Leighton Academy is part of the Learning for Life Partnership which follows a mastery approach to mathematics, in which we teach for depth. As defined by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), mastering maths means pupils acquire a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. Achieving mastery means acquiring a solid enough understanding of the maths that has been taught, to enable pupils to move on to more advanced materials.

Like all areas of the curriculum, mathematics is underpinned by our core values of:

Integrity – we are honest about our mistakes: we celebrate and learn from them.

Aspiration - maths teaching for mastery rejects the idea that a large proportion of people ‘just can’t do maths’.

Courage – all pupils are encouraged by the belief that by working hard at maths they can succeed. We learn from the characters in Power Maths: Astrid (who isn’t afraid to make mistakes) and Dexter (who is determined and learns from his mistakes).

Respect – we respect everyone’s contributions and ideas in maths. We learn from the characters Flo (who is flexible, creative and comes up with new methods) and Ash (who is curious and inquisitive – he enjoys exploring new concepts).

The aim of our mathematics curriculum is to build long-lasting learning through progressive acquisition of knowledge and skills. We want our pupils to become confident, competent and independent mathematicians, who are able to build a deep conceptual understand of maths and its interrelated connectiveness, so they can apply their learning in different situations. We aim to develop children’s ability to articulate, discuss and explain their thinking using appropriate mathematical vocabulary.

Our maths curriculum is achievable for all. Pupils are taught through whole-class interactive teaching, where the focus is on all pupils working together on the same lesson content at the same time. This ensures that all children can master concepts before moving to the next part of the curriculum sequence, allowing no pupil to be left behind. If a pupil fails to grasp a concept or procedure, this is identified quickly and early intervention ensures the pupil is ready to move forward with the whole class in the next lesson. Although the teaching of the concepts is the same for all, the outcomes in terms of application, may be different.

In our mathematics teaching, we aim to instil the mindset that everyone can do maths and that maths is for everyone. Mistake-friendly classrooms help children recognise the power mistakes have on our learning. Mistakes also support our pupils in developing resilience and inquisitiveness within the maths curriculum.

As recognised by the NCETM, the use of a well-designed and tested textbook is important for the successful implementation of teaching for mastery. Therefore, we teach our maths curriculum, through the use of Power Maths – a government recommended, high-quality mastery textbook. Power Maths is a whole-class mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and help nurture confidence in maths.

Power Maths’ mastery approach values real understanding and richer, deeper learning above speed. It sees all children learning the same concept in small, cumulative steps, each finding and mastering challenge at their own level. Power Maths reinforces our belief that everyone can do maths. Those who grasp a concept easily have time to explore and understand that concept at a deeper level. The whole class therefore moves through the curriculum at broadly the same pace via individual learning journeys. The next lesson in a Power Maths sequence always revises and builds on the previous step to help embed learning. These activities provide golden opportunities for individual children to strengthen their learning. Same-day interventions – either within or after a lesson – are a crucial safety net for any child who has not fully made the small step covered that day. At ‘The Learning for Life Partnership’, intervention is always about keeping up, not catching up, so that every child has the skills, knowledge understanding they need to tackle the next lesson.

Structures and representations:
Unlike most other subjects, maths comprises a wide array of abstract concepts. By taking a Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) approach, Power Maths allows children to tackle concepts in a tangible and more comfortable way. The calculation policies demonstrate the CPA approach in more detail.

The role of talk and discussion:
We believe that when children learn to talk purposefully together about maths, barriers of fear and anxiety are broken down and they grow in confidence, skills and understanding. Building a healthy culture of ‘maths talk’ empowers their learning from day one. Explanation and discussion are integral to the Power Maths structure.

To enhance talk and discussion in our maths lessons we also:

  • plan for children to work with others e.g. pairs, groups and whole class;

  • provide clear opportunities within each lesson for pupils to think and reflect, so that their talk is purposeful, relevant and focused;

  • give every child a voice by moving away from pupils putting their hands up – we don’t want one child to dominate the maths lesson!

Lesson sequence:
At the heart of Power Maths is a unique lesson sequence designed to empower children to understand core concepts and grow in confidence. Embracing the NCETM’s definition of mastery, the sequence guides and shapes every Power Maths lesson we teach. While some children will need to spend longer on a particular concept (through interventions or additional lessons), others will reach deeper levels of understanding. However, the class moves forward together through the termly schedules.

  • Flashback 4: each lesson begins with a series of questions, produced by White Rose Maths. They help ensure essential skills are regularly revisited to strengthen retention.

  • Discover: this part of the lesson provides a practical, real-life problem to arouse curiosity.

  • Share: this is a teacher-led element of the lesson that highlights the variety of methods that can be used to solve a single problem. This part of the session also reinforces Rosenshein’s strands: sequencing concepts and modelling.

  • Think together: during this part of the session, children work to answering a question independently.

  • Practice: children work interpedently, answering questions in their practice books. Sometimes, children may need more varied fluency practice before tackling the more in-depth questions or a challenge to go deeper: these are created by the teacher, using NCETM and WRM resources.

  • Reflect: this part of the session is for children to show how deeply they understand the target concept.

