At the Free School Norwich we teach the Maths Mastery method. This encompasses a concrete, pictorial, abstract method that is key to establishing and embedding a deeper understanding of Mathematics. Concrete manipulatives (counters etc.) are used to enable pupils to visualise mathematical concepts. Once children are able to access a problem using concrete apparatus, pictorial representations are used to facilitate learning, followed by being able to complete problems using more abstract mathematical methods.
What does maths look like?
Each lesson focuses on the following:
- Coherence: teaching is designed to enable a coherent learning progression through the curriculum, providing access for all pupils to develop a deep and connected understanding of mathematics that they can apply in a range of contexts.
- Representation and structure: teachers carefully select representations of mathematics to expose mathematical structure. The intention is to support pupils in ‘seeing’ the mathematics, rather than using the representation as a tool to ‘do’ the mathematics. These representations become mental images that students can use to think about mathematics, supporting them to achieve a deep understanding of mathematical structures and connections.
- Developing mathematical thinking: mathematical thinking is central to how pupils learn mathematics and includes looking for patterns and relationships, making connections, conjecturing, reasoning, and generalising. Pupils should actively engage in mathematical thinking in all lessons, communicating their ideas using precise mathematical language.
- Fluency: efficient, accurate recall of key number facts and procedures is essential for fluency, freeing pupils’ minds to think deeply about concepts and problems, but fluency demands more than this. It requires pupils to have the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics, to recognise relationships and make connections, and to choose appropriate methods and strategies to solve problems.
- Variation: the purpose of variation is to draw closer attention to a key feature of a mathematical concept or structure through varying some elements while keeping others constant.
Children will be taught key concepts at the beginning of the lesson which are then applied to a variety of different tasks. Time is given for children to explain their thinking and prove their methods through clear reasoning and justification. Throughout lessons, children work alongside learning partners to discuss concepts and the ways they have worked out problems. This process ensures that children understand the process, but more importantly, why they are doing it. They are given regular opportunities to peer assess and discuss ways of working.
Lessons and activities are designed to encourage children to become more fluent in their problem solving and encourage a higher level of thinking in maths in order to deepen understanding and master concepts. Extension work is provided and there are high expectations of all children regardless of ability.
