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Maths and the National Numeracy Strategy - What should your child be able to do?

The National Numeracy Strategy started at Lower Park in September 1999 and has been successfully running ever since.

The strategy gives a clear indication to teachers and parents about the expectations of a child at the end of each school year.

As parents it is often hard to know how much your child knows compared with children of a similar age. The guidelines below should help.

BY THE END OF RECEPTION, CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• Say and use the number names in order in familiar contexts
• Count reliably up to 10 everyday objects
• Recognise numerals 1 to 9
• Use language such as 'more' or 'less', 'greater' or 'smaller', 'heavier' or 'lighter', to compare two numbers or quantities
• In practical activities and discussion, begin to use thevocabulary involved in adding and subtracting
• Find one more or one less than a number from 1 to 10
• Begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects, and subtraction to 'taking away'
• Talk about, recognise and recreate simple patterns
• Use language such as 'circle' or 'bigger' to describe the shape and size of solids and flat shapes
• Use everyday words to describe position
• Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems.

• Count, read, write and order whole numbers to at least 100; know what each digit represents (including zero as a  place holder)
• Describe and extend simple number sequences (including odd/even numbers, counting on or back in ones or tens from any two-digit number, and so on)
  Understand that subtraction reverses addition and state the subtraction corresponding to a given addition
• Know by heart all addition and subtraction facts for each number to at least 10
• Use knowledge that addition can be done in any order to do mental calculations more efficiently
• Understand the operation of multiplication
• Know that halving reverses doubling
• Know by heart multiplication facts for the 2 and 10 times tables
• Estimate, measure and compare lengths, masses and capacities, using standard units; suggest suitable units and equipment for such measurements
• Read a simple scale to the nearest labelled division, including using a ruler to draw and measure lines to the nearest centimetre
• Use the mathematical names for common 2-D and 3-D shapes; sort shapes and describe some of their features
• Use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement.
  

BY THE END OF YEAR 3, CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• Read, write and order whole numbers to at least 1000; know what each digit represents
• Count on or back in tens from ant two-digit three-digit number
• Recognise unit fractions, and use them to find fractions of shapes and numbers
• Know by heart all addition and subtraction facts for each number to 20
• Add and subtract mentally a 'near multiple of 10' to or from a two-digit number
• Know by heart multiplication facts for the 2, 5, and 10 times table
• Understand division and recognise that division reverses multiplication
• Use units of time and know the relationships between them (second, minute, hour, day week, month, year)
• Understand and use £.p notation
• Choose and use appropriate operations (including multiplication and division) to solve word problems, explaining methods and reasoning
• Identify right angle
• Identify lines of symmetry in simple shapes, and shapes with no lines of symmetry
• Solve a given problem by organising and interpreting data in simple lists, tables and graphs.

BY THE END OF YEAR 4, CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• Use symbols correctly, including less than (<), greater than (>), equals(=)
• Round any whole number less than 1000 to the nearest 10 or 100
• Recognise simple fractions that are several parts of a whole, and mixed numbers; recognise the equivalence of simple fractions
• Use known number facts and place value to add or subtract mentally, including any pair of two-digit whole numbers
• Carry out column addition and subtraction of two integers less than 1000, and column addition of more than two such integers
• Know by heart facts for the 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 multiplication tables
• Derive quickly division facts corresponding to the 2,3,4,5, and 10 multiplication tables
• Find remainders after division
• Know and use the relationships between familiar units of length, mass, and capacity
• Classify polygons, using criteria such a number of right angles, whether or not they are regular, symmetry properties
• Choose and use appropriate number operations and ways of calculating (mental, mental with jottings, pencil and paper) to solve problems.

