Mathematics at Hollywell

At Hollywell Primary School, we want all our pupils to have a deep, sustained understanding of mathematical concepts so that they become inspired, happy and confident lifelong mathematicians, throughout their learning and into their adult life.

Mathematics is a core subject of the National Curriculum. It is given a high priority at Hollywell Primary School. It is a tool for everyday life. It teaches children to make sense of the world around them through developing their ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems.

A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including the varied and regular practice of increasingly complex problems over time.
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, understanding relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

"Good mathematics is not about how many answers you know . . . It's how you behave when you don't know"

At Hollywell Primary School, maths is taught across the school from EYFS using a mastery model approach to ensure all of our children acquire a long-term, deep, confident and adaptable understanding of maths concepts. Our belief is that every child can understand and succeed in mathematics through whole class interactive teaching, where pupils can fully master concepts before moving on ensuring no one is left behind and opportunities are in place for deepening further. Children master concepts one at a time, building on prior learning to help them see patterns and connections.

The mastery approach to teaching mathematics is underpinned by five key ideas:

• Coherence – lessons are broken down into small, connected steps providing access to all learners. These small steps allow mathematical concepts to be applied in a range of contexts.
• Representation and structure – all concepts in lessons are represented in three ways, using concrete resources (real objects) pictorial representations and abstract thinking.
• Mathematical thinking – children are given the opportunity to think about, reason and discuss mathematical concepts.
• Fluency – quick and efficient recall of number facts is vital.
• Variation – children are shown the same mathematical concept approached in several different ways to develop a deep and holistic understanding.

Decisions about when to progress will always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly will be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material will consolidate their understanding, including additional practice, before moving on.

‘Mathematics is not only a language and a subject in itself, but it is also critical in fostering logical and rigorous thinking’ – Carol Vorderman, A world-class mathematics education for all our young people (Aug. 2011)