Subject leader: Sarah Siddiqui
We love maths at Charing CEP School! We believe that every child has the right to succeed in mathematics and believe in themselves as mathematicians. As a team, we go the extra mile to ensure that learning experiences are tailored to the individual. Children are given appropriate resources and opportunities to learn new concepts at a pace that is right for them. Once the learning is embedded, they are challenged to apply their new learning in a range of contexts including real life situations.
We use the CPA approach to teaching maths which allows children to physically manipulate equipment to strengthen their understanding of the concept they are learning. This approach is developing right throughout our school so even the most able children will also be able to explain their thinking and draw images to reason their mathematical ideas.
When problem solving, we use the bar model to help children visualise problems. We firmly believe maths is all about making connections, recognising patterns and developing number sense. At Charing CEP School we have taken a new approach to our teaching called, ‘Teaching for Mastery in Mathematics’. We use NCETM resources alongside White Rose Maths materials to give children the opportunity to deepen their understanding of concepts through reasoning and problem solving tasks. We use our assessment for learning throughout the year and plan for catch up interventions to ensure children are succeeding in maths.
TT Rockstars at Charing
At Charing Primary School we subscribe to Times Tables Rock Stars. This is a system that the children use to practise the instant recall of their multiplication and division facts, which helps them achieve in lessons and in real life situations.
When it comes to times tables, speed AND accuracy are important – the more facts a child remembers, the easier it is for them to complete harder calculations. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help children master the times tables. To be a Times Table Rock Star they need to answer any multiplication fact up to 12×12 in less than 3 seconds!
World famous rock musicians are the best at what they do because they’ve spent hours practising guitar chords, writing music or playing on the drums. It’s just the same with times tables – all Times Table Rock Stars need to practise and practise and practice!
Research shows that daily practise is the best strategy for children to learn these important facts. Short bursts of daily practise are much more effective than spending hours once a week.
Parental support is critical in this area. For children to be fully motivated and for them to get the best out of the practice, they need an adult’s help. Without a Parent’s praise and reminders, without sitting down together or checking their work, practising times tables will not feel important.
The quicker a child can answer a times tables question, the higher their Rock Status!
https://play.ttrockstars.com/
Use Times Table Rockstars to improve your speed and accuracy of recalling times table facts!
As well as using this for improving your timestables, on TT Rockstars you can play for fun!
Choose one of the following games:
Single Player
Garage – best for getting quicker at a few facts.
Studio – the questions in the Studio can be anything from 1×1 up to 12×12. This is where you can improve your Rock Status!
Multiplayer
Rock Arena – Compete against other members of your band (Maths class).
Rock Festival – Compete against other TT Rockstars from across the world!
Looking for ideas to support your child’s times tables development?
Take a look at the suggestions below:
*Play TTRockstars online using the login card your child must have brought home. They should play for a short while until they are successfully answering the questions quickly. TTRockstars online can be accessed via https://ttrockstars.com/ or using the app which is free to download.
*Write the focus times table out, initially in order and then in a random order
*Ask your child to complete a TT Rockstars practise sheet that focusses on the table they are working on (again these can be downloaded below)
*Download the Scatter Tables below. To use them, you call out a question from the times table you are focusing on and your child should point to the answer on the page. For example, if you are concentrating on the 5 times table, then find the Scatter Table for the 5s and call out questions like, “9 times 5” (your child points to 45), “6 times 5” (your child points to 30) or “5 times 12” (your child points to 60). Your child should be trying to get them correct each time and not worrying about the speed.
*Read the times tables that you are focusing on that week. Do it a second time round but this time your child should be trying to say them without reading them from the page. It is more important that they say them correctly than say them quickly to begin with.