Mathematics
Introduction
At Breaside Preparatory School the teaching of Mathematics reflects the enormous depth and brevity of the subject The dedicated Mathematics staff at the school provide challenging work that reflects the high standards that our children achieve in Mathematics.
The National Numeracy Strategy
Breaside Preparatory School is guided by the National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) to a large degree. A high priority is placed upon the development of basic skills at Breaside. We devote at least five hours of teaching time per week to the development of mathematical skills and understanding.
The NNS defines numeracy and the characteristics of the "numerate pupil" on p.4, Section 1. We accept those definitions and share the view expounded in the NNS of the factors that pronounce high standards in numeracy (pp.4-5)
Breaside has naturally developed its own approach to the teaching of Mathematics and we have thus selected the resources that we feel are best suited to our purpose, taking into account particular local conditions which might influence the organisation and pace of our curriculum.
The NNS is an extremely detailed and practical document. The broad framework is helpful in ensuring the balanced coverage of the Attainment Targets for Mathematics at Breaside - Number, Shape, Space and Measures: Handling Data.
It is important to understand that no separate programme of study is defined for ssing and applying Mathematics, as it should pervade each of the three Attainment Targets.
The Breaside Mathematics Curriculum achieves all of the requirements of the NNS and indeeds goes further - it comprehensively ensures that all pupils experience and develop an ability to apply their aquired skills and knowledge appropriately to a variety of mathematical situations.
Breaside serves the needs of a particular community and as such has its own approach to teaching and learning. We are however guided and informed in our approach by the 'Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage', by the National Curriculum orders for Key Stage 1 and 2 and by the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. We enter our pupils for National Curriculum Key Stage 2 SATs and Key Stage 1 SATs therefore, we ensure thorough coverage of the knowledge, skills and understanding required for those tests.
A broad range of ability is evident amongst our pupils at Breaside. There will be those pupils for whom the agreed expectations will be a considerable challenge, others whose achievements will take them beyond the general expectation. Where it is approriate, work will be planned to differentiate (by task or by outcome) between pupils of varied ability. At Breaside, differentiation is also planned through 'grouping' or 'setting' strategies.
Aims - Breaside Mathematics
The Aims of our department include:
- Recognition and understanding of the ways in which children acquire mathematical understanding.
- Facilitation of the pupil's Mathematical skills acquisition so that they are able to engage in practical activities, explorations and discussions to develop an understanding, knowledge of and love for Mathematics.
- Coherence and continuity - to ensure that at each successive stage, skills and knowledge are consolidated and built upon.
- Mathematics should be fun. Mathematics is a creative discipline and should be used to '..understand and change the world' (NNS)
- We must help pupils (at particular stages) to develop appropriate examination 'techniques' and must provide opportunities for the practice of those techniques.
In summary our aim is to provide children with a comprehensive range of mental and written strategies, with mathematical understanding and with the ability to recognise, with confidence, the mathematics that must be applied to the solution of a variety of problems - a fusion of the mechanical and the creative.
More detailed information is available about each individual year group by clicking on the following links: