The purpose of Mathematics

 Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected 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.

Aims

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

•  become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
•  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 nonroutine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Meet Margot Mathematician.

Margot is part of our Curriculum Crew who is introduced at the start of each mathematical strand and lesson, providing a visual link to lessons and allows our children to focus on the skills needed in the upcoming tasks.

Margot is featured in our Maths Knowledge Organisers - allowing the children to revisit and consolidate prior learning as well as acquiring new skills.

Mathematics is a specific area of the EYFS, it means that it is more commonly focussed upon with children aged 3 and above, however, it is best practice that practitioners actively promote mathematics around the younger children as well as the older ones. We use various approaches at Sea View to promote development in mathematics.  It is important to find the most effective approach for the individual child and ensure that each task or approach sets out achievable challenges.

2024 - 2025

Nursery

Reception

We have been learning to add two groups together and solve a number sentence.

Exploring Numicon

We have been exploring Numicon shapes in Maths. We counted the number of holes on each Numicon shape and used them to represent the numbers. We then matched the Numicon to the correct numeral. 

Outdoor Maths Trail

We enjoyed exploring outdoors collecting objects from nature and completing challenges, developing our counting and number skills. 

Year 1

Representing Numbers

We explored numbers to 20 and used different resources to represent them. The children used a variety of equipment, such as Numicon, conkers, Base 10 and lots more!

Ordering Numbers

This week, we have moved on from representing numbers and are now working on ordering numbers. We have spent a lot of time practicing counting on, including participating in practical counting activities and singing counting songs. We put our skills into practice and spent some time ordering numbers as part of a small group.

More than and Less than

We have been looking at comparing numbers using the phrases "more than" or "less than". We have learned that when using the more than and less than symbols, the greedy crocodile always eats the bigger number. 

Adding Numbers

In Year 1, we have been looking at adding numbers. We have used lots of practical methods to support us with our addition!

Multiplying

In Year 1, we have been very busy in maths! We have started learning about multiplying numbers. We have used lots of practical methods to show us how to multiply numbers, including using cubes, drawing groups, and using arrays - we even had so much fun using cheerios to practice our multiplication skills using arrays!

Dividing

After becoming experts in multiplication, we have moved on to division. We are again using many practical ways to support us to divide.

First, we looked at the difference between odd and even numbers to support us with our division - if a number can be split into 2 groups equally, then it is even, if it cannot, then it is odd. We learned that only even numbers can be halved equally, odd numbers cannot be halved equally.

After becoming confident with our knowledge of odd and even numbers, we moved on to dividing. We first looked at how many things we need, and then how many groups we needed to split them into. If our question asked for 4 divided by 2, we needed to count out 4 cubes and make 2 groups. We would then share the 4 cubes, one at a time, between the 2 groups. After, we make sure to count both groups to make sure that they are equal - if the groups are not equal then we have not divided properly!

Fractions

Now that we are experts at dividing, we are now moving on to fractions! First, we have been looking at halving - we have recapped our knowledge of division and learned that halving a number, shape or object is the same as dividing by 2!

Year 2 

During maths this term we have been learning all about the place value of numbers. Following this, we have used our knowledge to complete addition and subtraction calculations. We have done this practically using our base 10 resources. We also used number lines and hundred squares to support and  check our answers. 

Following from this we have also been learning how to solve mathematical problems involving number bonds. We have began also to learn mathematical skills around measurement and measuring in CM and M.

Bean 13 Sharing number: 

In spring term we have been learning all about sharing numbers and solving problems involving this. To help us learn how to share we read a book called Bean 13. The booked helped us understand how to share and develop our division skills. Following from reading the book we worked out how to share and developed our understanding of odd numbers. As our knowledge and skills progressed we began to problem solve and develop our reasoning skills around division. 

Year 3

Year 4

Problem Solving inspired by "The Nowhere Emporium."

In Year 4 we have learning about place value. Mr Silver, a character from "The Nowhere Emporium", has set us a challenge to solve word problems inspired by our class novel. We used our knowledge of place value and rounding to help solve the problems.

Year 5

Rounding Investigation

We applied our understanding of rounding numbers to complete a rounding challenge. We used dice to generate numbers before rounding them. We then explored the multiples which were generated when rounding to identify any patterns.

Year 6

We have been looking at percentage increases and decreases in Maths.

Mrs Weightman asked us to calculate the cost of a variety of books so she could order some new books for the library. 
Take a look at our working out… 

Comparing Fractions

Beamish Sweet Store enlisted our help as they know how amazing we are with fractions. We converted the fractions so they had the same denominator. We then used the less than and more than symbols to compare, identifying which customer was ordering the bigger bag. 

2023-2024

Nursery

Reception

In Maths we have explored measuring using non standard measures. We explored using objects in class to measure length and height also using our handprints. 

In Reception this half term we have been exploring different numbers. As part of this, we have been looking at counting on using a number line to help us.

In Reception we have been exploring both giant and small Numicon this week. We loved working together to order them as a class, and have made a Numicon number line to 10 in our books. We have also had a go at making different pictures with the Numicon.

We loved the outdoor maths trail where we had to count objects in the environment and make shapes using objects around us such as stone, twigs, acorns. It was so much fun! 

We are learning to count consistently and accurately. We talked about strategies to help us to count such as touching the objects,  or moving them in a line whilst remembering to say a number name for each object. This is a a little tricky and we will practice this all year.

Year 2

Dragon Problem Solving

Using our story 'The Day the Dragons Came' by Naomi Kefford as a stimulus for our Maths we exploring sharing and number bonds.  Using practical resources we found combinations of numbers and recorded the corresponding number sentences.  

We then thought about approaches to ensure we found all of the combinations possible and began to work systematically from start to finish to find all of the available bonds. 

Unlucky Bean 13

We began our Maths topic of division by exploring sharing through the story Unlucky Bean 13.  We investigated numbers using practical resources to see if they were lucky or unlucky when shared between 2 people.  We then explored a range of numbers to see if they could be shared equally between 2,3 or 5.  

Year 3

Year 4

This term we have been applying our understanding of shape. This has included a shape investigation, using our prior learning about the properties of polygons.

We also investigated symmetry in shapes and reflecting patterns across a mirror line.

We even created polygons on a co-ordinate grid!

Recognising and using Roman numerals

Year 5

Negative Numbers

Applying our knowledge  and understanding of negative numbers we were set the challenge of designing our own Connect Four games in which we needed to outwit our opponent to become the ultimate negative number champion. 

The Highland Falcon Thief.

Inspired by our class novel, we used our mathematical knowledge of fractions of amounts to help us solve problems to help us uncover the true identity of the Highland Falcon Thief.

Place Value Problems - Gangsta Granny Style!

Gangsta Granny over the last six years has won the lottery and needs our knowledge of place value to help share her winnings with her friends and family.

Year 6

The Great Proportional Bake Off

In Maths we have been solving problems involving proportion. To complete this unit we all took part in ‘The Great Proportional Bake Off!’ We were split into 3 groups- Cakes, Pies and Cookies and were each given problems to solve based on the recipes given. We even ended with a ‘Show Stopper Challenge’ where we had to work out how the recipe had changed and for how many people it would serve. Marvellous maths skills were shown throughout the lesson, Prue and Paul would be proud! 

In Year 6 we have been reading and writing numbers up to 10,000,000. 

We have been ordering numbers up to 10,000,000. 

We have been using our rounding rap to help when rounding numbers to different degrees of accuracy.