Maths

The mathematics curriculum at Woodlands School aims to develop children’s ability to

become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
reason mathematically
solve problems by applying their mathematics.

All children, when introduced to a concept, can build on their understanding by following a concrete-pictorial-abstract approach.

Concrete – children have the opportunity to use concrete objects, such as base 10 and place value counters to help them understand what they are doing.

Pictorial – alongside this, children use pictorial representations such as place value grids and part-whole models. These representations can then be used to help reason and solve problems.

Abstract – both concrete and pictorial representations support children’s understanding of abstract methods, leading to the use of formal written methods.

In addition to the maths lesson, each day begins with a calculation challenge. From Year 1 to Year 6, the children start the day by tackling 4 calculations – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (once they have been introduced to the year group.) This enables pupils to have daily opportunities to develop fluency outside of the maths lesson.

In our calculation policy, each operation is broken down into skills and linked to year group objectives. There are a number of different models and images shown, which are used to teach that skill effectively.