2.  The maths work that your child is doing at school may be very different from the kind of maths that you remember.  This is because children are encouraged to work mentally, where possible, using their personal jottings to support their thinking.  Even when children are taught the more formal written methods, we only encourage them to do this when they cannot solve it in their heads.

3.  Developing confidence and efficiency in mental calculations is a vital part of our Maths teaching throughout primary school.  All children greatly benefit from knowing key number facts by heart and being able to recall them instantly.  Regular practise of number facts is important both at home or school – number bonds, multiplication tables.  Any opportunity to practice these are useful, through real life situations such as shopping, cooking, as well as games and activities.

4.  Each of the four operations builds on the mental skills.  Skills need to be taught, practised and reviewed constantly.  These skills lead on to more formal written methods of calculation only when the children are ready for them.  A sound understanding of the number system is essential to carry out calculations efficiently and accurately.

5.  www.waveneyvalleypartnership.org www.waveneyvalleypartnership.org  Go to tab for either school  Click on tab ‘About us’ and scroll down to bottom on page

6.  Truly knowing the tables is not the same as just being able to count up in steps of given number or being able to recite the table.  Really knowing a table means that the children can instantly tell you any fact up to 10 X.  It also means knowing the corresponding division facts.

7. For example:  A child who knows the 9X table well would be able to answer questions like these with little hesitation: 9 X 3 7 lots of 9 9 X 4 81÷9, how many 9s in 54? This would lead on to 9 X 30, 9 X 0.3

8. 22  10 55  4 (double 2) 33  6 (double 3) 99 88 77

9. Just a few minutes a day could make a real difference to your child's confidence with number

10.  'The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils.....become fluent......reason mathematically..... and can solve problems’  This is going to have an even greater influence in the new curriculum in 2014

11.  Problem solving is about engaging with real problems; guessing, discovering, and making sense of mathematics.  It is about exploring patterns and seeking solutions  Our aim is to put problem solving at the heart of our maths teaching because problem solving is the essence of being a mathematician.  And that’s what we're trying to produce in your children - mathematicians

12. In the classroom, we support your children to develop the skills they need to tackle problems We want to create a culture:  where questioning and deep thinking are valued,  where mistakes are seen as valuable learning opportunities and discussion points,  and where pupils learn from each other.

13. We want to give children opportunities:  To test out ideas  To develop trial and improvement  To discuss ideas with each other  To be comfortable in taking risks  All of these help develop independent learners

14.  Through out both schools, and right from Reception to Year 6 we encourage our children to become independent learners In maths, that means  Asking your peers for help  Choosing the best apparatus to help them solve a problem  Having a go…and not being afraid to get it wrong  Checking the Maths dictionary  Using the Learning Wall to look at examples

16.  Mathematical language is very different from everyday language  It is important that children do not just learn the vocabulary, but how to use the language to communicate and to develop their mathematical thinking.  We want children to speak the language of mathematics not just practise its vocabulary  Our classroom discussions will help them to be more confident in what they are saying and thinking

18.  Regular practise of those key number facts  A few minutes everyday, in the car, at the breakfast table,  Encourage them to talk and discuss ‘maths’  Play ‘maths’ games

19. Find opportunities for ‘real life’ maths:  counting money,  weighing ingredients,  checking the time,  reading timetables,  supermarket flyers (fractions, decimals, percentages, special offers),  shopping lists,  till receipts,  catalogues,  newspapers

20. Encourage them to ask…  Can I do this in my head?  Could I do this in my head using drawing or jottings to help me?  What do I already know that can help me with this?  Do I need to use a written method?  Should I use a calculator? (Only if it is necessary with the numbers involved)  Ask your child to estimate then check.. ‘Is this answer sensible?’

21. Most importantly … Make Maths Fun