Maths

At Crosslee Community Primary School, we are fully committed to a ‘Teaching for Mastery’ approach in our Maths lessons. Our Maths curriculum is fundamentally built on the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract approach to teaching (CPA) and involves a combination of child-led exploration paired with high quality teacher instruction. In doing so we lead learners through carefully sequenced, coherent steps in order to reach up to and beyond age-related expectations. We achieve this using a high quality scheme of learning known as Maths No Problem along with evidence-based approaches and collaborative teacher CPD, with a focus on developing pedagogical subject knowledge. 

Each lesson from Reception to Year 6, begins with ‘Fluent in Five’. This consists of daily arithmetic questions to build number fluency and confidence; whilst also building on prior learning, allowing children to retrieve previously taught methods and skills. 

After the children have completed their ‘Fluent in Five’, the Teacher facilitates the children in bringing back to prior learning. This allows schema to build effectively with new learning building on and connecting to prior knowledge, securing and coding in long term memory and considering the management of intrinsic cognitive load (J. Sweller, 1998). 

 In KS1 and KS2, we follow the Maths No Problem (MNP)   scheme of learning. The MNP Primary Maths Series is founded on the internationally-recognised research of expert educational theorists such as Piaget, Dienes, Bruner, Skemp and Vygotsky, and has been tested and   refined over the last 30 years in Singapore.  The scheme uses high quality textbooks which are fully aligned with the National Curriculum and are one of only two textbooks approved by the Department for Education.

The scheme of learning follows the five-part model in all classes, shown below: 

• In Focus task (exploring a problem collaboratively)
• Journaling (teacher-led or child-led)
• Let’s Learn (teacher-led
• Guided practice (in pairs) 
• Workbook (independent practice)

At Crosslee, we ensure that we develop all children into independent learners. High-quality teaching is the first step in responding to all pupils, inclusive of children with SEND. The MNP scheme uses a SEND inclusion jigsaw which looks at lessons like a jigsaw containing multiple pieces. If pieces are missing, the lesson is likely to be incomplete. 

We understand basic Maths is essential for everyday life, as well as the key skills required in the workplace. Every child has the right to develop their full potential in order to become a confident, numerate adult and at Crosslee our Maths curriculum facilitates this.

To find out more on your child's Maths Curriculum, click the following links: 

Inclusion in Maths 

Maths No Problem Parents Leaflet 

Videos to help you teach your child Maths at home