BY THE END OF YEAR 5, CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• Multiply and divide any whole number up to 10000 by 10   or 100
  Order a given set of positive and negative numbers
  Use decimal notation for tenths and hundredths
  Round a number with 1 or 2 decimal places to the nearest whole number
  Relate fractions to division and their decimal   representations
  Calculate mentally a difference such as 8006-2993
  Carry out column addition and subtraction of positive   integers less than 10000
  Know by heart all multiplication facts up to 10 x 10
  Carry out short multiplication and division of a three-digit number
  Carry out long multiplication of a two-digit number by a two-digit number
  Understand area measured in square centimetres (cm ); understand and use the formula in words 'length x breadth' for the area of a triangle
  Recognise parallel and perpendicular lines, and properties of rectangles
  Use all four operations to solve simple word problems involving numbers and quantities, including time, explaining methods and reasoning.
  
  BY THE END OF YEAR 6, CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
  
  Multiply and divide decimals mentally by 10 or 1200
  Order a mixed set of numbers with up to three decimal   places
  Reduce a fraction to its simplest form by cancelling   common factors
  Find fractions of numbers or quantities
  Understand percentages as the number of parts in every 100, and find simple percentages of small whole-number quantities
  Solve simple problems involving ratio and proportion
  Carry out column addition and subtraction of numbers   involving decimals
  Derive quickly division facts corresponding to   multiplication tables up to 10 x 10
  Carry out short multiplication and division of numbers   involving decimals
  Carry out long multiplication of a three-digit by two-digit number
  Use a protractor to measure and obtuse angles to the   nearest degree
  Calculate the perimeter an area of simple shapes that can   be split into rectangles
  Read and plot co-ordinates
  Identify and use the appropriate operations (including combinations of operations) to solve word problems involving numbers and quantities, and explain methods and reasoning
  Solve a problem by extracting and interpreting information presented in tables, graphs and charts.

ASSESSMENT

The assessment of the progress of all pupils in the National Curriculum is measured using the Attainment Targets in each subject, indicating the knowledge, skills and understanding that the children have gained. The number of Attainment Targets varies with each subject. Details for the Core Subjects are given below.

The written reports at the end of the school year will give the teacher's assessment of your child's progress in the Curriculum and where pupils have taken SATs the levels achieved will be reported i.e. for year 2 and year 6 pupils. Information on attendance is now also a legal requirement. It should be stressed that all such information is strictly confidential.

ATTAINMENT TARGETS (AT) - CORE SUBJECTS

English
1. Speaking and Listening
2. Reading
3. Writing including Spelling and Handwriting

Maths
1. Using and applying Mathematics
2. Number and algebra
3. Shape, Space and Measures
4. Handling Data

Science
5. Scientific investigations
6. Life and living Processes
7. Materials and their Properties
8. Physical Processes

In all subjects each AT is divided into 8 levels to show progress throughout the whole of your child's statutory education.

All teachers regularly assess what pupils know, understand and can do as part of their class work. All identify opportunities for this in their half term planning for their classes. Any identified weaknesses are picked up and included in future planning and work.

All pupils have a "Blue book" which contains items of their work from Reception to year 6. This helps to track progress. Teachers to indicate the level of attainment within the National Curriculum annotate many of these items.

In a formal way we have introduced an Assessment programme for each year group:

Reception - Baseline assessment:
Conducted by reception teachers during the child's firstfew weeks at the School.

Year1 - MIST Programme:
Helps to identify pupils that need extra help.

Year 2 - SATs:
National tests that are conducted during the first part of the summer term in English, Maths and Science. They give an indication of pupils' performance in comparison with the National picture.

Year 3 - Cheshire Tests:
These are offered in March each year and cover Reading, Mathematics and Intelligence. Cheshire County Council insists that these are conducted as they give a picture across the County.

- QCA Optional SATs:
These are offered during the Summer Term and cover English and Maths.

Year 4 - QCA Optional SATs:
These are offered during the Summer Term and cover English and Maths.

Year 5 - QCA Optional SATs:
These are offered during the Summer Term and cover English and maths.

Year 6 - Cheshire tests:
As in Year 3.

SATs in English, Maths and Science:
These are conducted in May.

All of the test data is analysed and use to help inform further planning. Governors are offered data from these tests to indicate attainment trends. Governors are not, however, given the names of any pupil in order to preserve confidentiality. Parents are informed of their child's test results either informally at Parents Evenings (for younger pupils) or by letter or report (for older pupils).