Key Stage 1 – Mathematics

Key Stage 1 Maths: Teaching for every child

Children are taught about:

number: counting, calculating, solving simple problems and making simple lists, tables and charts
shape, space and measure: looking at, handling and describing the features of common shapes such as triangles, rectangles, squares, cubes, hexagons, pentagons, cylinders and spheres; describing positions, directions and movements and right angles; working and measuring with units of time, length, weight and capacity.

Using and applying mathematics involves doing practical tasks and talking about mathematical problems. Children are taught to reason about problems and solve them. They communicate their thinking and results using objects, pictures, diagrams, words, numbers and symbols. They estimate and measure everyday items. They do sums in their heads, especially by imagining numbers and the relationships between them.

At this age, children get into the habit of doing maths in their heads, without relying on calculators.

The daily mathematics lesson
Nearly all schools use the National Numeracy Strategy: Framework for teaching mathematics. This gives detailed aims for teaching maths, which is taught during a daily maths lesson for all pupils.

Key Stage 1 Maths: Targets for every child

Around age 7, most children are able to:

Using and applying mathematics

choose a sensible approach to tackle a problem
use words, symbols and simple diagrams to record what they do in a mathematical way
notice patterns and describe them
explain how they solved a problem.

Number

count, read and write whole numbers up to 100, and put them in order
count on or back in ones or tens from different starting numbers
tell if numbers are odd or even
know that you can undo an addition with a subtraction
know by heart all adding and subtracting facts for each number up to ten (for example, know the facts that 6 + 4 = 10, 10 – 4 = 6 and 10 – 6 = 4, 4 + 2 = 6 and 6 – 4 = 2, 6 – 2 = 4, and so on)
know the pairs of numbers in tens that make 100 (for example, 30 + 70 = 100, 70 + 30 = 100)
know that they can do addition in any order, and that it’s easier to start with the bigger numbers
understand that multiplying is the same as adding more of the same number
double numbers or halve them
know the 2 and 10 times tables by heart.

Shape, space and measure

use the mathematical names for common two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes; say how many sides and corners a shape has, and if it has any right angles
predict how a shape would appear in a mirror
recognise turning movements such as whole turns, half turns and quarter turns or right angles
measure or weigh things using units such as centimetres, metres, litres or kilograms; choose sensible units to use
use a ruler to draw and measure lines to the nearest centimetre
tell the time to the half and quarter hour.

See our range of Maths & Numeracy Games.

This information is supplied by Parents Centre and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.