Maths
Maths programmes of study follow the National Curriculum. All children are taught Maths skills directly and then apply these skills across a range of cross-curricular problems. A link to the National Curriculum is here.
We have adopted a 'CPR' approach to teaching maths, first seen in action at Corngreaves Academy, an Outstanding school in the West Midleands.
- Conceptual Understanding – Understanding ‘why maths works’
During this part of the learning journey, children gain experience of mathematical concepts using practical resources and concrete materials. Models and images are used so that children can see the links between concepts. Common misconceptions are also challenged. This provides a solid basis of understanding before children move on.
- Procedural Fluency – Gaining confidence in the skill
During this part of the learning journey, children accurately and efficiently carry out procedures using given strategies. The aim is to become accurate and efficient. There is daily practice of clear methods to help children solve problems with confidence and accuracy.
- Reasoning and Problem Solving – Applying the skill
During this part of the learning journey, children explore the skills they have learnt in different ways, often combining them with previously-taught skills. Word problems and multi-step problems are also used in this section to enable children to recognise the correct calculations needed to solve problems, often using bar models to help them to break down larger problems. Real-life contexts are included as much as possible.