At West Hampstead we believe that Mathematics equips pupils with a powerful set of skills to understand the world around them. These skills include logical reasoning, problem solving and ability to think in abstract ways.
Mathematical teaching and learning at West Hampstead is underpinned by a mastery approach. At West Hampstead Primary school, we follow a curriculum where Mathematics is purposeful and motivational. Every day, children participate in maths activities that promote fluency, reasoning, investigation and problem solving.
Our intent is that children are taught the essential Mathematical skills that will allow them to develop positive attitudes towards the subject and an awareness of the relevance of Mathematics in the real world.
At West Hampstead we strive to provide children with a rich and balanced curriculum that develops their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving, the key aims of our National Curriculum for Mathematics. In order to deliver this intent, we follow the aims and objectives below.
Our Aims and Objectives
Our aims and objectives are:
- to develop knowledge of the Mathematics contained within the programmes of study of the National Curriculum.
- to develop pupils’ enjoyment and interest in Mathematics and an appreciation of its contribution to all aspects of everyday life by providing a range of meaningful experiences.
- to ensure pupils use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and reason clearly their understanding and ideas.
- to ensure pupils acquire the language and vocabulary of Mathematics;
- to develop pupils’ use of computing in their Maths lessons.
- to develop a knowledge and appreciation of the contribution made by famous Mathematicians to our knowledge of the world including Mathematicians from different cultures.
- to provide high quality Mathematics experiences outside the designated Maths lessons through a connected curriculum approach.
Why do we study Maths at West Hampstead?
Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality Mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason Mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of Mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.
The national curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately;
- Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language;
- Can solve problems by applying their Mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
At West Hampstead, we strive for all children to not only have the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in Maths at school, in their future jobs and in their daily lives, but also to recognise and engage in the enjoyment of numbers and Mathematical thinking.
Legislation and Guidance
This policy reflects the requirements of the National Curriculum programmes of study, which all maintained schools in England must teach.