‘Pure mathematics is the poetry of logical ideas’ - Albert Einstein

Here at St Mark’s, we believe that our maths curriculum will create enthusiastic, creative and articulate mathematicians. When teaching maths at St Mark’s, we intend to provide a curriculum which caters for the needs of all individuals and sets them up with the necessary skills and knowledge for them to become successful in their future working lives. We incorporate sustained levels of challenge through varied and high quality activities with a focus on fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Pupils are required to explore maths in depth, using mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their workings. A range of resources are used and pupils are encouraged to show their workings in a concrete, pictorial and abstract form when suitable. We encourage resilience and acceptance that struggle is often a necessary step in learning. We aim to really enhance and develop reflective skills – skills that can be easily transferable across the whole curriculum. Our approach to maths is both skills and knowledge based. In order for children to develop into well rounded and passionate mathematicians, we aim to encourage the children’s understanding of the world around them and arm them with the skills to approach everyday problems. Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which children need to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The programmes of study are, by necessity, organised into distinct domains, but pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop all areas of maths and become increasingly, sophisticated problem solvers. They should apply their maths knowledge to other subjects.

KS1 Maths Homework

There are important skills that children should have in place by the time they leave Key Stage 1. You can support your child by giving them plenty of opportunities to practise the number bonds/times tables that have been set by the class teacher.

Children should be:

· Confident in recalling number bonds to 10 and 20

The White Rose Maths '1 minute maths' app is a wonderful fee resource to help build confidence and fluency of addition/subtraction at home. Click on the link below to download this: https://whiterosemaths.com/1-minute-maths

· Confident in 2, 5, and 10 times tables with a developing knowledge of the 3, 4 and 8s being set as additional targets from Spring onwards. They should be able to say them in order and mix them up.

As the children approach the end of KS1, they are encouraged to use Times Table Rock Stars at home for 5 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Their class teacher will set the correct tables for their ability but the expectations are that every pupil is confident in the 2,5 and 10 times tables as a minimum by the end of Year 2. 

KS2 Maths Homework

In Key Stage 2, numeracy homework will mainly focus on times tables. The respective class teachers will set weekly tasks online through Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) and are expected to be completed daily for 5 minutes. The adaptive question algorithm built into the TTRS system will issue each learner with questions that are just right for them, every time. This will optimise every practice session and accelerate their progress of learning all the expected times tables. Additionally, children in Upper KS2 may be set mathematics homework through Learning by Questions (LbQ) once a week. Teachers will monitor progress and will always support where necessary.

Your child will be frequently tested on their own target times tables every Friday. We ask that all children regularly practice multiplication tables in line with the National Curriculum expectation of multiplication facts. All children are expected to know all their times tables - up to and including 12 x 12 - by the end of Year 4.

Advice for supporting your child at home with maths 

Current teaching methods

Teaching methods today are often different to the way that adults learnt when they were at school. Sometimes this can hold parents and carers back from helping their children with maths. They worry that they will confuse their child or that they won’t know how to answer a question.

But even if you don’t know the newer methods, you can still support your child with maths. If you don’t know the methods your child is using you could try: 

• Asking your child to explain their method – get them to teach it to you.
• Explaining that with maths there is often more than one way to solve a problem. Show each other how you do it – and remember, neither of you are wrong!
• Asking your child’s teacher if they can share an explanation of the methods with you.

Whatever the method, remember that being positive about maths is just as important in supporting your child’s learning! Make sure you talk positively about maths and how you use it in real life – this will help your child stick with it.

Tips for helping with maths homework

• If you don’t know something, that’s ok! Try and work out the problem together.

• When your child gets stuck, ask them to explain what they’ve done so far and what they’re finding hard. Try to help them to work out where it is that they’ve gone wrong.
• With older children, show an interest but let them be more independent and figure out problems for themselves as much as they can.
• If they’re doing well, praise your child for the effort they’ve put in. Say “well done, you’ve worked so hard” rather than calling them clever. This helps children learn that their abilities can always develop as long as they work at it.
• Rephrase questions if needed, using things that your child is interested in.
• You might find it helpful to start a homework routine, setting aside homework time in a quiet place without distractions for your child.
• With younger children, you could even set yourself some adult ‘homework’ to do at the same time – things like checking your phone bill or writing out a shopping list show them that you’re using the same skills they’re learning!
• If the homework is too hard, speak to their teacher.

Tips for talking to teachers

• Don’t worry about what other parents are doing – find what works for you.
• Parents’ evenings are a good place to talk, but you can also contact teachers via the school reception desk or by email to arrange a time to talk at another point.
• Don’t be shy to ask questions. If teachers use words you don’t know, ask them to clarify what they mean.
• Let the teacher know of any difficulties at home. The teacher can talk to you about support the school can offer.
• If you think a teacher has done a good job, tell them!

Useful maths websites to support your child at home.

Year 6 SATS

Practice KS2 Arithmetic Papers

https://mathsbot.com/primary/ks2?fbclid=IwAR3mcWoDH0l6UvLi9TRz-6wH4AKwibyxZPI_kLC8w1MN4TVE5N4C6DWGoX4