Early Mark Making
Friday, 27th September
Agenda and Objectives
• To recognise the developmental stages in
early mark making and counting.
• To consider effective resources and
activities to support progression.
• To be familiar with EYFS Early Learning
Goals and Area of Learning and
approaches to counting within the new
National Curriculum.
The EYFS (revised) 2012
What do you notice?
3 Prime Areas of Learning:
1. Personal, Social and
Emotional Development
2. Communication and Language
3. Physical Development
4 Specific Areas of Learning:
1. Literacy
2. Mathematics
3. Understanding the World
4. Expressive Arts and Design
DfE (2012) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage available at
https://www.education.gov.uk/publicatio
ns/eOrderingDownload/Development-Matters.pdf
DfE (2012) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage available at:
Interesting changes …
Discuss these points and any others:
1. Now ‘Mathematics’ not ‘PSRN’
2. The arrows represent the ‘characteristics of
effective learning’:
‘Creating and Thinking Critically’ – critical
thinking not really included specifically before.
What do you think about that?
Let’s look at the key documentation …
The Early Learning Goals
Mathematics (Specific Area)
• Numbers: children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place
them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a
given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract
two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer.
They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
• Shape, space and measures: children use everyday language to talk
about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to
compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They
recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore
characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use
mathematical language to describe them
Does maths link to any other specific area?
Prime Areas
Communication and language
• Listening and attention: children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen
to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with
relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others
say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.
• Understanding: children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They
answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories
or events.
• Speaking: children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’
needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events
that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own
narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events
Do the examples above link clearly to maths? Should they?
Does maths link to any other prime areas? Is this made clear?
Does EYFS planning in your school take this into consideration clearly enough?
How aware are you of EYFS planning?
It is the foundation of everything else so extremely important to get right 
Williams Review (2008)
Recommendation 4:
That the DCSF commissions a set of materials
on mathematical mark making and children’s
mathematical development which can be
used to support early years practitioners’
CPD.
Mark Making Matters
The National Strategies Early years
Matthew (3 years, 1 month)
He knows that marks carry meaning and they can sometimes represent
numbers. He also knows that you write numbers down.)
Tins Games
Tins Game
What do marks mean?
How would we know?
Marks have meaning
Worthington and Carruthers’ research and
guidance:
Gallery
Essential elements to support mark making
What is an ‘enabling environment’ for
mark making?
• Discuss and collect key ideas
• Share these key points
The Pedagogy of Children’s Mark Making
Providing an ‘enabling environment’ for mark making
For example …
• An environment that gives children many opportunities to
explore mark making
• Assessment that is positive and responsive to children’s
marks and informs the next steps of learning
• Adults that model mathematics in meaningful contexts
• Adults that understand and value children’s marks
… and does not move children on before they are ready
… but they do need to move on
• Are there implications for older children?
• How important is it to allow children to record in their own
way? APP evidence? SATS?
We need to help them make progress by careful planning and excellent teaching 
Numbers and Patterns: laying foundations in
mathematics (written to support old EYFS)
How well has your school engaged with the ‘Numbers
and Patterns’ Material?
Is there some scope for development here?
• Let’s look at page 11 and 15
Early Years Magazines (NCETM)
(now recently combined with ‘Primary’ as one)
Does this regularly feature in EYFS planning in your
school?
• Let’s look at some of their recent issues:
NCETM