Mathematics

Welcome to the Maths Curriculum Area

Maths at NJK

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions                                                                                                                                                                    

At NJK we passionately believed that for children to be able to be successful and achieve great results in maths we need to teach in a way that supports and deepens real mathematical understanding, encourages risk taking and problem solving and promotes high expectations that everyone can do maths. We achieve this by ensuring that there is a high quality teaching session which ensures good progression with a consistent developmental approach, provides creative problem solving and reasoning opportunities, ensures that key concepts are mastered and retained through intelligent practise and emphases a ‘can do’ growth mind set approach.

In order for children to understand maths they need to ‘DO’ maths and at all stages they use practical equipment to experience mathematical concepts, model mathematics and explain their thinking using precise mathematical language. Our school calculation policy  shows a range of the models and images that we use in school for each year group and we use of ‘Numicon’ as a key recourse to develop conceptual understanding.

So in our classrooms

You will see:

• Children engaged and excited by maths

• Children using practical equipment

• Children working collaboratively on a wide range of different problem

• Teachers clearly modelling

• Maths games to practise key facts and reinforce key concepts

You will hear:

• Children talking about the maths using mathematical vocabulary

• Children explaining and deepening their understanding

You will feel:

• A classroom climate where mistakes are valued and part of the deepening our understanding

• Children realise that mathematics is about the process and exploration not ‘the answer’

• Everyone knows that they can succeed

Maths Cafes form an important part of our maths curriculum. Each class or year group hosts a maths café for their parents, friends and grandparents. To prepare for the café, the children decide what they are going to serve and the prices for the items. Then they make the food and any other products to sell. This gives a real practical purpose for their mathematics, including problem solving, weighing and measuring, money, estimating, calculation and an appreciation of running an enterprise to make a profit. At the café, the children are in charge of organising, selling and hosting the event.