Maths

At Lion, our success in Maths is building a foundation for understanding our world.

Mathematics is an exciting, creative subject. We aim to develop children's enjoyment of maths whilst building their fluency and confidence from Early Years through to Year Six.

We encourage mathematical discussions to develop conceptual understanding at all levels. Our curriculum is designed so pupils think mathematically and articulate their thinking. We foster positive attitudes towards mathematics, helping children see its relevance to everyday life whilst developing their problem-solving skills across all subjects. We empower children to be assessment proficient and develop the ability to talk, reason, manipulate and connect their ideas to develop confident mathematicians. 

Language in the mathematics curriculum is vital. This also includes communication. Pupils are encouraged to explain how they arrived at a particular answer; how they would deal with a particular problem; the meaning of related questions. Teachers facilitate the discussions and develop the child to be confident in externalising their thinking.

The National Curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Become fluent in mathematical fundamentals through varied practice, developing conceptual understanding and recalling knowledge efficiently
• Reason mathematically by following lines of enquiry and developing arguments using mathematical language
• Solve problems by applying their mathematics to routine and non-routine problems, including breaking down complex problems into simpler steps

We use the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) approach to create a deep understanding of maths skills through building on existing knowledge and concentrating efforts on developing a focused number of key skills. We then owe a great deal to our own assessment-proficiency concept.

Children are encouraged to explain their reasoning, question things they don’t understand or agree with, and present their views in a structured and logical way. The subject really comes alive when they can externalise their thinking in this way and work collaboratively to apply those key skills creatively to real-life problems.

Bar Modelling

Over time children learn how to use models and images, such as empty number lines or bar modelling to support their mental and informal written methods of calculation. When engaging in number calculations it is important to encourage children to look first at the problem and then get them to decide which is the best method to choose– concrete, pictures, mental calculation with or without jottings or structured recording. Bar models can be used effectively to support calculations. However, this is not to be mistaken as an algorithm that will give an answer. Bar models should be described as a mathematical picture that helps organise mathematical thinking. They are used most effectively when comparing numbers or solving one or two step problems.

Maths isn't just about numbers – it's about solving problems, spotting patterns, and understanding the world around us. From counting toys to working out how much pocket money is left, your child uses maths every day.