We work hard to ensure that all children leave our school with a mastery of mathematical concepts that will allow them to solve problemsproficiently and reason deeply. These skills are embedded within the maths lessons and developed consistently over time.
Halley House is committed to maths being engaging, practical and investigatory. We want all children to experience success in and be confident in maths, helping to set a solid foundation for study in KS3. We encourage pupils to see the relevance of their mathematical knowledge in the wider world, and teach in a way that supports them to use their mathematical skills and knowledge practically in their lives.
We follow the scheme Power Maths, a UK curriculum mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in maths. The scheme ensures children are exposed to maths in a variety of ways and solve questions in context.
The key features that provide pupils with a deep mathematical understanding are:
Objects and pictures
Children use concrete manipulatives (objects) and pictorial representations (pictures), before moving to abstract symbols (numbers and signs).
Language development
The way that children speak and write about mathematics has been shown to have an impact on their success. We use a carefully sequenced, structured approach to introduce and reinforce mathematical vocabulary. Every lesson includes opportunities for children to explain or justify their mathematical reasoning.
Problem solving
Mathematical problem solving is at the heart of our approach – it is both how children learn maths, and the reason why they learn maths. By accumulating knowledge of mathematics concepts, children can develop and test their problem solving in every lesson.
We also use a range of software to support children’s mathematical fluency and understanding, such as Maths Whizz and Times Tables Rock Stars.
Our calculation policy offers a breakdown of progression in skills across each phase. It shows how these methods develop children’s confidence of both written and mental methods. You can use this document to follow your child on their maths journey and as inspiration for what to help with at home.
Key Stage 1 Calculation Policy
Lower Key Stage 2 Calculation Policy
Upper Key Stage 2 Calculation Policy