Our students arrive with a rich, everyday knowledge of maths, and in the Junior School, we aim to build on this foundation through engaging and purposeful learning experiences.
Like reading, mathematics is a skill that develops through consistent practice. In the Junior School, we use a ‘Daily Review’ approach to revisit previously learned content, helping students make meaningful connections with their growing maths knowledge. Each maths session includes explicit instruction of new concepts followed by practice through games, activities, or problem-solving tasks. Our skilled teachers use assessment data and classroom observations to tailor lessons that meet the needs of all learners, ensuring everyone is both challenged and supported.
In Prep, our youngest learners begin to explore numbers through hands-on experiences. Using manipulatives, they develop a strong sense of numbers by answering questions such as, ‘How many ways can you make seven?’ Everyday tasks like counting cups at snack time help reinforce the concept of numbers. Students also practice writing numerals and identifying different ways to represent numbers up to ten.
By Year 1, students start to enjoy working with numbers and patterns. They practice counting forwards and backwards with engaging games like ‘Buzz’. Solving real-world maths problems becomes a focus, and students learn to connect written sums, such as 4+3=7, to everyday situations. They also start to pose their own mathematical questions, encouraging deeper thinking.
Year 2 students are introduced to more efficient problem-solving strategies as they grow their understanding of numbers and basic algebra. They begin to explore fractions in the context of sharing and apply their maths skills when investigating shapes and quantities.
In Years 3 and 4, students have the opportunity to participate in a weekly ‘Maths Clinic,’ where they work in flexible groupings with our Learning Enhancement team and High Potential Learning teacher. This clinic provides tailored support and challenges for all students, ensuring that every child has the chance to grow and excel in mathematics.
Junior School students also have the exciting opportunity to enter the annual Maths Talent Quest, where they explore a mathematical area of interest and present their findings. This gives students a chance to dive deeper into maths in a creative and investigative way.
Maths isn’t confined to the classroom. Through our Units of Inquiry, students apply their maths skills in other areas of learning. For example, in the Prep unit on living and non-living things, students measure the growth of their bean plants using both informal and formal units of measurement. For example, in Art, students explore patterns found in nature, such as Fibonacci’s sequence, seen in the spiral of sunflower seeds or the arrangement of pinecone scales. These cross-curricular connections help students appreciate the beauty and application of mathematics in the world around them.
We look forward to continuing to nurture the next generation of mathematicians in the Junior School!
By Nicole McGrath, Deputy Head of Junior School