Mathematics is essential for everyday life and understanding our world. It is also essential to science, technology and engineering, and the advances in these fields on which our economic future depends. It is therefore fundamentally important to ensure that all children have the best possible mathematics education. They need to understand the mathematics they learn so that they can be creative in solving problems, as well as being confident and fluent in developing and using the mathematical skills so valued by the world of industry and higher education. It is with this in mind we endeavor to ensure that children develop a healthy and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics that will stay with them.
 
The National Curriculum order for mathematics describes what must be taught in each key stage. This ensures continuity and progression in the teaching of mathematics. 
 
Our aims for teaching mathematics in Colerne CE Primary School are that children should:

• Have a sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system.
• Know by heart number facts such as number bonds, multiplication tables and doubles and halves.
• Use what they know by heart to figure out numbers mentally.
• Calculate accurately and efficiently, both mentally and on paper, drawing on a range of calculation strategies.
• Recognise when it is appropriate to use a calculator and be able to do so efficiently.
• Make sense of ‘real life’ maths problems and recognise the operations needed to solve them.
• Explain their methods and reasoning using correct mathematical vocabulary.
• Judge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them where necessary.
• Know units for measuring and make sensible estimations of measures.
• Explain and make predictions from numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.
• Develop spatial awareness and an understanding of the properties of 2D and 3D shapes.
• Understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life.

 
Supporting your Child at home with their Mathematics Learning
An easy way to boost children’s skills and motivation outside of school is to show them how useful and important number skills are in almost everything they do. Why not come along to one of our Mini-Maths Workshops specially designed for Mums and Dads!
 
The following activities will support the children’s application of their basic number skills in a fun and exciting way!

Key Stage 1

• Number hunt- noticing numbers in our environment e.g. on doors, car number plates, telephone keypad.
• Using rulers and tape measures to measure the height/length of objects in the home.
• Counting everyday objects e.g. pairs of socks in the washing basket, number of cars passed on your journey to school.
• Weighing ingredients for cooking in the kitchen and doubling/halving ingredients.
• Counting and budgeting with pocket money.
• Ordering days of the week/months of the year, plotting birthdays on the calendar.
• Drawing simple maps of your journey to school, trip to the zoo etc.
• Using a variety of mathematical words in everyday contexts e.g. more than, bigger, less than, take away, subtract, difference etc.

 
Key Stage 2

• Measuring and comparing heights e.g. thinking about how much taller/smaller people are in the family.
• Counting and recording objects in the environment e.g. car number plates, models, colours.
• Weighing ingredients in the kitchen. Adapting recipes for different numbers of people and reading the temperature and time in recipes.
• Budgeting with pocket money. How much more will they need, how much will be left?
• Weighing fruit and vegetables when shopping. Thinking about the relative value of different brands of objects by comparing weight to price e.g. half price, 10% off, buy one get one free.
• Using a compass/map for directions, drawing maps for favourite routes; thinking about the position of countries in relation to each other on a world map.

 
Parent Helpers
We warmly welcome parent helpers at Colerne and really appreciate any time you can give to us to help support the children with the learning of their basic skills in maths. Please speak to your child’s teacher or Mark Solomon if you would like to come in and help.
 
Maths Basic Skills Opportunities 
Our children benefit from structured support and learning in the basic skills. They are regularly assessed in the development and understanding of their number bonds (eg pairs of number to make 10, 20, etc.) and times tables. Our Star Badge Incentive is highly motivational and encourages the children to take control and drive their progress in this area.