The aims of the national curriculum for mathematics are that all pupils:
• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics
• Reason mathematically
• Can solve problems
The approach to mathematics teaching, learning and assessment at Alver Valley Schools reflects these aims.
At Alver Valley Schools, maths is responsive to the children’s needs. Children are encouraged to take risks and challenge themselves in order to deepen their understanding of maths and make links across the different domains and other subjects. Using the ‘I do, We do, You do’ teaching approach in many of our lessons, we give children the opportunity to practise the skills, whilst also building their confidence and resilience.
Counting, times tables and related division facts are fundamental to all areas of maths and we work hard to ensure that children are practising these skills every day.
We strongly believe in the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach to mathematics from Nursery to Year 6, which allows all children to secure their understanding of maths. In addition to this, children are encouraged to reason mathematically and develop their justifications and ability to prove ideas using mathematical language.
At Alver Valley Schools, we practise the use of the Variation Theory to reduce the cognitive load for children and increase inclusivity. By presenting similar problems and varying the numbers, context or resources, we support all children to make at least good progress in maths. Regular opportunities are provided to practise problems that become increasingly more complex over time in order to become fluent with the fundamentals of mathematics. This allows our pupils to develop their conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.