What does Maths look like at Hilderthorpe?
At Hilderthorpe Primary School, we follow the national curriculum for mathematics, using Maths – No Problem! as a scheme of work.
Based on the world’s best pedagogical ideas, every Maths — No Problem! resource uses proven teaching methods to develop a deeper understanding of maths in all learners. At the heart of the Maths — No Problem! programme is a series of textbooks and workbooks written to meet the requirements of schools teaching the 2014 English National Curriculum.
Alongside a daily maths lesson using the Maths – No Problem! scheme, children in reception and key stage 1 have an additional, short snappy lesson using Mastering Number. Mastering Number aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children ensuring they leave key stage 1 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number.
Subject Leader
The subject leader for maths is Mrs Caulfield.
I really love problem solving in maths and I like to able to challenge myself!
Intent Statement
At Hilderthorpe Primary School, we recognise that maths is both a key skill within school and also a vital life skill. It helps children to make sense of the world around them through developing their ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems. We believe that by fostering relisilence and a love of challenge and enquiry, children will develop an enthusiasm and love of maths that they will carry forward with them. We seek to dispel the myth that some people can ‘do’ maths while others ‘can’t’ and instil in the children a ‘can do’ attitude of growth and development.
Maths - No Problem!: Key Information
The Maths – No Problem! approach is at the heart of our maths curriculum and adapted to suit our pupils. The textbooks are skilfully designed by expert authors. They contain carefully varied questions and examples which:
- Are easy for pupils to engage with while still containing challenging components;
- Encourage pupils to think about maths;
- Deepen pupils’ understanding and reveal misconceptions.
Maths - No Problem! Foundations
The Maths – No Problem! Foundations meets all the requirements of the EYFS Framework. This ensures that our reception children are using a mastery approach from a young age, ensuring children have a secure grasp on a concept before moving onto the national curriculum in year 1.
Teaching for Greater Depth
Mastering maths means children acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. The phrase ‘teaching for mastery’ describes the elements of classroom practice that gives children the best chances of mastering maths. Achieving mastery means acquiring a solid enough understanding of the maths that’s been taught to enable children to move on to more advanced material.
Links to Real Life
Lessons and activities are designed to be taught using problem-solving approaches to encourage children’s higher-level thinking. The focus is on working with children’s core competencies, building on what they know to develop their relational understanding, based on Richard Skemp’s work.
Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA) Approach
Based on Jerome Bruner’s theory of scaffolding, pupils learn new concepts initially using concrete examples, such as counters, then progress to drawing pictorial representations before finally using more abstract symbols, such as the equals sign.
Variation
One of the principles of teaching for mastery is that every child can succeed in maths, and that the majority of children in the class should move at the same pace. In practice, this means that children who have mastered concepts or skills quickly should be challenged through activities and investigations that deepen their understanding of that idea, rather than moving on to new content. Children who do not master a concept as quickly as the rest of the class will be supported to enable them to keep up.
The questions and examples are carefully varied by expert authors to encourage pupils to think about the maths. Rather than provide mechanical repetition, the examples are designed to deepen children’s understanding and reveal misconceptions.
Research
Dr Yeap Ban Har is one of the world’s leading experts on the Singapore Method and is the technical consultant for the Maths – No Problem! series.
An accomplished and inspirational trainer, Ban Har spent ten years at the National Institute of Education in Singapore where he was involved in several funded research programmes in mathematics education. Ban Har was part of the team which reviewed the Singapore Maths curriculum for the revised 2013 syllabus and he teaches courses at tertiary institutions in South East Asia and North America.
Mrs Caulfield is working alongside the Yorkshire Ridings Maths Hub as a Maths Mastery Specialist. Through rigerous and interactive training, Mrs Caulfield will support colleagues in Hilderthorpe and other local schools to introduce and embed a mastery approach in their classrooms.
At Hilderthorpe, all members of teaching staff are provided with regular CPD, either within school delivered by Mrs Caulfield or through an external provider. We have excellent links with the National STEM Learning Centre in York, as well as the Research Group Network.
Hilderthorpe Primary School is also a member of the Bridlington Primary School Maths Cluster. Here, we work collaboratively with primary schools within the area to support and develop good practice across maths.