Maths

We predominantly use the ‘Maths No Problem’ scheme of work across the school in order to deliver our core mathematics curriculum.

Maths No Problem (MNP) textbooks and workbooks are used in all years from Year 1 to 6. This promotes a consistent approach to teaching and learning across the school and supports teacher subject knowledge and pedagogy.  It also ensures that lessons are rooted in learning, theory and research.

In Reception, children are exposed to all the key components of the MNP structure in smaller, more manageable chunks.  Children in Reception spend longer engaged in maths ‘play and exploration’ based activities and role play, in order to meet the needs of the Early Years.

All year groups from 1-6, have allocated ‘maths on the boil’ time in the afternoon for 15 minutes. During this time, a combination of key skills, arithmetic techniques and times tables are taught and consolidated.

Maths across the curriculum

The maths leader works collaboratively with leaders from the foundation subjects in order to ensure that children have regular opportunities to use and develop their maths skills across the curriculum. When appropriate, explicit maths links  are added to the ‘topic’ medium term plans. This ensures that children have directed opportunities to use their skills meaningfully across the curriculum.

Teaching

At Carpenters, we use the Maths No problem structure in order to plan and deliver lessons
The lesson structure used is as follows:

1. Hook - where children explore a question or problem linked to the lesson objective

2. Structured discussion - where teachers discuss and model methods, strategies and any interesting findings

3. Let’s Learn - where children explore examples, models and images in the MNP textbooks to help consolidate their understanding.

4. Guided Practice - where children work collaboratively to answer questions linked to the LO

5. Independent learning - often completed in workbooks, in addition to . 

6. Reflecting on our learning - self assessment

In addition to this, children are expected to have regular opportunities to ‘journal’ in response to a  question: where children will be required to create, improve, evaluate or  justify their answers.

Maths intervention

‘Mental Maths 5 a Day’ is an intervention programme focused upon building children's number bonds, mental arithmetic, times table and number sense. It is a programme that seeks to support children to acquire and retain skills that they require in order to access the maths no problem curriculum. Children are assessed on their speed and accuracy of recall. The programme is carried out by trained HLTAs.