Maths
Mathematics is a core skill needed for everyday life. It is integral to many jobs across a wide spectrum of professions. At Someries, we deliver a high-quality education that underpins the national mathematics curriculum that is both enjoyable and challenging. We want our pupils to understand the relevance of what they are learning for the real world - while developing secure mathematical knowledge and the ability to reason and solve complex problems. This is in line with the principles and features which characterise the three aims of the National Curriculum: Fluency, Reasoning and Problem Solving.
Our daily mathematics lessons include opportunities for pupils to develop a love for all things mathematics through speaking and listening. We aim to give pupils confidence to talk about how and why they have reached an answer, including what strategies they have used. In class, they are encouraged to use a variety of resources to support their understanding of mathematical ideas. These concrete manipulatives are at the core of teaching Mastery for mathematics.
Using Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) is an effective approach to teaching concepts as they can be by nature quite abstract! The CPA approach builds on pupils’ knowledge by introducing abstract concepts in a concrete, tangible way. As pupils become more confident, they move from using concrete manipulatives to pictorial representations and then on to abstract symbols and problems. Follow the link to our Calculation Policy, which shows how we use CPA to teach the Four Operations at Someries.
As part of our focus on supporting pupils in mathematics, we teach using small steps so that pupils can build on their previous learning – moving from what they already know to what they do not know yet. This aids in increasing their long-term memory and helps them to succeed in mathematics. Both formative and summative assessment is used so that teachers can check pupils’ progress and ensure that they all achieve their full potential.
Maths Week 2022
In November, the pupils at Someries participated in Maths Week! Each year group enjoyed learning about Maths across the curriculum in different subjects and in different ways. There was lots of time to investigate important mathematicians, as well as use Maths in art, science, English, PE and more. The highlight for the pupils was the visit from The Happy Puzzle Company, who came in and did workshops with each year group – challenging the pupils to solve tricky puzzles and work together as a team, showing resilience and co-operation! It was also wonderful to see so many parents and carers in school that week, as we all enjoyed creating Maths games and having the opportunity to play them as well. Teamwork, creativity and communication were skills the pupils used to make innovative and fun games. It was a morning enjoyed by all! Maths Week has again been a highlight of the term and has given the pupils an opportunity to enjoy Maths and see its application across so many areas of life. Mrs Barton, Maths Leader
In Maths Week, we made Top Trumps Cards about endangered animals. We looked at the most endangered animals on the laptops. One of the most endangered animals is an elephant. The elephant population is dropping day by day. The internet says that if the population keeps dropping, all elephants will be gone by 2030. I really enjoyed it, as it was really interesting. It was a fun way to link Maths and Science. Jack – Year 4
In Maths Week, we created a poster about Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi because he was a mathematician. He was a Muslim and he made up numerals like 1, 2, 3, 4 … He is known as the Father of Algebra. I enjoyed finding out about him. Noa – Year 4
On Friday, we made Peppermint Creams. First, we looked at the ingredients we needed, icing sugar, condensed milk and peppermint essence. We used weighing scales to measure the condensed milk. We had to make a dough and split it equally. Then we had to flatten them in to sweets. We left them in the fridge for two hours. It was so much fun making them! I loved Maths Week! Elena – Year 3
On Wednesday, the Happy Puzzle Company came in and I played three games. One was a penguin game when you have a wobbly iceberg and we needed to put the penguins on the iceberg with letting them fall off. The second games was when you had road pieces and you had to make a big road out of them. The third games was when you had lots of shapes and you had to put them in a grid. Some of the games were hard but so much fun at the same time! Ben – Year 3
Normally I am not a fan of Maths, but Maths Week was really fun. One of my favourite activities was creating a tessellation. You had to draw a shape on paper and cover the whole sheet with no gaps. Then we had to colour it in. I had a great time with all the activities and I wish we could do more. I loved Maths Week! Millie – Year 5
In Maths Week, we did lots of fun activities including making games with carers and friends, so that we could play them during indoor break. We also had a workshop with the Happy Puzzle Company and we worked together in teams to solve puzzles. We had to use co-operation and teamwork. One of the challenges was to use one of your pinkies and someone else’s to pick up and balance a small, toy plastic figure of a penguin and balance it on a plastic, wobbly board. Many groups (including mine) got frustrated with some of the activities and we had to try many different ways to solve the puzzles until they worked. It took patience and tested our teamwork. Amillie – Year 5
My favourite thing about Maths Week was when we made our maths games because it made me feel happy as I got to spend time with my grandad and show my creativity. It also helped me understand maths better, as I find maths hard sometimes. Holly – Year 6
In Maths Week, I became a lot more confident in Maths. This is because we did so many activities that were fun and which we had not done before. The best thing for me was when the Happy Puzzle Company came in. They made us use our brain to solve puzzles! We had to be co-operative in our groups and it was loads of fun! Daniel – Year 6
Maths Curriculum
- Schemes of work: Year 3 - Year 4 - Year 5 - Year 6
- Calculation Policy
- Maths progression of skills
- Link to home learning videos from White Rose -