Curriculum Implementation

In the Foundation Stage the teachers plan a 10 – 15 minute whole class daily maths session around the objectives outlined in the EYFS curriculum using the mastery approach.  These lessons consist of teacher led questions and pupil engagement is through talk partners. The plenary of these sessions consists of reasoning elements where the pupils can apply their knowledge. The children are also given opportunities to regularly engage in mathematical activities during child-initiated learning time. Over the course of two weeks, there is one focused maths activity and one challenge (these occur on alternative weeks). The focused activity is differentiated and the maths challenge is based upon the ‘Maths Everyone Can’ White Rose Maths analogy. Numberblocks are planned into the lessons and every pupil in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has a maths/topic book from which both the teaching staff and pupil utilise.

Foundation Stage staff also support the children to develop their mathematical thinking, vocabulary and knowledge in all areas of the foundation stage learning environment. As part of the daily maths input, the teaching staff will work with a focus group of children each day. Where children are identified as needing extra targeted support, this is put in place and reviewed for impact. 

In Key Stages 1 and 2, each class will have 5 daily mathematics lessons. The lessons follow a 3-part structure and the starter to each allow children the time to practice and improve the efficiency of their skills that they have been taught and to revisit and deepen the security of previous learning.  

Planning

We carry out the curriculum planning in mathematics in three phases (long-term, medium-term and short-term). Across the school, we use White Rose Maths as our scheme of learning.

The Foundation Stage

• The long-term plan is from the curriculum objectives outlined in The Early Learning Goals. This is used alongside the schemes of learning from White Rose Maths.
• The medium-term plans are from White Rose Maths.
• The short-term plans are adapted from White Rose Maths and EYFS Mastery Programme.

Key Stage 1 and 2

• The long-term plan is from the schemes of learning from White Rose Maths.
• The medium-term plans are from White Rose Maths.
• The short-term plans are adapted from White Rose Maths and National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) materials.

We plan and deliver our lessons using White Rose Maths and NCETM. The rationale behind the use of these is due to their aim of delivering mastery approached lessons whilst providing clear guidance, logical progression and a systematic approach to units of learning and objectives. The resources also use concrete, pictorial and abstract models and examples which are imperative.

The long-term and medium-term plans are reviewed yearly by each year group, and adapted accordingly, particularly in light of Covid-19 and national lockdowns.  

Short-term planning includes: clear lesson objectives, teaching sequences, differentiated activities and key questions. Each year group incorporates number fluency/arithmetic sessions, with a focus on times tables practise, in addition to two or more reasoning and problem-solving activities per week.

Meeting the needs of all pupils

At The Milford Academy we teach mathematics to all children, whatever their ability. Mathematics forms part of the school curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our mathematics teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make progress. We do this by setting suitable learning challenges and responding to each child’s different needs. Assessment against the National Curriculum allows us to consider each child’s attainment and progress against expected levels.

We use a variety of intervention styles to support children’s mathematical development. This enables us to ensure that all children make good progress and are working towards securing their year group’s objectives and national expectations. This support can take one of three forms;

Pre teach: children are taken for a 15 – 20 minute session before the lesson with the teacher. During this time, the children discuss key vocabulary and the learning they are going to encounter within the main maths lesson. This builds the children’s confidence and engagement within the main lesson.

Same day/follow up intervention: children that have been identified during the session as needing some extra input/support will be taken during the afternoon (or later that week) by a member of teaching staff. This is to address misconceptions and ensure that they are ready for the next maths session, allowing all children to keep up with the core learning.

Specific intervention: where children need more intensive support to help them to meet specific gaps in their learning, which are limiting their ability to progress at the required rate, children will follow a specific named intervention. This targeted intervention will be devised with SMART targets and tracked by the facilitator of the session. Their progress will be measured before and after the set number of intervention sessions (no more than a maximum of 8) and the impact recorded. Intervention records will be logged on SIMS and both the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and subject coordinator will be aware of these.

For information regarding marking, feedback and assessment, please see the documents below.