Mathematics

Children’s mathematical development occurs as they seek patterns and recognize familiar routines, make connections and recognise relationships through finding out about themselves and how they move around, aspects of shape and space including composition (how shapes fit together), movements like turning and flipping, sorting and matching and with shape, space and measures and working with numbers and counting

The statement above is what we strive towards for our children at Broadmeadow.  All children experience maths sessions throughout the week that focus on both Number and Practical Maths.  Alongside this we have started to explore spatial reasoning as part of our math’s journey.  This develops the children’s processing and problem-solving skills through gross motor and fine motor activities.

The two main areas of maths for us at Broadmeadow are:

NUMBERS– is about how children gradually know and use numbers and counting in play and eventually recognise and use numbers reliably, to develop mathematical ideas and to solve problems.  It helps children develop an awareness of the relationship between numbers and know that numbers can be combined to be ‘added together’ and can be separated by ‘taking away’ and that two or more amounts can be compared.

PRACTICAL MATHS – is about how through talking about shapes and quantities, and developing appropriate vocabulary, children use their knowledge to develop ideas and to solve mathematical problems. Children use their knowledge and skills in these areas to solve problems, generate new questions and make connections across other areas of Learning and Development.  During practical maths lessons they will look a placing and arranging shape, sorting and organising, measure, recording data and how we use maths in everyday life such as money and time.  Children will work on developing a sense of themselves in space and be confident in their spatial reasoning.  Through occupational therapy activities such as crawling through tunnels or hiding in holes/ boxes children will learn how they can manoeuvre their bodies and begin to understand appropriate vocabulary.  Finger fitness activities such as threading and play dough, stretching and squeezing will help with the understanding of how shapes/objects fit together and positioning.

Maths Curriculum Map