Maths at Beech Avenue
Intent
At Swindon Academy, we are committed to helping every child develop a strong grasp and genuine enthusiasm for mathematics. We aim to nurture mathematical thinkers who use their knowledge to make sense of the world around them. As educators at the primary level, we focus on building secure foundations, particularly in number sense and place value, to support long-term success in maths. Our goal is to empower children to:
- Develop confidence and fluency in mathematical fundamentals
- Think logically and reason with clarity
- Tackle problems with resilience and apply their skills in real-life contexts
Implementation
In EYFS, we link children’s mathematical learning to the Development Matters statements and Early Learning Goals. The focus is on developing a deep understanding of numbers to 10, including number composition, patterns, and practical use of comparison and ordering language.
Through the use of a carefully structured mastery approach and ‘Maths No Problem’ resources, we ensure all children receive a high-quality mathematics education.
- Each lesson begins with a short review to strengthen prior learning and promote fluent recall.
- Children are encouraged to make connections with previous knowledge and look for patterns to embed new learning.
- New concepts are presented in a logical sequence, initially enacted with “concrete” materials; later, represented by models and then by abstract notation.
- Children are given the opportunity to explore real life/ everyday problems and are given time to think deeply about the mathematics involved, using mathematical vocabulary to reason, explain and justify their thinking in collaboration with their peers.
- Emphasis is placed on promoting multiple methods of solving a problem and challenge occurs through depth rather than acceleration.
- In KS2, daily arithmetic sessions develop fluency and confidence with number facts and procedures. In EYFS and KS1, daily Number Sense lessons build strong foundations in number, supporting children’s understanding of structure, pattern, and relationships.
Impact
We measure the impact of our curriculum using the following methods:
- End of key learning reviews on taught concepts
- Termly Progress in Understanding Mathematics Assessments (PUMA), a suite of termly standardised maths tests which enable school to track progress, predict future performance and benchmark against national averages
- End of key stage SAT results
- Pupil discussions about their learning
Our problem-based approach to mathematics aims to equip children with the reasoning, pattern-spotting and problem-solving skills they need to thrive in the modern world.