Maths

At Rakegate Primary School, we believe that maths is a key skill which children will use throughout their lives. During their time with us, we intend for all children to gain essential knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts in preparation for the wider world through our mathematics curriculum and cross-curricular opportunities. This will be implemented through carefully sequenced lessons, each with small steps in learning to enable all pupils to progress within each lesson. Using this mastery way of teaching, we aim for pupils to become resilient, independent mathematicians.

Our Rakegate Vision for Maths

Pupils to be able to choose their own level of challenge which will also help to create independent learners.
Encourage a growth mindset towards mathematics by creating an environment and culture where it is acceptable to make mistakes.
Concrete resources to be available for all children, in all maths lessons, for all abilities.
Pupils to have the opportunity to develop their understanding for real-life mathematics.
Mathematics should be fun!

National Curriculum

The 2014 National Curriculum for Mathematics states that: “Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.”

It also states that the curriculum aims to ensure that all children:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
Are able to reason mathematically
Can solve problems by applying their mathematics

In order to achieve this for our pupils, we use a mastery maths approach throughout the school. This allows for pupil to spend longer on each area of maths in blocks or units. Units are split into lessons and each lesson is broken down further into small steps of learning. At every opportunity, children are given the opportunity to use ‘talk or maths’ with their peers

Our Rakegate Mathematics Curriculum

Our curriculum has been designed using a range of resources: NumberBlocks, White Rose Maths, Power Maths and NCETM PD materials.

Every lesson is divided into sections that involve discovery, shared learning, independent practice and reflection. Children are encouraged to solve problems each day which are based on real life contexts.

At the heart of our curriculum is the understanding that all children can achieve and be successful mathematicians with the right growth mindset. From the Power Maths programme, children are introduced to five child friendly characters, each with their own positive skillsets, to inspire and motivate children who grow with them throughout their time at Rakegate.

Discussion is a core part of our daily lessons and children are encouraged to use oral rehearsal, mathematical vocabulary and stem sentences to help structure their responses. Within each classroom you will see a 'Working Wall' which displays the language the children are currently focusing on along with examples to support their learning throughout the block or unit. To ensure that children make good progress, children spend more time repeating and practising their learning to ensure that it embeds into their long term memory and therefore are able to apply across other areas of the curriculum.

Multiplication Facts

The fluent and rapid recall of multiplication facts is an essential part of learning for all pupils at Rakegate and can be applied to many areas of the curriculum such as written methods, fractions and problem solving. Being able to recall these facts quickly will support our pupils to become well-rounded, competent mathematicians.

When the commutative law is applied (e.g. 3 x 4 = 12 then children should also know 4 x 3 = 12), children will only need to learn 78 facts in total.

Children are expected to know the 1, 2, 5 and 10 times table by the end of KS1 leaving the 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 times tables to learn by the end of Year 4 when children will sit the Multiplication Table Check which will become statutory from June 2022.

Please see the table below for some ideas to help support your child in learning their multiplication facts by applying the commutative law. All pupils in school have a Times Table Rockstars account where they can play games and battle against their friends to help them learn their multiplication facts. Please email your child’s year group email address if you need these details.