Intent

At Anchorsholme, it is our aim that studying mathematics should assist development of spatial awareness, logical order, reasoning and communication along with offering intellectual wonder, stimulation and inspiration.
We aspire for our children to:

• Develop a mastery of mathematical knowledge, concepts and skills
• Have confidence in their own ability
• Understand that mistakes are part of a learning journey
• Describe, predict, interpret and explain their mathematical thinking
• Recognise where mathematical skills can be applied, and have the confidence to solve problems including application in the wider world

Cultural Capital

• Business Enterprise units in Year 6 allow children to experience working with money, developing and selling products focussing on profit.
• The Duke and Duchess of Anchorsholme provides children with the chance to work with money in real-life scenarios, using it to plan and carry out travel and food shopping; to experience practical application of measurement during cookery tasks and support with timing and score keeping at cross country events.
• Children across the whole school have the chance to speak with people working in STEM jobs at our Careers Fair.
• All children will have access to a ‘life skills’ based Funky Friday session which will include practical application of maths.

Lesson Expectations

Lessons are structured in accordance with the principles of teaching for mastery.

• Small steps are used to ensure fluency of knowledge and embed understanding
• ‘Ping-pong’ teaching style is used where skills are modelled and discussed before pupils attempt them independently
• Representations, stem sentences and vocabulary building are key parts of maths lessons.
• Lessons are based around developing a depth of understanding rather than breadth.

Assessment

Formative assessment is carried out continuously over a half term:

• Teachers formally assess children via: observation, questioning, discussion and homework.
• ‘Live marking’ in lessons ensures instant feedback every day and allows pupils to quickly develop their knowledge and skills within a lesson.
• Pupils will learn to evaluate, peer and self-assess their achievements through whole class marking, and one-to-one feedback.
• Teachers are able to record assessment in an accessible format of their choice.
• The White Rose Maths End of Unit assessments and NCETM Mastery assessments are also sometimes used as a formative assessment tool.

Summative assessment is carried out three times over the year:

• Each half term, children will complete Star Maths. This data (alongside formative judgements) inform summative judgments at Christmas, Easter and Summer. This is recorded on the school records system: Arbour.
• Teachers will also be required to assess times tables knowledge for pupils from Years 2-6, recorded which is recorded on a master document.
• Teachers in SATs year groups (2 & 6) may also used mock assessments to further support their understanding of pupils’ ability and progress across the year.
• In EYFS, baseline assessments are made against the ELGs in the Autumn term and an assessment tracker is updated each term to provide summative judgements.

Formative and summative assessment data are available to parents from class teachers upon request. This information will also be made available to parents three times over the course of the academic year as part of Parents’ Evenings, mid-year and end of year reports.

EYFS

More Able

In order to ensure that our more able pupils are constantly working to achieve the high standards they are capable of, teachers always try to drive forward the depth of their subject knowledge. This may come through use of a range of representations or focussing on explanations of ‘how you know’, and being able to unpick a question to identify a problem and find a solution. In addition to this, teachers also are aware of and keep in mind the Trust Milestones from the year groups above. Whilst we endeavour to deepen subject knowledge rather than broaden it, access to the next stages of learning helps to inform planning and maintenance of the high level of challenge for our more able pupils.

More able learners are also regularly provided with the opportunity to reflect upon and broaden their understanding of material within lessons via two different avenues. Firstly, the live marking approach within lessons allows the children to quickly identify any misconceptions they may have, which can then be addressed with the class teacher. This allows for quick and progressive learning. The second element used within lessons to further extend more able learner is peer-peer support. Being used as a role model and engaging in peer discussion and questioning allows pupils to access a different set of skills than those needed to complete work independently. This helps them to develop a thorough understanding of the material they are working with.

SEND