Maths at Cotsford
At Cotsford Primary School it is our intent that all children will develop a deep understanding of number and a love of exploring using number. Our mathematics curriculum will provide children with a foundation for understanding number, reasoning, thinking logically and problem solving with resilience so that they are fully prepared for their future learning. It is essential that these keystones of Mathematics are embedded throughout all strands of the National Curriculum. It is also intended that all children, regardless of their starting point, will maximise their academic achievement and leave Cotsford Primary School with an appreciation and enthusiasm for Maths, resulting in a lifelong positive relationship with number.
- We ensure that we deliver a high-quality maths curriculum that is supportive, challenging and enjoyable.
- We want all children to develop a range of mathematical vocabulary so they can discuss their knowledge and understanding.
- We want children to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems.
- We intend for our pupils to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.
- We want them to know that maths is essential to everyday life and that our children are confident mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks.
- We want to fully develop independent learners with inquisitive minds who have secure mathematical foundations and an interest in self-improvement.
By achieving these aims, our children will leave Year 6 as knowledgeable, skillful and confident mathematicians ready for the next phase of their learning.
We follow the White Rose Hub scheme to create a progressive curriculum which build on skills already learned to help our children develop as mathematicians. This is a mastery style of teaching.
Mastery teaching
Fluency involves:
- Quick recall of facts and procedures.
- The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics.
- The ability to recognise relationships and make connections in maths.
Representation and structure
Mathematical structures are the key patterns and generalisations that underpin sets of numbers – they are the laws and relationships that we want children to spot. Using different representations can help children to ‘see’ these laws and relationships.
Variation
Procedural Variation – This is a deliberate change in the type of examples used and questions set, to draw attention to certain procedures.
Conceptual Variation – When a concept is presented in different ways, to show what a concept is, in all of its different forms.
Mathematical thinking involves, looking for patterns and relationships, logical reasoning and making connections. Teachers will develop detailed knowledge of the curriculum in order to break the mathematics down into small steps to develop mastery and address all aspects in a logical progression. This will ensure deep and sustainable learning for all pupils.
Please click the link for Maths National Curriculum Information
Summer 2
Reception
The children have explored ‘find my pattern’ and have consolidated lots of numeracy work that they have been learning throughout the year ready for their big move to year 1! They have explored doubling and odd and even numbers, as well as exploring money.
Year 1
Year 1 have worked hard on developing their understanding of numbers under 100.
They have developed their understanding of tens and ones and started to place numbers on a number line.
The children also learned about halves and quarters and enjoyed making sandwiches for Paddington.
Year 2
Year 2 have enjoyed creating pictograms and using their knowledge from their computing lessons. Using a key of 2 and 5 was a little tricky but using concrete resources helped them. They enjoyed the many practical activities related to movement and direction. They all learnt the trick to make a ‘L’ with their left hand and a fist with their right. Moving quarter turns, left and right was much easier practically. It was much harder to identify these on paper.
Year 3
Year 3 has been so enthusiastic about their maths topics this half term. They have been learning about money and can make amounts using a range of coins. They have also been learning how to tell the time to o’clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to. They understand that using the five times table will help them when reading a clock. They have also been working on identifying the different properties of 2d and 3d shapes.
Year 4
The children have completed their unit on decimals, where they have worked on ordering and comparing decimal numbers, as well as recognising their fraction equivalents. The children have been able to use their decimal knowledge for their money topic. They have converted between pounds and pence and looked at giving change from amounts.
Year 5
Year 5 have had a fantastic end to the year in Maths. As you can see in the pictures below, the children can now confidently use a protractor to measure and draw angles. They can identify when an angle is acute, obtuse or reflex and use their knowledge of angles at a point and angles on a straight line to solve missing angle problems.
Year 5 finished by extending their knowledge of decimals. They used place value charts and place value counters to multiply and divide by 10, 100 and 1000. They can now solve problems related to decimals involving numbers up to three decimal places.
Year 6
In their maths lessons, Year 6 have worked on developing their problem solving, reasoning and logic skills, while reinforcing the skills they have learned through primary school. There have been lots of chances to work on real life maths problems, including how many squares are in a picture and how bowling pins and snooker balls are in a special pattern. Their class text, The Jamie Drake Equation, talked about the Fibonacci sequence so they spent some time learning about this and working out how it can be seen in nature. Everyone is ready for the challenges of secondary school now!
