Maths
Maths at Bidborough:
We believe that every child can ‘do’ Maths and we forbid that mind-set of “I can’t.” From EYFS to our Year 6s we encourage the children to understand that they can’t do it yet! And with effective teachers, practice and encouragement, we know that all children will be able to leave us with the key skills they need for their lives ahead.
As a school which strives to ‘teach for mastery’, we believe in giving children a more hands-on approach followed by pictorial and then abstract. Through enjoyment and curiosity, we hope to instil a life-long understanding and interest in Maths.
Teaching for Mastery:
The key aspects of teaching for mastery are:
- Using manipulates, to first understand Maths through concrete examples by ‘doing’ and touching these objects and resources. This enables the children to understand exactly what the question is asking them by seeing and feeling.
- The pictorial stage, whereby children represent the question, their thinking and even their answer as a picture of some kind. This might take the form of tallies, part-whole models, number lines, bar models, pie charts or any number of other methods.
- Moving onto abstract methods, such as formal written methods, only when the children are confident they understand the concepts they are being taught.
By taking small steps, all children are able to access the same learning, sometimes with support from adults and other children, whilst those who are more confident with Maths are encouraged to broaden and prove their understanding through the use of different methods. The children are encouraged to choose their own level of challenge.
What you can do to support your child in Maths
Children are set weekly Mathletics, this helps consolidate the learning carried out in the classroom. https://login.mathletics.com/
Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables! https://play.ttrockstars.com/
We use Maths all day, every day so try and make the learning at home meaningful; could your child help you with some of the jobs around the house? Anything from cooking, organising a cupboard, adding up prices at the shops or telling the time.
Here is a link to the Ready to Progress materials which show some of the key learning for each year group:
Remember, please do come and ask us! We are always happy to help.