Maths
At Greenway Junior School we adopt an engaging and accessible mastery approach to our teaching of mathematics to ensure every child can achieve excellence. This is based on the NCETM curriculum prioritisation materials.
This approach to the curriculum encourages all learners to achieve a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts rather than acceleration through content. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills.
All children are taught the same mathematical concepts. The learning needs of individual pupils are addressed through careful scaffolding, skilful questioning and appropriate rapid intervention, in order to provide the necessary support and challenge.
Explicit attention is given to mathematical language. Key vocabulary, stem sentences and generalisations are used to help children articulate their mathematical thinking precisely and consistently.
Central to this approach is the use of physical manipulatives and visual representations that are used to expose important structures within the maths. They also support pupils to make deep connections between mathematical concepts.
“The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should also be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage of their learning. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration onto new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding including through additional practice before moving on.” (National Curriculum 2014)
Fluency
Fluency means having a secure understanding of key mathematical facts and being able to recall and use them accurately, efficiently and flexibly. Fluent mathematicians can apply their knowledge automatically, allowing them to focus on solving problems, reasoning and making connections between different mathematical concepts.
It is important that children are fluent with number facts and multiplication facts as this reduces cognitive load, ensuring they can focus on mathematical reasoning, problem solving and learning new concepts rather than using valuable thinking time to work out basic calculations.
In KS1, children are taught additive fluency strategies within 10 and bridging 10. This involves developing an understanding of number relationships, part-whole concepts and the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Through regular practice, children learn to recall key number facts efficiently and apply them flexibly in a range of contexts.
In Year 3, we begin by ensuring all additive strategies are secure and that all pupils can confidently add and subtract single-digit numbers without relying on counting methods such as fingers. During the Spring Term of Year 3, we then introduce our Times Table Fluency Programme, which is designed to develop multiplicative fluency and a secure understanding of the relationship between multiplication and division. Developing rapid and accurate recall of multiplication facts enables children to tackle more complex mathematical concepts with confidence and reduces the cognitive load associated with calculation. This also supports access to the KS2 curriculum.
In Year 4, all children undertake the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC). This is a statutory assessment that all children across England participate in. The purpose of the check is to determine whether pupils can fluently recall their multiplication facts up to 12 × 12, providing an important foundation for success in the wider mathematics curriculum.
Throughout Years 5 and 6, children continue to revisit and retrieve multiplication facts regularly, strengthening retention and automatic recall. They also practice applying their knowledge to more complex mathematical concepts such as fractions, decimals and percentages.
