Mathematics
The Lime Mathematics Curriculum aspires to enthuse all learners and teaching staff to be passionate about mathematics, and demonstrate and share their love of the subject with all other stakeholders. We support our teaching and learning staff to feel confident in using various resources to support learning and achieve mastery. We equip our learners with the knowledge and skills required to confidently apply, demonstrate and explain mathematics in a range of settings, using mathematical vocabulary and terminology.
As a Trust, we follow the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation materials and White Rose Maths. Both are rooted in current research into best practice in mathematics teaching and learning and aim to develop learner's conceptual understanding and skills proficiency, underpinned by a strong commitment to fluency, reasoning and problem solving. We also access additional Mathematics support programmes including Third Space Maths.
Mathematics is taught through a Teaching for Mastery approach, with learning mapped out to ensure that what is learned is remembered and built upon. Considering the NCETM Five Big ideas, lessons are crafted in progressive small steps enabling all children to learn deeply.
Key concepts are taught throughout each block of learning and all learners become fluent in the fundamental skills required including recalling number facts, making reasoning connections and undertaking mathematical problem solving. Key to this deep understanding, is the explicit teaching of mathematical vocabulary, which is modelled by adults then used by children to verbalise their understanding. We are committed to ensuring that children are able to recognise the importance of Mathematics in the wider world and that they are also able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently in their lives. Through carefully planned cross curricular links, children are able to apply their mathematical skills in context.
In Early Years, learners start to develop their understanding of number while utilising their everyday surroundings and its mathematical meaning. Carefully designed activities are provided through continuous play to enhance the children’s classroom-based learning.
Throughout the schools, mathematics is taught daily. This incorporates a discrete Morning Maths Meeting (MMM) session as well as a mathematics lesson. Each morning at the start of the day, every class has a Morning Maths Meeting, which includes a retrieval section, a times table activity, with related division facts, and a counting element, a telling the time activity, as well as solving problems mentally rather than relying on a written method. This daily rehearsal helps learners to develop a fluency in maths.
The mathematics lesson is precisely planned to teach the next small step in the learning. Maths lessons begin with a ‘My Turn, Your Turn’ (MTYT) approach where new learning occurs and learners are exposed to mathematical structures through the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach. Once the learners have been discretely taught new concepts and had the opportunity to practise new skills, they will then apply what they have learnt through reasoning and problem-solving activities.