Maths at John Betts

Mathematics equips pupils with a uniquely powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. These tools include logical reasoning, problem solving skills, and the ability to become “out of the box” thinkers.

Knowledge rich

At John Betts we prioritise teaching pupils mathematical fluency, as well as exposing them to reasoning and problem-solving activities. Once students can recall and apply knowledge, this supports them to solve questions flexibly, make connections and choose efficient strategies to solve a range of questions. For each unit of work, our learning objectives are broken down into small steps to ensure students are guided from novice to expert via the chunking of new knowledge. Our homework setting via Mathletics and Maths Passports ensures further practice that allows pupils to develop rapid recall of facts and retrieve prior knowledge. Weekly Maths Passports sessions allow pupils to learn key facts to automaticity to support their learning.

Maths planning

While our curriculum is based on the White Rose Scheme, we have adapted it to suit our cohorts. It is supplemented with additional mastery resources from Master the Curriculum, NCETM and NRICH to provide challenge for all pupils and enrich our pupils’ mathematical experience.

Over the year, the children cover a range of place value, calculation, problem solving strategies, measurement, geometry and statistics topics. In Reception and Year 1, units are sequenced to ensure children build on their prior number knowledge, and geometry and measurement are spaced in blocks throughout the year. From Year 2, the curriculum has been adapted so that topics including geometry and measurement appear every other week throughout the year, alternating with problem solving lessons.

Lesson structure

In every class, each lesson begins with a starter activity revisiting learning from the previous session, as well as knowledge from earlier topics and year groups. Mental Maths is regularly incorporated into these sessions. After the children have been taught a concept, for example number bonds to 10, rapid recall is then focused on. 

During lessons, teachers give explicit instruction, model with worked examples and show multiple representations (Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract). Worked examples follow a I do-We do-You do structure to support pupils and allow for assessment for learning to take place.

Teachers prioritise teaching and modelling using explicit mathematical vocabulary and provide clear explanations with visuals (dual coding). In mathematical talk tasks, sentence stems are used to support children using this vocabulary and children are encouraged to share their answers using full sentences. Often, talk tasks include children using manipulatives and pictorials to deepen their understanding.

Adapted tasks are provided for every lesson and children select the task that they identify as most appropriate for their confidence in this area of mathematical learning. Each task includes a WAGOLL (what a good one looks like) to enable children to tackle the task independently. Individual and group support and challenges are provided to ensure that all learners are making the optimum progress they are capable of.