Help your child with Maths

Have a positive mindset about maths

Try not to let your children know you find maths tricky. Let them know it’s okay to make mistakes, because it’s the best way to learn. If you find their maths tasks tricky – ask them to help you learn. This will show them that you are interested, and support their learning because teaching others reinforces their knowledge and understanding.
   

Use “maths talk” every day  

Talking about maths is important for your child’s mathematical development. Encourage younger children with questioning: “How many pennies are you holding?”; “What shape is that object?” Also, talk about concepts like doubling and halving, as well as adding and subtracting. You can use everyday situations to help you. “If I doubled the number of chicken nuggets you have, how many would you have to eat?”, “If there were only half the people on this bus, how many would there be?” “There are four cars, so how many wheels are there?”  
 

Use open-ended questioning  

However easy it may feel, never just give your child the answers. Let them work things out for themselves.  At Heyford Park, we try to encourage children to think about how they solve a problem, rather than just think about the answer itself. You can do the same by asking simple things, such as: “Which method could you use?”, “How do you know that’s correct?”, “Could you do solve it any other way?”  
 

Develop their memory skills 

This is a key skill for number facts in maths. You can help improve your child’s memory in lots of ways. Start by encouraging them to memorise phone numbers and then move on to nursery rhymes or quotes from books.
  

Play games 

Most games have a mathematical element to them. Board games like Snakes and ladders encourage counting and using a dice supports visualising numbers, while jigsaws aid logic, spatial awareness and shape.  
 

Practise reading the time with an analogue clock.

This is part of the maths curriculum, but is much easier for children who apply it in their everyday lives. It’s helpful if children have access to an analogue clock and talking about the time happens at every opportunity.  
 

Use fractions in everyday life. 

At school, children find fractions much easier when they visualise the problem: Slicing pizzas into quarters; sharing eighths of a chocolate bar, so try to do this at home. Then take it further – if you see a window with one smashed pane, ask your child what fraction is broken. At the dining table, ask how many peas is a third of the total.  
  

Involve them in problem solving  

Right from the start, pupils in our school are given real-life problems in maths. You can find lots of ways to do this outside the classroom. Can they find the cost of 5 cans of beans if they know the price of one? Show them a 20% off deal in the supermarket – can they calculate the new price? The recipe is for one cake, but we need to make three, so how much flour will we need? Which internet deal gives us the best offer? 
   

Practise times tables 

Teachers can never overestimate the importance of times tables. All children should be fluent from as early as possible. This is because times tables facts help us with our understanding of number and ensure we can complete formal calculation methods fluently, without having to stop to think about the smaller times table steps. All our pupils have access to TT Rockstars, a child-friendly practice website, which they can use at home to learn, using fun avatars and healthy competition with their friends. 
    

Learn the methods your child is using  

If you can confidently explain to your child how they should use a calculation method, that will give them encouragement and support. But its important that you are helpIng them with the methods we teach them at school, so they do not become confused. Our teachers are only too happy to give you advice, should you need it. We also have a calculation policy on our website, which shows methods done in each year with representations to show how they work.

News

Posted on: 26/08/2022

GCSE RESULTS 2022

BEST EVER GCSE RESULTS! WELL DONE TO THE STUDENTS AND STAFF. 

The staff at Heyford Park School are delighted with the excellent GCSE and BTEC examination results that Heyford students have achieved. These are a reflection of their fantastic commitment and the high-quality teaching they have received.  All our students should be justifiably proud of their efforts through the most challenging of times. We are really proud of the staff and students at Heyford Park School. It is wonderful that their hard work and commitment has been rewarded in this way. 

Headline KS4 figures are as follows: 

  • 29% of grades at Grade 7+ 
  • 62% of students achieved 5+ in English and Maths 
  • 79% of students achieved 4+ in English and Maths    The success at Heyford Park School includes many exceptional individual performances including Chi Ling who achieved five grade 9s, four grade 8s and a distinction, Clorice achieved four grade 9s, five grade 8’s and two grade 7s. Jacob who achieved four grade 9s, four grade 8s, a merit and grade 5. Ben, who achieved six grade 9s, two grade 7s and a distinction. Ellie Ryan who achieved four grade 9s, four grade 8s and a distinction. We are delighted that our students will now be able to move on to their next stage, whether at Sixth Form, apprenticeships or other pathways.  These fantastic results reflect our dedication to nurture students at all levels of ability and reward them for their positive attitudes, hard work and resilience.  Mrs Harris – A year 11 parent said;

    'Thanks so much to all the staff who have taken the time to support Jacob since year 7. The small school ethos has allowed him to thrive and I'm always bowled over by how well the staff know him as an individual. We know how hard you all work and you are very much appreciated'.

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Posted on: 20/07/2022

Heyford Park School celebrates best ever KS2 SATs results

Heyford park student celebrations

As you may be aware, pupils undertake a range of assessments throughout the course of the school year, some of which are statutory. The Department of Education paused these statutory assessments in 2019/20 and 2020/21 before they resumed again this year.

You may have seen some national headlines reporting a ‘disappointing’ fall in attainment compared with before Covid. We are delighted to share with you the overall fantastic news that the Heyford Park School end of Key Stage 2 assessment results (SATS) are our best ever.

This demonstrates the exciting journey that we have been on and is testament not only to the whole staff team, who have been dedicated to improving teaching and learning in the School, but also to the hard work and effort of the children they inspire. We are proud to share some of the headline figures as follows:

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Good Level of Development

73% achieved (71.8% National in 2019)

Year 1 Phonics

88% of children passed (82% National in 2019)

Year 2 Phonics

100% of children passed their retakes

KS1

Reading

81% achieved age related with 45% achieved above

Writing

76% achieved age related expectations with 7% above

Maths

88% achieved age related with 26% achieved above

71% of children achieved age related in reading writing and maths

KS2

Reading

77% achieved age related with 21% achieved above (74% National average)

Writing

77% achieved age related with 18% achieved above (69% National average)

Maths

74% achieved age related with 15% achieved above (71% National average)

64% of children achieved age related in reading, writing and maths (59% National average)

 

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