Maths

At Riverview Junior School, we aim to ensure that all children develop a deep understanding of mathematics by following a Mastery Curriculum. Our Mathematics Curriculum is fully aligned to the 2014 National Curriculum and focuses on depth of understanding, to encourage learning that builds.

Mathematics Mastery is an engaging and accessible style of mathematics teaching, inspired by Singapore and Shanghai. At Riverview, our approach is to enhance mathematical understanding, enjoyment and achievement for every child. We encourage children to see learning as a journey; mistakes are part of that journey and a vital opportunity for children to reflect and deepen their understanding.

‘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

Our Mathematics curriculum ensures that children have a full understanding of mathematical concepts, methods and relationships between the different areas of maths. It is important to us that children can recall key facts in maths however learning rules and facts are only the tools in which children learn to do maths fluently. In order to develop children’s conceptual understanding in maths, we ensure that all teachers plan for opportunities for children to: recognise, generate examples, use diagrams and manipulatives, interpret, compare and contrast ideas etc.

• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language

At Riverview we ensure that all children are given plenty of opportunities to explain their reasoning within each Mathematics lesson. Through carefully selected tasks and effective questioning, all children are given opportunities to conjecture, generalise and justify.

• 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.

At Riverview, problem solving is planned into each maths lesson. Teachers ensure that well selected, differentiated mathematical activities, have a problem solving element. This is achieved through the use of differentiated daily challenges that stretch and challenge all children.

If your child is academically more able in Maths, you will find a link below to take you to some further support resources:

https://www.riverview-junior.co.uk/ama-maths/

Links to some Maths Games pages…

Ninja Maths

Here at RJS we are promoting basic maths knowledge through the implementation of ‘Ninja Maths’ – a scheme designed to encourage children to learn their times tables and number bonds.

A secure knowledge of times tables is going to benefit your child throughout primary school and into secondary school as well. In fact, most of today’s jobs require some element of maths. Learning multiplication is an important foundation for learning different aspects of mathematics such as division, algebra, long multiplication, and even fractions. For students that do not have a solid grasp of the times tables, they may find these other areas hard to understand as well.

This is why we have decided to get children engaged with learning their times tables by introducing Ninja Maths. Children work their way through the scheme by rapidly recalling each of their times tables and, with increasing difficulty, number bonds. Each ‘Ninja Rank’ has a coloured wristband that children can earn the right to wear. There are 9 different coloured bands available but they can ONLY be awarded in order. Once a child has earnt all of the bands, they begin again with division and subtraction. Finally, they may have a chance to earn the ultimate ‘Master band’. Below is a list of the Ninja Band Colours and their relevant times table and number bonds for addition and multiplication.

2 x Number bonds to 10 White

10 x Number bonds to 9 & 11 Yellow

5 x Number bonds to 8 & 12 Orange

3 x Number bonds to 7 & 13 Green

4 x Number bonds to 6 & 14 Purple

9 x Number bonds to 5 & 15 Blue

6 x Number bonds to 16 and 18 Red

7 x Number bonds to 17 & 19 Brown

8 x Number bonds to 20 Black

In order for Ninja Maths to be a success, we ask that parents encourage their children to practise the Ninja Maths Sheet given for homework each week.

We hope that your child will enjoy learning their times tables and gaining their Ninja bands.