Maths

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Curriculum Design

at Didsbury CE Primary School

We feel that it is important that our children have a strong sense of belonging to our locality. Manchester has a strong Mathematical and STEM history and it is important that pupils understand the significance of this.  Pupils understand how maths has real significance in our day to day lives and how we can be inspired by significant Mathematicians (including those from Manchester) to pursue STEM careers. We aim to help pupils to be proud of this heritage.

A broad and balanced curriculum

At Didsbury CE, children engage in daily maths lessons (time varies by key stage), as well as daily fluency or maths recall sessions. We have always been committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum that is not narrowed in end of key stage years. We facilitate children by developing their mathematics skills via other curriculum areas and cross curricular links (e.g. chronology and dates in history, data handling and time in science, coding and spreadsheets in computing) and promote opportunities for them to engage in opportunities to practise maths and understand maths in a real life context (e.g. 2021 Census and budgeting).

Teaching for Mastery

Curriculum planning and sequencing

Throughout the mathematics curriculum at Didsbury CE, there is an expectation of high academic standards and children at Didsbury CE enjoy and become happy, confident, resilient mathematicians. We passionately believe that all children regardless of background can reach those high standards. Pupil premium is used to ensure that all children have full access to the mathematics curriculum. For children with SEN, our mathematics curriculum and the resources we use are adapted so that they have the opportunity to receive their full educational entitlement and make use of considered and measurable interventions to support those who need it. Our mathematics curriculum is designed so that all may be challenged to fulfil their potential.

Implementation – how we teach what we teach

At Didsbury CE mathematics is taught daily. In our EYFS curriculum, mathematics is covered in the ‘Mathematics’ Area of Learning. Mathematics is taught as an interconnected subject throughout the school where children are given the opportunity to apply their mathematical knowledge to other subjects. Lessons are planned with a mastery approach- providing opportunities for pupils to develop fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. We have translated the aims of the National Curriculum to ensure we have a curriculum that is both comprehensive and supportive.  We teach in a sequence that builds upon children’s prior learning and understanding while allowing for the flexibility to address misconceptions and provide challenge. The programme of study is arranged in a spiral to enable children to develop and deepen their mathematical knowledge. 

Impact – how we measure what we teach

The impact of this mathematics curriculum is that children will be mathematically competent, preparing them for the practicalities of a mathematics in everyday life and mathematics learning in KS3 and beyond. The children’s learning in mathematics is assessed informally within each lesson which provides children with feedback in line with our school marking policy and enables teachers to plan subsequent lessons to suit the needs of their class and individual children.  These judgements inform planning, deployment of adult support, use of resources and challenge to those children working at a greater depth. 

Half termly assessment tests- based on our curriculum intent- are used to gauge an understanding of each child’s ability to apply their learning independently. This is fed into the current assessment framework used by Didsbury CE to enable analysis and scrutiny and reported on formally to parents at the end of each academic year, as well as during parent meetings throughout the year. Our rigorous assessment enables us to identify those children who would benefit from intervention opportunities and areas that need to be addressed. The progress of each child will be tracked throughout their time at Didsbury CE Primary.

Maths Curriculum Overview

Year Group Overviews

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Curriculum Design
 Computer
Multiplication Tables Check (MTC)
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Home Learning
 Checklist
End Points
 Brain
Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs)
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