Robin Hood Primary School

Maths at Robin Hood

Mr Feltham is our Maths Leader and has acquired the National Professional Qualification Leading Primary Maths NPQLPM. 

At Robin Hood Primary School, we firmly believe that our school curriculum should provide all of our pupils the opportunities to develop positive attitudes, master skills and remember essential knowledge of the Maths National Curriculum. Pupils will be taught tools to be fluent, solve problems and have the ability to reason logically.

Our pupils should:

• have a sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system 
• know by heart multiplication and division facts up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4. 
• know by heart number facts such as number bonds, doubles and halves
• use what they know by heart to figure out numbers mentally 
• calculate accurately and efficiently, both mentally and written, drawing on a range of calculation strategies 
• make sense of number problems, including real life problems, and recognise the operations needed to solve them
• discuss and explain their methods and reasoning using correct mathematical terms
• judge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them where necessary 
• suggest suitable units for measuring and make sensible estimates of measurements 
• explain and make predictions from the numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables in appropriate curriculum areas
• develop spatial awareness and an understanding of the properties of 2D and 3D shapes

Our Approach

At Robinhood Primary School we have a teaching for Maths Mastery approach in the implementation of the Maths curriculum. In essence, this means pupils of all ages acquire a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. We use the White Rose scheme of learning in our maths lessons. This includes a long-term plan for each year group, giving clear guidance as to the sequencing of lessons for the whole academic year. For each year group, the scheme of learning includes an overview of maths, which is further broken down into blocks of learning, detailing what each child should be learning at each point in the year. Lessons are supplemented with other resources, depending on the needs of the children.

 The mastery approach is underpinned by the 5 big ideas:

•        1) Coherence: A detailed sequenced curriculum which enables all pupils to progress. At Robinhood Primary School we follow the White Rose Maths small steps curriculum.

•        2) Representation and Structure: Using a variety of representations pupils have mental images of the Maths which help them see it which develops their understanding.

•        3) Mathematical Thinking: Pupils have opportunities to look for patterns and relationships, make connections, conjecturing, reasoning and generalizing through high quality discussion using precise mathematical language.

•        4) Fluency: Pupils recall number facts and procedures so that they can reduce their cognitive load when solving more complex problems. The Maths Hub fluency times tables booklets are introduced at the end of Year 2 and continued throughout Lower Key Stage 2 ready for the Year 4 Times Tables Multiplication Test.

•        5)Variation: This involves a closer attention to a key feature of a mathematical concept or structure by varying certain elements.

Challenge and differentiation (SEND, most able):

•    The mastery approach is about depth before speed which in essence means pupils are exposed to a deeper more sustainable understanding of key concepts rather than accelerating through content. Teachers design lessons using the concrete-pictorial-abstract approach using physical and visual representations allowing all pupils to understand mathematical concepts. Pupils are expected to use precise mathematical language to help them explain their reasoning which ensure all pupils can communicate their ideas. Independent tasks are designed to explore their own entry level of depth. 

Assessment and tracking methods:

•    Learning objectives are assessed through teacher questioning and live marking. Each lesson has a flashback based on teachers’ daily assessments to support students’ retrieval practice. Pupils also participate in more formal termly White Rose Maths tests in Arithmetic and Reasoning tests do provide further evidence for teachers to track pupils’ progress.

Whole-School Overview

Enrichment and Extra Opportunities

•        At Robinhood Primary School we are proud to work alongside delivery partner “Spaghetti Maths” which delivers to pupils in Years 2 to 6 an “engaging, hands-on, mind-expanding Math’s activities where pupils will have fun and have a positive attitude towards Maths. This is delivered as an after-school club.

•        The TTRockstars “England Rocks Competition” is an annual event where all pupils can take part in a national competition where they compete as an individual, a class and as part of a school to try and get as many answers correct in their times tables.

•        The Primary Maths Challenge is an annual event for pupils usually in Year 6 who excel in Maths. They complete a Maths Test which can is graded and certificates are presented to those pupils have achieved a particular score. If they achieved Gold, they can enter into the bonus round. 

Cross-curricular links and real-world learning:

•    Maths in primary schools is linked cross-curricular by applying core skills—data handling, measurement, and geometry—to subjects like Science, Art, PE, and Geography to make learning contextual and meaningful. It transforms abstract concepts into tangible, real-life applications, such as using symmetry in art, timing in PE, or data analysis in geography. 

Home Support

•    All pupils have a username and password to the TTRockstars website for pupils to practice their times tables. The website has a Numbots section for pupils in Years 1 and 2.          TTRS                   Numbots

•    We recommend to parents to download the White Rose Maths App which is completely free and provides pupils from Reception to Year 6 to practice their fluency skills.      https://whiteroseeducation.com/1-minute-maths#download

•     Times Tables:

The information below shows the National Curriculum expectations for each year group.

• BBC Bitesize

BBC Bitesize has simple-to-follow lessons and videos for children aged 4-14. Here they can recap units of work that they have completed in school and also play interactive games at home.         Early Years                      Key Stage 1                         Key Stage 2

• White Rose Maths

As a school, we follow the White Rose Maths scheme of work. Here, you will find helpful documents as to how you can support your child at home with their maths skills. There are also workbooks that you can download and work through with your child if you wish.     White Rose Maths Advice and Guidance

• Hit the Button

This is an interactive maths game that focuses on number bonds, times tables, doubling and halving, multiples, division facts and square numbers. The games are against the clock and help to develop mental maths skills.       Hit the Button

Maths Policies

Maths Progression