Intent

At Knights Enham Nursery and Infant School it is our intention that all children at our school develop into confident mathematicians which will enable them to lead happy and successful lives. Maths is essential and a competency in maths will lead to improved life chances and secure financial futures for our children. We truly want them to be the best they can be and have a can-do attitude to their learning.  We want children to know that mistakes are OK and are part of the process of learning.  Through explaining and reasoning, Maths provides a wonderful window into finding out more about ourselves as learners.  Maths also give us a unique opportunity to explore the wonder and beauty of pattern, to make connections and better understand the world around us.

Implementation

Our curriculum is designed with our pupils at the centre of it. We use their interests and fascinations to plan exciting, hands-on activities. These learning experiences provide huge motivation for the children and help them to see the purpose of maths. Concepts are securely embedded through the use of concrete resources such as Dienes, Numicon or objects such as socks or sandwiches. We also use real-life experiences such as shopping so that the children understand the importance of maths in our everyday lives. Children then explore concepts and share their understanding through the use of pictures, for example, they might draw an explanation. Once these concepts are secure, the children will learn how to use abstract symbols such as + or = to represent an idea. This CPA approach is used throughout the whole school. Every class has a maths trolley with appropriate resources for their stage of development and children are always encouraged to select their own resources and strategies when solving problems.

In our Foundation Stage children explore mathematical ideas through play, this might be counting to make sure there are enough party hats for all the children at the tea party or selecting shapes to build a car with. Continuous Provision both inside and outdoors maximises mathematical opportunities and staff use Tapestry to capture learning and plan next steps for the children. In Nursery the children also count on a daily basis, sing number rhymes and take part in a weekly adult-led maths activity.

In the rest of the school daily opportunities for counting or applying maths skills are always utilised and applied across a range of subjects, for example reading scales in Science or counting beats in Music. The children also have regular Maths Bursts, these are shorter maths activities such as recall of number facts, as well as a daily main maths lesson. Our learning journeys are planned to allow children the time to master new concepts whilst also ensuring ideas are regularly revisited and reviewed. Our lessons include a mixture of modelling, supported and independent work. Clear progression throughout the school ensures that fluency in skills is developed but alongside this we explore concepts through rich and varied problem solving. This allows children the chance to really apply their skills and discuss their ideas. We support the children in acquiring a well-developed vocabulary to help them reason mathematically and explain their understanding.

Impact 

Through the teaching of maths and the exposure to daily real-life examples, our aim is for children to become numerate and able to perform the four operations by the end of Key Stage One. Attainment in mathematics is measured using the statutory assessments at the end of the Foundation Stage and of Key Stage One. These results are measured against the mathematics attainment of children nationally.