Summer 1
Year 1
There have been lots of interesting Maths moments this half term where the children have focused on counting in 2s and 10s and started to look at repeated addition. The children have practised identifying doubles using the game ‘Hit the Button’ which was a firm favourite.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Year 2
Year 2 have worked extremely hard this half term to understand fractions. They began by recognising whole, parts and knowing that they need to be equal. From this they looked at halves, thirds and quarters. Within this the children shaded, drew and used their knowledge of their times tables to support their number work.
Year 3
Year 3 are the fraction Kings and Queens! They have enjoyed learning unit and non-unit fractions and can identify these. They understand the role of the numerator and the denominator and understand how to add and subtract fractions that have the same denominator. They have also been working on measures, where they have developed their understanding of mass and capacity.
Year 4
The children have continued their work on fractions. They have looked at equivalent fractions, counting up and down in tenths and hundredths, and solved fraction problems. They have worked with improper fractions and mixed numbers and have been able to add and subtract these successfully!
The children have also moved on to decimals. So far, they have been able to write the decimal equivalents to tenths and hundredths. They have been able to represent decimals in various ways, such as in place value charts and number lines. This work will continue into the last half term!
Year 5
Year 5 have had a busy half-term focussing on, perimeter, area, statistics and shape. The children can now measure and calculate the perimeter of rectilinear shapes in centimetres and metres. As you can see in the pictures below, the children used cubes to calculate and compare the area of rectangles (including squares). Then, Year 5 became more confident at solving comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in a line graph. Finally, the children enjoyed exploring different types of angles and learning how to measure using protractors.
Year 6
Year 6 have had a fast paced half term, recapping and reviewing all of their learning so that they were ready for the SATs. They worked on choosing when to work mentally and when to use working out in the arithmetic test, so they could make sure they had time left over to check. In their maths sessions, they finished ratio and linked this with their learning of fractions – it is really amazing how different maths topics fit together! They built on their knowledge from Year 5 for area, perimeter and volume and even mastered roman numerals all the way to the thousands! Every member of the class did themselves proud in the SATs and showed their resilience and determination to succeed!
Spring 2
In Early Years this term the children have explored the numbers 9 and 10 and began to practise number bonds. They loved having number bond party and finding their matching partner when the music stopped.
They have explored 3D shapes and finding them in the real world. Can you remember what shape a tin of beans is?
Another activity everyone has enjoyed is singing the days of the week and putting them in the correct order. Adding in music to our maths learning is so much fun!
In Year 1, the children practised using tools to help them to add and subtract.
The children have worked really hard on developing their understanding of numbers under 50. They have worked on counting up to 50 splitting numbers into tens and ones. The children have loved working with their partners to practise counting in 2s and 10s.
They also started to learn how to measure using objects and then a ruler and started to measure length and height.
Year 2 have thoroughly enjoyed measuring this half term! They began with length and height. They measured everything around school using centimetres and metres. Measuring the yard was their favourite! After this they began comparing and ordering mass practically and pictorial. Capacity was fun and very messy! The different size containers proved tricky; especially the tall thin tubes.
Year 3 have become Masters of multiplication! This half term they have worked on multiplication and division and can group and share in different ways. They have used concrete resources to support their understanding of exchange and are becoming more confident with written methods. They have loved learning all about measures and can identify when is best to measure in millimetres, centimetres and metres.
The children in Year 4 completed the unit ‘length and perimeter’. The children were able to calculate the perimeter of various shapes, in meters, centimetres and millimetres.
The children have also started their fractions topic. They have been looking at whole numbers and parts of a number. They have been learning how to convert a mixed number to an improper fraction and vice versa. The children have also enjoyed working with fractions on a number line.
Year 5 have been focussing on decimals and percentages. As you can see in the pictures below, the children have used a range of resources to support their understanding including, counters and place value charts. They can now read, write, order and compare numbers with up to three decimal places. The children loved using the Round Rap song, https://youtu.be/3afU6JQG15I, to round decimals with two decimal places to the nearest whole number and to one decimal place. Finally, they were introduced to percentages for the first time so that they can now recognise the per cent symbol (%) and write percentages as a fraction and as a decimal.
