The Duchy School

Maths

A mastery approach has been adopted in order to deliver the three aims of the National Curriculum, fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Underpinning this pedagogy is a belief that all children can achieve in Mathematics.  

We believe in promoting sustained learning and deepening understanding by employing a variety of mastery strategies; teaching for conceptual understanding is at the heart of everything we do.  

We aspire to create independent mathematicians who are well equipped to apply their learning to the wider world.  

Our approach aims to provide all children with access to the curriculum and a ‘mastery in mathematics’. They are encouraged to be independent, confident and competent mathematicians who are well equipped to apply their learning to the wider world. 

Our Curriculum

In classrooms you will see:  

  • White Rose maths used to support delivery of lessons which are then enhanced or adapted where appropriate. 
  • Fluency embedded into each lesson, with additional practice sessions outside of the lesson, to ensure that all children are competent and develop their rapid recall. These include opportunities to develop number facts, multiplication and division facts and fluency in the four operations. Fluency in number practise is also provided through the use of Times Tables Rockstars and Numbots program. 
  • Use of manipulatives and images to expose the mathematical structure of the mathematical concepts being taught.  
  • Talk and discussion to encourage children to verbalise their thinking using mathematical vocabulary. 
  • Opportunities to investigate to deepen understanding. 
  • Adaptive teaching to ensure that all children’s learning is deepened and broadened without restricting their potential attainment.  

Assessment of  learning is carried out during each lesson to ensure that children do not fall behind, and to inform future planning. Pupils also complete White Rose maths assessments at the end of a unit and at the end of each term. These assess their arithmetic, reasoning and problem solving.

Helping at home

White Rose have produced some parental booklets which go with each unit of work – the booklets include activities to do at home and give you a flavour of the key learning for each unit. You can find them here.

You can find some videos explaining how the different aspects of maths are now taught at primary school here.

Rapid recall of key facts are a real help with maths. You can support this through a number of parental apps. White Rose have produced an app ‘1 minute maths‘  which is great for practice. We also use Times Tables Rockstars to promote knowledge of multiplication facts to help develop fluency. Logins for these apps are sent home at the appropriate point in the year.