Key skills Reception
By the end of Reception all children should be able to confidently:
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Counts to 20
Count backwards from at least 20.
Counts objects to 10 and beginning to count beyond
Finds one more than a given number up to 20
Begins to find one less than a given number up to 20
Estimates how many objects they can see and checks by counting them
Recognises numbers 1-10 and begins to recognise numbers to 20
Selects the correct numeral to represent 1-10 objects
Begins to write the correct numeral to represent 1-10 objects
Begins to use correct vocabulary for addition and subtraction in practical
activities
Begin to compare numbers, e.g. knowing that 6 is bigger than 4.
Know the story of 6 (3 + 3, 2 + 4, 1 + 5, 6 + 0), and the stories of 5 and of
4 and of 3...
Recognise some 2-digit numbers related to their own experiences. E.g.
Daddy is 34, I live at number 56, etc.
Recognise the difference between ‘flat’ and ‘solid’ shapes and describe
shapes by mentioning a property, e.g. this one rolls, this one has
corners...
Spot and continue patterns
Compare the size of things using mathematical language, e.g. Tom is
taller than me.
Key skills Year 1
By the end of Year1 all children should be able to confidently:
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Count to and across 100 from any number
Count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals
Read and write mathematical symbols: +, - and =
Identify "one more" and "one less"
Use number bonds and subtraction facts within 20
Count on and back in 2s, 5s and 10s
Double to at least 20
Add and subtract 1-digit and 2-digit numbers to 20, including zero
Recognise, find and name a half and a quarter
Measure and begin to record length, mass, volume and time
Recognise and know the value of all coins and notes
Use language to sequence events in chronological order
Recognise and use language relating to dates
Tell the time to the half-hour, including drawing clocks
Recognise and name common 2-D shapes common 3-D shapes
Key skills Year 2
By the end of Year 2 children should be able to confidently:
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Count in steps of 2s, and 5s, and steps of 10
Recognise place value in two-digit numbers
Compare and order numbers up to 100 using <, > and =
Recall and use number addition/subtraction facts to 20, and derive
related facts
Add and subtract mentally and with objects one- and two-digit numbers
Understand and use the inverse relationship between addition and
subtraction
Know 2×, 5× and 10× tables, including recognising odd & even numbers
Calculate mathematical statements using x and ÷ symbols
Recognise, find, name and write 1/3, 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 of size, shape or
quantity
Write simple fraction facts, e.g. 1/2 of 6 = 3
Combine amounts of money to make a value, including using £ and p
symbols
Tell the time to the nearest 5 minutes, including drawing clocks
Describe properties of 2-D shapes, including number of sides and
symmetry
Describe properties of 3-D shapes, including number of edges, vertices
and faces
Interpret and construct simple tables, tally charts and pictograms
Key skills Year 3
By the end of Year 3 children should be able to confidently:
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Read and write numbers up to 1,000 in numerals and words
Recognise the place value of each digit in a 3-digit number
Compare and orders numbers up to 1,000
Find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number
Confidently uses number bonds to 100
Double numbers to 100
Begin to multiply 2 digits by 1 digit using formal written methods
Understand that the term product means multiply
Count in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100
Compare and order numbers up to 1000
Add and subtract numbers mentally, including round numbers to HTU
Add and subtract using standard column method
Estimate answers to calculations and use the inverse to check answers
Know 3×, 4× and 8× tables
Count up and down in tenths
Understand that tenths are objectives or quantities divided into ten
equal parts
Recognise and show equivalent fractions
Find and write fractions of a set of objects
Add and subtract fractions with common denominators (less than one)
Measure, compare and calculate measures using standard units
Measure the perimeter of simple 2-D shapes
Add and subtract money, including giving change
Tell and write the time from an analogue clock, including using Roman
numerals
Estimate and read time to the nearest minute
Identify horizontal, vertical, parallel and perpendicular lines
Identify whether angles are greater or less than a right angle
Interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables
Key skills Year 4
By the end of Year 4 children should be able to confidently:
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Count backwards through zero, including negative numbers
Recognise place value in four-digit numbers
Round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000
Know tables up to 12 × 12
Use place value and number facts to carry out mental calculations
Develop secure methods for mental addition and subtraction of pairs of
2-digit numbers
Add numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods
Subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods
Multiply 2 and 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number using formal written
methods
Divide a 3-digit number by a 1-digit number using formal written
methods
Use and apply the terms multiple and factor
Recognise and use hundredths
Recognise and write decimal equivalents to ¼, ½ and ¾ 1
Divide one- or two-digit numbers by 10 and 100, using tenths and
hundredths
Round decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number
Compare numbers up to two decimal places
Find the area of rectilinear shapes by counting squares
Convert between units of measurement, e.g. cm to m, g to Kg and ml to
L; convert between units of time and between analogue and digital time
Compare and classify shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles
Complete a simple symmetric figure with respect to a specific line of
symmetry.
