Maths

We love maths at Blakenall!

Our aim is for all children to leave us at the end of Year 6 with a positive attitude towards Maths and the skill set to be able to further their learning at Key Stage 3. We want all children to be ambitious in their learning, whilst also ensuring they are transferring key knowledge into their long-term memory. We encourage them to be risk-takers and to embrace challenge!

How do we do this?

At Blakenall Junior School, we deliver Maths lessons 5 days a week in mixed ability classes.

We teach the National Curriculum through the guidance of the White Rose maths scheme, however, our teachers carefully adapt the scheme to suit the needs of their children. This allows for sequenced progression across the year group. Skills are broken down into ‘small steps’ to ensure children’s understanding.

• We use a Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) approach with the aim to move children on from using concrete resources as soon as possible, onto more abstract methods.

• Our calculation policy mirrors the CPA approach taught in school to allow for consistency across each year group.

• The school works closely with the Maths Hub, to ensure up to date changes are reflective in delivery of Maths. We teach a mastery approach, ensuring all children are given the opportunity to become fluent in a skill, applying it with speed and accuracy.

• Daily interventions for all Years 4 and 5 children, take place with ‘Mastering number in Key Stage 2’ lessons. This helps develop key Maths skills, ready to unlock trickier concepts within the lesson.

• Pre-teaching of Maths also is delivered in all year groups, enabling all learners to gain knowledge of vocabulary and concepts before whole class teaching.

• Presentation is seen as key so that our pupil’s are more likely to avoid errors and teachers have clear models and expectations to ensure number formation and layout is accurate.

• Our teachers are constantly assessing children’s understanding and knowledge throughout lessons and adapting their lessons accordingly through live marking.

• Times Tables are given a high priority in school through weekly practice in Badge Club, as well as daily in Year 3 and 4. This allows teachers to identify specific number facts children are working on and we celebrate ‘moving on to the next badge’ in weekly assemblies with certificates and prizes.

• We also use Times Table Rockstars to encourage achievement and engagement through badges, weekly trophies and half termly battles.

Further Information can be found at:

http://whiterosemaths.com/resources/primary-resources/primary-sols/

 SEND

We believe all our children can make progress and be successful in maths; we have high expectations for all. Our SEND children take part in whole class learning every day with teachers carefully judging when scaffolding is/isn’t needed and removing this scaffolding when/if appropriate. 

In addition to this, we identify any specific gaps in our children falling significantly behind and address this within timely interventions and additional support plan times.

Other Useful Resources

We appreciate having such supportive parents/ carers at home who want to support their children in their learning. We also have extremely enthusiastic children who want to continue their learning outside of school.

Alongside Times Tables Rockstars, we recommend the following websites to best support your child:

1. Third Space Learning Maths Hub (resources from maths tuition experts)

2. BBC Bitesize- KS2 Maths (everything)

3. Primary Games Arena (games)

4. Hit the Button (times tables and number bonds)

5. Math is Fun (worksheets)

6. Primary Resources

7. NRich (problem solving and challenge questions)

8. Maths Zone (portal to lots of maths games and quizzes)

If you want further information about the curriculum content your child is covering please  speak to your child's class teacher or call the school office to arrange an appointment to see the subject leader.