The following links are from the Teaching and Learning Corner developed by Dr Mander. They explain what the school will be focusing on during a particular term. How the school will help your child with their learning and how you as a parent can help too.
Teaching & Learning Corner Spring 2012
Teaching & Learning Corner Autumn 2011
Teaching & Learning Corner Summer 2010
Teaching & Learning Corner Spring 2010
Teaching & Learning Corner Spring 2009
Teaching & Learning Corner Summer 2008
Teaching & Learning Corner Autumn 2008
The school has also produced some booklets to help you to help your child with their Numeracy and Literacy skills. At the bottom of this page is a printable copy of the Numeracy Booklet.
Edge Hill Junior School - Numeracy Booklet
Dear Parents
This is one of a series of booklets that we have produced to explain Edge Hill Junior Schools approach to teaching in Numeracy.
The Numeracy strategy provides the framework for all mathematics teaching. A lot of casework includes practical activities, investigative tasks, oral and written work and the use of calculators and apparatus. Our children are encouraged to appreciate the purpose and importance of mathematics in everyday life and to be able to transfer their skills to other areas of the curriculum.
This series of booklets is to keep you, as parents and carers, informed about these important aspects of your child's education. It will also guide you in helping your child get the most out of their daily Numeracy lessons.
Yours sincerely
M. Mander
Headteacher
How do we teach Numeracy (Mathematics) at Edge Hill?
Children will have a daily maths lesson that will last between 45 minutes and one hour. Children will spend time on a range of tasks and activities, with lots of mental maths and group work. Children are taught in sets and the activities developed to support and challenge them with their work. Some of the time the class will work as one group on the same topic, regularly using the Interactive White Board and at other times they will work as pairs and individually. Teachers adopt the most effective teaching strategies for the subject content.
This is how the daily maths lesson works:
| Start of the lesson | The whole class practices their skills with mental work. Sometimes using the Interactive White Board, individual white boards and discussion. |
| Main teaching activities | The teacher introduces the whole class to a new topic or activities that help them advance in an area they already know. Children also have time to work on their own improving and extending their knowledge and skills |
| Review (This is sometimes called the plenary) | The whole class go over the work they have done on that day to check they have achieved their objectives and to sort out any problems. This will be used to help plan the next lesson. |
How will the lessons improve my child's maths?
Edge Hill Junior School will use the daily maths lesson to help children with Numeracy, giving them the chance to work in groups and learn from each other as well as solving confidence builder for children as they improve problems on their own. It will also involve lots of mental maths, which is a vital their Numeracy.
The daily maths lesson will help children become strong in all skills of Numeracy. By the time your child is 11 years old, he or she should be able to do many of the listed below:
What is mental maths?
Children need to be able to do simple adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing in their heads before they go on to learn written methods for more difficult questions. If your child can understand how to use numbers without writing them down, this is a big help in all kinds of Numeracy activities.
Your child will learn several ways of doing mental maths tasks. Don't try to teach written methods unless you know that those methods are the ones your child is learning in school. If in doubt check with your child's class teacher.
Development and Progression of Written Methods in Numeracy
We have also produced a booklet entitled Development and Progression of Written Methods in Numeracy and this is available from school. This booklet sets out the methods used for setting out mathematical calculations throughout the school. Knowledge of the methods used will enable parents to support their child in an effective way.
What will my child be doing?
In the Junior years, from 7 to 11, your child will be learning these maths skills:
In Years 3 and 4
In Years 5 and 6
How can I help with Numeracy?
1. Make the most of your opportunities at home. Talk about weights and amounts when you cook. When you shop, talk about the prices; add up the cost of shopping. How much change will there be? When you are travelling, talk about distances and times. All this will help your child become confident with Numeracy.
2. Play games with your child. Many card games and board games use number skills like counting in order and working out who has the highest score. Try Snakes and Ladders and Bingo. Make your own boards, cards and counters - Let your child write the numbers. Monopoly is always great for solving money problems.
3. Be enthusiastic about maths - it will give your child confidence too.
How can I help with mental maths?
The suggestions above will help you with mental maths too. But you can focus on the mental maths skills alone.
Your child will be learning number facts, such as 2x2=4 and 9-6=3, as well as multiplication tables. Help him or her to practise these and learn them by heart.
Your child might have learnt songs to help remember multiplication tables. Have fun singing these songs with your child.
Here are three possible ways of learning and practising times tables:
I can answer questions about a table like:
Some tips to help your child get the most out of the Maths lesson and the Literacy Hour.
1. Find out what the teacher is doing during the week or term. You will receive a curriculum plan each term to help you with this.
2. Go to any meeting the school holds to explain how they will be teaching maths, reading or writing.
3. Buy books by the same author, or on the same subject, as your child is working on in the class.
4. Make sure your child has a dictionary. Ask the teacher what will suit your child's needs.
5. Support your child with his or her homework. Create a quite place for reading and writing. Homework tasks might be finding out information, practising the skills your child has learnt that day, or preparing for a future lesson. The Home-School Link Book will give details of your child's homework, when it was set and when it needs to be handed in.
6. Encourage your child to be confident with reading, writing and maths by talking with your child and supporting him or her at home.
7 Read regularly with your child and share maths games. Just 20 minutes a day if possible will make a real difference in developing the skills that will last your child a lifetime.
Click on the link below for a printable version of the Numeracy Booklet.
