‘The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.’ - Paul Halmos
Subject Leader - Mr Dunnigan
School Leaders: Ava-May, Jonathan, Ben, Holly, Autumn, Joshua
At St. Robert’s RC First School, our goal is to ensure that all pupils develop the skills and confidence to solve a wide range of problems through fluency with numbers and mathematical reasoning/ problem solving. We strive to instil a love of mathematics in our children, encouraging them to explore, question, and find joy in the mathematical world around them.
What is it like to study Maths at St. Robert’s RC First School?
Learning mathematics as St. Robert’s RC First School is an ambitious and exciting experience in which pupils thrive. Daily maths lessons, engage all pupils into the world of number, place value, calculation, fractions, measure, shape, data handling and algebra. We believe mathematics should be taught in separate disciplines, and this approach provides all pupils the powerful knowledge they require to access subsequent learning and engage within society. During their time at St. Robert’s, pupils will experience a wide range of concrete, pictorial and abstract opportunities that develop systematic thinking and deeper reasoning skills.
What about experiences?
Mathematical experiences are evident throughout the School within practical classroom lessons and further outward reaching experiences with the wider School and local community. Alongside the daily concrete, pictorial, abstract experiences and fluency lessons, pupils are involved in practical, real experiences during mathematic topics.
In EYFS, the pupils use maths as part of their continuous provision, counting when lining up, matching when tidying items, using music and songs that spiral maths into their learning, in their role play areas setting up post offices, shops and more to embed their recognition when ‘buying’ items. Building on this, the use of cross-curricular experiences, involves Year 1-4 pupils engaging in the Royal Horticultural Society Project (RHS) that focuses on developing/creating green spaces in the school environment and documenting this: researching, designing, planning and budgeting for the items that they need then using technology to buy these.
Children actively engage in further work from home, posting their RHS designs on Dojo and frequently sending in their revision videos of KIRFS being undertake at home. The teaching team compliment these experiences with mastery style questions and problems to solve along the way. Cross curricular links are made where these are both possible and powerful. We actively engage in NSPCC Number Rocks days each February along with Times Table Rockstars ‘England Rocks Competitions' and promote Maths as a fun and enriching subject through these experiences.
In key stage 2, the pupils access the wide range of measure resources in the School to estimate, measure and compare capacity, length and mass. They use materials and packaging to read and recognise the different units of measure. This develops into design and technology (food) lessons, in Year 4, where the pupils design, plan, budget, buy and make food items to sell to the wider community. We are greatly appreciative of our KIRFS volunteers, members of our school community, who come to work with our children and boost their attainment of basic mathematical skills.
Work beyond St Robert’s - Enrichment
We know that mathematics is the core of daily life and we ensure that powerful real life experiences enhance our strong curriculum. Our subject leader seeks to work beyond the classroom and allow opportunities to work with the local community and wider. We engage in maths challenges with schools nearby and the wider Trust such as the England Rocks TTRS competitions. Resulting in awards within school and externally for successes.
In upper key stage 2, a group of pupils complete the ‘Primary Maths Challenge’ competing against children all over the country with excellent results.
A small group of female gifted and talented mathematicians attend a Stem and Maths challenge day at Westfield independent School for Girls, to be involved in a range of problem solving, mathematical challenges.
If you would like to do some additional supportive Maths work with your children at home, please take a look at some useful websites here that could plug those gaps. We also have a link to your children's KIRFS goals below.
National Numeracy Parent Toolkit has a wealth of tips and advice for parents:
https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/helping-children-maths/family-maths-toolkit
Oxford owl includes a range of activities, top tips and eBooks to help your child with their maths at home:
http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/maths-owl/maths
Maths 4 Mums and Dads explains some of the milestones children make between the ages of 3 and 11 years old:
http://www.maths4mumsanddads.co.uk/
Nrich, a range of maths games, problems and articles on all areas of mathematics:
http://nrich.maths.org/frontpage
Ideas to see mathematics in everyday life:
www.familymathstoolkit.org.uk
KIRFS -Key Instant Recall of Facts Document - ask your class teacher for a copy. Children must be revising their termly topic each week and as much as possible and remember to send those videos into their class teacher on Class Dojo.
