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EYFS Mathematics
"A lesson that counts……as well as identify shapes, use space and measure."
Intent
Most of our children at Boldmere enter our school with a reasonable grasp of number and maths concepts (e.g. the ability to count), although in many cases, this is a shallow depth of knowledge. Our aim is to ensure a full grasp of early maths concepts and deepen understanding.
We believe that every child can thrive in mathematics and provide opportunities for children of all ability levels. We want our children to embed our core value of resilience and become enthusiastic learners who embrace challenge and most importantly enjoy learning. We provide the foundations for our children to develop a positive-mindset and fulfil their curiosity through enjoyment and exploration – a key principle of early years education. We aim to inspire our children and encourage them to become confident and fluent learners who recognise the value and importance of mathematics in the world around us.
Our mathematics curriculum embeds core knowledge and skills in the EYFS, which enables children to progress when moving into KS1. Our curriculum aims to instil a love of maths and provide our children with a solid foundation as they move into KS2 and life-long knowledge and skills they can apply into all areas of life.
Implementation
We have made the decision to write separate implementation statements for Early Years and KS1, because this reflects the different contexts of the EYFS and KS1 and meets the needs of our children.
For Early Years mathematics we use the White Rose Hub scheme and the NCETM guidance alongside the Development Matters statements. The White Rose Hub scheme adopts a mastery approach, which aims to ensure children acquire a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the knowledge and skills taught in mathematics. To achieve this the scheme is broken into small steps, which allows all children to build on their prior knowledge. It also teaches children to work using concrete objects, e.g. Numicon, before using pictorial representations, e.g. drawings, and then finally working abstract, e.g. number sentences. It provides opportunities for the children to demonstrate mastery through a focus on number, shape, space and measure, reasoning and problem solving. These areas are revisited throughout the year so that children can repeat and embed skills and knowledge. We ensure we adapt our teaching of the mathematics curriculum to meet the needs of all of our children, providing greater depth opportunities, support and intervention where needed, in order to ensure all children make good progress and achieve their best.
As well as discrete mathematics teaching time the children are provided with a rich experience of mathematics throughout the school day via continuous provision, both indoors and outdoors. This provides opportunities for the children to transfer and apply their skills and knowledge. We encourage them to become curious learners who are keen to explore mathematics and to support this we provide meaningful, relevant activities and resources which are linked to real-life situations.
We explicitly teach a defined mathematical vocabulary set across EYFS and KS1, which enables all children to share an understanding of the key vocabulary within mathematics.
Parents are invited to come to school and work with their child in a wide variety of mathematics activities. This, we feel, is a good opportunity that allows parents to see first-hand, the growth of the children’s abilities, self-confidence and self-esteem that parents wish their child to aspire to.
Maths in the Early Years
Resources and Working Walls
We provide the children with a variety of resources, which are continually updated throughout the year. They are available to be used independently or as a class. The resources allow the children to learn in the continuous provision, focusing on Number and Shape, Space and Measure.
Our Working Walls are updated throughout the year with the children. The displays can then be referred to as a resource to support the children with their work.
We use ‘Numberblocks’ to develop the children’s understanding of each number, and to introduce calculations. This is a resource that the children love, and can be accessed on Cbeebies Iplayer at home.
Thanks to the support of our fantastic PTA, all children in school have access to the use of Mathletics both in school and at home. Mathletics is an engaging and fun learning tool which enhances children’s mathematical learning through interactive activities, games and challenges. Children are assigned tasks/activities by their class teacher as and when the topics are taught throughout the year.
Please note: the use of Mathletics as a learning resource at home is optional, and it is not an expectation that all children will use Mathletics.
Maths in action in the EYFS
We provide plenty of opportunities for children to apply their skills and knowledge of Mathematics throughout continuous provision, both indoors and outdoors.
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Recognising numerals, counting and comparing amounts in play and focus activities.
Fun ways of sorting items independently and with friends.
Estimating as a class, using the Blue Bots to get from one location to another.
Exploring Money, Height and Capacity in the classroom, role play and in the rain.
Using non-standard measures to measure ourselves.
Creating our own number lines, using a variety of objects that represent each number.
Inviting parents in to school, for our Maths workshops. The children have the opportunity to spend time with their grown-ups, showing them the resources and methods that we use in school.
