Maths

Intent

At TAB Infant we aim for all children to develop a love of Maths with a high-quality curriculum, allowing our children to learn and develop their skills. Our curriculum allows for children to access Maths in a variety of ways, that is meaningful and purposeful to them. We aim for our children to become:

• fluent in basic number skills, including the rapid recall of numbers, frequently practising counting and calculations to develop accuracy;

• can reason mathematically using simple language, involving explaining their thinking, spotting patterns and talking about maths using the correct vocabulary

• are able to solve routine and non-routine problems with increasing confidence, by breaking down challenges and finding solutions.

Implementation

At TAB Infant we provide quality first provision, through both whole class sessions and small group that develop skill application in engaging activities. Our Maths sessions are structured as whole class inputs following the ‘I do, we do, you do’ method. Teachers introduce the skill being taught in the session, talking out loud their thought process, explaining how they use resources needed and model the correct use of vocabulary. In the ‘we do’ section the children work through examples of the skill being taught, for example, counting, number ordering, partitioning and solving calculations. In ‘I do’ the children then practise the skill independently completing tasks with adult support as needed.

In EYFS, we plan from the EYFS Framework and The Early Learning Goals to plan for both purposeful play and structured activities using a mix of adult-led and child-initiated opportunities.  Children are taught focus concepts in whole-class discussions using the same structure as KS1. In EY, there is an emphasis on developing understanding of numbers and number patterns. We use concrete and pictorial resources before moving onto abstract recording when ready.

Number
Have a deep understanding of numbers to 10, including the composition of each number.
Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5.
Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts.

Number Pattern
Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system.
Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity.
Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally.

In KS1 we use the 2014 National Curriculum to ensure that skills taught in Early Years are built upon. Throughout KS1 the concrete, pictorial and abstract (CPA) method embedded in Early Years continues. This allows all children to be able to use and apply their skills, using strategies that support them to achieve their best across each area of maths.

Key Stage 1 (KS1) is made of both Year 1 and Year 2. In Year 1 the maths curriculum is divided into seven main areas which build on counting, number fluency and basic geometry reasoning. In Year 2 the children build upon their learning from Year 1, including an eight area of statistics.

• Number and Place Value    
• Addition and Subtraction   
• Multiplication and Division Fractions
•  Measurement                                         
• Geometry: Properties of Shapes 
• Geometry: Position and Direction S
• Statistics (Year 2 only)

Alongside each area the children have opportunities to practise their problem solving and reasoning skills, applying what they have learned to find solutions. Problems are solved using the CPA methods, as a class, in small groups and independently. Maths provides many opportunities for children to collaborate, discuss what they have found out and explain how they know. Using given sentence starters supports all children with how to structure verbal responses and allows them to add to what has already been said.

Throughout our school, The children have opportunities to direct their own learning through  Continuous Provision.  Children have time throughout the day to consolidate and extend their understanding of their Maths knowledge, through games, play and critical thinking. We provide challenges for the children to complete during this time, In Reception they are called “Star Challenges”, Year 1 “Rainbow Challenges” and “Investigate challenges” in Year 2.

Impact

By the end of TAB Infant we aim for all of our children to be numerate to understand that maths is an important part of their future and how maths links to their everyday lives. They will be;

• Enthusiastic Learners: Children speak positively about mathematics, showing curiosity and enjoyment during activities.
• Core Understanding: Pupils build a secure grasp of fundamental concepts like numbers, counting, shape recognition, and simple measurement.
• Mathematical Language: Students use correct vocabulary to explain their thinking and discuss ideas with peers.
• Resilience: Learners view mistakes as useful tools for learning and show persistence when solving problems.
• Smooth Transition: Pupils achieve individual milestones that allow them to leave the infant stage well-prepared for Key Stage 2.