The intent of our mathematics curriculum is to design a curriculum which is accessible to all and will maximise the development of every child’s ability and academic achievement. We deliver lessons that are creative and engaging. 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 children to realise that mathematics has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. We want them to know that it is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. As our pupils progress, we intend for our pupils to be able to understand the world, have the ability to reason mathematically, have an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. The national curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. They will also learn how to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and develop an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language. They will learn how to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Calculations Policy

This calculation policy has been developed and agreed after using the National Curriculum objectives and methods.

At Abercrombie Primary School we recognise that mathematics can only be used effectively when the user understands the tool, and has ownership of it.  With our calculation policy, we can be confident throughout school, that the hard work we all put into teaching the children each year to calculate, will be consolidated and extended the following year.

By agreeing on the use of strategies and mathematical language the children will be taught in a consistent way in all classes, developing their understanding as they progress through school.  This will hopefully cause less confusion for the children and ensure they have the necessary strategies and scaffolding to enable them to solve mathematical problems.

Children will then be encouraged to use the calculation strategies they are secure with, whether done mentally or using pencil and paper methods.