Maths

"It's not a boring place to be, the mathematical world. It's an extraordinary place; it's worth spending time there." Marcus du Sautoy

At Clanfield CE Primary School, we teach for a deep understanding of mathematical concepts aiming for all our pupils to develop into confident mathematicians who are curious to explore, question and reason mathematically.

Our approach to teaching mathematics is fully inclusive. We do not believe that our pupils have a fixed ability - so much so that we have eradicated the terms ‘low ability’ and ‘high ability’ from our school vocabulary. We believe that all pupils have the potential to become mathematicians through participating in our carefully designed maths lessons.

We have a strong focus on pupils using equipment and maths manipulatives, such as Place Value Counters and Diennes, to secure their understanding of the maths being taught, as well as the ability to calculate fluently.

We use the White Rose Maths Hub Long Term Plans across the school to ensure we cater for our mixed year classes and complement these with a variety of resources.

Our curriculum provides opportunities for all pupils to reason and problem solve, to articulate their thinking and work on sophisticated challenges both independently and collaboratively. Meaningful feedback, an emphasis on number sense, communication and conceptual understanding to develop mathematical thinking are therefore essential components of our school’s approach to learning and teaching in mathematics.

To develop the children's fluency and mental maths skills, we are introducing KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) throughout school. KIRFs are a way of helping the children to learn by heart, key facts and information which they need to have instant recall of.

KIRFs are designed to support the development of mental maths skills that underpin much of the maths work in our school. They are particularly useful when calculating, adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing. They contain number facts such as number bonds and times tables that need constant practise and rehearsal, so children can recall them quickly and accurately.

Instant recall of facts helps enormously with mental agility in maths lessons. When children move onto written calculations, knowing these key facts is very beneficial. For your child to become more efficient in recalling them easily, they need to be practised frequently and for short periods of time.

Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFS) - Letter to ParentsYear 4 Multiplication Tables Check