Mathematics is all about what we understand of how the world is organised by size, set, sequence, position, and shape and how these things change. The key is that Maths must teach pupils to better understand what is around them and happening in their everyday lives. And Maths can be great fun! Everytime we play games we use maths!
This can range from clearly numeric issues such as money (taught as a 'happy cafe' in some of our classes) time and measuring but also to more generic understanding such as how to clean a surface such as a car in a systematic fashion - how to break the area up mentally into sections and work in an organised manner, left to right or top to bottom, around the outside of the window etc. Clearly the level at which they understand this organisation will vary greatly between pupils. Whereas some pupils will be learning about number including simple times tables or addition and substraction other pupils will be learning about making a set of a certain number (get me 3 large plates), the criteria for sorting and categorising can range from the basic to venn diagrams. There are many levels at which pupils can access the essence of what will lead to "number", and lessons are planned to meet all of these.
Another core skill is to understand size - leading to measuring. From pupils who can measure out the ingredients for cooking to others who can ask for the "big" biscuit, to those can simply reach for the big thing that they like rather than the smaller offering.
When it comes to learning about sequences this can be pupils learning about time and complex timetables, pupils learning about more simple daily schedules to pupils learning about immediate cause and effect. There are also patterns in space such as learning about simple maps, abstract patterns, building one brick on top of another, the different rooms you pass before arriving at the hydrotherapy pool.
At Cromwell we see Maths as "Understanding the organisation of the world" and a way in which we teach pupils both about how the world works and the skills that will allow them to be more effective in their lives. We teach the wider concepts and understanding through our Maths lessons plus we have the key priority "functional skills" of "understanding the organisation of the world" integrated into each pupil's Annual Review of Statement meeting which then becomes the termly IEP and integrated into lessons across the curriculum.