Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. 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.  

National Curriculum 2014 

Curriculum Intent 

At St Patrick's Catholic Primary we aim to ensure our learners become efficient mathematicians who show an enthusiasm in their Maths learning. They will learn a variety of progressive mathematical methods then develop the skills needed to select the most efficient in order to solve a variety of different real life contexts. They will become problem solvers who are able to approach a variety of styles of problems and know the steps and methods they need to solve it efficiently. Our Maths curriculum aims to ensure that all learners: 

• 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-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions. 

Curriculum Implementation 

Our teaching and implementation of the Maths Curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and White Rose scheme of learning, ensuring a well-structured approach to the subject. 
 
Detailed long and medium planning is in place to ensure curriculum coverage of objectives and systematic revisiting of key strategies to help the children to know more and remember more.  

Within our curriculum, the 7 key areas are addressed: 

• Number and place value. 

• Addition and subtraction. 

• Multiplication and division. 

• Geometry. 

• Measures. 

• Statistics. 

• Algebra. 

We make links to other subject areas and once a week Maths is taught through our Science lessons. Using the White Rose materials each block is planned with progression in mind to ensure that knowledge is not forgotten, opportunities are planned into later blocks to revise and revisit powerful knowledge whilst applying this in new contexts. In EYFS the greater emphasis is placed on the understanding of number itself. Children are encouraged to read, write, count with, compare and order numbers, as well as developing a secure understanding of what each number is to 10. 
 
In our daily teaching, we begin with fluent in 5 giving an opportunity to practice mental arithmetic to strengthen long-term memory. In the main teach a specific objective or aim will be taught, this may be a new piece of knowledge or a new method, the opportunity to consolidate previous learning or to apply in a different context, there will be a balance of investigative, supported and independent work across the week. At the end of the lesson the children are then challenged to look at a variety of styles of problems based on their learning from that day and they need to apply their new skill to solve it. The teacher will ask them to use the critical thinking steps of 'Describe, Explain, Convince, Justify and Expert Reasoner' to help them solve these styles of questions.

Curriculum Impact 

The impact of our maths curriculum is to ensure that children leave St Patrick’s Primary School as competent mathematicians with an understanding of the relevance and importance of what they are learning in relation to real world concepts. Children know that maths is a vital life skill that they will rely on in many areas of their daily life. Children have a positive view of maths due to learning in an environment where maths is promoted as being an exciting and enjoyable subject in which they can investigate and ask questions; they know that it is reasonable to make mistakes because this can strengthen their learning through the journey to finding an answer. Children are confident to ‘have a go’ and choose the equipment they need to help them to learn along with the strategies they think are best suited to each problem.  

A range of other activities take place across the year to measure the impact of learning in Maths including daily marking written work, frequent book looks, pupil interviews, staff meetings, annual reports to parents and learning walks. Assessment data is collected termly using NFER tests which is then analysed by the Maths lead. Statutory assessments in Maths take place in EYFS, End of Key Stage 1 and 2 and the Multiplication Check in Year 4, these results are also reported to parents. All staff are encouraged to raise questions, seek support and request further training if needed in order to ensure everyone is confident in what they teach. Good practice is always shared between staff and all CPD is used to inform teaching and learning across school.