Numeracy Across The Curriculum
A Whole School policy for Willowgarth
Mathematical and numerical cognitive development should be a continuous learning process and should not be confined to one particular subject area.To improve the numeracy of our pupils, we need to develop and enhance the following Mathematical skills and concepts in all curricular areas:
The consistent use of Mathematical methods, notation and use of equipment across the curriculum.
►Pupils should be enabled to:
■Use the methods of calculation they have been taught in Mathematics lessons in a variety of curricular contexts.
■Use Calculators and Information and Communications Technology, recognising when they are appropriate tools.
■Solve problems which involve one or more calculations, identifying the operations needed, interpret and check results, setting them in the context of the original problem.
■Maintain a balance between pure Mathematics and the application of Mathematics.
■Use and make sense of information presented in tables, charts, diagrams and graphs.
■Collect discrete and continuous data, represent data pictorially and graphically, analyse the results and make predictions.
■Give results to a required or sensible degree of accuracy and set them in the context appropriate to the subject.
■Estimate and judge the reasonableness of their solutions and check their methods.
■Recall number facts and manipulate all numbers: positive, negative, fractions, decimals and percentages.
■Substitute numbers into formulae.
■Explain their strategies and methods and use the correct Mathematical Vocabulary.
■Study Mathematics as real life situations.
►Strategies to improve Numeracy:
■A short warm up session to precede the main lesson and a plenary
■Regular Oral and Mental work
■Building on the achievements of our primary schools
■Whole school staff development in Mathematics
■Mathematics across the curriculum
■An extra lesson a week devoted to numeracy
■Helping parents to play a role
■A daily lesson of Mathematics in year 7 and 8
■Ideally timetabling year 7 and 8 in the morning
■Regular practise of calculation skills so they are not forgotten
■Less emphasis on shape/space/data handling
■Appropriate use of classroom organisation
■More teacher led work with the whole class
■Judicious use of calculators
■IEPs to include suitable numeracy objectives
■Establish appropriate links between topics in Mathematics and between Mathematics and other subjects
■Provide appropriately demanding work for pupils, with limited differentiation around work common to all pupils in one class
■Careful attention to the correct use of Mathematical terminology and notation
Whilst some of these stategies are beyond the control of the classroom teacher, many can be employed straightaway. Back to top