TEACHING MATHEMATICS AT SLEDMERE PRIMARY SCHOOL

At Sledmere Primary School, we believe that the fundamental skills of mathematics are crucial for our students' future opportunities in life. Our goal is to help all students think mathematically, empowering them to reason effectively and solve problems with confidence. We strive to create a sense of wonder and excitement as students encounter new challenges, find multiple solutions, and draw connections between different mathematical concepts.

 

CONCRETE

To achieve a deep understanding of new mathematical concepts, we begin with the use of concrete objects and manipulatives to help students understand mathematical concepts. Through hands-on exploration and experimentation, students gain a foundational understanding of mathematical concepts that can later be applied to more complex problems.

 

PICTORIAL

Alongside the use of concrete objects, we expose students to pictorial representations to help them develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills. These representations enable them to draw out mathematical structures and make sense of abstract methods. By using visual aids, students can develop a better understanding of how different mathematical concepts relate to each other.

 

ABSTRACT

As students gain a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts through the use of concrete and pictorial representations, they can begin to apply abstract methods. We encourage students to draw on their prior knowledge and experiences to develop their problem-solving skills and make connections between different areas of mathematics.

 

Our approach to teaching mathematics aims to promote conceptual understanding and retention, which is our ultimate goal. We encourage students to apply and develop their mathematical skills in various contexts across the curriculum, enabling them to become more confident in real-life situations.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD

Parents can support their children's learning by following our school's 'Written Calculation Policy' when assisting them with homework. This policy covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and following it will help to avoid confusion and support our teaching methods. Please refer to our written and virtual calculation policies for more information.

Your child may be used to using manipulatives in the classroom. To help with this at home, we recommend the use of digital manipulatives. Digital manipulatives can provide a visual and interactive way for students to explore mathematical concepts and improve their understanding. We suggest two websites that offer free digital manipulatives: MathsBot (https://mathsbot.com/manipulatives/numberFrames) and Didax (https://www.didax.com/math/virtual-manipulatives.html). These resources can be accessed from home and provide a range of interactive tools to support students' learning.

 

WHY IS MATHS IMPORTANT TO OUR CHILDREN?

Jacob – Year 2

“I love maths because I like doing adding and playing maths games.  I enjoy using cubes and Numicon to help me solve problems.”

 

Hira – Year 4

“In maths, I like problem solving because it really makes me think about the maths we have learnt.”

 

Lillie – Year 6

“I like it when we do Rapid Recall in maths.  It helps me reflect on learning that we have done in the past.  My favourite thing to do in maths is long division.”

 

YEAR 4 MULTIPLICATION TABLES CHECK (MTC)

In June each year, pupils in Year 4 will sit the multiplication tables check (MTC). The MTC is an online test for pupils in Year 4. Pupils are asked to answer 25 questions on times tables from two to twelve either on an iPad or a laptop. Pupils are given six seconds per question, with three seconds rest between each question, so the test should last less than five minutes. The MTC will establish which pupils’ times tables knowledge is at the expected level and will also help identify which pupils are struggling with their times tables so that they can get extra support.

Questions about the six, seven, eight, nine, and twelve times tables are likely to come up most often and as these are the hardest for most children to learn, it is a good idea to focus on learning these tricky times tables with your child. 

Times Tables Rockstars is a great resource to help support your child with this. There is an area called soundcheck, which mimics the MTC. Speak to your child’s teacher for log in details.