Bishop Ellis Mathematics Curriculum

At Bishop Ellis Catholic Primary School we aim to provide a high-quality mathematics education so that children have a profound understanding of God’s world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the magnificence and power of mathematics, and a sense of delight and inquisitiveness about the subject. We understand that mathematics is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology, engineering and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment.

Our curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge quickly and precisely;
  • reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, inferring relationships and generalisations, and developing explanation or proof using mathematical language;
  • can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing complexity, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and being resolute in seeking solutions.

How do we teach maths at Bishop Ellis?

At Bishop Ellis, we follow the National Curriculum for Mathematics.  Teachers deliver maths lessons using White Rose Maths schemes of work supplemented with resources from NCETM and N-rich to deliver our maths curriculum.  Children are given time to develop a deep understanding of the mathematical concepts they are studying through unit-based learning sequences. Throughout a maths unit, teachers use Teaching for Mastery principles which enable pupils to make connections between prior knowledge and new concepts, leading to greater depth learning.

A wide range of mathematical resources are used when delivering the mathematics curriculum and pupils are taught to use practical equipment and pictorial representations before moving to more formal written methods.

We use Talk for Learning (TfL) strategies within our lessons to enhance children’s vocabulary and quality of talk which enables them to become confident mathematicians who can explain their reasoning and methodology when tackling problems.

At Bishop Ellis, we aspire for our children to develop a love of maths and be confident mathematicians by the end of Y6, beyond Bishop Ellis up to GCSE level and further.

Calculation Policy

At Bishop Ellis, we use the White Rose calculation policy when delivering our maths curriculum.  This document gives detailed information about the equipment, representations and written calculation methods used at Bishop Ellis in each year group.

Supplementary Resources for Parents

White Rose Maths have produced a range of FREE work booklets for parents and children to use which complement the units of work taught in school.  These booklets can be found on Amazon for the Kindle or downloaded below.  There is one booklet for each block for Y1 to Y6.

https://whiterosemaths.com/for-parents/parent-workbooks/

Times Tables Rockstars

Time Tables Rockstars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help children master their times tables! When it comes to times tables, speed and accuracy are so important.  TTRS is a carefully sequenced programme of daily times tables practice which is all completed through fun games and activities.

Please contact your child’s class teacher (Y2-Y6) if you require your child’s log in details.

https://play.ttrockstars.com/auth/school/student

Further ideas for supporting your child at home – The Mathematics Shed

The Mathematics Shed is designed to include resources for maths at home. Children spend a large part of their life at home with their parents and anything home can do to help children with their learning can be of great benefit. Many of the activities cannot be done in the school setting and many put maths in a real life context. We hope you find something of use here.

http://www.mathematicshed.com/maths-at-home-shed.html#

For further information about maths in your child’s year group, please visit their class page.