Year 6 have mastered percentages and linked this knowledge with fractions and decimals. The children have worked really hard on completing a range of different calculations quickly and correctly as well as checking their answers are correct using inverse operations and estimation. As part of the Oracy project, they have also worked hard during maths talk justifying their reasoning and problem-solving questions. They finished the half term by reviewing their knowledge of shape and geometry, ready to combine this with their learning in computing after the holidays.
Spring 1
Reception
In Early Years this term the children have explored the numbers 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10! They have played lots of matching games and finding ways of making 6, 7, and 8. Exploring their outdoor water area has been great too when looking at full and empty. The children also worked on weight and capacity using the balances.
Year 1
The children in Year 1 have looked at place value, addition and subtraction for numbers to 20. They have completed a range of practical tasks including creating number lines and using them to estimate where numbers belong on the number line.
They also focused on identifying number bonds to 10 and 20 and played games to practise recall.
Year 2
This half term Year 2 began with money. They investigated the size, shape and value of coins and notes. They found it tricky to add some of the larger amounts but partitioning into pounds and pence made it easier. Much of this was achieved practically with the coins and notes. Then they explored multiplication and division. They worked extremely hard identifying equal groups and the importance of sharing equally. They were also introduced to Time Table Rockstars to support their work on 2’s, 5’s and 10’s and the children can’t wait to compete in the battles with the older children!
Year 3
Multiplication and division have been the focus for Year 3 this half term. The children have been learning the 3, 4 and 8-times tables and are beginning to understand multiplication as repeated division. They have used concrete resources to support their understanding of equal grouping as well as sharing equally. They understand the relationship between multiplication and division and can write equations to demonstrate this.
Year 4
This half term, the children in Year 4 have also focussed on multiplication and division. They have used a range of methods such as arrays, repeated addition and factors. The children have also practised more formal methods of multiplication and division.
Year 5
Year 5 showed great resilience this half term. The children worked very hard to multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a one- or two-digit number using the formal written method, including long multiplication for two-digit numbers. As you can see in the pictures below, they also used place value charts and counters to support their understanding. The children felt very confident moving on to division. They can now divide numbers up to 4 digits by a one-digit number using the formal written method of short division and interpret remainders. Year 5 finished the half term by exploring fractions and discovering how to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator and denominators that are multiples of the same number. Finally, the children used diagrams to learn how to multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers.
Year 6
Maths has been fantastic for Year 6 this half term. In their daily ‘foundations of maths’ sessions, they have consolidated their understanding of fractions and mastered simplifying their answers. This has been a great achievement and taken a lot of determination. This will be really beneficial next half term when they combine this with their new learning on decimals and percentages.
In their main maths lessons, they have looked at the 4 operations with decimals, before moving onto algebra. Everyone has attacked this tricky topic with great enthusiasm and loved making links between the counters and cubes and the letters and numbers. It was amazing to see how quickly everyone started getting to grips with using the inverse to solve equations. This has definitely been a favourite topic for the whole class. They finished off the term with converting units, looking at metric conversions (using multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000!) and changing between imperial and metric units.
Autumn 2
Reception
In Early Years the children have deepened their understanding of the numbers to 5. They have played lots of games and can show lots of different ways of making numbers to 5. They love learning along with Jack Hartman, he’s a big part of their classroom. Why don’t you have a sing along too at home?
Year 1
Year 1 is full of budding mathematicians – the children have worked hard on their understanding of addition and subtraction:
They have worked on their number bonds to 10 using Numicon:
Year 2
Year 2 have worked extremely hard understanding adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers. Most found using base ten to be the best resource to work their calculations out. They have also mastered the skill of using a place value chart, this helped many understand the tens or one digits in a 2-digit number. From this they moved onto 2d and 3d shapes. They identified and explored the 2d and 3d shapes using mathematical vocabulary i.e. vertices, edges, faces and sides. The children realised there were many ways of sorting shapes and enjoyed going on a shape hunt around their house. Triangular prism was the trickiest to find! What shapes can you spot around your home?
Year 3
What Marvellous Mathematicians Year 3 are! What an amazing term they have had learning so much more about numbers in the 1000s as well as addition and subtraction. They are well on their way with a number of methods for addition and subtraction and they can also cross tens and exchange. They have made amazing progress with their arithmetic skills and are becoming confident with their mental maths knowledge.
