Maths

At Ryhall CE Academy we love Maths and see it as an essential life skill. We are committed to ensuring that children have a positive and meaningful experience of mathematics throughout the school.

We offer a curriculum (see documents below) that secures essential knowledge and skills whilst giving the children many opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills across the curriculum through real life problem solving and mathematical investigations.

Calculation policy

At Ryhall CE Academy we recognise that children need a range of calculation strategies which are efficient, accurate and reliable. Through our carefully developed calculation policy children are given a 'tool kit' of strategies which enable them to calculate confidently. Some of these methods will look different to the methods you were taught as a child. Please feel free to come in and ask questions about the methods we are using. We do provide opportunities for you to come in an learn with the children; look out for our workshops and coffee clubs.

Interventions and extensions

At Ryhall CE Academy we monitor the children's progress carefully and organise extension groups for children who are ready for an additional push whilst also giving regular small group support to those children finding the subject challenging.

How parents and carers can help

Every parent and carer can do their bit to help inspire their children to be successful in Maths:

Help them practice their times tables. Remember little and often is best!
Come to information evenings to pick up tips and have some fun.
Show your child that you like the subject (Please try to refrain from admitting that you hated Maths or telling your children that you are no good at it - it gives them permission to feel the same and we don't want that!)

Calculations Policy

Over the last few years, the curriculum has brought about many changes to the way we teach Maths in school. We have devised a calculation policy that all staff will be following when they teach the four rules of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

We know that, as a parent, you want to play a role in your child's education and understanding the way they are being taught at school will enable you to help and encourage them at home.

Please see below the Ryhall Calculation Policy for each of the four rules of number.

Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFS)

KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) are designed to support the development of the mental skills that underpin much of the maths work in schools. They are particularly useful when calculating, be it adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing.

An important part of maths development has always been rote learning of certain maths facts. For many years this has included practising times tables and addition facts, such as number bonds and doubles. Each term children will be assessed on Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) that will be taught in school but also need to be practised at home as well.

It is important that they know these facts thoroughly and can recall them instantly. Whilst children have a wide range of abilities in mathematics, the KIRFs are designed to be a set of facts that need to be learnt thoroughly as they build on each other year on year. Again, we stress that the children must aim to know their KIRFs inside out, back to front and with instant recall. We know that, by internalising these key facts which have been carefully structured to build upon each other term by term, year by year, children will leave Ryhall CE Academy with a much stronger foundation of mathematical understanding to build upon.

The KIRF cards include practical ideas to assist your child in grasping the key facts and contain helpful suggestions of ways in which you could make this learning interesting and relevant. They are not designed to be a time-consuming task and can be practised anywhere – in the car, walking to school, etc. Regular practice - little and often – helps children to retain these facts and keep their skills sharp.

We hope that you enjoy working alongside your children with this mathematics work. Should you have any questions about the KIRFs programme, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Multiplication Tables

Times Table Rock Stars allows our children to practise quick recall of multiplication and division facts in a fun and engaging manner. Children are able to set challenges for teachers and their school friends, play in tournaments with other children from schools all over the country, all at the same time as improving their recall of multiplication and division facts.

Each child in Key Stage 2 has access to this website/app using their own personal username and password. If not using the app, the link below takes you straight to the Times Tables Rock Stars website where the children can log in and have access. Children in Year 2 will be introduced to TT Rock Stars in the final part of their KS1 journey.

The children continue to be incredibly enthusiastic about accessing their accounts and practising their times table facts in order to be able to gain a rock star status and improve their rock star speed.

Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) - Year 4

You may be aware that from June 2020 there was a new test for Year 4 children called the ‘Multiplication Tables Check’. Here’s what you need to know:

We’re not worried: Under the National Curriculum, primary school children are expected to know all the times table up to 12 times 12 by the end of Year 4. So we’ve been preparing students to know their times tables by the end of Year 4 for quite some time now and are not concerned about the check at all.

Why do we learn times tables? In primary school, times table knowledge is vital for quick mental maths calculations and problem-solving, as well as for many of the topics children learn in every year group and ultimately more challenging topics in Year 5 and 6 (division, fractions, percentages).

The check itself:

Will take place in the summer term in June
Is done online and in school using a computer or tablet
Can be done one student at a time, in groups or as a class
Will take no longer than 5 minutes
Will feature 25 questions and children will have 6 seconds to answer each question
There’s no problem-solving or division just simple ‘3 x 4 =?’ type questions.

The results are for the teachers. There is no pass or fail mark. The results of the test are not published publicly, they’re not going to end up on a league tables and they’re not to be concerned about. The results are for teachers to use so we can provide an even better education!

No Stress! I am sure that along with you, we do not want our children worried or stressed about the check. The government has called it a ‘check’ rather than a ‘test’ or ‘exam’ for a reason. We will endeavour not to draw pupils’ attention to the check so will not be referencing in class unduly. Please be supportive of this approach and refrain from talking about the checks too much at home too.

Practise at Home: Because Maths is such a big and hugely important subject, and we will, of course, continue to teach the full curriculum, we will need your support to help practise the times tables with your children on a regular basis (at least 3 times a week and more if you can). Some easy ways to do this include:

Asking questions such as ‘what is 7 x 8?’
Reciting times tables by rote (4 times 1 is 4, 4 times 2 is 8)
Singing times tables songs (so many online options)
Using apps and online games (see below)

TT Rockstars

As you know, we have access to TT Rockstars (an online times tables platform). This platform enables children to log on, both at school and at home, and practise times tables fact recall. Please encourage your child to practise as much as they can at home to increase their recall speed and cover all 12 times tables.

If you have a question or want to offer your thoughts on any of the above, please bring them to the attention of child’s teacher.

Maths

Calculations Policy

Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFS)

Multiplication Tables

Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) - Year 4

Peterborough Diocese Education Trust