Academic

At Thorpe House, we use the Maths Mastery approach to teaching Mathematics.

Maths Mastery is an approach to teaching and learning that aims for children to develop a deep understanding of Maths rather than memorising key concepts or resorting to rote learning.
The main objective and expectation are for all children to have acquired the fundamental concepts and facts of maths for their key stage such that by the end of the unit, they have attained mastery in the maths they have been studying. At this point, they must be ready to move confidently on to their more advanced level of Maths.

We aim to ensure that the boys:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• can reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
  
  We chose the White Rose Maths scheme of work as it follows these principles for building solid foundations in maths. 
  
  More information can be found at https://whiteroseeducation.com/parent-pupil-resources/maths, which contains loads of useful information on the maths skills and strategies which the boys are learning.

Many of the strategies and approaches we now use to teach the boys are quite different from how we were taught. If you are looking to support your son in his learning, please review the two attached documents which provide an overview of the different models and images that we use to teach different concepts. These provide explanations of the benefits of using the models and show the links between different operations.

Multiplication and Division

Addition and Subtraction 

• build upon children’s prior learning;
• be skills based and develop deep understanding;
• provide first hand learning experiences;
• have opportunities for collaborative learning;
• challenge, make children think and develop resilience;
• engage minds and foster creativity;
• link with other subjects;
• be fully inclusive.

We aim to provide a supportive and motivating environment where children are encouraged to express themselves and where their contributions are valued. Our curriculum is taught through high-quality core texts and aims to inspire a love of literature and a recognition of its relation to other subjects studied in school. Our goal is to inspire and foster a love of our rich and varied literary heritage.

English lessons teach children specific skills which are then embedded across the curriculum throughout the day. Skills of English are essential to enable pupils to develop into young people who can articulate their ideas, read for pleasure and speak, think and write with eloquence. Ultimately, we hope that students can reach and exceed their potential in English at Thorpe House School and beyond.

Our medium-term plans allow for a secure progression of subject knowledge and writing skills across year groups. There is an appropriate balance and distribution of work across each unit of work, covering a range of genres, with reading at its core. Through choosing quality texts, we intend to develop a love of reading and also help students develop an understanding that reading allows them to discover new knowledge and fuels their imagination for ideas to use in their own work.