A Mastery Approach + Resilience (x our wings to fly) = Mathematicians who can.

At St. Mark's we want our pupils to become proficient mathematicians who have a broad understanding of what maths is, can confidently apply their knowledge and skills, have a sense of its everyday purpose and believe in their own capabilities.

Our Mathematics curriculum is guided by the programmes of study set out in the 2014 National Curriculum.

We aim for our pupils to be given varied and regular opportunities to practise key skills and procedures so that they can become fluently numerate to the best of their ability. This includes constant reinforcement of times tables, place value, basic number facts and mental and written methods for the four rules.

We also strive to provide them with regular and increasingly complex problems and reasoning opportunities so that they become confident applying their knowledge and understanding to a range of mathematical challenges and across the curriculum.

We recognise and promote mathematics as relevant, enjoyable and valuable.

We aim to limit anxiety, prepare our pupils for high school and support them as life-long learners, by ensuring all pupils are suitably challenged. We believe teaching and learning should has a desirable level of difficulty so that pupils feel a sense of achievement, are able to grow in confidence but also learn that misconceptions and questions can aid their understanding.

We want our pupils to grow in confidence as they develop the skills and knowledge needed to become capable mathematicians and apply mathematics across the curriculum.

We promote learning across the ten strands of the 2014 curriculum:

· Number and place value;

· Addition and subtraction;

· Multiplication and division;

· Fractions (including decimals and percentages);

· Ratio and proportion;

· Measurement;

· Geometry – position and direction;

· Geometry – properties of shape;

· Statistics;

· Algebra (Year 6 only)

Children are given opportunities to use physical resources and complete practical task, work both independently and collaboratively, record their understanding in different ways, and learn from their mistakes. Understanding is developed through clear modelling, careful questioning and structured discussion.

To ensure that we meet the needs of all learners, mathematics is structured throughout the school so that children are given time to master the key skills of mathematics – fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Some children are extended further through work in classes where their mathematical understanding and deeper thinking skills are challenged at pace, whilst other children are given the opportunity to work at a slower pace and concentrate more on ensuring fundamental knowledge is secure. All children are encouraged to apply their knowledge and skills to problems and reasoning questions with an appropriate level of challenge. Every child is sensitively placed to ensure that they maximise their progress in mathematical development and this selection is fluid and continually reviewed.

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