Maths
"Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers."
Shakuntala Devi. 
At Ashton Vale we aim for all of our children to see mathematics as a vital part of everyday life. We want children to develop a confident and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics that will stay with them throughout their education.
The aims of the Ashton Vale maths curriculum, in line with the aims of the National Curriculum for mathematics, are to ensure that all pupils:
- become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
- reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
- can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions
At Ashton Vale, we follow a Mastery approach to teaching mathematics, using the White Rose Scheme of Learning as the basis to structure our curriculum through the school. This brings coherence to our curriculum by exposing core concepts and demonstrating progression from year 1 to year 6. The mathematics curriculum focuses on the most important knowledge and understanding within each year group and the significant connections between these mathematical topics. In line with the stipulation of the National Curriculum, our expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through our maths curriculum at broadly the same pace. Lessons are planned with three access strategies in mind: Coherence, manipulatives and representation and language structures. These strategies allow children to understand the maths more deeply than they may otherwise have done.
We use a variety of published and online resources recommended by the NCETM to create challenging and purposeful opportunities to learn. Our teachers are very skilled at structuring lessons and tailoring material to embed learning and provide stretch and challenge.
We know that children need to revisit areas of maths on a regular basis. We therefore plan in these opportunities, this challenges children to retrieve information and use it to solve a particular question. We also revisit whole maths topics, using prior learning to ensure children can extend their learning and stretch their thinking. All this really helps to ensure maths concepts ‘stick’.
Our mathematics lessons are based on the Mathematics National Curriculum Mathematics Programme of Study for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, whilst the Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage is used in Reception. The underpinning values of the mathematics curriculum are to develop fluency, reasoning and problem solving in each area of maths that is covered.Ashton Vale Maths Long Term Curriculum Overview
Maths Curriculum at Ashton_ValeAshton Vale Maths White Rose Curriculum Progression
How we teach Calculation
We follow a structured, progressive approach to the teaching of calculation skills to pupils. We utilise a range of concrete examples, models and images and formal written methods to teach effective calculation strategies.
Ashton Vale White-Rose Calculation Policy
Core Skills Learning at Home
We ensure daily practice of core maths skills such as Number Facts (Number Bonds, Targeting 10), Multiplication and Division Facts (Times Tables) and calculation strategies. Please use these recommended resources to practice at home.
