At Horton St Michaels the biblical verse that informs our vision is ” God saw all that he had made and it was good” The good world we have been gifted to look after is a complex one and we believe that the love language of God for the world is maths. Everything in this world runs on maths, from the chemical reactions in our bodies to the shape of a sunflower head, to the entertainment devices we use, there is maths underpinning it. We want every child in our school to see maths as a real life skill, useful, demystified and fun so that they can be curious about the workings of the world.
Our vision is to foster positive attitudes, curiosity and excitement for maths.
Our aim is to encourage our children to have the confidence to tackle problems and to have the resilience to persevere.
Children learn to see maths as underpinning how our world runs and to make connections across the curriculum.
We feel that it is important for children to achieve their full potential, regardless of ability, taking account of learning needs and preferred learning styles.
We ensure that each child is a respected part of our school family and is loved and valued as one of God’s children.
We aim to develop confident, resilient learners who embrace challenge and view mistakes as an essential part of the learning process. Children are encouraged to enjoy problem-solving and to approach tasks with curiosity and perseverance. We foster a culture where the focus is on understanding and reasoning, rather than simply arriving at the correct answer, ensuring all pupils feel supported to take risks in their learning. Our Maths curriculum is ambitious for all and prepares children for later life. It is planned coherently using White Rose and the NCETM’s ‘Mastering Number’.
We provide regular opportunities for children to engage in problem-solving activities and structured challenges that promote deep thinking. Tasks are designed to encourage resilience, with children supported to persist when faced with difficulty. Our experienced teachers present subject matter clearly and with competence. They respond to the needs of all children and skilfully adapt their teaching to challenge or address misconceptions. Maths is related to real-life situations where possible to give the children context.
Across the school, we actively address misconceptions through strategies such as ‘purple polishing’, where children revisit and refine their work. This consistent approach ensures that errors are used constructively and that all pupils have the opportunity to secure their understanding.
Children demonstrate a positive attitude towards challenge and show increasing resilience when encountering difficulty. They enjoy problem-solving and actively engage in a range of challenges, showing confidence in explaining their thinking. Pupils are less focused on simply achieving the correct answer and more focused on the methods and reasoning behind it.
As a result, misconceptions are identified and addressed effectively, leading to improved understanding over time. Children take ownership of their learning, using feedback to refine their work and make meaningful progress.
At our school, the children are provided with a rich and varied Maths curriculum. They are encouraged to use a wide range of equipment throughout their time here to support and consolidate their understanding of key mathematical concepts.
We support a Mastery approach that is intended to ensure key mathematical concepts are secure before moving on to new concepts. All children are challenged using a comprehensive problem solving and reasoning approach to Maths.
Reasoning about their maths learning is key and the children are encouraged to explain how they have reached their answers to maths problems using the language of maths as much as possible.
We use a wide range of resources, including White Rose and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) ‘Mastering Number’ programme. We also use other resources, such as NRich and Classroom Secrets to ensure that the children get access to the best resources available and that the most and least able are both supported and challenged.
All KS2 children have access to online practise and support via Maths Seeds and Times Tables Rockstars. Through diagnostic tools within the websites, children work at their own pace with the aim of addressing misconceptions, plugging gaps and helping to move children forward.
We also use our mathematical skills in other subjects. For example, we create timelines in history, collect data about weather and take measurements in Science.
It is important that all children have the opportunity to work with concrete apparatus, abstractly and using pictorial representation.
These all help with understanding and can be developed as part of calculation strategies. We use a range of resources to help us picture our problems and work out the answers by physically handling apparatus.
The main resources we use for number include: dice, cubes, compare bears, Numicon, number fans, straws, Base 10 and place value counters.
Further resources include: money, 2D and 3D shapes, rulers, scales, clocks, etc.
When using number resources, we use a variety of models. The main models we use are part, part whole, number lines and ten frames.
Part, part whole models are used during addition and subtraction activities. Children use two or three smaller circles when adding numbers together, with the bigger circle being used for the answer. When subtracting, children work backwards. They use the bigger circle for their starting amount, subtract the given amount away into one of the smaller circles and see what numbers are left over. This can be extended to understand how to find out the inverse and is useful for problem solving.
This model helps children understand the links and relationships between a whole number and its component parts. It helps them to interpret, visualise and solve a range of problems.
Number lines are used as a visual aid during activities such as: number recognition, number ordering, counting on or back, finding one more or one less and adding and subtracting, for estimating and rounding. These can take many forms dependant on the needs and skill levels of the child.
Ten frames are used during number recognition, number bonds, addition and subtraction, place value and counting activities. They help the children to know that if filled, each frame is worth ten.
Place value counters have the numbers 1, 10 and 100 on them. Children can make a two or three digit number using the counters. They can also be used to support understanding of adding and subtracting when used with a place value chart.
Base 10 (Dienes / ‘chips and peas’) is apparatus used for a range of activities. It helps with addition, subtraction and place value in particular. It is especially useful when adding or subtracting bridging 10 and exchanging tens for ones is required.
Place value dice are another way of helping children to understand place value, addition and subtraction. They either have a single digit or a 2-digit multiple of 10. The children roll both dice and put the two together to make a 2-digit number.
Bar models are a visual representation of a problem or idea that can be used for any of the four operation: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In a word problem, bar models have the added benefit of helping children to decide which operations they can use or how to visualise a problem.
The range of apparatus, models and resources is used throughout the school at different levels.
Using models and images helps us to:
Often the simplest ideas can be the most effective. Here are just a few examples, but you may be able to think of more!
https://www.bbc/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks
https://play.numbots.comhttps://ttrockstars.com
www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/parents
https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/number-block-freeplay.html
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/chinese-dragon-ordering
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/underwater-counting
SUAT supports and leads in the set-up of new academies joining the partnership. The sevices provided by the central support function cover both educational and non-educational support. In terms of educational support, SUAT is linked to the School of Education of Staffordshire University, which is an outstanding ITT provider.