Maths Vision

The language of mathematics is international. The basic skills of mathematics are vital for the life opportunities of our children. Our aim is for all children to think mathematically, enabling them to reason, solve problems and assess risk in a range of contexts.

We believe that mathematics:

• is for all
• is creative and enjoyable
• is a means of communicating information and ideas
• involves generalising about patterns and relationships

• should involve fluency to enable children to access concepts, make links, deepen understanding and achieve success
• develops the skills of problem solving
• enables decision making, logical thinking and reasoning

At Bridekirk Dovenby Primary School, our mathematics curriculum has been developed to ensure every child can achieve excellence in mathematics. It embeds a deeper understanding of maths by utilising a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach so that pupils understand what they are doing rather than just learning to repeat routines without grasping what is happening. Children can experience a sense of awe and wonder as they solve a problem for the first time, discover different solutions and make links between different areas of mathematics.

Aims

• To implement the current legal requirements of the EYFS and the National Curriculum (NC).
• To foster positive attitudes, fascination and excitement of discovery through the teaching and learning of mathematical concepts.
• To ensure pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, developing conceptual knowledge and an ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately
• To ensure that pupils can reason mathematically and solve problems
• For our children to develop a ‘can do’ attitude and perceive themselves as mathematicians.
• To broaden children’s knowledge and understanding of how mathematics is used in the wider world.
• For our children to use and understand mathematical language and recognise its importance as a language for communication and thinking

Pupil Voice

We asked the children in school some questions about mathematics

Reception 2023-2024	YES	A BIT	NO
I enjoy mathematics lessons	84%	10%	5%
I feel that I learn new things in my maths lessons	89%	5%	5%
I use mathematics outside school	58%	0%	42% *
I know how to improve my mathematical understanding	73%	5%	22%
My teacher explains things clearly in mathematics lessons	84%	5%	10%
I use my mathematics displays in the classroom	79%	0%	20%

* Action Required: 6/7/24 

The United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Competition - Summer 2024

Last month, some children from year 6 entered the UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge. They commented that some of the questions were quite tricky but they worked through each and every one of them in the hour allocated to complete 25 questions. 

We were all pleased when we found out that we had been awarded: three silver certificates, four bronze certificates and three participation awards.

The silver award is only awarded to 1% of the entrants and one of our boys just missed scoring gold by 1 mark. He said he was pleased as a gold award would allow him to enter a further competition and he was not sure he could answer even trickier questions after working his way through 25 already!

Well done to everyone who took part.

Below is a link to the solutions!

https://ukmt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/JMC-2024-Solutions-1.pdf

Number Sense Times Table Update - June 2024

Well, the year 4 cohort have just completed the 2024 multiplication table check and they have exceeded all our expectations - both with attainment and confidence. As we started our new approach in September 2023, they have had a relatively short time to master all the times tables facts. Below you will see a screen print from TTRS and the highest bars on the chart represent 100% on the latest Soundcheck. We will continue to use the programme to embed the facts as we all know that times table knowledge is so important for so many different avenues of mathematics.

Number Sense Times Table Programme

In September 2023, children in KS2 were introduced to the times table programme from Number Sense. In the past they played on Times Table Rockstars, had competitions and also practised their times table facts in many other different ways. However, there was room for improvement in accuracy and speed so they now have practise books and the scheme works on the fact that multiplication is a commutative so this reduces the number of facts the children need to learn. Largest factor first and the numbers are changed round in division facts to the multiplication fact they relate to.

It will be the children in year 4 who take the MTC this summer but to be certain all children in KS2 are accurate and speedy with their table facts, some children in year 5 and 6 have been brushing up their skills with daily practise. With only a handful of facts to learn now, the children are noticing the advantage of quick recall as so many strands of the maths curriculum need good knowledge of the times tables.

Maths Mastery

In September 2022, the teachers in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 attended the training to deliver the Mastering Number Programme. The programme focuses on the key knowledge and understanding needed in Reception classes, and progression through KS1.

The benefits of this programme are:

Pupils will be able to clearly communicate their mathematical ideas

Pupils will build firm mathematical foundations 

All children will develop fluency in calculation and number sense

Pupils will use manipulatives to support their mathematics development 

Some additional equipment is on order and once it arrives, the teachers will be eager to start!

Number Stacks

At Bridekirk Dovenby School, Number Stacks is used to give additional support to individual pupils. All children are given the best opportunity  to access the learning planned for their year group, with the skills and confidence required to make progress. Number Stacks uses a combination of stackable place-value counters and video tutorials to support the children in mastering the foundations of the number system.

Accelerated Maths

In addition to the use of Accelerated Reader, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 regularly access Accelerated Maths. The children are allocated a unique programme of mathematics questions that are graded to align with their ability as assessed using Star Maths.  They work through the problems and give their answers  in a multiple choice format. The multiple choice format tests children against the most commonly misconceived answers and also allows instant marking of their responses.

The teachers can readily identify any concepts that need additional teaching to improve understanding. The unique presentation of the mathematics questions enables the teacher to check for long-term retention of understanding and paper exercises are printed if additional practice would be beneficial. 

The children are presented with certificates for objectives mastered at the end of each half term.

Times Tables Rock Stars

All pupils at Bridekirk Dovenby School have an account for Times Tables Rock Stars. It is a carefully sequenced programme of daily times tables practice.

Instant recall of multiplication tables is very important as this knowledge is required to solve questions involving fractions, decimals, percentages, algebra, measurement, ratio and also they are useful in everyday life. 

The school enters the annual England Rocks event which allows the children to check how they are performing locally and nationally. 

Cracking Times Tables

The children have also been using the resources from 'Cracking Times Tables' as this extends their understanding beyond the 12 times table. It includes 'finding the square root' and multiplying decimals too. There is also a competitive element and the children try to beat their own target speed.

Teachers dress up for the Rock Stars Competition

Number Day 2022

On February 4th, 2022 it will be the NSPCC Number Day and Bridekirk Dovenby School has registered. 

Number Day is something that the children and staff always look forward to each year. It gives the children the opportunity to apply their maths skills to everyday scenarios, whilst raising money for such a fantastic cause.

On the last NSPCC Number Day, Mrs Taylor wore her famous ‘Prime Number’ t-shirt and Mrs Richardson wore her ‘Pi’ t-shirt! Mrs R had digits all over her tu-tu! 

The children spent the day in different classrooms, all enjoying practical number activities.

National Numeracy Day: May 2022

We had great fun on National Numeracy day joining in with a live stream number roll on times table rockstars. We also entered a competition where we had to show how we’ll use maths in our dream jobs when we get older. P4 also worked together to create this great rap all about maths!