Numeracy/Maths
Numeracy/Maths Program
Mathematics
At Glen Huntly Primary School, we are committed to developing confident, capable and curious mathematicians. Our Mathematics program is designed to build strong foundational skills while encouraging students to think critically, solve problems and apply their learning in meaningful, real-world contexts.
Mathematics is taught for one hour each day, usually straight after recess, providing consistent opportunities for students to develop and consolidate their skills. Our teaching is guided by the Victorian Curriculum and focuses on the three key strands of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. We take a whole-school, holistic approach to organising these strands to support student learning and ensure continuity across year levels.
We use a structured and sequential approach to Mathematics, ensuring concepts are taught clearly and built upon over time. Through explicit teaching and purposeful practice, aligned with the Victorian Learning and Teaching Model (VLTM), students develop fluency with numbers while also learning to reason, explain their thinking and explore multiple strategies. This is balanced with inquiry-based learning, where open-ended tasks encourage deeper thinking and problem-solving.
Teachers differentiate learning to meet the diverse needs of all students, providing targeted support as well as extension opportunities to challenge and engage learners at every level. A wide variety of tasks are used to build students’ understanding, including opportunities to develop mathematical language, reasoning and problem-solving skills.
A strong emphasis is placed on:
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Mathematical reasoning and communication
- Developing automaticity with key number facts
- Making connections between mathematical concepts
Students are encouraged to share their thinking, ask questions and learn from one another in a supportive classroom environment. We incorporate hands-on materials, visual models and digital tools to enhance understanding and engagement, and wherever possible, learning is connected to real-life contexts to make Mathematics meaningful and purposeful.
Our teachers are committed to ongoing professional growth and view themselves as lifelong learners. Staff regularly engage in professional learning through our partnership with the Mathematical Association of Victoria, ensuring our teaching practices remain current and effective.
At Glen Huntly Primary School, we aim to foster a positive attitude towards Mathematics, helping students to build confidence, resilience and a lifelong appreciation for learning.
Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM), is structured, purposeful and responsive to student needs. It balances explicit teaching with opportunities for exploration, ensuring all students are engaged and progressing.
Key Features of an Excellent Maths Lesson at Glen Huntly
1. Clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
- The lesson begins with a clearly stated goal (what students are learning) and success criteria (what success looks like).
- Students understand the purpose of the lesson and can articulate what they are working towards.
2. Strong Explicit Teaching (I Do)
- The teacher models new concepts and skills using clear explanations, worked examples and think-aloud strategies.
- Mathematical language is explicitly taught and reinforced.
- Connections are made to prior learning.
3. Guided Practice (We Do)
- Students practise new skills with teacher support.
- The teacher checks for understanding, asks targeted questions and addresses misconceptions in real time.
- Opportunities for discussion and collaborative thinking are provided.
4. Independent Practice and Application (You Do)
- Students apply their learning independently through purposeful tasks.
- Tasks may be differentiated to meet varying ability levels and include both fluency and problem-solving components.
5. Balance of Fluency, Problem-Solving and Reasoning
- Lessons include opportunities to develop automaticity, as well as deeper thinking through rich tasks.
- Students explain their thinking and justify their strategies.
6. Use of Multiple Representations
- Concepts are explored using concrete materials, visual models and abstract symbols (CRA approach).
- This supports deeper understanding and caters for diverse learners.
7. Ongoing Assessment and Feedback
- Teachers continually assess student understanding through questioning, observation and quick checks.
- Feedback is timely, specific and helps students improve.
8. Differentiation
- Tasks are adjusted to provide support, scaffolding or extension as needed.
- All students are appropriately challenged.
9. High Levels of Student Engagement
- Students are actively involved in thinking, discussing and problem-solving.
- A positive classroom culture encourages risk-taking and persistence.
10. Reflection and Review (Plenary)
- The lesson ends with a review of key concepts.
- Students reflect on their learning and revisit the success criteria.
Below is the link for the Numeracy Information Session that was presented on Open Night.
Numeracy at GHPS
The Four Proficiencies
Numeracy is often seen as just sums and multiplication, but at GHPS, staff focus on building student’s ability to work and learning mathematically across all three strands of the curriculum. To work and learning mathematically, there should be a focus on the four proficiencies: understanding, fluency, problem solving and reasoning.
Understanding:
This strand promotes the ‘how’ and ‘why of learning in numeracy. Students connect different areas of mathematics which will help them apply this to different problems. When students show their understanding, they:
- Represent their thinking in different ways such as drawing pictures, tables or lists
- Describe the similarities or differences between two objects or concepts
- Describe the way they are thinking verbally or in a written form
Fluency:
This refers to a student’s ability to recall number facts and concepts. It’s important to note that speed is not promoted here; it is perfectly acceptable for students to take time to recall facts. Fluency also means students are able to choose appropriate a procedure or strategy to help them recall facts or perform calculations efficiently. Students who are fluent in thinking and working mathematically can also make reasonable estimates.
Problem Solving:
Problem solving is a key skill that not only supports Numeracy and mathematical thinking, but also problems outside of school. This strand of the four proficiencies is used to help students to make choices, interpret information and model and investigate problem situations. Students also develop their questioning skills as they pose questions about problems to their teachers and peers.
Reasoning:
A student’s ability to reason in Numeracy means that they can make predictions, analyse, explain, infer, justify or make a generalisation about a possible solution. This is very closely linked with reading comprehension skills which is thoroughly explored at all year levels. Students who can reason are able to:
- explain their thinking
- justify strategies used and conclusions reached
- compare and contrast related ideas and explain their choices.
- transfer learning from one situation to another
- prove that something is true or false
Information adapted from the site – Victorian Curriculum – Learning in Mathematics
Students from Prep (foundation) to Year 2:
In Prep, students explore a variety of Mathematics topics. Throughout the year students will focus on 3 main areas of Maths – Number, Measurement and Geometry and Statistics and Probability.
Some initiatives used to support the teaching and learning of the Mathematics curriculum at GHPS are:
- Numicon
- Extensive Pre Assessment of students to identify points of growth and establish individual learning goals/ programs
- Monster Maths
- Maths Talent Competitions. For example, Olympiad
Mathematics and Numeracy at Home – Toolkit
Students in the junior years are building their number sense, one to one counting, addition and subtraction facts and the ability to compare objects’ length, mass, size or shape. As a student progresses through these year levels, they are more and more able to build connections between what they have learned in different areas. There is also a strong focus on building Numeracy specific vocabulary in these year levels to assist students as they approach new and more complex tasks.
Students from Years 3 to 6:
Students move towards being able to connect a number of mathematical concepts when solving a single problem. Their ability to discuss their reasoning for solving and problem both verbally and in written form. They continue to build their mathematical vocabulary to support their understanding of new concepts. Students are encouraged to explain their reason for choosing a strategy to solve a problem.
Features of the Numeracy Program at GHPS
Explicit teaching
Worked examples
Daily reviews of previous taught content
Maths Olympiad
Number talk
Numicon
Links with the Mathematical Association of Victoria