The first few years of a child’s life are especially important for mathematics development. Research shows that early mathematical knowledge predicts later reading ability and general education and social progress (Duncan et al 2007).

Our Early Years teaching and environment is set up to ensure that all children develop firm mathematical foundations in a way that is fun and engaging and encourages problem solving and investigation.

We use the Early Years Framework and the six areas of early mathematical learning provided by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) as a basis for our lessons and Maths provision.

Our Early Years staff are highly skilled and trained in the progression of children’s learning in Mathematics. All Early Years staff have attended specific mathematics training events either within school or through the NCETM.

There are six key areas of early mathematics learning, which collectively provide a platform for everything children will encounter as they progress through their maths learning at primary school, and beyond:

For further information on these areas please follow the link to the NCETM website.

We have created some videos to help you understand the main principles that children need to develop to be excellent mathematicians and so you can support your children at home. We hope you find them useful. If you have any further questions regarding Early Years mathematics please speak to Miss Matthews in school.

In Key Stage 1 and 2 we follow the National Primary Curriculum for Mathematics, delivered using the White Rose Maths scheme of learning. This scheme of learning breaks each curriculum objective into small steps, which are delivered sequentially. To view this scheme of learning, please follow the link the White Rose Maths website.

Pupils’ knowledge and understanding is developed using concrete resources and pictorial representations, enabling them to acquire a deep, conceptual understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. Pupils are given the opportunity to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, and to apply their knowledge within reasoning and problem solving contexts, which help to consolidate their understanding. Pupils are also provided with opportunities to use their mathematical skills and understanding within other areas of the curriculum, such as Science, Design Technology and Geography.

Please speak to Miss Matthews if you have any further questions regarding our mathematics curriculum.

All staff refer to our calculation policies when teaching addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Use of these calculation policies ensures that our approach to teaching these areas of Mathematics is consistent across school, helping pupils to progress with these areas sequentially as they move up through school. You can view the calculation policies for each year group in order to support your children with these areas of their Maths learning.

We have created some videos to demonstrate the written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division used in Key Stage 2 at Ryecroft. We hope that you find these videos helpful for supporting your children at home. If you have any further questions regarding Key Stage 2 mathematics please speak to Miss Matthews in school.

Fluent recall of times tables is essential to future success in Mathematics (DfE). The National Curriculum states that pupils should know their times tables and related division facts up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4.

In Year 4, pupils at Ryecroft Academy complete the multiplication tables check (MTC). This is a statutory requirement for all pupils. The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics. The MTC helps schools to identify pupils who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.

Specific times tables and division facts are taught in each year group from Year 1 to Year 4, as shown below, in order to support pupils with achieving this expectation by the end of Year 4.

Year 1 – Count in multiples of 2, 5 and 10
Year 2 – Know 2, 5 and 10 times tables and division facts
Year 3 – Know 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 8 times tables and division facts
Year 4 – Know all multiplication and division facts up to 12 x 12

In Years 5 and 6, all multiplication and division facts up to 12 x 12 continue to be taught and revisited. Pupils in these year groups apply these facts frequently within other areas of Mathematics too.

At Ryecroft Academy, we recognise that many of our children enjoy developing their times tables knowledge through the exploration of online platforms. Below are a range of websites that pupils can use to develop their multiplication knowledge. Please see the pupil planner for usernames and passwords for websites that require these.