Belvedere Junior School

At Belvedere Junior School we aim to ensure that conceptual, pictorial, and abstract (CPA) understanding is integrated into lessons alongside procedural and factual fluency. We believe that maths does not rely on rote learning of facts and procedures without the underlying understanding required to use them effectively. There is a focus on number and calculation from the beginning.

We aim to promote positive attitudes towards maths, as we believe there is a link between success, confidence and enjoyment.  We achieve this is by the use of maths across the curriculum and by making maths fun.

Teachers in all year groups plan using the White Rose scheme as the basis for most of their work, supplemented with resources such as Premium WRM, Rising Stars, Classroom Secrets or Twinkl (Dive into Mastery). We aim, wherever possible, for children to access the work from their own year group. Occasionally, there may be a small number of children for whom this is not appropriate. They will look at earlier year groups if this is the case. More confident children are extended using additional reasoning resources, maybe from NRich or NECTM etc.

When planning a lesson, teachers are aiming for a balance of conceptual understanding, language and communication and mathematical thinking to support children’s mathematical problem solving. If a pupil has meaningful understanding of the maths they are learning, they will be able to represent it in different ways, use mathematical language to communicate related ideas and think mathematically with the concept. This will enable them to apply their understanding to a new problem in an unfamiliar situation.

Although the mathematics curriculum is organised as a discrete subject, there are many potential cross-curricular activities.  Making links between areas of learning deepens children’s understanding by providing opportunities to reinforce and enhance learning.  Learning is enhanced by:

• Giving further opportunities to practise taught skills in a purposeful way in other areas of the curriculum.
• Providing real experiences, context and meaning for the development of core mathematical skills.
• Assisting memory through providing opportunities for children to use skills in a different context.
• Providing opportunities for the application of knowledge in new contexts, to involve children in higher order thinking skills, such as reasoning and problem solving.
• Providing opportunities for learners to recognise and develop key aspects of learning, e.g. looking for patterns and relationships, problem solving and reasoning.

Help your child at home with the calculation methods we use in school. You will find the Written Calculations Policy on our Policies page which outlines the progression of skills from the beginning of primary school education.  The Belvedere Junior School maths policy is also on the Policies page for your information.