Maths

Here at Widnes Academy we follow the Maths No Problem scheme which is part of the Singapore Maths/Teaching for Mastery approach to teaching Maths.

All children from Y1-Y6 follow this programme which is taught through a daily  maths lesson and builds the children’s problem-solving and reasoning skills alongside their  number skills.

The school also uses Times Table Rock Stars to increase their fluency in times table recall.

I​ntent

At Widnes Academy we want our pupils to develop a positive attitude towards maths through experiencing and enjoying a progressive curriculum. We want the children to become confident and fluent mathematicians who can reason with and make connections with prior knowledge. We hope our children develop and interest in Mathematics in the wider world.

I​mplementation

At Widnes Academy we follow a mastery approach to delivering our maths sessions. We use the ready to progress criteria to help plan and progress children in their mathematics journey. From Year 1 - Year 6, we follow the Math! No problem! scheme, supported by the NCETM spine and mastery materials. Teachers support children’s knowledge acquisition through identifying misconceptions prior to the lessons and addressing these first.

I​mpact

Essential skills and knowledge and skills are prioritised and children are able to move successfully to the next year group. Children enjoy mathematics and access their learning at and level appropriate to their needs. Resources are used effectively, including the calculation policy which is implemented consistently. Children across school are making good progress in Maths.

Fluency

Maths policy is applied throughout the school, a new calculation policy is being devised in line with Math! No Problem!

Staff ensure lessons are built around coherence and ensure they do not overload learning.

Teachers carefully plan fluency sessions which address the needs of their cohort, ensuring children consistently revisit basic skills and calculations.

Homework allows children to practice key skills throughout the year.

Working walls in classrooms show key concepts for the current unit, key vocabulary and the children’s prior knowledge of the topic.

Arithmetic skills are promoted through the use of TT rockstars, with a child in each KS2 class being awarded with a certificate in our Friday celebration assembly.

In KS2 multiplication skills are tested weekly.

Reasoning

Reasoning is embedded throughout the teaching sequence. All children are given the opportunity to reason at their level within the lesson, particularly within the ‘Explore’ section of the lesson.

NCETM: A pupil shows mastery of a concept, idea or technique if he/she is able to

• describe it in his or her own words
• explain it to someone else.

A pupil showing mastery with greater depth can

independently explore and investigate mathematical contexts and structures, communicate results clearly and systematically explain and generalise the mathematics.

Problem Solving

Children develop understanding of routine and non-routine problems as part of the progression within units of work. Children reflect on the strategies that they have used to solve problems and reason about their methods.

NCETM: A pupil shows mastery of a concept, idea or technique if he/she is able to

• represent it in a variety of ways using both concrete, pictorial, abstract representations
• see connections between it and other facts or ideas
• recognise it in new situations and contexts
• make use of it in various ways, including in new situations.

A pupil showing mastery with greater depth is able to

• solve problems of greater complexity (i.e. Where the approach is not immediately obvious), demonstrating creativity and imagination;
• independently explore and investigate mathematical contexts and structures, communicate results clearly and systematically explain and generalise the mathematics.

The Maths co-ordinator is Miss Myles