Bush Hill Park
Primary School

At Bush Hill Park Primary School we aim to sustain and develop a rich curriculum in mathematics supported by the main principles of Teaching for Mastery in association with the high-quality learning tools that the NCETM and White Rose Hub provide.

The principles and characteristics of our mathematics curriculum:

• Concrete, pictorial, abstract representation modelled by staff and utilised by pupils
• Vocabulary rich environment 
• Development of mathematical fluency through carefully designed 'number of the day' tasks
• Children embed learning through full mathematical sentences 
• Carefully designed variation
• Questioning that highlights misconception, secures knowledge and deepens understanding
• Ensure that all available learning time is utilised proficiently; including that of transitions 
• Learning follows a clear narrative, which is displayed in the planning and supporting resources
• Cognitive load is reduced so that learners are encouraged to focus on the learning intentions
• Live modelling of concepts is paramount 
• Children access curriculum content at the same pace – ‘keep up don’t catch up’ approach
• Lesson design and implementation allows for key concepts to be broken down and embedded before new concepts are explored
• Teaching for Mastery at the heart of our intent and implementation 
• Opportunities for oracy are an integral part to everyday practice; through class discussions and reciting and recalling facts
• The Master's Glasses reasoning strands are weaved into daily lessons to develop pupils' skills in: explaining, evaluating, convincing and proving. This enables pupils to confidently articulate their understanding of mathematical concepts covered within our curriculum
• Arithmetic is practised throughout the week; during lessons and during specific arithmetic slots during the week
• Harvest prior mathematical knowledge with daily pair and group work opportunities
• Provide pupils with increased opportunity to problem-solve and think critically through the use of 'I see problem solving' resources and high-quality teacher modelling

Enriched opportunities enable our pupils to become self-motivated, confident learners who are able to use and apply mathematics, in a wide range of situations. Our mathematics curriculum employs approaches that help pupils to develop a deep and secure knowledge and understanding of mathematics at each stage of their learning journey, as well as enjoyment and passion for the subject. We recognise that mathematics is uniquely powerful in helping children; to make sense of and describe the world around them.  We also promote mathematical thinking and inquiry to challenge and extend learners potential. 

Our lesson designs are centered around the key intent and implementation of core concepts; to develop a secure knowledge and extend skills. Furthermore, our curriculum is designed to ensure the progression of content is sequenced logically and revisited systematically; in order that pupils learn more, know more and remember more. The implementation of our mathematics curriculum focuses on an approach to reduce cognitive load and ensure knowledge is accessible for all learners. Lessons are carefully designed in order to embed understanding and increase long-term retention and application across the years.

Intent: 

• To develop life-long learners  
• To instil that maths is all around us and linked to everyday life experiences 
• To ensure that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education; equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills and resilience to access learning and progress at every stage 
• To ensure that pupils speak and write mathematically with fluency and pride   
• To encourage children to develop a love and curiosity for mathematics  
• To nurture pupils, enabling them to grasp a deep understanding of mathematics; which they can apply to a range of routine and non-routine examples 
• To provide pupils with the fundamentals of being numerate so they are able to succeed in further education and employment   
• To create an inclusive curriculum where all learners are supported to make progress and garner success from initial starting points 
• To provide a diverse curriculum where the pupils see relatable role-models and inspirational figures 
• To best equip pupils with the necessary skills to break-free from social deprivation and poverty 

Curriculum Development:  
 

• A curriculum tailored to the needs of all learners at Bush Hill Park Primary School 
• A well-researched curriculum; analysis of White Rose Hub examples and in particular, domain weighting and topic placement   
• Gap analysis from the pandemic and remote learning phase informed the sequence, weighting and timing of content coverage (this is adapted yearly to reflect the current needs) 
• NCETM Curriculum prioritisation informed the 2021-2022 maths curriculum  
• Number & Place Value taught and revisited at the beginning of each term at least (all year groups) to ensure depth of understanding and fluency  
• A Strategically sequenced curriculum that ensures progression of skills and prior learning to support current and future outcomes 
• Flexible LTPs capable of adapting to the needs of the pupils within the year group 
• MTPs created to provide specific lesson by lesson objectives so that children can articulate what they are learning about 
• MTPs that highlight inclusion and opportunities for differentiation that support understanding as well as stretch and challenge pupils  
• MTPs that incorporate cultural capital opportunities around problem solving and vocabulary development  
• MTPs that indicate specific examples of Bruner’s CPA approach to deepen conceptual understanding 
• MTPs designed to indicate where and when specific Master’s Glasses reasoning strands best fit to maximise pupil outcomes 
• MTPs that highlight opportunities for knowledge retention and retrieval practice   

Implementation
 

• Teaching for Mastery and the big 5 ideas drive our maths curriculum. The 5 big ideas around; fluency, representation & structure, variation, mathematical thinking and cohesion underpin our teaching and learning  
• We use Bruner’s concrete, pictorial, abstract approach to teaching and learning in mathematics  
• We use full mathematical sentences when speaking and writing mathematically; this is supported by vocabulary-rich lesson design and classroom environments (cultural capital) 
• We focus on access and opportunity for all by adopting number of the day; this in turns develops fluency and empowers a depth of understanding  
• We use knowledge harvests and retrieval practice to enable children to connect their learning and ultimately learn more, know more, remember more 
• We adopt a ‘my turn, our turn, your turn’ approach to teaching and learning  
• Pupils have regular opportunities to work collaboratively   
• We adopt a ‘keep up, don’t catch up’ approach to lesson design where teachers scaffold tasks to ensure all learners reach their potential and make progress from their initial starting points 
• Intelligent selection of White Rose Hub, NCETM and Classroom Secrets materials that enhance variation, reasoning and problem-solving opportunities; providing depth for all  
• The Master’s Glasses reasoning strands ensure a breadth of reasoning skills are practiced and developed over the course of the curriculum   
• Problem solving is modelled and practised systematically using ‘I see problem solving’, Classroom Secrets and White Rose Hub materials (cultural capital) 
• Children are exposed to a curriculum where they can apply their mathematical knowledge to a range of different contexts, for instance; Maths Week, Black History Month and maths competitions    
• Arithmetic lessons are taught alongside the units of work, these involve; modelled practice, low-stake assessment opportunities and retrieval practice  
• Relentless routines weaved into the lesson structure to ensure pace and urgency at all times 
• Transitions and discrete learning moments are always an opportunity to practice fluency (never a missed learning opportunity) 
• Increase parental involvement and partnership through parent workshops and online support tools 
• Cold calling and formative assessment that exposes misconception, cements knowledge and informs next steps  

 Impact 
 

• Evidence of progress and attainment in pupil books  
• Improvements in summative data across the school including: progress, attainment and combined percentages ARE+ 
• Children well-equipped and ready for the next stage of their educational journey 
• Narrowing the gap to local and national statistics  
• SEN & Disadvantaged pupils are meeting and or exceeding the achievement of their peers 
• Articulate learners able to talk about their prior, current and future learning in maths with pride and confidence 
• Skilled staff with a rich pedagogical and theoretical understanding of mathematics  
• Confident staff who enjoy teaching maths  
• A strong culture for maths is seen throughout the school; in and out of classrooms, within the community, partnerships and stakeholders, and the online/digital platforms that we use 
• Increased attendance  
• Increased parental involvement; increased confidence when supporting their child at home