Maths Curriculum Evening 22nd February 2017

The new curriculum-more rigour

Year 2 SatS paper

Year 6 Sats Paper

Here are some of the songs we are using across KS1. Big number song Shape song Months of the year Counting by twos

We currently use a range of manipulatives in KS1 so that children can gain a secure sense of number. These concrete representations provide young children with a hands on approach to maths. Using concrete manipulatives is the ‘doing stage’ which allows us to bring concepts to life and gives the children a chance to physically solve maths problems. We then use these manipulatives visually to aid the children’s working out.

Once children are secure at recognising and using manipulatives we are able to move on to a ‘pictoral’ stage where children can see these manipulatives and link this to when they have physically used them. For example showing the children a numicon piece on the board and them understanding its value. When children have had a strong concrete basis they are able to use the numicon to solve problems by drawing it out themselves or visualising what it looks like. It is crucial that children experience a wide range of physical manipulatives so that they have a range of different visual representations and methods to use when needed. This is why we try to incorporate different manipulatives daily.

Once a child has demonstrated that they have a solid understanding of the concrete and pictoral representations of a maths problem, they be introduced to the more abstract concept of using mathematical symbols to represent the problem. 4 + 9 = Children gain a strong sense of number when using different manipulatives and it is important that we do not push them on to written methods too early.

Tom had 3 apples his mum gave him 4 more apples Tom had 3 apples his mum gave him 4 more apples. How many did he have altogether? 1. Concrete Verbal problem solving – using real apples and counting on 2. Visual/Pictoral Understand that they can use manipulatives to represent the numbers. For example using the correct rod to represent each number in the problem. 3. Abstract Write the number sentence 3 + 4 = 7 3 4 ?

Modelling to simplify problems: Three children save £64 altogether. Bob saves 5 times as much as Charlie. Charlie saves half as much as Sally. How much have they each saved?

Having a ‘sense’ of number

Can you see any issues with these calculations?

When is it time for a written calculation?

Advice after test analysis 2016 Schools should re-focus on mental calculation as many children wasted time using written methods when a mental method was far quicker and appropriate. 2) We must remind children that the squared paper does not mean they have to use a formal written method . 3) Schools should put greater focus on missing box questions - as these appeared both in KS1 and KS2 papers. 4) Focus has been very heavily on number for many schools. However, there was raised expectations in the curriculum for geometry. This was evident in the test and caught some children out. 5) Children are not secure with the relationship between multiplication and division.

Depth and breadth in maths

The importance of mathematical vocabulary What is the difference between 4 and 6? What is the product of 4 and 6? What is the mean of 2, 5 and 8? How many edges and vertices does a cube have? What is the digital root of 127?