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At St Teresa of Lisieux we use the White Rose Maths programme to direct our Maths teaching. White Rose Maths is an innovative maths teaching framework, supporting schools, students and teachers to be successful at maths.
A deep understanding is achieved through covering fewer topics in greater depth not ‘climbing’ the curriculum as quickly as possible. Pupils master concepts rather than learning procedures by rote. It is also key that all pupils master the curriculum, which fits in very well with our school vision, that ‘We aim to provide a learning environment where all children can achieve their highest potential and to foster a climate where all children, regardless of class, race, gender or disability feel secure and can grow in confidence and self esteem’.
There are three key features of the primary programme that deliver pupils with a deep understanding of mathematics.
Objects and pictures: Children use concrete manipulatives (objects) and pictorial representations (pictures), before moving to abstract symbols (numbers and signs).
Language development: The way that children speak and write about mathematics has been shown to have an impact on their success. We plan the mathematical vocabulary to be using during the lesson and this is introduced at the beginning, and reinforced throughout. Every lesson includes opportunities for children to explain or justify their mathematical reasoning.
Here is a list of key vocabulary used from Reception to Year 6. This will help parents to discuss the vocabulary with their children and show how to model this language in the same way as it is done in school.
Problem solving: Mathematical problem solving is at the heart of the approach – it is both how children learn maths, and the reason why they learn maths. By accumulating knowledge of mathematics concepts, children can develop and test their problem solving in every lesson.