Describe positions on a 2-D grid using co-ordinates
Describe translations using a given unit to the left/right and up/down
Interpret and present discrete and continuous data on appropriate
graphs
Key skills Year 5
By the end of Year 5 children should be able to confidently:
 Round to ten, a hundred, a thousand or ten thousand.
 Begin to read scales of different types
 Understand a one-place decimal number as a number of tenths and a twoplace decimal number as a number of hundredths.
 Understand the effect of multiplying and dividing by 10 and 100 to give 1place and 2-place decimal answers. E.g. 4.5 x 10 = 45, and 678 ÷ 100 = 6.78
etc.
 Add or subtract 0.1 or 0.01 to/from any decimal number with confidence, e.g.
5.83 + 0.01 or 4.83 – 0.1
 Add and subtract mentally with confidence – where the numbers are less than
100 or the calculation relies upon simple addition/subtraction and place value.
Examples include: 6,723 – 400, 78 + 46, 72 – 46, 8020 + 910, 100 – 64, 5000 +
12,000, etc.
 Confidently add 3- and friendly 4-digit numbers together using a secure
written method
 Count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers,
including through zero
 Add whole numbers with more than 4 digits using formal written methods
 Subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits using formal written
methods
 Multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a 1-digit number using a formal written
method
 Multiply a 2-digit number by a 2-digit number using long multiplication
 Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a 1-digit number using short division and
interpret remainders
 Know and recite all times tables including division facts.
 Reduce fractions to their simplest form, including tenths to fifths and
hundredths to tenths, e.g. 40/100 = 4/10 = 2/5 which is also 0.4
 Identify simple fraction and decimal equivalents: ½ ≡ 0.5, 0.25 ≡ ¼ and 0.75 ≡
¾.
 Measure and compare capacities, weights and lengths, including perimeters
using SI units; understand the concept of area and count squares to find areas.
 Understand the properties of triangles; find unknown angles in triangles and
rectangles.
Key skills Year 6
By the end of Year 6 children should be able to confidently:
 Read and write numbers up to 10,000,000 and determines the value of each
digit
 Order and compare numbers up to 10,000,000
 Consistently round numbers to a given multiple of 10 or decimal place
 Understand addition and subtraction with negative numbers down to -20
 Double numbers with up to 2 decimal places
 Halve numbers with up to 2 decimal places
 Add number using formal written methods including numbers with decimals
 Subtract number using formal written methods including numbers with
decimals
 Multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a 2-digit whole number using long
multiplication
 Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a 2-digit whole number using long division
 Solve problems up to 2-step involving all 4 operations
 Scale up or down by a factor of 2, 5 or 10
 Perform divisions mentally within the range of tables facts using remainders
or rounding the answer up or down as appropriate, e.g. 68 ÷ 8 = 8 r4 or 8½ or
how many toy spiders can be made if I have 68 legs? (Ans = 8) or how many
minibuses each holding 8 children will be needed to transport 68 children?
(Ans = 9).
 Uses common factors to simplify fractions
 Compare and order fractions including those >1
 Recall and use equivalences between fractions, decimals and percentages in
various contexts
 Finds basic percentages of numbers (50%, 25%, 75%, 5% and multiples of 10%)
 Understand the basic rules of solving simple equations where there is an
unknown on one side
 Solve missing number problems.
 Generate and describe linear sequences.
 Measure areas and perimeters; understand that area is a measurement of
covering and is measured in square units, and perimeter is a length, measured
in cm, m or mm.
 Use 12 and 24 hour clocks; calculate time intervals; use timetables.
 Compare and classify geometric shapes; identify circles and parts of circles.
 Identify positions in the first and fourth quadrants on a co-ordinate grid;
reflect and translate shapes.
 Find and interpret the mean (average) of several quantities.