Intelligent Practice:
Practice plays a pivotal role in the Power Maths approach. In Power Maths, practice never equates to the simple repetition of a process. Instead the scheme embraces the concept of intelligent practice, in which all children become fluent in maths through varied, frequent and thoughtful practice that deepens and embeds conceptual understanding in a logical, planned sequence. Therefore, our pupils are exposed to varied methods and calculations expressed in different ways (requiring thought and understanding). The Practice Books provide just the right amount of intelligent practice for children to complete independently in the final sections of each lesson.

The image below illustrates this:

What else we do:

As well as following the Power Maths scheme of learning, we subscribe to TT Rockstars. This platform provides children with the opportunity to practise key facts provides children with a platform to practise and memorise their multiplication tables. Teachers reinforce how times tables (and being able to recall them fluently) can support other learning.

When they leave each phase, learners have the knowledge, skills and vocabulary necessary to progress to the next stage of their learning. As a result of high-quality teaching, learners makes sustained progress in mathematics and develop the competence to reason and problem solve confidently and efficiently. Pupil voice shows that children enjoy maths and books will reflect the positive attitudes and resilience in mathematics.

For our nursery pupils, we have mapped out a skills progression for early mathematics. The aim of our overview is to ensure pupils acquire the core mathematical knowledge that will allow them to start to experience success, and therefore begin to associate maths with enjoyment and motivation.

Books and songs play a key role in our delivery of maths. To ensure our mapping is focused for early years, we have used The Learning Trajectories to map out specific maths skills. The Learning Trajectories ensures that we have taken into account developmental progression in learning and, although these are mapped out, we also take a personalised approach and link maths to children's interests and needs.

For more information about Learning Trajectories, you can sign up for your own free account via the following link: https://www.learningtrajectories.org/pages/about 

See our overview below. 

What will I be learning this year?

In reception, we use the Mastering Number programme to teach the Number and Numerical Patterns Early Learning Goals (ELGs). The Early Years Statutory Framework outlines the importance of including rich opportunities to develop spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics, including shape, space and measures. To ensure we cover this, we also make reference to the NCETM progression of skills for shape and space, pattern and measure. We also believe, as stated in the EYFS framework, that it is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes. We have linked a range of interesting stories and songs in our maths overview.

How will I be assessed?

Which websites will support my learning?

https://whiterosemaths.com/1-minute-maths
https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=early-years
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=16&AgeGroup=1
https://www.mathsthroughstories.org/recommendations.html
https://nrich.maths.org/early-years

What will I be learning this year?

How will I be assessed?

  • End of unit assessments in Power Maths
  • NFER assessments
  • Ongoing assessments during lessons

Which websites will support my learning?

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=year-1
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zjxhfg8
https://whiterosemaths.com/1-minute-maths
https://ttrockstars.com/
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=Year%201%20maths 
https://www.mathsthroughstories.org/recommendations.html

What will I be learning this year?

How will I be assessed?

  • End of unit assessments in Power Maths
  • NFER assessments
  • Ongoing assessments during lessons
  • End of Key Stage 1 assessments
    More information about the end of KS1 assessments can be found via the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/results-at-the-end-of-key-stage-1-information-for-parents 

Which websites will support my learning?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zjxhfg8
https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=year-2 
https://whiterosemaths.com/1-minute-maths
https://ttrockstars.com/
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=Year%201%20maths
https://www.mathsthroughstories.org/recommendations.html

What will I be learning this year?

How will I be assessed?

  • End of unit assessments in Power Maths
  • NFER assessments
  • Ongoing assessments during lessons

Which websites will support my learning?

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=year-3
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
https://whiterosemaths.com/1-minute-maths
https://ttrockstars.com/

What will I be learning this year?

How will I be assessed?

  • End of unit assessments in Power Maths
  • NFER assessments
  • Ongoing assessments during lessons
  • The Y4 Multiplication Tables Check

Which websites will support my learning?

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=year-4
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
https://ttrockstars.com/

Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check

This year, I will be sitting my times table screening test. The following site will help me practise these, alongside TT Rockstars: https://www.themathsfactor.com/times-tables-check/pinpoint/#/menu

More information about this test can be found via the following link: https://thirdspacelearning.com/blog/times-tables-test-parents-guide/

What will I be learning this year?

How will I be assessed?

  • End of unit assessments in Power Maths
  • NFER assessments
  • Ongoing assessments during lessons

Which websites will support my learning?

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=year-5
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
https://ttrockstars.com/

What will I be learning this year?

How will I be assessed?

  • End of unit assessments in Power Maths
  • NFER assessments
  • Ongoing assessments during lessons
  • End of Key Stage 2 assessments 
    More information about the KS2 assessments can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/results-at-the-end-of-key-stage-2-information-for-parents 

Which websites will support my learning?

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning?year=year-6
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
https://ttrockstars.com/
https://www.themathsfactor.com/times-tables-check/pinpoint/#/menu
https://myminimaths.co.uk/year-6-mini-maths/ 
https://myminimaths.co.uk/year-6-arithmetic-practice-papers/ 

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