What will they learn?

• Using mathematical language e.g. more than, less than, heavy, light, tall, short.
• Sequence numbers counting forwards and backwards.
• Understand position e.g. on, in, under, behind, next to.
• Recognise time concepts e.g. today, tomorrow, yesterday, morning, night.
• Identify shapes and patterns recognising and naming 2D and 3D shapes, spotting patterns.
• Grasp one-to-one correspondence understanding that each number name matches one object.
• Understand conservation knowing that “four” is always four, whether it’s the numeral, word, or quantity.

How can I support my child?

• Stories, songs and rhyme 
  • Read books that include counting, shapes or patterns 
  • Count objects in pictures e.g. animals, colours 
  • Discuss shape and positions in illustrations 
  • Sing number songs and rhymes – search online for ideas and tunes
  • Skills covered: All
• Sand and water play 
  • Use containers to explore concepts like full/empty and heavy/light 
  • Compare volumes and weights 
  • Create shapes and patterns in sand 
  • Discuss differences between wet and dry sand 
  • Skills covered: language, conservation, shapes, patterns
• Playdough or pastry 
  • Shape and describe creations e.g. long/short and fat/thin 
  • Make 2D and 3D shapes 
  • Use positional language when building models 
  • Explore conservation by reshaping dough 
  • Create colour or shape patterns 
  • Skills covered: language, shapes, patterns, position, conservation
• Imaginative play 
  • Sort laundry by colour or type e.g. pairs of socks 
  • Set the table and count the items needed 
  • Play shops with real or pretend items, introducing money concepts 
  • Skills covered: language, shapes, patterns, sequencing, one-to-one correspondence
• Cooking together 
  • Measure ingredients and discuss quantities and time 
  • Use pastry like playdough, then bake 
  • Decorate with patterns and shapes 
  • Cut food into shapes and count items for meals 
  • Skills covered: language, shapes, patterns, sequencing, one-to-one correspondence
• Daily routines 
  • Talk about the day using time-related words 
  • Use calendars and clocks to discuss days and times 
  • Count during tasks like brushing teeth or tidying toys 
  • Skills covered: time, sequencing, one-to-one correspondence
• In the garden 
  • Count petals, leaves and planting pots 
  • Spot patterns and spirals in nature 
  • Go on a shape scavenger hunt 
  • Explore natural patterns – look up the Golden Ratio or Fibonacci Sequence 
  • Skills covered: language, shapes, patterns, sequencing, one-to-one correspondence
• Out for a walk 
  • Spot numbers on signs, houses and vehicles 
  • Identify shapes in buildings and surroundings 
  • Count cars or other objects 
  • Use positional language to describe what you see 
  • Skills covered: language, shapes, sequencing, position, one-to-one correspondence.

In Years 1 and 2 children learn essential maths skills that form the building blocks for future learning.

What will they learn?

• Number and counting 
  • Count forwards/backwards in 2s, 5s, and 10s, up to 100 
  • Recognise and write numbers to 20 (numerals and words) 
  • Understand place value using objects and images 
  • Say one more/one less than numbers up to 100 
  • Count reliably up to 100
• Addition and subtraction 
  • Recall number bonds to 20, e.g. 17 + 3 = 20 Use +, −, = signs correctly 
  • Add/subtract numbers to 20 using counters or number lines 
  • Understand the effect of adding/subtracting zero
• Shapes and space 
  • Identify 2D shapes: circle, triangle, square, rectangle Identify 3D shapes: sphere, cube, cuboid 
  • Describe shape properties, e.g. sides, faces 
  • Understand position and movement, e.g. quarter turns
• Time and dates 
  • Tell the time to the hour and half part 
  • Know days of the week and months of the year 
  • Link times to daily events e.g. bedtime, lunchtime.
• Money and measures 
  • Recognise coins: 1p to £2 Measure length, weight, capacity and time 
  • Compare measurements e.g. heavier, longer
• Fractions 
  • Recognise and find halves and quarters of shapes, objects and numbers
• Problem solving 
  • Solve missing number problems, e.g. 8 = 5 + ? 
  • Apply maths skills through games and activities

What will they learn?

• Place value and number 
  • Understand the value of digits in 2-digit numbers e.g. 25 = 20 + 5 
  • Write numbers up to 100 in figures and words 
  • Use number lines and squares to estimate and identify numbers 
  • Compare and order numbers using <, > and =
• Addition and subtraction 
  • Recall facts to 20 and use them to solve problems up to 100 
  • Add and subtract 2-digit numbers, a 2-digit number and one/tens 
  • Use mental strategies, objects or diagrams
• Inverse operations 
  • Understand that addition and subtraction are linked, e.g. 7 + 2 = 9, so 9 – 2 = 7
• Counting sequences 
  • Count in 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s from any number 
  • Recognise and continue patterns and sequences
• 2D and 3D shapes 
  • Describe properties e.g. sides, corners, faces and edges 
  • Recognise 2D shapes on 3D shapes 
  • Sort and compare shapes 
  • Draw lines of symmetry
• Position and movement 
  • Use terms like “half turn” and “clockwise” to describe movement
• Multiplication and division 
  • Use symbols x and ÷ correctly Know 2x, 5x and 10x tables 
  • Recognise odd and even numbers
• Fractions 
  • Recognise and find fractions of shapes, amounts and objects 
  • Write simple fractions, e.g. ½ of 6 = 3 
  • Understand equivalent fractions, e.g. ½ = 2/4
• Measures 
  • Choose correct tools and units for length, mass, temperature and capacity 
  • Compare measurements using <, > and =
• Time 
  • Tell and write time to the nearest 5 minutes 
  • Understand quarter to/past 
  • Know there are 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day 
  • Compare intervals (minute, hour, day, week, month)
• Money 
  • Use £ and p symbols 
  • Combine coins to make amounts 
  • Find different combinations for the same value 
  • Add and subtract money
• Data and statistics 
  • Create simple charts, tables and graphs 
  • Ask and answer simple questions about data 
  • Compare categories, e.g. “how many more red sweets than blue?”
• Problem solving 
  • Solve problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division 
  • Use mental strategies, objects, drawing or written methods

Challenge your child further by exploring:

• Place value in 3-digit numbers.
• Counting in 2s, 3s, and 5s from any number.
• Comparing numbers up to 200. 
• Adding two 1-digit numbers to a 2-digit number. 
• Converting between £ and p. 
• Telling time to the nearest minute. 
• Answering “how many more” questions using bar charts.

• Oxford Owl - Fun maths games and activities for children aged 3-11. Fun maths games and activities - Oxford Owl for Home.
• BBC Bitesize KS1 - Curriculum-aligned maths lessons and videos. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary.
• Topmarks - Interactive maths games and resources for ages 3–11. https://www.topmarks.co.uk.
• NRICH Maths - Maths challenges for ages 5-11. https://nrich.maths.org.