Mathematics at Ingrow Primary School
Our vision for mathematics
At Ingrow Primary School, we believe that mathematics is an essential part of everyday life. It helps children make sense of the world around them and provides important foundations for future learning, financial understanding, science, technology, engineering and employment.
Our aim is for every child to leave Ingrow confident, resilient and fluent in mathematics, with the knowledge and skills they need to apply their learning in real-life situations.
We want our children to develop a genuine enjoyment of mathematics and understand that making mistakes is an important part of learning. Through high-quality teaching, we encourage children to persevere, think creatively and have the confidence to tackle challenges.
What do we want our children to become?
Our mathematics curriculum is built around three key areas:
Fluency
Children develop a secure understanding of mathematical facts, concepts and procedures. They have regular opportunities to practise their skills so that they can recall important facts quickly and accurately.
This includes developing strong mental calculation skills and learning key number facts and times tables.
Reasoning
Children are encouraged to think mathematically. They learn to explain their thinking, make connections, spot patterns and relationships, make predictions and use mathematical vocabulary to justify their ideas.
We want children to be able to explain how and why they have reached an answer, rather than simply providing an answer.
Problem solving
Children learn to apply their mathematical knowledge to a wide range of problems. They are encouraged to explore different approaches, break problems down into manageable steps and persevere when they find something challenging.
We want our children to become confident problem solvers who don't give up when mathematics feels difficult.
What does a maths lesson look like?
Children have a daily mathematics lesson, where they are taught new skills and concepts through carefully planned activities and questioning.
Teachers use questions and activities to develop children's:
- mathematical fluency
- reasoning and explanation
- problem-solving skills
- confidence and independence
- ability to make connections between different areas of mathematics.
Children have regular opportunities to practise new learning, develop their understanding and apply their knowledge in different situations.
Concrete, pictorial and abstract learning
We recognise that children learn mathematics in different ways and that moving between doing, seeing and understanding mathematical ideas is an important part of developing secure understanding.
We use the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) approach throughout the school.
Concrete – the doing stage
Children use practical resources and manipulatives to explore mathematical ideas and make sense of what they are learning.
Resources may include objects such as counters, cubes, place-value equipment, number lines, dienes and other mathematical apparatus.
Children are encouraged to select and use resources independently when they feel these will help them understand or solve a problem.
Pictorial – the seeing and drawing stage
Once children have developed an understanding through practical experiences, they begin to represent their mathematical thinking using pictures, diagrams, models and visual representations.
Children are encouraged to create their own representations where appropriate.
Abstract – the symbolic stage
As children's understanding develops, they become increasingly confident using mathematical symbols, notation and calculations.
For example:
10 ÷ 2 = 5
The three stages are not a fixed sequence that every child must follow. Teachers use them flexibly according to the needs of the children and the mathematics being taught.
Developing mental maths skills
Alongside their daily mathematics lesson, children have regular opportunities to develop their mental calculation skills.
These short sessions focus on particular mental strategies and help children develop flexibility and confidence when working with numbers.
Children also regularly practise recalling known facts and counting in multiples.
As children progress through school, they develop increasingly sophisticated strategies for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These include:
- counting on and counting back
- using doubles and near doubles
- making 10 and using friendly numbers
- using place value
- compensating and adjusting
- adding in chunks
- using repeated addition and skip counting
- doubling and halving
- partitioning numbers and factors
- using multiplication to support division
- developing proportional reasoning.
Times tables and number facts
We place a strong emphasis on developing children's knowledge of multiplication and division facts.
Children are introduced to and practise different multiplication tables progressively throughout their time at Ingrow, alongside their wider mathematics learning.
By the end of Year 4, children are expected to have developed fluency with their multiplication tables and will take the statutory Multiplication Tables Check.
Times tables continue to be revisited and applied throughout Years 5 and 6, alongside learning about factors, multiples, prime numbers, square numbers, cube numbers, highest common factors and lowest common multiples.
Building confident mathematicians
Our ultimate aim is for children to leave Ingrow Primary School with more than just the ability to calculate.
We want them to be mathematicians who:
- enjoy mathematics;
- are curious and willing to explore;
- can explain their thinking;
- make connections between mathematical ideas;
- choose appropriate strategies and resources;
- learn from mistakes;
- persevere when faced with a challenge;
- apply mathematics to real-life situations; and
- have the confidence to say, "I don't know yet, but I can work it out."
We believe that every child can be successful in mathematics when they are given the right support, opportunities and encouragement to develop their understanding.
Our mathematics curriculum aims to ensure that every child leaves Ingrow with the knowledge, skills and confidence to use mathematics successfully in everyday life and in their future learning.
Times Tables Rock Stars Weekly Battles! 🎸
Get ready to rock your times tables! 🤘
Each week, our classes go head-to-head in an exciting Times Tables Rock Stars Battle. Classes compete against the other classes in their year group, with every child having the chance to earn points for their class.
How can children earn points?
Children can earn points by practising their times tables on Times Tables Rock Stars. The more they practise, the more points they can earn for themselves and their class!
Regular practice at home is a fantastic way to build children's speed, accuracy and confidence with their times tables. Even just a few minutes of practice can make a difference!
The TT Rock Stars Teddy
At the end of each weekly battle, the winning class in each year group will get to keep our very special TT Rock Stars Teddy in their classroom for the whole of the following week!
Which class will get to take the teddy home to their classroom next? 🎸 🐻
Our Weekly VIP
Every class will also have a Top Scorer of the Week.
The child who scores the most points in their class becomes a Times Tables Rock Stars VIP and gets to choose a special class privilege for that week!
The Overall Champions
There is one more prize to battle for!
Each week, the top-scoring class across the whole school will receive a special certificate.
At the end of the school year, we will count up all of the certificates. The class that has collected the most certificates will win an extra special end-of-year reward! 🎉
So... get practising!
Every times table you practise could help you, your class and your year group!
Log on to Times Tables Rock Stars, practise regularly and help your class rock their way to victory! 🤘 🏆
Who will be this week's Times Tables Rock Stars champions?
