Mathematics at Woodmansterne

The curriculum and principles in underpinning the teaching and learning of mathematics at Woodmansterne is strongly linked to the 2014 National Curriculum for England. Mathematics is essential to everyday life. It enables children to: understand the world around them; solve problems; communicate more effectively; develop financial literacy and is necessary for most forms of employment. At Woodmansterne, we aim to ensure that all children:

• Develop enjoyment and curiosity for mathematics
• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
• Develop the ability to reason mathematically
• Develop the ability to solve problems
• Understand the importance and value of mathematics
• Have a broad and balanced curriculum offering pupils opportunities to develop their skills in a variety of contexts.

How can I support my child’s learning at home?

• Be positive about mathematics – Regardless of your own experiences of mathematics at school we need children to see that it is not simply about getting an answer right or wrong, but the process and discussion in how we reached an answer. A resilient and positive attitude is the first step to success!

• See that mathematics is everywhere – Include your child in activities such as: cooking (can they measure the ingredients correctly?); money (what is the estimated amount of my shopping? How much change will you receive? Which item is more expensive? Which offer is best and why?) and sport (how many more points do they need to survive relegation? How many goals do they need to score to draw?). Children need to recognise that they will apply their mathematical knowledge in different contexts regularly in their daily life.

• Talk about time – Include your child as much as possible in daily routines and conversations regarding this concept (What time do we need to leave the house if the journey will take us 20 minutes? How long is this programme on for?)

• Promote a growth mind-set perspective– Celebrating the effort your child has put into a piece of homework or their weekly maths quizzes instead of their final score is vital; it will create a mindset where they celebrate their progress and remain resilient in challenging situations.

• Question everything! – It is important we encourage children to show their reasoning when discussing mathematics, meaning we need to ask more open-ended questions. For example if your child can tell you the answer to a question simply ask them ‘how do you know that?’ This will often allow you to gain a real insight into your child’s understanding, leading to some very thought-provoking discussions!

• Times Table Rockstars – Listening to feedback from previous parent workshops, many of you said you would like some online websites and apps that are useful for our children. Times Table Rockstars is an app available for years 2-6 for them to practise their multiplication tables – crucial for confidence and understanding in a range of mathematical concepts. You can support your child by allowing them to access this app at home. If your child does not have a log in then please inform your class teacher.

How can we support you?

• Parent Workshops – These will run during the Autumn Term where parents are invited into school to understand the objectives of the mathematics curriculum and give some helpful tips on how to support your child in specific areas. This information will also be circulated through a helpful leaflet, which can be accessed on our website.

• ‘Bring your Parent to a Maths Lesson’ – These run during the Spring Term where parents and carers can come into the classroom to attend a mathematics lesson. This will provide an opportunity for you to see how problem solving, reasoning and discussion is embedded in our teaching.

• Family Workshops – These will run during the Spring Term and will allow you to participate in a range of activities with your child in the hall covering objectives that are within your child’s year group at Woodmansterne. The aim for these sessions will be showing you the activities we do in lessons, which can also be reinforced, practised and played at home!