Maths Policy
Curriculum Policy for Mathematics
Introduction
Mathematics is a core subject within the national curriculum.
This policy outlines the purpose, nature and management of the mathematics taught and learned in our school. Further details will be found in the school?s curriculum framework and the scheme of work.
The nature of Mathematics
Mathematics is essential in everything we construct, everything we calculate and almost every problem, which we have to solve in our daily lives. This is reflected in school where the use of mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding is required in all other areas of the curriculum. Children?s knowledge, skills and understanding in mathematics develop as they use it in practical activities, to solve relevant and meaningful problems, and to explore the patterns and relationships on which mathematical concepts depend.
Our chief aim is that all our pupils, both boys and girls, will develop a positive attitude to mathematics and learn to use it with confidence, understanding and pleasure.
Entitlement
In the national curriculum mathematics is set down under 4 headings called attainment targets. These headings are Using and Applying Mathematics, Number & Algebra, Shape, Space & Measure and Handling Data
All children have an entitlement to access to the programmes of study for each attainment target at an appropriate level.
Mathematical language, as specified under ACCAC and the National Numeracy Strategy, will be introduced and used as appropriate from Reception onwards
Implementing Procedures
The programmes of study set out in ACCAC and N.N.S. form the content of the school curriculum for mathematics and the activities that children undertake are planned from these.
The programme of study set out in the National Numeracy Strategy form the content of the school curriculum for mathematics and the activities that the children undertake are planned from these. They include individual, group and whole class discussion and activities that have been structured into the typical lesson as recommended by the NNS (Raising standards1999)
ICT.
Children will apply and use mathematics in a variety of ways when they solve problems using ICT e.g., they will collect and classify data, enter it into data handling software, produce graphs and tables, and interpret and explain their results. Their work in control includes measurement of distance and angle using uniform non-standard then standard measures.
When they use computer models and simulations they will draw on their abilities to manipulate numbers and identify patterns and relationships. (N.N.S. 1999)
Pupils are encouraged to use the maths homework link on the school web site to promote their enjoyment of maths through games and activities. Key Stage 1 children are able to borrow mathematical games from the Maths Lending Library during the year.
Pupils are encouraged to record their work for a variety of purposes, such as presentation to the teacher, to the rest of the class, to the school or to parents.
The programmes of study for Using & Applying are developed throughout most mathematical activities. Pupils should be given opportunities to
- Use and apply mathematics in practical tasks, in real-life problems and within mathematics itself, taking an increasing responsibility for organizing and extending tasks
- Devise and refine their own ways of recording, communicating the methods used to others
- Ask questions and explore alternative ideas in order to support the development of their reasoning
The programmes of study for Number & Algebra are planned with ongoing activities to develop knowledge, skills and understanding in these areas weekly. There is an emphasis on developing skills of mental calculation, which forms the basis for children developing their own methods of written calculation. This is undertaken in the daily oral work and mental calculation at the beginning of the lesson.
Calculations are developed in a problem-solving context. Pupils should be given opportunities to
- Develop flexible and effective methods of computation and recording, using them with understanding to solve problems in a variety of contexts
- Use calculators, computers and a range of other resources, as tools for exploring number, structure and to enable work with realistic data
- Encounter early ideas of algebra and mathematical structure through exploration of pattern and number relations
Programmes of study for Shape, Space & Measure are organized so that pupils should be given opportunities to
- Use geometrical properties and relationships in the solution of problems and consider a wide range of patterns, including some drawn from different cultural traditions
- Extend their understanding of posit and movement using a wide range of materials, including the use of computer software, to create and transform shapes
- Appreciate the approximate nature of measurement and apply their measuring skills in a range of contexts.
Programmes of study for Handling Data should enable pupils to
- Collect, represent and interpret data for a variety of identified purposes, including those that arise from their own questions
- Use computers as a source of interesting data, and as a tool for representing and exploring data
- Consider early ideas of probability through practical activity and personal experience
Each term children are given opportunities for: Practical activities, problem solving, mathematical investigations Individual, group and whole class discussions and activities, Using I.T. where appropriate learning through mathematical games
Mathematics is used, applied and developed through activities in other areas of the curriculum where appropriate.
Calculator activities are used to establish and develop number concepts from Reception onwards. The calculator is available as an aid to calculation when children are solving problems, except where the programmes of study specify a non-calculator method.
The commercial scheme ?Rigby Maths? forms the foundation as a source for the teacher. The ?Rigby Maths? scheme follows closely the N.N.S. framework and gives an extra source of ideas for teacher reference to deliver the Numeracy Strategy effectively. A wide variety of commercial resources are also available for use as teacher reference and as pupil material where appropriate to supplement the NNS and Rigby framework.
Teachers will group their children in a variety of ways according to the nature of the activity, including some grouping by ability and mixed ability groups.
The daily mathematics lesson is planned to be appropriate for almost all pupils. It is the aim of all staff to ensure that everyone makes progress and gain positively from the lesson. The role of the support staff is to help to make sure that each child plays a full part in every lesson. To achieve this, the class teacher involves the support staff in the planning of the maths lesson and explains the objectives of each lesson and the responses that are expected from the pupils as a guide of the level of work expected. It is particularly important that activities for children with special needs in mathematics are set in a context, which is familiar to the children?s experience.
The Mathematics coordinator is responsible for supporting and guiding teachers, ensuring that they receive adequate training and monitoring all the mathematics in the school according to the school development plan.
Early Years
The early years programme include a strong emphasis on participating in activities to develop mathematical language. Reception class follows the framework for NNS and is implemented through the ?Rigby Maths? scheme as well as other suitable commercial material as selected by the teachers.
Equal Opportunities.
Positive attitudes towards mathematics are encouraged for both boys and girls.
Further details are found within the Equal Opportunities Policy for Magor V.A.Primary.
Parental Involvement
All year groups have a parent information sheet, which outlines the objectives for each term in mathematics. Every year group informs parents of the mathematical programme for the term and outlines the homework policy.
All parents are invited to a ?Parents Consultation? evening once a term during the academic year. There is also a mathematics curriculum evening and a SAT?s key stage 2 evening every year.
Resources
Each class has an accessible resource area containing apparatus that is used on a regular basis. Additional resources are either kept centrally in the junior practical area or stored within the parallel classes resource areas.
Assessment
Teachers make assessments according to the topic related ?Rigby Maths? sheets twice a term. In addition the early years follow a Base Line assessment in Nursery class and in Reception class.
Year 1 use Hodder and Staughton assessment.
Year 2 ? Year 6 use the NFER standardised score.
Year 2 assess at the end of Key Stage 1.
Year 5 assess using previous year?s SAT?s questions.
Year 6 pupils are assessed at the end of the key stage using Ks 2 SAT?s as indicators.
All teachers make on going informal assessments of their pupils? achievements in all attainment areas in a variety of activities. These are reviewed towards the end of each term when a formal assessment is made and recorded.
All year groups keep a record of work assessed at appropriate level with appropriate analysis of task within the class portfolio of work.
Background Documentation
This policy was informed by reference to the NNS Framework for Teaching Mathematics from reception to Year 6 (March 1999)
ACCAC (Autumn 2000)
Using Mathematics in Science Teaching (Autumn 2002)
Using ICT in Primary Maths (Autumn 2002)