Boynton Primary School

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The Curriculum at Boynton Primary School. 

The Intent and Implementation of Mathematics

Intent:

At Boynton, our intent for mathematics is to teach a rich, balanced and progressive curriculum, using Maths to reason, problem solve and develop fluent conceptual understanding in each area.  

The national curriculum for mathematics 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 inquiry, 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.’

The national curriculum for mathematics outlines essential goals, which we wholeheartedly embrace: to ensure all pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time. This approach not only fosters conceptual understanding but also enhances their ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.

Our mathematics curriculum is designed to be creative and engaging, ensuring that our children become proficient mathematicians capable of reasoning and solving various mathematical problems. We strive for our pupils to acquire mathematical skills that can be recalled quickly and fluently, enabling them to transfer and apply their knowledge to different contexts, including other subject areas and real-world situations. Furthermore, we promote 'deep thinking' by encouraging pupils to explore rich connections and reflect on their ideas while applying their skills and previous learning. We not only expect our pupils to develop fluency, problem-solving, and reasoning skills as outlined in the national curriculum, but we also aim to foster a confident, courageous approach to learning through resilience and mutual support.

Implementation:

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish and to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.  We aim to provide enriched experience covering a broad and balanced mathematical curriculum including elements of number, calculation, geometry, measures and statistics and ensure that key mathematical vocabulary is consistently included throughout the school.  

We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.  At Boynton, we use White Rose Maths because it offers a friendly and accessible approach to learning mathematics. This programme helps children build a solid understanding of mathematical concepts through engaging lessons that make learning enjoyable. White Rose Maths encourages students to explore and solve problems, which not only enhances their confidence but also develops critical thinking skills.  The curriculum closely follows the National Curriculum, ensuring our teaching is relevant and up-to-date. Its clear progression helps children develop at their own pace while providing resources that cater to different learning styles. We appreciate the wide variety of activities available, as they allow us to adapt lessons to meet the individual needs of our pupils.

At our school, we have engaged with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) to enhance the Mastery in Number programme for Early Years and Key Stage 1. This initiative is pivotal in building a strong mathematical foundation for our children, fostering deep comprehension and a love for numbers from a young age. As we move forward, we are excited to announce that we are embarking on the Mastery in Number programme for Key Stage 2, ensuring a seamless progression in their mathematical journey and supporting their continued growth in this vital subject area.

Alongside White Rose and a cross curricular approach to maths, we use the online programmes of ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ and ‘Mathletics’ which can be accessed at home as well as in school.  Children’s fluency is developed through repeating, reinforcing and revising and through regular practising of these key skills, our children are able to build on this fluency throughout the school.

Children at Boynton work both collaboratively and independently when solving problems, which require them to persevere and develop resilience; our children are constantly reminded about the importance of perseverance when faced with solving a problem in maths.

We aim to ensure that all children move together through the learning in order to avoid gaps in understanding from forming. Long term gaps in learning are prevented through the accurate and timely assessment that leads to appropriate teacher intervention and pre-teaching. A balance of pace and consolidation is achieved by working closely with our pupils and being flexible in our approach. Those children who grasp concepts more quickly are given opportunities to deepen their knowledge and improve their reasoning skills rather than accelerating on to new curriculum content.

Assessment is carried out in several ways. Formative assessment is incredibly important at Boynton, where we focus on carefully crafted questions, analysis of work, extension work, mini plenaries and discussions with peers in lessons as an integral component to planning. We carry out summative assessments at key points in the year within our school’s monitoring and evaluating cycle.