Maths

Maths at The Willows

At The Willows, our mathematics curriculum is designed to help every child achieve their full potential from their own starting point. We deliver an engaging and accessible maths curriculum that prepares our pupils for their next step in education and equips them with essential life skills. We give our pupils opportunities to develop fluency with the basics (number bonds, timetables and mathematical concepts), reason mathematically using precise mathematical language, and solve problems with confidence by applying their knowledge in real-life contexts. Through daily maths lessons that include fluency, reasoning and problem-solving, differentiated to ensure appropriate challenge for all learners, and supported by concrete manipulatives and visual representations, children make strong progress and are rewarded for their achievements using Num Bots and Times Table Rock Stars. We want each child to develop self-confidence, resilience and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about mathematics, growing in confidence to see themselves as capable mathematicians. Regular assessment tracks individual progress, and children apply their maths skills across the curriculum, leaving The Willows with the mathematical knowledge, skills and confidence they need for their next stage of education and for independence in daily life.

Our Approach

We follow the White Rose Maths curriculum, a research-based programme that ensures continuity and progression in teaching mathematics from Year 1 to Year 6.

We use the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach throughout our teaching:

Concrete – Children use physical objects and manipulatives to explore mathematical concepts
Pictorial – Children use visual representations such as diagrams and models
Abstract – Children use mathematical symbols to solve problems independently

This approach helps all children, particularly those with SEND, to develop deep understanding and make meaningful connections in mathematics.

Times Table Rock Stars & NumBots

We use two fantastic online programmes to build mathematical fluency:

Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) – Children in Years 2-6 use this fun, game-based programme to master their times tables. To be a Times Table Rock Star, you need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds!

Num Bots – Children in Key Stage 1 (and those needing additional support in Key Stage 2) use NumBots to develop rapid recall of number bonds and mental addition and subtraction skills.

For more detailed information about our mathematics curriculum, please see our Mathematics Policy.

Want to support your child's maths learning at home? Ask your child's teacher for their NumBots or Times Table Rock Stars login, and watch them become a maths superstar!

At The Willows our mathematics curriculum is designed to nurture ambition in our children to achieve the very best that they can from their own starting points. We deliver a maths curriculum which prepares our children for their next step in their education. To do this, we give them opportunities to develop fluency with the basics (arithmetic, times tables and mathematical concepts), reason mathematically and solve problems. We also intend to give each child the self-confidence and resilience to reach their full potential and to develop a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

We want our pupils who grasp concepts rapidly to be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Pupils who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material will consolidate their understanding before moving on. Over time, pupils will be given the opportunity to revise and rehearse key concepts and mathematical themes, deepening their learning through review and extension opportunities as they progress through the school.

At The Willows we believe that mathematical talk is essential for pupils to present mathematical justifications, arguments or proof. Pupils will build secure foundations in mathematics by developing their mathematical vocabulary and using it in discussions to deepen their knowledge and understanding and remedy their misconceptions.

Pupils will also apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects where opportunities arise.

At The Willows School Academy Trust we know that, with SEND pupils, personalisation of the curriculum is key so that each individual’s priorities can be considered in order to prepare them adequately for adulthood with the best possible quality of life. Our ambitious curriculum has been created and adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, developing their knowledge, skills and abilities to apply what they know with increasing fluency and independence. We believe that it is vital that our pupils are equipped with the tools needed to become independent, inquisitive learners in all subjects and that our pupils achieve the very best outcome and reach their full potential.

Vision

We aim for pupils to have mastered the primary mathematics curriculum by the time they leave us, so that they are ready for the next step in their education.

They will master this by:

being fluent with the basics (rapid recall, conceptual understanding);
being able to reason mathematically (making generalisations, justifications and proofs using mathematical language) ;
being able to solve problems (applying, breaking down problems).

If you would like to know more about the National Curriculum please click here:

When it comes to times tables, speed and accuracy are important – the more facts your child remembers, the easier it is for them to do harder calculations. Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables! To be a Times Table Rock Star you need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds!

Intent

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics.
Develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly.
To reason and problem solve by applying mathematics to a variety of increasingly complex problems.
To build upon children’s knowledge and understanding from year 1 to year 6.
To develop resilience that enables all children to reason and problem solve with increased confidence.

Implementation

To ensure full topic coverage, the school uses our own bespoke maths programme - focussed on the CPA approach. This is a whole-school primary maths curriculum that creates continuity and progression in the teaching of mathematics. Students are able to familiarise themselves with the 'I do, We do, You do' model powerpoint boards that are used in all classes.
Daily maths lessons include fluency, reasoning and problem solving.
Lessons are differentiated to ensure there is appropriate challenge for all learners (red, yellow, green).
Concrete manipulatives and pictorial representations are used to support conceptual understanding and to make links across topics.
Children are individually assessed and rewarded for rapid recall of number bonds (KS1) and times tables (Years 2-6).
Children complete a check for understanding grid on each topic to ensure progress is being made through their maths journey
Students will complete a recall maths grid to ensure they have not forgotten past learning and helping to move this learning into long term memory.
Children are assessed on a termly basis.

Impact

Most children reach end of year expectations.
Children’s progress is tracked on a weekly basis using a tracker.
Well planned sequences of learning support children to develop and refine their maths skills.
Children are able to independently apply their knowledge to a range of increasingly complex problems.
Children are reasoning with increased confidence and accuracy.

Mathematics Policy

Maths

Maths at The Willows

Vision

If you would like to know more about the National Curriculum please click here:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics.

Develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly.

To reason and problem solve by applying mathematics to a variety of increasingly complex problems.

To build upon children’s knowledge and understanding from year 1 to year 6.

To develop resilience that enables all children to reason and problem solve with increased confidence.

Daily maths lessons include fluency, reasoning and problem solving.

Lessons are differentiated to ensure there is appropriate challenge for all learners (red, yellow, green).

Concrete manipulatives and pictorial representations are used to support conceptual understanding and to make links across topics.

Children are individually assessed and rewarded for rapid recall of number bonds (KS1) and times tables (Years 2-6).

Children complete a check for understanding grid on each topic to ensure progress is being made through their maths journey

Students will complete a recall maths grid to ensure they have not forgotten past learning and helping to move this learning into long term memory.

Children are assessed on a termly basis.

Most children reach end of year expectations.

Children’s progress is tracked on a weekly basis using a tracker.

Well planned sequences of learning support children to develop and refine their maths skills.

Children are able to independently apply their knowledge to a range of increasingly complex problems.

Children are reasoning with increased confidence and accuracy.