Bradshaw Primary SchoolMaths
At Bradshaw, we have a robust Maths curriculum that begins in Pre-School and continues through to Year 6, by which point all of our pupils are ready to tackle the KS3 Maths curriculum in their next school.
In Pre-School, teaching and learning are guided by Development Matters. Pupils learn predominantly through song, rhyme and dance, engaging with stimulating programmes such as Ten Town. Mathematical vocabulary is at the heart of teaching and learning at Bradshaw, and our pre-school Maths area is regularly updated to include relevant vocabulary prompts for teaching and support staff.
Reception follows a similar model, with a gradual shift towards more formal learning styles. Here, pupils continue to engage with songs, rhymes and programmes introduced in Pre-School, and BBC Numberblocks further supports children to develop their understanding of number. In Reception, we also begin using the Number Sense Maths Early Years Number Sense programme for the teaching and learning of number. This is the start of a Number Sense Maths thread that runs through KS1 and KS2. We use White Rose Maths to support the teaching of counting and non-number maths strands. We begin each half-term by prioritising Number, so that pupils who struggle to grasp any elements of this essential strand have time to gain sufficient knowledge and understanding before the end of the half-term.
In Key Stage 1, our pupils continue with the now-familiar Number Sense Maths approach by embarking on the Number Facts Fluency programme. This daily practice runs throughout Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2, and teaches pupils to notice patterns and identify strategies for mental mathematical fluency. Pupils also engage with the more formal White Rose Maths scheme. Here, they become accustomed to a small steps approach, delivered via a set lesson structure that always includes:
- a recap of prior learning
- consolidation of essential prior knowledge
- introduction to key vocabulary
- teacher-modelled examples
- independent practice
- a final whole-class reasoning question that gets to the heart of the day’s learning
As mentioned above, Number Facts Fluency continues until Year 3’s spring term. At that point, pupils commence the Times Tables Fluency programme, engaging daily with highly structured practice of multiplication facts. By the summer term of Year 4, pupils are ready for the DfE’s Multiplication Tables Check, and have the rapid recall necessary to work fluently in Upper Key Stage 2. In addition, pupils continue to work through the White Rose Maths scheme, following the established small steps lesson structure described above.
SEND
At Bradshaw it is our intention that, through fidelity to our carefully chosen schemes and via timely adaptations and interventions identified through ongoing assessment, the vast majority of pupils are able to keep up with their year group’s Maths curriculum. However, for some pupils, further adaptations are required.
Examples of adaptations include pre-teaching, one-to-one and small group adult support, and scaffolding via concrete manipulatives or pictorial representations. In some cases, it may be necessary to teach pupils content from an earlier year group. Teachers make these decisions by cross-referencing their assessment of a child with the DfE’s Ready to Progress criteria to determine the pupil’s progress along the relevant content strand. In this way, all pupils are challenged appropriately and have the opportunity to enjoy success while making progress.
Assessment
Assessment is ongoing throughout lessons. In EYFS, teachers assess pupils through questioning and discussions, and via observations both in lessons and in adult-led provision activities.
In KS1 and KS2, Number Facts Fluency and Times Tables Fluency sessions allow teachers to assess daily each pupil’s understanding and recall of number facts, and to intervene immediately if necessary. The lesson structure, small steps and depth of questioning employed through the White Rose Maths scheme again promotes ongoing assessment. Teachers check their judgements at the end of each unit through a short end-of-unit assessment, which they use to inform future planning. Similarly, a summative end-of-year assessment allows teachers to corroborate their own judgements and to inform planning for the coming year.
Teachers provide timely feedback to pupils in order to address errors and misconceptions, and to provide next steps for development.
All assessment information is fed back to the subject leader at regular intervals throughout the year to inform any adjustments necessary to the curriculum.