Mathematics equips pupils with the uniquely powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. These tools include logical reasoning, problem solving skills and the ability to think in abstract ways. Mathematics is important in everyday life. It is integral to all aspects of life and with this in mind at Barden Primary we endeavour to ensure that children develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics that will stay with them throughout their lives.

It is vital that a positive attitude towards mathematics is encouraged amongst all of our pupils in order to foster confidence and achievement in a skill that is essential in our society.

At Barden Primary we use the National Curriculum for Mathematics (2014) as the basis of our mathematics programme. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils achieve mastery in the key concepts of mathematics, appropriate for their age group, in order that they make genuine progress and avoid gaps in their understanding which could become barriers to learning as they move through education.

Assessment for Learning, with an emphasis on investigation, cross curricular mathematics, reasoning, problem solving and the development of mathematical thinking combined with a rigorous approach to the development of teacher subject knowledge are therefore essential components of Barden Primary’s approach to this subject.

Our Maths Scheme

At Barden Primary School we follow The White Rose Scheme, which is a progressive scheme to plan our maths blocks. The block are designed to be cohesive and allow for application of learning and skills accross the curriculum. Children will use White Rose workbooks in class along with concrete apparatus to support their learning. We have provided a termly overview underneath to see how the year has been mapped out. Maths is taught everyday and is one of our core subjects. 

We aim to provide the pupils with a mathematics curriculum and high quality teaching to produce individuals who are numerate, creative, independent, inquisitive, enquiring and confident. We also aim to provide a stimulating environment and adequate resources so that pupils can develop their mathematical skills to the full.

The national curriculum for mathematics at Barden Primary School aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. 
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language 
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routines problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions. 

Reasoning strategies to use in the classroom

At Barden we believe that reasoning is an integral part of the Mathematical Curriculum.  Each Maths lesson aims to include at least one of the following reasoning strategies.

• Spot the mistake / Which is correct?
• True or false?
• What comes next?
• Do, then explain
• Make up an example / Write more statements / Create a question / Another and another
• Possible answers / Other possibilities
• What do you notice?
• Continue the pattern
• Missing numbers / Missing symbols / Missing information/Connected calculations
• Working backwards / Use the inverse / Undoing / Unpicking
• Hard and easy questions
• What else do you know? / Use a fact
• Fact families
• Convince me / Prove it / Generalising / Explain thinking
• Make an estimate / Size of an answer
• Always, sometimes, never
• Making links / Application
• Can you find?
• What’s the same, what’s different?
• Odd one out
• Complete the pattern / Continue the pattern
• Another and another
• Ordering
• Testing conditions
• The answer is…
• Visualising

These strategies are a very powerful way of developing pupils’ reasoning skills and can be used flexibly. Many are transferable to different areas of mathematics and can be differentiated through the choice of different numbers and examples.

Spring Whole School Overview

                 Autumn Whole School Overview

Parent Help/Links

These websites are a great resource to support your child with Maths at home.