intervention programmes in order to raise achievement.
• Ensure that Gifted and Talented children are challenged through investigative activities, independent/paired problem solving, the provision of challenges, work with differentiated outcomes, devising questions/problems for the class to solve and intervention groups where possible.