At Firthmoor Primary School, we aim to ensure that our pupils can confidently and competently apply basic number facts and calculation methods in solving mathematical problems across the curriculum.

Maths lessons starts with a ten minute ‘Rapid Maths’ activity to practise and reinforce key mathematical skills. Lesson objectives are drawn from the National Curriculum framework with opportunities to cover all aspects of fluency, reasoning and problem solving.

Children have access to a wide range of practical resources including number lines/squares, dienes and Numicon equipment. Interactive whiteboards, laptops and ipads allow children to experience a variety of online learning resources. Wherever possible, staff present pupils with a ‘real life’ context for learning.

Extra support and challenge is provided through 1:1 and small group intervention sessions. Y5/6 pupils are able to attend Mathletics booster sessions in the Computing Suite before school each morning whilst invited pupils from Y1 to Y6 work 1:1 with an adult at an after-school Maths Club every Tuesday.

Children are assessed on times table knowledge, arithmetic and reasoning skills on a half-termly basis.

Older pupils participate in the annual UK Primary Maths Challenge with the school celebrating a number of medal winning successes in previous years.

Cohort Long Term Overview for Maths

In maths we follow the objectives set out in the National Curriculum for each year group. They are divided up into different areas of maths for example number and calculations, shape space and geometry, fractions etc. We also use examples of problem solving and reasoning from White Rose to accompany our delivery of maths.

‘Let’s Count’ Census

The children have been learning about the National Census. Each class decided what they would like to count. The Early Years children asked each other about their favourite piece of fruit at morning snack and the minibeast they could see in the school grounds. Older pupils counted characters in books and the number of steps needed to complete laps of our ‘Red Mile’.

Information was represented in a variety of ways. We are now experts at tallying, completing tables, drawing pie charts and line graphs.