We are mathematicians
South Norwood mathematicians are thinkers and problem solvers. We will use our prior mathematical knowledge to make connections between different areas of mathematics, enabling us to reason effectively. We can use different manipulatives, resources and diagrams to explain and develop our understanding of mathematical concepts.
We teach the full National Curriculum. We follow the White Rose Mathematics update scheme across the school which aims to help all pupils to master mathematics. https://whiterosemaths.com/
What does it mean to master mathematics?
A mathematical concept or skill has been mastered when a pupil can represent it in multiple ways, has the mathematical language to communicate related ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations.
Mastery is a journey and long-term goal, achieved through exploration, clarification, practice and application over time. At each stage of learning, pupils should be able to demonstrate a deep, conceptual understanding of the topic and be able to build on this over time.
This is not about just being able to memorise key facts and procedures, which tends to lead to superficial understanding that can easily be forgotten. Pupils should be able to select which mathematical approach is most effective in different scenarios.
All pupils can achieve in mathematics
Mathematical abilities can be developed through practice, support, dedication and hard work. Natural talent is just a starting point and does not determine who has more or less potential to achieve.
It is important that high-attaining pupils fully understand key number concepts, rather than simply memorise a process. Teachers can extend high-attaining students through depth, as opposed to acceleration onto new content.
Focus on depth
Deepen understanding before moving on to work from the next year group
All pupils benefit from deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts, regardless of whether they’ve previously struggled or excelled. Pupils must be given time to fully understand, explore and apply ideas. This approach enables pupils to truly grasp a concept, and the challenge comes from investigating it in new, alternative and more complex ways.
Multiple representations for all
Objects, pictures, words, numbers and symbols are everywhere. The White Rose approach incorporates all of these to help pupils explore and demonstrate mathematical ideas, enrich their learning experience and deepen understanding. Together, these elements help cement knowledge so pupils truly understand what they’ve learnt.
Concrete – Students should have the opportunity to use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing; for example cubes.
Pictorial – Students should then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations. These representations can then be used to reason and solve problems.
Abstract – With the foundations firmly laid, students should be able to move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.
Fluency, reasoning and problem solving
Problem solving
Mathematical problem solving is at the heart of our approach. Pupils are encouraged to identify, understand and apply relevant mathematical principles and make connections between different ideas. This builds the skills needed to tackle new problems, rather than simply repeating routines without a secure understanding.
Mathematical concepts are explored in a variety of representations and problem-solving contexts to give pupils a richer and deeper learning experience. Pupils combine different concepts to solve complex problems, and apply knowledge to real-life situations.
Reasoning
The way pupils speak and write about mathematics transforms their learning. Mastery approaches, such as White Rise, use a carefully sequenced, structured approach to introduce and reinforce mathematical vocabulary. Pupils explain the mathematics in full sentences. They should be able to say not just what the answer is, but how they know it’s right. This is key to building mathematical language and reasoning skills.
Fluency
Pupils should be able to recall and apply mathematical knowledge both rapidly and accurately. However, it is important to stress that fluency often gets confused for just memorisation – it is far more than this. Pupils should be able to recognise relationships and make connections in mathematics.
We use Times Table Rockstars to develop fluency and speed of recall with basic facts of multiplication up to 12 x 12 and their corresponding division facts.