Intent

With its requirement for students to face the unexpected and to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, throughout their Maths education at The Hazeley Academy, students are taught the building blocks, they will need to be successful. The focus evolves from knowing the facts, to knowing how to answer questions within this concept, to knowing when to apply specific strategies.  Relevance to real life, is essential to enthusing students to understand the importance of studying Maths for their future.  A GCSE qualification is the not the end point, but essential for a successful life.

The core content of Maths lessons at The Hazeley Academy develop familiarity with the key facts and methods, including developing the attitude needed to make good decisions.   Employers are known to value mathematical skills even for non-numeric jobs.  An individual's application to problem solving, resilience and creativity can be considered as character-based skills. 

Within the curriculum, retrieval is used to draw on links with new and known content. Time is given over to those students who need more time to form their building blocks, developing their confidence and making their own links between the concepts before they are ready to progress.

Problems that are presented in an unfamiliar context require students to carefully consider their approach and identify what skills or topic specific strategies they use from their ‘mathematical toolbox’. 

Lessons allow teachers to foster and encourage self-reflection and self-regulation.  Positive learning environments are a fear free space where students can confidently share ideas.  Staff emphasise strengths of individuals and praise them.  Mistakes should be used as a learning opportunity at all levels and can provide a rich resource to build resilience and be reflective. Whether alone or with their peers, learners are guided to reflect on work and identify on their next steps. 

Mathematics offers a variety of avenues to develop students’ oracy skills.  One such example is group work, which supports the need for accurate communication.  Concurrently learners must be active listeners if they are to communicate well.  When students work together, they are more likely to be successful if they listen to each other so they can respond accordingly.  Students take turns in listening to their peers within the classroom.  Teachers should carefully select their questions to encourage responses at all levels.  Students are encouraged to use key mathematical vocabulary when they ‘talk maths’.

Diversity & equality is valued highly in the Maths classroom and each student is treated as a unique individual.  Staff make sure that students feel they belong in the classroom. Students are open-minded and accept differences within the classroom, are patient and respectful of their peers. 

We follow the White Rose Education Maths framework as a basis for our Scheme of Learning.  It meets both Ofsted and National Curriculum requirements.  

Good Maths teaching is not rushed teaching. (P Rowlandson.)