Our Intent for Maths at Bramber

“Everyone a mathematician”

Intent 

The intent of our mathematics curriculum is to cater for the needs of all and to maximise the development of every child so that all our learners enjoy maths and see themselves as mathematicians. We aim to provide high quality activities with a focus on fluency, reasoning and problem solving; these incorporate sustained levels of challenge and enable children to explore maths in depth and use mathematical vocabulary to reason and explain their thinking. We strive to ensure that the ‘5 Big Ideas for Teaching for Mastery’ are incorporated in all teaching and learning: Representation and Structure, Mathematical Thinking, Fluency, Variation and Coherence. A wide range of mathematical resources are used and children are taught to use concrete, pictorial and abstract (more ‘formal’) methods to represent their understanding. We encourage resilience and acceptance that sometimes struggle can be a necessary step in learning.

Implementation

Year Group Curriculum maps and Curriculum prioritisation

From Year 1 to Year 6, we use the NCETM’s (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics) Curriculum Prioritisation term-by-term framework to support the planning and teaching of the National Curriculum in Mathematics. This framework provides teachers with Primary Mastery Professional Development Materials (‘Spines’) which guidance enables teachers to plan lessons which ensure that children develop their knowledge in small and coherent steps. This framework can be found with each year group curriculum map can be found here:

https://www.ncetm.org.uk/classroom-resources/cp-curriculum-prioritisation-in-primary-maths/

Similarly, we also use the NCETM’s Early Years Materials to support our Reception children to develop these mathematical knowledge and confidence from the moment they start their school lives at Bramber.

https://www.ncetm.org.uk/in-the-classroom/early-years/

Mastering Number Programme from Reception to Year 5

 

Because we have been a part of Sussex Maths Hub Work Groups for many years, all of our teachers are able to implement a daily Mastering Number fluency session (which is in addition to the class’s regular Maths lesson) from Early Years to Year 5. These sessions ensure that crucial number facts and theories are embedded in children’s understanding as they progress through the national curriculum. All of the teachers delivering these sessions have been trained by Sussex Maths Hub and receive on-going support and guidance with the sessions delivery.

Times Tables Rockstars website

Alongside our Mastering Number sessions, Bramber is subscribed to the Times Tables Rockstars website. All children (from Year 2 to Year 6 are provided with a log on and the website allows children to practise their times table fluency in a fun and engaging way. The school often enters online competitions to ensure children are logging on and practicing their times tables fluency at home.

Assessment

Early Years	Children are assessed at the end of the year as to whether they have reached the Early Learning Goals in Number and Numerical Patterns.
Year 1	Ready to Progress assessments throughout the year
Year 2	Ready to Progress assessments throughout the year Optional KS1 SATS papers
Year 3	Termly STAR Maths tests Ready to Progress assessments throughout the year Summer Term Reasoning Paper assessments
Year 4	Multiplication Check in June Termly STAR Maths tests Ready to Progress assessments throughout the year Summer Term Reasoning Paper assessments
Year 5	Termly STAR Maths tests Ready to Progress assessments throughout the year Summer Term Reasoning Paper assessments
Year 6	Key Stage 2 SATS exams in May Termly STAR Maths tests Ready to Progress assessments throughout the year

Guidance and examples of the governments Ready to progress assessments, per year group, can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-mathematics-in-primary-schools

As part of the government funded, Sussex Maths Hubs, our subject leader works closely with the other Maths subject leaders in a Sussex Maths Hub Work Group. Alongside a specialist Maths Teacher who works at our school, Bramber has hosted some of these work group meetings where our Subject Lead has modelled Teaching for Mastery lessons to other school’s Maths subject leaders across the county.

Interventions and targeted support

Through our assessments and regular teacher assessment of children’s understanding during lessons, children are targeted for pre-teaching. This may be to introduce a new concept, vocabulary or to catch up children who may have misconceptions with an area of learning. We also provide a Learning Pod for children who may be working below age related expectations to ensure that they make improved progress in the core subjects. Trained adults also run an intervention called Number Stacks with identified children to help boost their progress.

Impact

Early Years

	2023/24			2024/25
	National	Bramber	National		Bramber
% of pupils at the expected level across all early learning goals	66%	67%	67%		73%

Key Stage 1

	2022/23		2023/24		2024/25
	National	Bramber	National	Bramber	National	Bramber
% of pupils at expected level	70%	77%	72%	81%	73%	87%
% of pupils working at greater depth	16%	20%	16%	19%	17%	0%

Multiplication Tables Check (Year 4)

	2022/23		2023/24		2024/25
	National	Bramber	National	Bramber	National	Bramber
Average score (out of 25)	20.2	20.4	20.6	19.7	21	20.5
% of pupils scoring full marks	29%	23%	34%	22%	38%	29%

Key Stage 2

	2022/23		2023/24		2024/25
	National	Bramber	National	Bramber	National	Bramber
% of pupils at expected level	73%	71%	73%	83%	74%	70%
% of pupils working at greater depth	24%	13%	13%	20%	13%	13%