Bishop Aldhelm's CE

Primary School

Loved by God; United in Learning

Mathematics

Mathematics Intent

At Bishop Aldhelm’s it is our aim to ensure children receive a high-quality education in mathematics and develop a love of learning mathematical skills and problem solving.  We believe all children can achieve in mathematics, and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts through the manageable steps of concrete, pictorial and abstract.  We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and explaining using our whole school reasoning language.  Children can independently access and use concrete and pictorial resources as they require when solving problems. Our intent is to ensure that all children leave with knowledge of numbers facts (times tables and number bonds) and that they have a positive attitude to solve problems which have been presented in a variety of ways.

Website links


Both of these websites have apps which you can download and log in to play

England Rocks November 2021 (Times Table Rock Stars competition)

Our top three Rockers in the whole school were in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6.  You can see a picture of them on the right hand side with there certificates and prizes!

6AL, 5JK and 4HC were the top three classes in both the total number of correct answers per class and the average score per pupil in the class too.  Well done to those three classes.

Teaching methods

Calculation Policy

This Mathematics page has been created so that you can read our Calculation Policy for each year group, which show the methods that children use for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  These have all been created in line with the new national curriculum.  There are now clear expectations for each year group that you can see for every operation.

Each page contains four rows with different methods in each year group that show the progression that the children will make.  As children move up through the school, they will not always start from the first method in each row if they can already use it.

Bar Modelling

Bar modelling is a useful tool to use across all areas of mathematics.  It gives children a flexible and robust tool in their toolkits which they can they use to solve different mathematical problems in different contexts. 

Bar modelling is not just about drawing diagrams.  When we teach children to use bar models in the context of solving mathematical problems, they should always be recording the calculations that these are telling them to use. 

Much of the bar modelling done in EYFS and KS1 will parallel the types of bar models required to work out how to solve complex KS2 and GCSE level questions, so it is important that these skills are taught consistently throughout a child’s time at primary school.

There are 3 examples of bar models being used in different areas of mathematics across our school in the pictures on the right.  The bar model policy, which outlines how we use bar models in each year group, can be found in the downloads section below.

England Rocks Winners November 2021

England Rocks Winners November 2021

Times Table Rock Stars

Times Table Rock Stars

Num Bots

Num Bots

Bar Model Example 1

Bar Model Example 1

Bar Model Example 2

Bar Model Example 2

Bar Model Example 3

Bar Model Example 3