Mathematics and Numeracy

Considerations: Learners at Ysgol Y Gogarth will gain mathematical skills through their personalised exciting curriculum enabling them to develop towards the four purposes. Each learners’ mathematical journey is individualised and sessions are tailored to their specific needs, some learners benefit from using tactile materials such as water, foam or sand to help them understand mathematical concepts whilst others may benefit from using technology such as iPads, iBoards or laptops to help them acquire and practise math skills. Teachers plan experiences that are connected, intrinsically interesting and relevant for each learner, providing experiences that will enable them to become ambitious mathematicians.

The five mathematical proficiencies – conceptual understanding, communication using symbols, fluency, logical reasoning and strategic competence can be applied and connected using a range of real-life contexts to introduce and explore mathematical concepts, as well as to consolidate them.

Planning: The 12 pedagogical principles support teachers in planning for the Curriculum for Wales and provide a starting point for thinking about our pedagogical approach.

In order to encourage our pupils to achieve in Mathematics & Numeracy, teachers look at both the Curriculum For Wales and the Numeracy Framework, and plan to ensure the individual needs, abilities and potential of all our learners are met.

Long Term Planning has been developed using the Big Questions to help our teachers plan a stimulating curriculum and ensuring coverage of all What Matters Statements across a three year cycle. The AoLE lead allocates a different ‘What Matters Statement’ for Mathematics & Numeracy per term.

Medium Term Planning has the same format throughout the school. The Medium Term plan promotes a cross-curricular approach and includes the skills for Numeracy that learners will develop in addressing the terms’ Big Question. It is a comprehensive document.

Short term planning includes sufficient detail to capture learning outcomes, grouping of learners, differentiation of tasks, opportunities for assessment and all of the practical considerations needed for the week. All lessons/sessions are planned with clear learning objectives and learning is differentiated to individual learner levels. Learning opportunities take place in the community as well as within the school or college environment and wherever possible, cross-curricular links are made explicit. For example, ingredients might be planned, costed, bought and then weighed in a food technology lesson to reinforce numeracy.

Monitoring and Assessment: All learners have an Earwig profile where their mathematical journey and achievements are evidenced, skills are built upon coherence, and intentional progression and sequencing of topics lays the foundation for the mathematics that is developed from the Early Years to Post 16. The AoLE lead monitors Earwig on a termly basis.

We carry out both formative and summative assessments in Maths & Numeracy. See ‘Assessment, Recording, Reporting and Marking Policy’ for further information.

The AoLE lead will evaluate termly against the Mathematics & Numeracy development plan.

Resources: We acknowledge that youngsters learn in many different ways and we recognise the need to develop strategies and resources that allow all learners to learn in ways that best suit them. We take into account that learners have a preferred learning style when planning lessons, resources and experiences.

Opportunities for learners to learn in different ways include independent work, group work, songs, sensory experiences, investigating and problem solving, use of different technologies, interactive computational work, participation in physical activity, designing and making things, learning in the community and/or learning during work experience.

Our Mathematical Journeys