We teach mathematics through the National Curriculum, which is broken down into the following strands:

• Number – number and place value
• Number – addition and subtraction
• Number – multiplication and division
• Number – fractions (including decimals and percentages)
• Measurement
• Geometry – properties of shapes
• Geometry – position and direction
• Statistics
• Ratio and proportion
• Algebra

The Maths curriculum is carefully planned following the NCETM’s guidance for teaching Maths using the curriculum prioritisation material Curriculum prioritisation in primary maths | NCETM. The DfE’s ‘Ready to progress’ documents statements (DfE – Teaching mathematics in primary schools) enable teachers to ensure all children progress through the National Curriculum and are prepared for their next steps in learning.

Maths at Hillbourne is taught in small, well-sequenced steps that build on children’s prior knowledge. Each maths session consists of clear modelling of new concepts using a range of representations and manipulatives, time to practice the skills and a range of application opportunities. These opportunities allow children the chance to reason and problem solve in a range of contexts.

Mental mathematics, including quick recall of key facts, is very important to enable children to become fluent mathematicians. Therefore, we teach children their number facts and then times tables. We use Number Sense Systematic number fact and times tables teaching | Number Sense Maths material to support children in building their fluency and rapid recall of key number facts such as number bonds and times tables through a short but regular approach.

Read more about the role of mathematics at Hillbourne Primary School in our Maths Policy.

Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. At Hillbourne Primary School, we believe that maths is not taught as a rule bound passive approach but where active learning promotes talking through and explaining maths.

The national curriculum for mathematic 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 have conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems.
• 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.

There are so many rich and varied opportunities to interact with mathematical ideas and concepts in the world around us, but often as adults, we forget this. Simple things like talking to your children about the days of the week, months and seasons, discussing money and time, weighing ingredients when cooking and looking at patterns in nature and the environment are all great examples of how you can help your child with maths at home. Additionally, practising mental maths at home, such as quick-fire times table questions and encouraging your child to play for short periods on apps such as Times Table Rockstars can help them to improve their mental arithmetic skills.