Maths

At Bussage School we use White Rose Maths for our Medium Term Planning and also for the progression of objectives. We use this scheme of work for our timings, which all classes broadly follow. We use resources from White Rose as well as from a range of other sources to ensure that our children get the best Maths experience and are challenged in their learning.

Children are taught by their teacher in their year groups and move through topics at broadly the same pace. Each topic is studied in depth and teachers do not move to the next stage until all the children show that they have a secure understanding of the mathematical concepts. Teachers use manipulatives (apparatus) and pictorial representations to support learning so that children can SEE the maths and truly understand concepts, before moving on to the abstract form.

Children are given time to think deeply about the maths and really understand concepts at a relational level rather than as a set of rules or procedures. This slower pace leads to greater progress because it ensures that children are secure in their understanding, also helping the children to develop their Bussage Learning Powers.

In the past, children were put in different groups and given different content based on their anticipated ability. This meant that from an early age children were classed as those who can and can’t “do maths”. Our approach offers all pupils access to the full maths curriculum, allowing everyone to be an effective participator. This inclusive approach, and its emphasis on promoting multiple methods of solving a problem, builds self-confidence and resilience in pupils, becoming resourceful thinkers in the process.
We foster positive ‘can do’ attitudes, believe all children can achieve in mathematics, and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts. We view mistakes as an essential part of becoming a reflective learner and provide challenge through rich and sophisticated problems before acceleration through new content.

Children who grasp concepts quickly are challenged with rich and sophisticated problems within the topic, moving quickly from the ‘do it’ to the ‘secure it’ and on to the ‘deepen it’, allowing them to build the independent enquiry and reflective learning powers in the process. Children who are not ready to move past the ‘do it’ are given support to consolidate their understanding before moving on and misconceptions are tackled quickly, again, building good reflective learning skills.

Depending upon the objective and the work involved, children can build their team working skills through group problem solving, or become good self-managers when faced with a number of tasks to complete.

Mathematics is an important creative discipline that helps us to understand and change the world. We want all pupils at Bussage to experience the beauty, power and enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject.

Parents and pupils can find out more at https://whiteroseeducation.com/parent-pupil-resources/maths/home-learning