Maths at Ysgol Bryn Hedydd

Mathematics teaches us how to make sense of the world around us through developing a child’s ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems. It enables children to understand and appreciate relationships and pattern in both number and space in their everyday lives.

Through our mathematics lessons at Ysgol Bryn Hedydd it is our aim to develop:

• Enjoyment and enthusiasm for mathematics and an awareness of the fascination of mathematics.
• Confidence and fluency in mathematical knowledge, concepts and skills.
• An ability to use and apply mathematics across the curriculum and in real life.
• An ability to solve problems, by applying their skills to a variety of routine and non-routine problems. To reason, to think logically and to work systematically and accurately.
• An ability to reason mathematically and explain relationships using mathematical language.
• An understanding of mathematics through a process of enquiry and experiment.
• Initiative and an ability to work both independently and in cooperation with others.

(Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract)

To develop depth of understanding, we try to use what is called the Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract (CPA) approach. This is highly successful in areas such as Singapore and Shanghai. It means showing children with physical (concrete) models what a maths idea such as place value, subtraction or ratio really means. When children have a chance to see and touch maths in physical models, they start to develop a depth of understanding.

Teachers then show how to develop this understanding using a diagram (picture) before progressing to a purely abstract approach (just symbols such as words and numbers). Skilfully used, they provide the right support to CPA All children.

Teaching and learning style

The school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in mathematics lessons. Our principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in mathematics. We do this through a daily mathematics lesson where children are given opportunities for:

• Practical activities and mathematical games
• Problem solving
• Open and closed tasks
• Individual, group and whole class discussions and activities
• A range of methods of calculating e.g. mental, pencil and paper and using a calculator
• Working with computers as a mathematical tool
• Using a wide range of support resources e.g. number squares, digit cards and number lines
• Using and applying their learning in everyday situation

Depth of Learning - Longer blocks of time

We use a Mastery curriculum designed to teach all concepts in longer blocks of time so that the children have time to understand and learn an idea in all its forms and subtleties. This curriculum is called the White Rose curriculum, and was developed by a government funded maths hub. This curriculum is supported by further materials from Oxford University and the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM). You will see that our curriculum puts an equal emphasis on developing fluency (quick recall of facts and concepts) and then applying this to reasoning problems and problem solving.

Maths Vocabulary

It is important  for children to use correct mathematical vocabulary and have an understanding of what these terms mean. Below is a useful document from Rising Stars.

It shows the vocabulary used in our school from Reception to Year 6.