Coppice Farm Primary School

Intent

At Coppice Farm Primary School, we follow the White Rose scheme of learning for Mathematics. This, along with our school progression grid, ensures that the objectives from the National Curriculum are covered. The progressive lessons follow the National Curriculum’s separate year group objectives, providing clear guidance of what is to be taught in each year group in Mathematics.

From a carefully-planned curriculum in Early Years through to the end of Year 6, all children at Coppice Farm Primary School are taught skills which build on each other, allowing learning to develop within and across year groups.

The use of the nationally-recognised White Rose Maths scheme for our Mathematics curriculum ensures that it is fully progressive and of a high-quality.

Retrieval opportunities are planned to allow our children to recall prior learning and build on this further as each year progresses.

Each area of Mathematics (including Number and Place Value, which underpin all elements of our Mathematics teaching) is covered on the progression grid and the long term overviews from White Rose to ensure that our children are taught a wide range of mathematical skills which they can use in later life.

The White Rose long term plans and our school progression grid promotes all areas equally to enable our children to apply their mathematical understanding in a range of authentic outcomes, with problem solving playing a huge part in the delivery of our ambitious Mathematics curriculum.

Implementation

Mathematics is typically taught in stand-alone lessons, with the application of mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum.

At Coppice Farm Primary School, we believe that our children need to be taught these specific mathematical concepts to embed their learning – this then allows them to apply their mathematical skills in different contexts. 

We know that our children require life skills, so through real-life contexts (such as money, shape and time), we develop these and enable all children to succeed.

Reasoning and problem solving activities are in every lesson – through the use of our anchor tasks and independent tasks – which enable all learners to discuss, justify and articulate their understanding.

From EYFS through to Year 6, our classrooms are enriched with mathematical vocabulary including STEM sentences to support our children in discussing their mathematical learning, using this in their mathematical explanations.

Each lesson is planned with opportunities in mind for promoting reading, oracy and using appropriate mathematical vocabulary. Utilising the high-quality lessons from the White Rose scheme, adults at Coppice Farm Primary School always model this vocabulary and encourage children to use age-appropriate terminology.

In lessons, high-quality questioning is utilised as an assessment tool, with adults quickly addressing misconceptions and moving learning on. High-quality resources (from the White Rose Maths scheme) are used ably by our teachers to provide challenge for all of our children. Scaffolds are displayed and made for children who may need them – including SEND children – with adult support providing additional help for our learners to ensure that every child makes progress from their starting points.

Alongside daily formative assessment, summative assessments are used three times a year (more for Y2 & 6) through Rising Stars tests or SATs past papers. Diagnostic analyses of tests take place by all teachers to highlight gaps in children’s learning, with interventions and subsequent lessons adapted suitably. Where children may need additional support with recalling these, interventions are utilised to embed mathematical fluency.

Our 10 in 10/5 in 5 and times table weekly challenge for LKS2 take place to embed learning, particularly with times tables learning and arithmetic skills.

For Mathematics CPD, the Maths subject leader is used to support colleagues, working closely with one another to share and develop good practice.

Impact

As a result of a high-quality intent and implementation of our Mathematics curriculum, children leave their year groups and Coppice Farm Primary School as able mathematicians.

The children develop a secure mathematical fluency, having made excellent progress from their starting points.

Their ability to reason, problem solve and justify their mathematical understanding in different contexts prepares them for the next stages of their school journey and later life. They are ready to access the KS3 Mathematics curriculum.

In recent years, our Mathematics data has been above national figures. Pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points due to the high-quality support and interventions offered to all children.

The work produced by our children is of a very high standard and this is reflected in their mathematical discussions and in their exercise books.

The children’s enjoyment and enthusiasm of Mathematics enables them to embrace the next journey in their learning.

White Rose Maths

Throughout the school, children are taught using the White Rose Maths framework for teaching. White Rose provide small steps of learning where each step builds carefully from the previous step and builds on pupils’ prior knowledge to develop new skills, which supports our mastery approach.

Useful documents: 

The 5 Big Ideas in Teaching for Mastery

National Curriculum for Mathematics 

White Rose Maths - National Curriculum Progression

Coppice Farm Maths Policy (September 2024)

Calculation Policy (September 2024)

Maths APP list for parents (September 2020)

What do our pupils say about Maths at Coppice Farm?

March 2024

Do you enjoy Maths? 

EYFS - "Yes. It’s fun and we get to do active learning."

Y1 - "Yes because its work. I’m good at work."

Y3 - "I like that it has so many different topics – division/fractions etc"

Y4 - "I like it. I like that we do starter questions which get our brains going."

Y4 - "Yes because it teaches you more stuff than other lessons."

Y6 - "Kind of – I like how Miss Thurman does it – some bits are hard like percentages. I enjoy doing long division. "

Do you feel challenged in Maths lessons?

Y3 - "It’s not easy – you get your mind going."

Y4 - "Yes when we do questions."  [referring to independent work]

Y6 - "Yes sometimes (asked which bits) During independent work/anchor task – it’s a good thing because it pushes me."

June 2023

How do you feel when you are about to start Maths?

Y2 - "Energised because I think I'm going to get all of the answers right!"

Y3 - " I feel happy because it's one of my favourite subjects. I like doing shapes."

Y4 - "I feel relaxed because it's enjoyable."

Y5 - "Quite excited - Maths is easy."

What can you do if you get stuck in Maths?

Y3 - "Read the question again. Think about it. If that doesn't work, ask a teacher."

Y4 - "Take a deep breath, read the question again and have another try."

Y4 - "Ask the teacher or a friend for help. We also have things in our class like hundred squares, times table bookmarks and cubes."

Every year at Parents' Evening, we get asked the key question:

"How can I help my child with maths at home?"

Which is then followed by the worry of telling their child the wrong way to work out an answer or even being told by the child themselves that it isn't how they did it at school that day.

Above in the 'useful documents' section, you will find our updated calculation policy which goes through the way we teach maths concepts in school.

2 key things to help your child on their way to being successful at maths is:

Telling them they are great at maths

Telling them that you like maths (even if in reality you don't!)

Many parents will say, "I hated maths when I was at school" .. or .. "I wasn't/I'm not very good at maths myself."

Try not to share these negative thoughts about your own experience with maths as these can then pass onto your child. Maths lessons have evolved over the years and is taught VERY differently, with many children in Primary really enjoying their lessons.

Point out the use of maths skills in everyday life where possible:

• Counting - playing board games
• Measurement - baking
• Money - paying for items at a shop, checking change, food shopping, saving/spending pocket money etc
• Time - telling the time on analogue and digital clocks, travelling
• Shapes - spotting shapes when out for a walk
• Fractions - cutting cakes, sharing toys, slices of pizza

I've also included a document below with some more invaluable tips from Professor Jo Boaler about advice for parents with maths at home

Click here for 'Advice for Parents from Professor Jo Boaler document'

Below is a list of maths APPs (mainly FREE ones) which can be used to help with your child's maths skills.

Click here for a Maths APP list