Mathematics Mastery – The Ark Curriculum

Mathematics is one of the keystones of our curriculum at Brickhouse. The curriculum states:

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. 

The aims of the curriculum are:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems.
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

To teach Mathematics at Brickhouse Primary School, we use Maths Mastery by Ark Curriculum. This scheme provides an in-depth curriculum which allows maximum coverage and progression in a set order. Throughout each topic covered (outlined below), mathematics is challenging and full of depth to stretch the understanding of the children.

Mathematics is taught daily and covers a wide range of topics including:

• Number properties (place value)
• Calculation methods
• Fractions
• Geometry (Shape)
• Measure and conversion
• Ratio and proportion
• Algebra
• Statistics (Data)
• Problem-solving and application of skills

To reinforce the teaching of Mathematics at Brickhouse, we will sometimes use the following documents as supplementary resources to consolidate learning or to further support pupils:

• DFE "Ready-To-Progress" Documents
• White Rose Maths Hub 
• Mathsbot arithmetic 
• Nrich 

All classes also have a Maths Meeting. In Reception and KS1, these take place daily and in KS2 they are three times per week. These sessions take place outside the daily Maths lesson. The meeting centres on consolidating key mathematical skills, calculation strategies and calendar maths.   

Key Stage One (Years 1 and 2)

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in Key Stage One is to ensure that pupils develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This should involve working with numerals, words and the four operations, including with practical resources (e.g. concrete objects and measuring tools).

At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary. Teaching should also involve using a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money.

By the end of Year 2, pupils should know the number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value. An emphasis on practice at this early stage will aid fluency.

Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at Key Stage One.

Lower Key Stage Two (Years 3 and 4)

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in lower Key Stage Two is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. This should ensure that pupils develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers.

At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value. Teaching should also ensure that pupils draw with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them. It should ensure that they can use measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number.

By the end of Year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work. Year 4 pupils will complete the statutory Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) during the summer term. 

Pupils should read and spell mathematical vocabulary correctly and confidently, using their growing word reading knowledge and their knowledge of spelling.

Upper Key Stage Two (Years 5 and 6)

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in upper Key Stage Two is to ensure that pupils extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratios.

At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation. With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems. Teaching geometry and measures should consolidate and extend knowledge developed in numbers. Teaching should also ensure that pupils classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they need to describe them.

By the end of Year 6, pupils should be fluent in written methods for all four operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages.

Pupils should read, spell and pronounce mathematical vocabulary correctly.

Parent Support and Guides to Support Mathematics

Below are guides and documents that you can use to help you engage your child in mathematics at home. Ask your class teacher if you need any help!