Burnley Road Academy Mathematics
Maths Curriculum Statement of Intent
At Burnley Road Academy, we believe that maths is essential to everyday life and provides a foundation for understanding the world. Our aim in maths is to ensure that the children become fluent in the fundamentals, can reason mathematically and can solve problems by applying their learning to varied situations with confidence.
We follow a spiral curriculum, allowing children to revisit each topic within a fairly short time span. This ensures that children’s confidence is boosted by regular encounters with a specific skill or concept.
We develop the school values of: Courage, Compassion, Perseverance and Teamwork by
Encouraging children to ‘have a go’ and to believe that they can and will achieve in maths.
To help each other using peer support.
To be independent learners when appropriate, persist with their work and develop resilience.
Co-operate with others as part of a team and listen to other children’s ideas.
Implementation
We do this through:
•A clear and consistent curriculum strategy throughout school so that children are hearing consistent language and using progressive methods that build from one year to the next.
•Secure retrieval of facts through frequent practice.
•Problem solving and reasoning opportunities to develop investigative skills and assess children’s understanding.
Maths at Burnley Road
•We follow Hamilton Trust long term planning for our daily lessons using the short blocks and may supplement these with other resources.
•Hamilton coverage charts are stuck in children’s books.
•We use Quick Maths from Maths Shed daily in order to provide frequent practice in securing the retrieval of facts and therefore increasing fluency.
•KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) are sent home each half term for children to practise at home and these are also practised and tested in class.
•Problem Solving and Reasoning questions are used each day so that children develop investigative and reasoning skills.
•Times Table Tests once a week from Y2 onwards.
•Maths Shed can be used to support children at home.
•Rising Stars assessments are used each half term.
Impact
As a result of our Maths teaching at Burnley Road you will see:
- Engaged children who are all challenged.
- Confident children who can talk about Maths and their learning.
- Lessons that use a variety of resources to support learning.
- Different representations of mathematical concepts.
- Learning that is tracked and monitored to ensure all children are making good progress.
Click here for our Mathematics Policy
Click here for our Addition & Subtraction Strategies
Click here for our Multiplication & Division Strategies
Example of Quick Maths
Cultural Capital in Mathematics
Teachers provide engaging mathematics lessons which provide the numerate skills which children will need to succeed at high school and in later life. Children learn about money and time in order to be successful at managing their own finances and time management in the future.
Problem solving and reasoning skills will help children to develop the skills needed to find solutions and use logical thinking in order to make sense of life and its challenges in the future.
Here are 8 very useful websites for children and parents to practice their maths knowledge:
BBC Bitesize – maths homework help online for children of all ages
What’s the website about?
BBC Bitesize is the gold standard when it comes to getting help for your child with their maths homework, and it’s good for parents who are struggling with the new curriculum being used in schools too! It’s not just getting to grips with whether your child is in Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 1 – but what about the methods now used? Chunking anyone?
The first incarnation of the Bitesize website was launched back in 1998, and over the last 20 years the BBC has built up a sterling reputation amongst teachers, parents and children alike as the place to go for free homework help online.
Handy to know
All topics on the Bitesize website are organised by year group and curriculum, so you’ll be secure in the knowledge that your child will be working at the right level. Short videos make the learning enjoyable and accessible, and the sheer amount of information on offer on this website should make it the first stop for maths homework help!
Take a look at the BBC Bitesize website here.
Primary Games Arena – learn maths through games online!
What’s the website about?
At Third Space Learning, we believe that children learn best when they’re engaged and empowered by learning, and Primary Games Arena delivers this with a huge helping of fun too.
It is a free website that encourages children to play online maths games linked to their homework.
What’s more, children can play against other students. Forget Fortnite, these games will sharpen their maths skills without them even noticing!
Handy to know
Primary Games Arena breaks down the games on the site by both age (school year group) and by topic. This gives you as a parent the ability to pair up the maths game with whatever topic your child is learning in school, forming a fantastic learning partnership. This may seem like a unique way to get maths help online, but it certainly works!
