How we teach Mathematics at Colburn

Intent

At Colburn, we are committed to providing a mathematics education that is both rigorous and engaging, fostering a deep and lasting understanding of mathematical concepts. Our curriculum is designed with the intent to enable all pupils to:

• Enjoy Mathematics: We aim to develop a love for the subject by making lessons engaging and relevant. We want our pupils to appreciate the beauty and power of mathematics and understand its place in the world.
• Master the Fundamentals: Our curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics and number, enabling them to unlock the power of mathematics.
• Develop Mathematical Thinking: We encourage pupils to think mathematically, enabling them to reason, justify their thinking, and solve increasingly complex problems.
• Apply Mathematics: We want our pupils to see the relevance of what they are learning by applying their mathematical skills across the curriculum and in real-world contexts.

Our curriculum is underpinned by the White Rose Maths scheme of learning, which provides a comprehensive, structured, and sequenced approach to teaching mathematics. This scheme aligns with the National Curriculum and ensures continuity and progression from the Early Years through to the end of Key Stage 2.

Everyone at Colburn shares a commitment to delivering high-quality mathematics education. We believe that every child can succeed in mathematics, and we are dedicated to making this belief a reality for all our pupils. Our intent is that our pupils leave us with a sense of enjoyment and achievement in mathematics, as well as the skills and understanding they need to continue their mathematical journey.

Implementation

At Colburn we use a mastery approach to mathematics. Supported by the White Rose scheme of learning, it is our expectation that all learners will move through the programme of study at broadly the same pace. We ensure that all children are equipped to succeed with adaptations and differentiation made to suit the needs of all learners. Children will approach new ideas and concepts in small steps and teachers will ensure understanding before developing these ideas further. These small, cumulative steps ensure that all learners develop a solid foundation of strong mathematical understanding from EYFS to Year 6.

Formative assessment is threaded throughout both each lesson and unit of work. Appropriate revisions to planning are made by the class teacher to ensure all lessons are tailored to best meet the needs of their children.

It is essential that children have a deep understanding of the most important elements that underpin the mathematics curriculum so that there is consistency and continuity as children move from one year group to the next. Therefore, if necessary, time may be weighted towards those objectives set out in the ready-to-progress criteria (non-statutory guidance provided by the Department for Education, created in partnership with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics). This ensures that all children develop the necessary skills to become successful mathematicians as they progress.

Through a Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract approach we ensure that all learners not only ‘know how to’ but also ‘understand why’. We ensure that all lessons contain elements of progression within an idea as well as varied procedural and conceptual representation. An example of this may be the use of examples and non-examples when exploring mathematical concepts. Partner talk, assessment for learning and questions that promote thinking are all key components of successful maths lessons at Colburn and teachers ensure these elements are deployed effectively to maximise every learning opportunity.

The Reception, KS1 and KS2 Mastering Number programme supports our children to develop fluency and calculation confidence. Times Tables Rockstars is used throughout KS2 to promote instant recall of multiplication facts and we use Third Space Learning’s tutoring programmes to support learners in KS2 who require additional support.

Impact

The impact of our mathematics curriculum is that our learners develop positive attitudes about Maths as an exciting and enjoyable subject.  

Through high-quality teaching and the careful scaffolding of core concepts we ensure that our learners become resilient problem solvers, with a deep understanding of the fundamentals and the ability to reason and articulate their ideas mathematically.

Quality CPD develops teachers with solid subject knowledge and the confidence to address the needs of the pupils by adjusting their teaching and assessment methods and adapting their lessons when necessary.

Our learners accept they will make mistakes and understand this can strengthen their learning. They are confident to ‘have a go’ and can independently select the equipment and/or strategy they need to help them answer questions and solve problems.

Our maths books evidence ‘thinking’ of a high standard, they show carefully planned teaching sequences that demonstrate good coverage of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Our feedback and interventions support children to strive to be the best mathematicians they can be; ensuring all learners make good progress from their starting points and that a high proportion of our pupils are on-track or above age-related expectations.