Maths is a subject of beautiful connections; it is not a long list of disconnected topics. - Jo Boaler
Maths Curriculum Lead
Mrs C Butterworth
Curriculum Intent
At St. John the Evangelist Catholic Primary, our mathematics curriculum is designed to empower all learners with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become fluent, reasoning and problem-solving mathematicians. We aim to develop a deep conceptual understanding of mathematical ideas alongside the ability to articulate thinking clearly and precisely.
Oracy is at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that talk is a powerful tool for learning in mathematics. By explicitly developing mathematical language and communication skills, we ensure that pupils can explain their reasoning, justify their methods and engage in rich mathematical dialogue. Our goal is not only for our pupils to 'do' mathematics but also to think and talk like mathematicians.
Curriculum Implementation
At St. John's, our curriculum follows a coherent, mastery-based approach, with small, connected steps that build on prior knowledge and unlock future learning. To support the children's learning, we use White Rose Small Steps to structure our learning journey whilst providing a progressive curriculum which focuses on mathematical thinking and language, problem-solving and reasoning and guarantees that our children are always building upon what they have already learned. Concepts are taught through the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) model to develop a deeper understanding of key mathematical concepts.
We plan regular opportunities for mathematical discussion particularly through the use of 'goal-free' activities and whole-class reasoning. We also apply our signature pedagogy to this subject by breaking down learning within the lesson by using, 'My turn, our turn, your turn'. We prioritise mathematical terminology, ensuring key terms are introduced, modelled and regularly revisited.
More recently, we have had a renewed focus on basic arithmetic and times table skills as well as using retrieval practice to support the children in knowing more and remembering more.
In order to achieve the above, we have a continuity of lesson design across the school which includes varied fluency questions, modelled problem-solving and reasoning, working in triads to tackle additional problems and independent work. Computational tools and various representations are used in each lesson to support learning, moving from concrete to pictorial to abstract as the lesson and sequence of learning progresses.
Curriculum Impact
The teaching of mathematics is of the upmost importance as we know that it is an essential skill that will impact on the rest of our pupils' lives. We wholeheartedly believe that all of our children can succeed in mathematics. The impact we hope to achieve is to send our children to the next stage of their learning as self-assured, resilient problem-solvers. Throughout our their time with us and beyond, our children will:
- Have the firm belief that they can succeed at mathematics and welcome the challenge to do so;
- Become confident, fluent and articulate mathematicians;
- Develop a fascination and love of numbers;
- Solve problems by reasoning;
- Explain their mathematical thinking clearly and apply their mathematical skills in a wide range of situations using accurate mathematical language.
- Engage in meaningful dialogue about mathematical ideas and strategies.
To achieve this aim, we have a 'mastery mathematics' approach which means that our staff have high expectations of all children and the belief that every child can feel successful and confident in their learning.
We measure the impact of our mathematics curriculum through:
- Pupil outcomes in formative and summative assessments;
- Pupil ability to verbalise and justify their reasoning;
- Learning walks and pupil voice that show rich mathematical talk and engagement;
- A culture where pupils are not only proficient in calculations but can also explain the 'why' behind the 'what'.
By embedding oracy within maths, we nurture thoughtful, articulate learners who are prepared for the mathematical demands of the wider world.