Using Number Builders at Foundation level: Betty Layward Primary School case study

Case Study: Betty Layward Primary School How Number Builders has provided opportunities at Foundation level to consolidate and secure number fluency

About the school Named after an inspirational school governor who believed passionately in the power of education to improve the life chances of all children, this successful school continues to shape and transform the lives of the 430 children on roll.

Betty Layward’s legacy lives on in the school’s purpose, which is to inspire, develop and nurture every child to have the confidence to learn. Staff expect the best for and of their children and, in turn, children flourish both personally and academically.

Why did they decide to opt into the Number Builders trial?

Providing new opportunities to secure number fluency was one of the key aims of adopting Number Builders across two Foundation Stage classes in the Autumn term of 2023.

Mathematical fluency is essential for developing children who are confident and secure learners, and this starts with number fluency. Research shows that children need make connections, learning by ‘doing’ to develop and embed number sense.

By introducing new manipulatives and resources, the school hoped to encourage mathematical conversations.

The school uses a structured maths mastery programme as their core scheme, underpinned by NCETM Maths Mastery training. The use of manipulatives is well established.

By embedding Number Builders into their Foundation Stage lessons, teachers believed it would help with securing number facts and fluency, providing further opportunities for children to explore and verbalise their mathematical thinking.

The tactile resources, n-bars, promote child-led learning, based on exploration, discovery and curiosity: a natural fit with the school’s own vision for Foundation Stage learning.

Using the resources in Reception The scheme was used as a whole class resource for all abilities. Teachers used the PowerPoints for short, focused learning sessions and the activity cards and sheets for carousel provision. Allowing children to use the n-bars during free-choice activities provided opportunities to consolidate and secure number fluency.

What worked well about Number Builders?

Expanding their range of existing manipulatives benefitted children’s learning.

Children enjoyed exploring, building and interacting with new manipulatives.

Offering new representations of number helped to deepen their understanding, and support those who were finding a concept difficult to grasp. The resources complemented and fitted in well alongside their existing manipulatives.

The n-bars and supporting resources prompted mathematical conversations amongst the children.

Scaffolding mathematical talk is essential. Children used the holes in the n-bars to count and talk about number: providing new manipulatives encouraged mathematical conversations between the children and helped to consolidate their number fluency. Conversation arises when children are curious, engaged and purposeful. When using the n-bars and n-bar lines for constructing and playing during free-flow provision, children were also practising and embedding their emerging maths vocabulary.

The lesson plans and slideshows supported teachers in delivering effective, differentiated lessons linked with the weekly focus.

The lesson plans, which supported teachers’ weekly planning and provided useful ideas to secure mathematical knowledge, were easy to use. The pacing was right, and the PowerPoint slides, used as a lesson focus, were clear and pitched at the right level.

Final thoughts Overall, teachers and pupils enjoyed using Number Builders: it was a valuable addition to their maths provision, and promoted mathematical talk leading to greater mathematical fluency.

Numbers Builders expanded the school’s range of resources, helping to secure number fluency, and build children’s confidence. Children benefitted from exploring, creating and interacting with new manipulatives, deepening their mathematical understanding.