Maths…No Problem!
We believe that every child can master an understanding and love of maths with the right kind of teaching and support. At St. Joseph’s, we want you to join our mission to build the confidence of the nation’s maths teachers and learners. Maths No Problem (2016)
This page will give you lots of information about our approach to the teaching of Mathematics at St Joseph’s, including links to the MNP website for parent video guides. Scroll to the bottom of the page to download our calculation guides for parents
What is Maths No Problem (MNP)?
Maths No Problem is a series of textbooks and workbooks written to meet the requirements of the 2014 English National Curriculum.
The Maths No Problem Primary Series was assessed by the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) expert panel, which judged that it met the core criteria for a highquality textbook to support teaching for mastery. As a result, the Maths No Problem Primary Series are recommended textbooks for schools.
Why use MNP?
The Maths No Problem approach is at the heart of our maths curriculum and adapted to suit our pupils. The textbooks are skilfully designed by expert authors. They contain carefully varied questions and examples which:
• Are easy for pupils to enter while still containing challenging components;
• Encourage pupils to think about maths;
• Deepen pupils’ understanding and reveal misconceptions.
The scheme has the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) method at its heart which encourages children to use and discover through the use of equipment (concrete – such as cubes or tens and ones blocks), then they progress to representing this in picture form (pictorial) and finally moving on to the concrete stage which uses equations and mathematical symbols (abstract). The CPA approach allows all children to access maths and deepens their understanding of key topics, enabling them to make crucial links between topics and develop their mathematical thinking, ability and confidence.
Who will be following the programme?
All children from Y1 to Y6 will be following the programme.
What does a lesson look like?
Lessons and activities are designed to encourage children to become more fluent in their problem solving and encourage a higher level of thinking in maths in order to deepen understanding and master concepts. Concepts merge from one chapter to the next. Chapters are then broken down into individual lessons.
Lessons typically are broken into five parts.
The parts to a lesson are:
1. Anchor Task (In Focus Task) – the entire class spends time on a question guided by the teacher.
The children are encouraged during this time to think of as many ways as possible to solve the question as possible. Their ideas are then shared with the class. Journaling – a reflection part of the lesson where children develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills reflecting on the learning that has taken part.
2. Let’s Learn – this focuses on the concept introduced during the in focus task.
3. Guided Practice – the children practice new ideas in groups, pairs or individually guided by the teacher. They have access to any concrete resources they require or choose to use a more pictorial or concrete approach.
4. Independent Practice – practice on their own. Once children have mastered the concept they use their reasoning and problem solving skills to develop their depth of learning by completing questions in their work book.
5 Reflection – Children are asked to self-assess their learning at the end of the lesson.
Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA)
Click here for a video to explain what is meant by CPA
Where can I find out more about MNP?
More information can be found on the Maths No problem parent videos using this link:
https://mathsnoproblem.com/en/parent-videos/
Lesson guides
Click on the buttons below to download more detail about the coverage within each year group