Curriculum Lead : Mrs V. Emms
Vision
Kader Academy aims to develop little people who feel safe and happy. We want them to develop a strong sense of pride, not only in themselves, but of their local area and its heritage. We value the importance of strong relationships with our families and our sense of community is at the heart of all we do. We know that our diversity is our strength and we will strive to ensure that the children’s compassion and kindness makes the world a better place. We will inspire curiosity through engaging experiences that promote a profound love of learning. We want them to know that their learning knows no bounds and with self-belief and determination, they can achieve the impossible.
Our mathematics’ vision is to promote curiosity, enjoyment and a love and thirst for challenge and learning. It is ambitious and creative, empowering our children to become independent, resilient and successful mathematicians.
Intent: Why our Maths curriculum looks like this
At Kader we recognise that Maths is a journey and a process. We encourage a child centred approach to Maths so that our children know more, remember more and as a result understand and can do more.
We want all our children to be a part of creative and engaging lessons that will give them a range of opportunities to explore mathematics following a mastery curriculum approach.
We aim to give each pupil a chance to believe in themselves as mathematicians and develop their powers of resilience and perseverance when faced with mathematical challenges.
We aim for our children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, making those rich connections, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly over time.
We recognise that mathematics underpins much of our daily lives and therefore is an essential skill, helping to ensure that our children continue to aspire and become successful in the next stages of their learning.
We aim to provide a curriculum that allows our children to use mathematics in a variety of contexts, allowing them to transfer skills and apply their knowledge to promote learning across all subject areas.
Implementation: How we will achieve this
In 2018, Kader joined the Archimedes Hub Teacher Research Group in order to begin a whole school journey towards ‘Teaching for Mastery’. The Five Big Ideas underpin our teaching. These are:
Coherence
Representation and Structure
Mathematical Thinking
Fluency
Variation
Using the Teaching for Mastery approach, lessons are based on the most important conceptual knowledge and understanding that pupils need as they progress from Year 1 to Year 6. Lessons are designed so that objectives are achievable for all. We have high expectations and encourage a ‘can do’ attitude towards mathematics in all pupils. We develop resilience in the face of challenge and carefully scaffold learning so that everyone can make progress.
Staff use the NATIONAL CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS (NCETM) Curriculum Prioritisation Map as a basic structure upon which to design lesson sequences. Lessons are planned in Year group teams using White Rose Maths Premium Resources, Maths Shed resources, I SEE REASONING, NCETM Professional Development materials, NCETM Ready to Progress Criteria guidance and NRICH (always informed from PiXL assessment data). Pupils are encouraged to make links with their own experience, the real world and our half-termly learning contexts through cross curricular teaching.
EYFS: The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum in Mathematics is based on Development Matters – September 2020 (Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage). Teaching for Mastery principals also apply to this setting and the use of high quality resources from White Rose Maths, I See Reasoning, NRICH and NCETM support planning and learning.
Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. In September 2022, we started the new, national ‘Mastering Number’ subitising programme (NCETM) in EYFS and KS1.
Please click here to see the progression of skills document for KS1 and KS2
Please click here to see the progression of skills document for EYFS
Impact: The approach at Kader will ensure that:
Patience
Children’s attainment in Mathematics is in line with national expectations or exceeding their potential when we consider their varied starting point.
Children will be academically and mentally prepared for their next stages of life – Reception, KS1, KS2, Secondary school, college or Modern Britain and the work place.
Children will understand the relevance of what they are learning in mathematics and how it links to everyday life.
Children will strive to develop a life-long love of learning of mathematics and use their skills to play an active, creative, responsible role in society.
Pupils will develop an understanding of mathematical concepts.
Pupils will use and apply knowledge and understanding across the subjects
Pupils will be able to reason logically and apply a systematic approach to problem solving.
Pupils will develop the ability to use and apply mental skills.
Pupils will be effective communicators of mathematical ideas, facts and concepts.
In addition to subject specific outcomes, the teaching of mathematics should also develop:
Ability to collaborate and cooperate with others.
