Junior School

Junior School teachers have been working on embedding a new syllabus in Mathematics. We spent considerable time last year working through the new document, comparing it to past curriculum and re-writing programmes to reflect new outcomes and content. While many mathematical “truths” haven’t changed since the discovery of Mathematics, parents would know that approaches to teaching Mathematics has changed greatly over the years.

The new syllabus has an overall focus on “Thinking mathematically”.  Within all we teach in Mathematics (measurement, number, algebra, geometry), we are requiring children to justify, reflect on, challenge and communicate their thinking. Staff have been working with children to do this and of course our students are rising to the challenge.

Mr Chris Sanders and I have recently spent time visiting all classrooms to see our students learning in Maths, with a particular focus on “Thinking mathematically”. Our teachers have explicitly taught, modelled and encouraged the language and strategies that enable children to think deeply about their mathematical learning, and to justify and explain why they have come up with the answers and understanding that they have. It’s been so impressive to see our children so confidently sharing their reasoning, taking chances and being prepared to be wrong. When others have a go and share with the class, every single room is a “safe space” to take a risk and share ideas. 

Later this term our teachers will visit each others’ classrooms to see some English teaching in action. We are diving into a new English syllabus too and are enjoying planning and programming in this area too.

Finally – thank you to the parents coming along to assembly. This forms part of the explicit teaching we undertake in well being (this happens in PDH as well, and actually all day long!) and I’m excited about our learning in the area of play. 

Mrs Rachael Newton

Assistant Principal - Head of Junior School

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