Head over to Primary Maths Arena by clicking here.
Hit the Button – excellent website and app to practise times tables and number bonds homework
What’s the website about?
Perfect for helping your kids get their heads round the basics in an engaging way, Hit the Button is an interactive maths game with quickfire questions on:
- Number bonds
- Times tables
- Doubling and halving
- Multiples
- Division facts
- Square numbers
The games work against the clock so are great for developing your child’s mental maths skills at primary school.
Handy to know
Another reason we like this website is that in addition to the fun and interactive nature of the maths games, it also has a dedicated section on parental tips and tricks for the best ways to support your child throughout their learning.
Hit the Button can be found here.
Math is Fun – A simple but very useful free maths homework help website
What’s the website about?
Math or maths? Don’t be put off by the US spelling, as this site will reinforce learning for the UK curriculum in a lively and engaging way.
It’s topic based rather than year based, but it is an excellent site if your child needs to revise a particular topic because each one is written in a clear and precise style.
Handy to know
As well as being a great place for your child to get free maths homework help online, Math is Fun also gives you the chance to see how well your child has digested the material they have learned through a number of questions on each topic.
There’s also a section of the site dedicated to downloadable worksheets, and we love this too!
Check out the Math is Fun site here!
Primary Resources – Everything you’ll need for maths homework help all in one place
What’s the website about?
We love Primary Resources because its no-nonsense maths worksheets are perfect for free maths homework help. It’s a long standing favourite website among teachers but there’s no reason why parents can’t use the exercises and maths practice activities too.
Handy to know
Worksheets are sorted by topics and level, so you can be confident that whatever topic from the primary maths national curriculum for KS1 or KS2 your child practises with you in the evening can be applied in the classroom the next day.
Check out the Primary Resources site.
NRICH – When the maths homework requires some support on problem solving!
What’s the website about?
NRICH is a free maths site born from a Cambridge Maths Project to encourages children to think like mathematicians, become ‘good thinkers’ and generally develop curiosity about the world around them. It’s
It was originally founded by a group of teachers and provides free maths activities for all ages and abilities – secondary as well as primary. There’s a particular focus on problem solving and reasoning, key principles of the new national curriculum for KS1 and KS2. The step-by-step explanations are perfect for anyone who is pursuing that elusive ‘I get it!’ moment.
Handy to know
NRICH is a great site for challenging high achievers. Thanks to the breadth of topics and tasks on there, you will be able to really challenge your child whilst ensuring that they can get the right level of maths help online.
The NRICH website can be found here.
Times Tables Rockstars – so cheap it’s free homework help website and app to support learning times tables and multiplication
What’s the website about?
One of our favourites, and although it’s not strictly free, it’s only £6 per year for family membership. Times tables are the absolute bedrock of maths learning; mastering them can have a direct impact on how well kids get to grips with the more complex maths further up the curriculum, so it’s worth nailing them early on.
Moreoever, from 2020 all Year 4 pupils will be required to sit a short Multiplication and Times Tables Test/Check as part of the new government assessment regime. Worth getting a head start now!
Handy to know
In Times Tables Rockstars, you earn rewards through mastery which can be ‘spent’ buying accessories for your online avatar. This is often the most popular part, of the whole process!
Times Tables Rock Stars can be found here.
Maths Zone – The ultimate site for free maths homework help with links to lots of other websites
What’s the website about?
Maths Zone describes itself as ‘cool learning games’, and it’s just that.
Need some help with frustrating fractions homework? There’s a free maths game for that on Maths Zone.
Place value proving problematic? There’s a free maths app for that too….
Absolutely jam-packed with fun ways to learn more about maths, this site is ideal for children that like task-based learning and are motivated by tech, as the games are fast paced and full of action.
Handy to know
Each game starts with a short video to show how it’s played, so this should result in fewer calls of “Mum/Dad, I don’t know how to do it!” coming from the living room.
Maths Zone and all of its amazing games can be found here.