Year 4
This half term, the children have been developing their addition and subtraction skills, by using various methods to add and subtract 4-digit numbers. This has included using concrete resources, such as place value counters; pictorial methods, like bar models; and more abstract methods like the column method. The children have been working on developing their oral explanations of their reasoning and problem-solving questions, which has helped them to answer these style questions in their books. The children have also enjoyed the measurement unit, where they have learned all about how to measure the area of shapes. They have enjoyed counting the squares within shapes and have also been able to draw their own shapes with a given area!
Finally, the children have been practising their times tables, through daily arithmetic time and also through the first half of the multiplication and division unit. The children have been practising their 3, 6, 9, 7, 11 and 12 times tables, through songs, games and problem solving questions. The children’s favourite times table song was the 6-times table one, to Taylor Swift – Shake it off! You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7rYbk9PNuM
Year 5
Year 5 started the half term by focusing on multiplication and division. The children have become more confident in identifying multiples, factors and prime numbers. They can now recognise and use square numbers and cube numbers and multiply and divide whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1,000. Year 5 always enjoy the challenge of solving problems involving multiplication and division.
They then moved on to fractions. Fraction walls and bar models have been a real hit in Year 5 to help the children visualise fractions. They can now use the correct vocabulary, such as mixed numbers and improper fractions and add and subtract fractions with the same denominator, by using different strategies.
Year 6
The children have covered such a vast amount of different maths topics in this half term. They started by completing multiplication and division, before moving onto fractions. After building on their understanding of equivalent fractions from Year 5, they started adding and subtracting fractions, firstly with the same denominator then with different denominators and finally including mixed number fractions too. Adding and subtracting fractions is far trickier than adding and subtracting integers but multiplying and dividing fractions is much easier and they all really enjoyed learning the techniques involved in this. The children continued to recap on their basic skills in daily arithmetic sessions and developed reasoning and problem-solving skills too. As a part of our oracy work in school, the children have been using their maths talk sessions to support their ability to develop their thinking and understanding through talk and questioning.
Autumn 1
Reception
In Early Years this term, the children have exploring matching and sorting. They have sorted animals, colours and even some of their socks! The children have looked at patterns and make their own patterns using lots of different things including autumn treasure, home corner resources and some new numeracy recourses! They found making patterns a little tricky at first but now they’re all super pattern creators!
Year 1
The children have really enjoyed learning using different resources to help them learn the value of numbers up to 10. They learnt new vocabulary including greater than, less than and equal, and have started to learn how to match numerals to words.
The second maths unit that the children focused on was shapes and the children were confidently able to find 2d shapes and started to learn the name of 3d shapes.
Year 2
This half term the children began with numbers to 20 and quickly extended to counting and ordering numbers to 100. They have explored several ways of representing larger numbers to support their understanding of tens and ones. Their favourite is using base 10 as they like to make the large numbers quickly. The children are becoming clever mathematicians by drawing larger numbers using base ten and partitioning into tens and ones. To support adding larger numbers they have been exploring number patterns i.e. number bonds to 20. The children have taken on the challenge to add using a range of strategies.
Year 3
Year 3 have worked on place value this half term and have developed a good understanding of numbers to 1000 using practical resources to support their learning. They can partition numbers to 1000 in various ways and use part whole models to represent this. They have also worked on finding more or less than a given number and can identify 1, 10, 100 more or less from any number using base 10 or counters to support when exchange is required.
Year 4
In maths, the children in Year 4 have been focussing on number and place value. They have used base 10 and place value counters to secure their knowledge of 4-digit numbers. They have been able to represent, partition and round numbers, as well as comparing and ordering them. The children also enjoyed learning the Roman numerals, especially because they link to their history topic.
Year 5
Year 5 have had a busy half term focussing on place value and addition and subtraction. The children can now read, write, order and compare numbers to at least 1,000,000. They have become a lot more confident rounding numbers up to a million to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000. The children enjoyed the challenge of solving addition and subtraction multi-step problems by using the column method. Why don’t you try some of their favourite songs?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1UmAgekzbs and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3afU6JQG15I.
Year 6
Year 6 have been so busy in maths. They have completed their topic on place value, looking at numbers up to 10,000,000! The children can identify digits and their value, round to any value and have a much improved understanding of negative numbers. They have also worked on adding and subtracting huge numbers, multiplying and dividing using the formal written methods and solving problems using these skills. They have also been working on their arithmetic skills, looking at square and cube numbers and what are factors and multiples. They really enjoyed the class challenge, creating square and cube numbers with a range of different resources!