Maths Mastery At Thriplow
How do we teach maths at Thriplow?
At Thriplow we aim to teach our students to master mathematics. By following the Maths Mastery approach we encourage children to make connections and build a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. As a basis for our teaching we follow the White Rose Maths scheme of learning, this is used to inform our small steps and teachers' planning. We adapt this scheme to suit the needs of our pupils. White Rose Maths is rooted in research around Maths Mastery. Maths Mastery originated in East Asia, particularly in Shanghai and Singapore where maths is taught to mastery, focusing on giving all student a deep understanding of mathematics and the ability to reason and make connections with maths in the real world.
What does maths mastery look like?
Mastery at Thriplow is taught through the use of concrete, pictorial and abstract representation which build around talk, mathematical conversation and questioning. Children are encouraged to explore and play with mathematics in order to manipulate mathematics and numbers in a way which solves a problem or proves an assertion. Children are encouraged to use technical language in order to articulate their methods and reasoning. In Maths Mastery children are constantly challenged to prove their answers, merely knowing the calculation is not enough, we aim for children to understand the ‘why’ in mathematics not just the how.
When we begin a new subject we will spend up to five weeks looking deeply at the concept, following small incremental steps and using different physical, visual and abstract representations. Our teaching builds upon previous learning and aims to build connections between other mathematical concepts, for example to relationships between fractions and multiplication, division, decimals and percentages. Throughout a topic children will be encouraged to build, draw, say and write their mathematics to develop and demonstrate their understanding.
Why do we use maths mastery?
At Thriplow we follow this approach as it encourages problem solving and reasoning skills across all students, whilst also allowing for challenge and stretch for even the most able pupils through justification and proving their mathematical assertions. This form of challenge ensures that children are not ‘pushed on’ to the next thing before they are ready, or where they only have a ‘surface’ understanding of a concept.
What other tools do we use?
At Thriplow children across the school engage with weekly mental maths practise, ensuring children continue to recap and review different areas of learning throughout the year. Children will also access Times Tables Rockstars to support teaching and learning on the multiplication tables. In addition to Numbots to support and consolidate learning on number bonds, addition and subtraction and subitising numbers. We also encourage the use of Mathletics to consolidate learning in line with in class teaching. Across the school these are used for both in class learning and home learning.
What can I do to help at home?
- Learn number bonds for 5,6,7,8,9,10 and 20
- Learn multiplication tables up to 12x
- Learn key facts for measurements
- Use Mathletics, White Rose 1-Minute Maths and Times Tables Rockstars
- Support children with their Mental Maths in Key Stage 2
- Do lots of hands on maths at home, using money, weighing scales, jugs, rulers, tape measures etc
- Have conversations involving number, time, dates, distances, estimating and sharing
- Play games and with toys that involve maths – this could be something numerical like Monopoly or something structural such as multilink
- Watch the BBC series “Numberblocks” – it is a brilliant animated programme which showcases the concepts of Maths Mastery in a very entertaining and accessible way