Enthusiasm and self-confidence.
Open-mindedness, perseverance, responsibility and resilience.
Willingness to take risks and use initiative.
Communication
Develop logical thinking and arguments
Whole School Maths
At Kader Academy, we pride ourselves on ensuring pupils leave us with a secure understanding of number and a strong sense of mathematical concepts. We strive to achieve this by following structures that supports mathematical concepts being introduced, where possible, in a concrete way and ensuring pupils become fluent with basic skills before moving on. Pupils engage with challenging problem solving and reasoning tasks to ensure a deepened understanding. Through this we ensure pupils move from pictorial methods to more abstract methods.
A Guide for Parents and Carers
For many years, parents have found themselves visiting school with their children only to hear themselves saying, “It’s not like when I was at school” and “That’s not how we were taught.”
Things change quickly in education, and at no time in the past 25 years has that been truer than September 2014 when the whole school curriculum changed for maintained schools throughout England. This guide is intended to support parents and carers of pupils at Kader Academy School know what their children will be learning about in mathematics lessons throughout the school. Obviously, it would be impossible to set out in detail everything a child would learn during their time at Kader, but by providing an outline of typical content and some background information about how the mathematics curriculum and assessment works, hopefully it will help parents and carers to support their children in making the most of their education.
What’s changed?
Maths remains very important and, together with English and Science is considered a core subject in both primary and secondary education. The National Curriculum (National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) sets out in some detail what must be taught in each of these subjects, and they will take up a substantial part of your child’s learning week. Much of the publicity about the changes to the curriculum (which changed in 2014) has focussed on ‘higher expectations’ in various subjects, and it is certainly the case that in some areas the content of the ‘new’ primary mathematics curriculum is significantly more demanding than in the past. For example, there is now much greater focus on the skills of arithmetic and also on working with fractions.
In September 2021, The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage – AKA Nursery and Reception) progression of skills document (Development Matters Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk) was altered so children had a heavier focus on basic number skills due to the impact of the Pandemic.
My child is really good at maths. What will school do to develop my child’s mathematical skills?
If your child is achieving well, rather than moving on to the following year group’s work, we will encourage more in-depth and investigative tasks. Mastering maths means pupils acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject and at Kader, we believe this is achievable for all.
Want to know more about Mastery Maths?
Click here A video overview on teaching for mastery at primary | NCETM to listen to Debbie Morgan – Director of Primary Mathematics for the NCETM
Tests your Child Will Take
Like many schools, Kader Academy use tests (PiXL) at all stages of a pupil’s education. For the most part, these are part of a normal classroom routine, and support teachers’ assessment. However, at certain stages of a child’s schooling there are also National tests which must be taken by all children in state schools. Often informally known as ‘SATs’, the National Curriculum Tests are compulsory for children at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Children in these year groups will undertake tests in Mathematics, alongside those in Reading, and Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling. In Y2, the class teachers mark the tests and uses the results to inform their own assessments, however, in Y6, the tests will be sent away for marking, and results are reported to schools and parents at the end of the year.
The National Curriculum Tests for children in Year 2 and Year 6 will take place in Summer term in the month of May. Where previously these tests – and other teacher assessments were graded in levels (normally numbering between Level 1 and Level 6 in primary school), from 2016 the tests will be reported as a scaled score, with a score of 100 representing the expected level for each age group. At Kader Academy, we also use a PiXL data tracking system to measure progress in the intervening years. Schools will then provide accompanying information to parents to explain how children are progressing – it makes attending parents evening meetings each Autumn and Spring even more important.
Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check
The purpose of the check is to determine whether your child can fluently recall their times tables up to 12×12, which is essential for future success in mathematics and also the national expectation for children this age. It will also help your child’s teacher to identify if your child may need additional support. For further information about how, when and why the test will be administered, please click here. Information for parents: 2022 multiplication tables check (publishing.service.gov.uk)
EYFS
Nursery and Reception aged children are assessed using the Development Matters Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk) document.
