Numeracy

Numeracy Overview

Intent

At FreshSteps numeracy teaching uses Power Maths. Power Maths is a whole-Primary Phase mastery programme, designed to spark curiosity and excitement and help pupils nurture confidence in Maths. It is structured to help teach concepts for longer and to go deeper for meaningful learning in pupils. For each year group, the curriculum strands have been broken down into core concepts. These are taught in blocks of lessons so as to give sufficient time to developing a deep and sustainable understanding of core maths concepts. Each concept has also been broken down into small steps, daily lessons. Each lesson and concept builds on prior knowledge to help children build a robust and deep understanding of the concept before moving on. Power maths also support how we link learning to the National Curriculum

Implementation

Staff are given the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Maths curriculum. With a strong understanding of how the curriculum is developed, the intent and cross curricular links, teachers are able to ensure effective delivery. Each topic has been strategically designed so that concepts are taught in each age range and built on, year on year, to develop a more sophisticated understanding.

Our long- term plans show all the core topics for children to begin to engage in each curriculum area. Medium term plans set out the core knowledge and the skills that children are expected to learn mapped from the National Curriculum. Key vocabulary is set out for each topic and is taught and explained so that children can develop a broad and sophisticated vocabulary which they can confidently use as they progress through the phases.

Where necessary, teachers can use gaps analysis to modify lessons to suit the needs of pupils. In doing so they make conscious decisions about which areas to revisit and which areas to teach at a later stage in the pupils’ development.
Core subjects, such as Mathematics, are assessed half termly using teacher assessment colour coded grid. All methods assess the acquisition of knowledge set out on the medium-term plans and record whether children have acquired the knowledge or not. This assessment is collated by SLT and reviewed to monitor quality of teaching and learning.

Impact

Since the introduction of Power Math, measuring its impact is ongoing. However, the implementation of the strategies has shown a noticeable consistent approach to the teaching of Numeracy and noticeable impact in outcomes for the pupils. Pupils show positive learning behaviours, confidence, and are beginning to make choices about how they learn best and can articulate their learning. Lessons are more hands on as teachers embrace the concept of concrete, pictorial and abstract approach to teaching Numeracy. Embedding of knowledge is ensured with pupils’ having the opportunity to apply what is learnt to real life situations before the completion of topic of focus.

In addition to Power maths, a Money Matters component is included in the curriculum. This provides pupils with practical approach to saving, investments and spending

wisely. Pupils have regular opportunity to apply their understanding of concepts in finance related board games which they thoroughly enjoy and can discuss fluently.