Intent, Implementation & Impact

Intent

At Dobcroft Infant School, we are committed to ensuring that all our pupils are successful in the three core areas of the National Curriculum: fluency, reasoning and problem solving.  Our curriculum aims to foster an enthusiasm for the subject and equip children with the skills they need to achieve as high a standard as possible. Our aim is that children will be able to not only recall key maths skills and facts, but to also be able to apply their understanding in different contexts.  We encourage children to develop their confidence, resilience, and ability to tackle a range of mathematical problems which are represented in different ways. In order to give the subject meaning and relevance, we are dedicated to enabling children to recognise how maths relates to the wider world, so that they can use their mathematical skills and knowledge in real-life situations

Implementation

Maths at Dobcroft is taught using a mastery style approach, where at each stage of learning children are given the opportunity to demonstrate deep, conceptual understanding of a topic and build on this over time. Children explore key concepts in detail using concrete apparatus and pictorial representations to support their learning. Once a strong foundation and understanding of these key skills has been developed, children then link this to a variety of carefully planned abstract concepts.

Mathematics is taught in an engaging and practical way throughout school, where all children are given plenty of opportunities to engage with reasoning and problem solving activities. The carefully planned mastery approach to the mathematics curriculum enables all children to succeed, with many pupils exploring concepts in greater depth. Children are encouraged to think mathematically throughout maths lessons, articulating their learning in sentences to their peers and to the adults in school. 

In the EYFS, children work in small groups with a teacher or teaching assistant to develop their mathematical thinking and are challenged to apply their skills in a number of different real life contexts. Further opportunities for the children to apply skills independently and consolidate mathematical understanding are made available throughout the continuous provision.

In Key Stage 1, children are taught primarily as a whole class and following the 6 part lesson structure. Children develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately, along with building on their ability to solve a range of problems. Children participate in maths lessons daily, alongside shorter, oral rehearsal of maths facts and quick recall in Maths Moments sessions.

Scaffolding and modelling are key to ensuring that all children are given the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Children are encouraged to deepen their understanding, challenging themselves through accessing a ‘Digging Deeper’ question, or by choosing a challenge card from the Challenge Chest in each classroom. Children are challenged to explain why, to prove how they know, to convince that they are correct, or to find all possible outcomes. 

Impact

Regular and ongoing formative assessment informs day-to-day teaching and learning and the necessary support to enable all pupils to make progress. Each half-term in KS1, teachers complete a summative assessment of which children are working below, at and above the expected level for their age. Teacher judgements are supported by the use of White Rose Maths Hub planning and assessment materials and guidance from NCTEM. Children who are not making expected progress receive appropriate intervention work. Children who are working below age related expectations for their year group are assessed using the Birmingham Toolkit.

In-school moderation of learning is conducted by colleagues within the same year group and across school, by the maths subject leaders and by the senior leadership team.  

The pupils at Dobcroft Infant School achieve a high standard in maths. By the end of Foundation Stage, the majority of children achieve the Early Learning Goals and are ready to progress onto the National Curriculum. Results at the end of Key Stage 1 are considerably higher than the national average and a significant proportion of children achieve greater depth at the end of each stage. At the end of Key Stage 1, children leave Dobcroft Infant School as confident, enthusiastic and resilient mathematicians who can recall and apply their mathematical knowledge quickly and accurately in a range of contexts.