Mathematics

We aim to develop confidence in our pupils so that they can understand the importance of maths in everyday life and apply mathematical skills in a meaningful way. Maths is delivered as both a discrete subject and through a cross curricular approach. Assessment is used in order to ensure we are planning personalised next steps for each pupil as well as delivering a broad range of experiences. We believe maths learning is best when teaching is fun, engaging and visual. We support learning by using concrete and practical resources and as a school we follow the Numicon approach to help with this. Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy strategies are also incorporated into maths sessions in order to give our pupils the best possible opportunities to succeed.

Maths is split into two strands the first strand is Number which encompasses counting, calculation, data and problem solving. The second strand is Geometry and Measure this covers a wide range of concepts including shape, size, length, weight, height, position, direction, patterns, colour and telling the time. These concepts link closely to communication and skills needed for life. We recognise that maths skills are essential across the curriculum and provide many cross-curricular maths opportunities throughout the day in lessons such as Lifeskills, PE and music.

Alongside these strands runs our Financial Education teaching. This is a cross-curricular approach across the school to ensure that our pupils have opportunities to not only build numerical confidence with money but also develop skills needed for life. We believe that Financial Education represents the ambitions we have for the future of our pupils and that it offers opportunities to develop independence, participation in the community and the potential for future employment.

Numicon is used throughout the school to enhance pupils understanding and skills in relation to number, quantities, problem solving and reasoning. It is a visual, practical and child-friendly way to access the Maths curriculum. If you would like more information about Numicon please visit their website where you will find information about how Numicon can be used to support the teaching of the Maths Curriculum.

Pupils at KS4 access maths accreditation linked to their developmental levels.