At Meynell Primary School, we believe mathematics is an important part of children’s development throughout school, right from an early age. We intend on delivering a curriculum which: 

• Allows children to be a part of creative and engaging lessons that will give them a range of opportunities to EXPLORE mathematics following a mastery curriculum approach. 
• Gives each pupil a chance to BELIEVE in themselves as mathematicians and develop the power of resilience and perseverance when faced with mathematical challenges.
• Recognises that mathematics underpins much of our daily lives and therefore is of paramount importance in order that children ASPIRE and become successful in the next stages of their learning.
• Engages all children and entitles them to the same quality of teaching and learning opportunities, striving to ACHIEVE their potential, as they belong to our school community.

Mathematics provides a way of viewing and making sense of the world. It is an important skill, which runs throughout life, from acquiring and developing skills as a child to using them as an adult at work and home. Mathematics also provides the material and means for creating new and imaginative worlds to explore. In turn, enhancing the development of analysis and communication of information and ideas, and the process to tackle a range of practical tasks and real life problems.

At Meynell, we endeavour to develop each pupil individually and personally, to promote enthusiasm, confidence and enjoyment of mathematics itself, and in doing so help children to appreciate the part mathematics has played in the development of science, technology and our civilisation and the contribution made by many cultures to the progression and application of mathematics.

Mathematics is a vital aspect of the school curriculum, through this; we aim to make each child aware that mathematics provides a powerful means of communication and reasoning.

We have adopted the White Rose Maths Hub long term approach to maths.  The WRMH planning is a national project designed to provide schools with the most up to date processes and procedures in Mathematics teaching and learning. 

Within all areas of our mathematical learning we actively encourage the use of both concrete resources and visual representation in order to develop our children's mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills before moving onto the abstract element of mathematics.

Below are some examples of our children using these within their daily maths lesson. 

Talk for Maths

We are focused on building a wide range of opportunities whole school to develop our reasoning and problem solving skills. We are discussing our learning using phrases such as:

• Spot the mistake / Which is correct?
• True or false?
• What comes next?
• Do, then explain
• Make up an example / Write more statements / Create a question / Another and another
• What do you notice?
• Continue the pattern
• Missing numbers / Missing symbols / Missing information/Connected calculations
• Working backwards / Use the inverse / Undoing / Unpicking
• Hard and easy questions
• What else do you know? / Use a fact
• Fact families
• Convince me / Prove it / Generalising / Explain thinking
• Make an estimate
• Always, sometimes, never
• Making links /Applying your learning
• Can you find?
• What’s the same, what’s different?
• Odd one out
• Complete the pattern / Continue the pattern
• Another and another
• Ordering
• Testing conditions
• The answer is…
• Visualising
• Story boarding
• If I know this……. Then I know…….
• This can’t be true because…… I know this.

These strategies are a very powerful way of developing pupils’ reasoning skills and can be used flexibly. Many are transferable to different areas of mathematics and the wider curriculum.

Times Table Rock Stars

When it comes to times tables, speed AND accuracy are important – the more facts your child remembers, the easier it is for them to do harder calculations. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help pupils master the times tables. To be a Times Table Rock Star you need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds!

The goal is for all participating rockers to be Times Table Rock Stars after 20 weeks!

Parent Handbook

Please find below the Parent Handbook for Times Tables Rock Stars. This contains all the information you need to support your child to become a Times Tables Rock Star. You can also download the free App by visiting your Play Store.

Scatter Tables

To use scatter tables to support your child in learning their times tables, you call out a question from the times table you are focusing on and your child has to point to the answer on the page. For example, if you are concentrating on the 5 times table, then find the Scatter Table for the 5s and call out questions like, “9 times 5” (your child points to 45), “6 times 5” (your child points to 30) or “5 times 12” (your child points to 60). Your child should be trying to get the answers correct each time and not worrying about the speed. The full set of scatter tables is provided in the document below.

Times Tables Rock Stars in Year 7

If your child in Year 6 is transferring to a secondary school that does not offer Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) membership, you may wish to register with TTRS on a family plan (£7.20 a year for up to three children). Once you have registered, your child will leave the school account and will belong to the family group only.