National Curriculum
2014
What does this mean for Maths?
Why has the national
curriculum changed?
As the Department for Education puts it, it’s all about trying to
compete in the global economy and the curriculum 2014,
“combines the best elements of what is taught in the world’s
most successful school systems, including Hong Kong,
Massachusetts, Singapore and Finland, with some of the most
impressive (existing) practice from schools in England.”
The aim is to equip children with the top-class knowledge and
skills that universities and employers demand.
What does this mean for
Maths?
The following information has been taken directly from the New
National Curriculum
Purpose of study
Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline
that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution
to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to
everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering,
and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of
employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore
provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to
reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and
power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity
about the subject.
The national curriculum for mathematics
aims to ensure that all pupils:
• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including
through varied and frequent practice with increasingly
complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual
understanding and are able to recall and apply their
knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry,
conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing
an argument, justification or proof using mathematical
language
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety
of routine and non-routine problems with increasing
sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series
of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
When is Maths taught?
Maths is a core subject with a range of cross-curricular links (e.g.
data handling in Science, measures in Geography) but most
often, is best taught discretely, using opportunities from other
subjects to rehearse skills in a context.
Our policy is that Maths is taught for one hour a day and we are
planning in opportunities for Maths to become topic based and
used across all areas of the curriculum.
What has changed?
At a glance…
Changes to the Maths
Curriculum: Year 1
What’s gone?
What’s been added?
Data Handling/Statistics
Counting & writing written numerals
to 100
No specific requirement to describe
patterns
Write numbers in words up to 20
No specific requirements to describe
ways of solving problems or explain
choices
Number bonds secured to 20
Use of vocabulary such as equal, more
than, less than, fewer etc
Changes to the Maths
Curriculum: Year 2
What’s gone?
What’s been added?
Rounding two-digit numbers to the nearest 10
Solving problems with subtraction (not just
addition)
Halving/doubling no longer explicitly required
Finding/writing fractions of quantities (and
lengths)
Using lists/tables/diagrams to sort objects
Adding two 2-digit numbers
Adding three 1-digit numbers
Demonstrating commutativity of addition and
multiplication
Describing properties of shape (e.g. edges,
vertices)
Measuring temperature
Tell time to the nearest 5 minutes
Make comparisons using <>= symbols
Recognise £ p symbols and solve simple money
problems
Changes to the Maths
Curriculum: Year 3
What’s gone?
What’s been added?
Specific detail of problem solving strategies
(although the requirement to solve problems
remains)
Adding tens or hundreds to 3-digit numbers
Rounding to the nearest 10/100 moves to Year 4
Formal written methods for addition/subtraction
Reflective symmetry moves to Year 4
8 times table replaces 6 times table
Converting between metric units moves to Year 4
Counting in tenths
No requirements to use Carroll/Venn diagrams
Comparing, ordering, adding & subtracting
fractions with common denominators
Identifying angles larger/smaller than right angles
Identifying horizontal, vertical, parallel and
perpendicular lines
Telling time to the nearest minute including 24
hour clock and using Roman numerals
Know the number of seconds in a minute, days in
a each month, year and leap year
Changes to the Maths
Curriculum: Year 4
What’s gone?
What’s been added?
Specific detail on lines of enquiry, representing
problems .strategies to solve problems and
explaining methods
Solving problems with fractions and decimals to
two decimal places
Using mixed numbers (moved to year 5)
Rounding decimals to whole numbers
Most ratio work (moved to year 6)
Roman numerals to 100
Written division methods (moved to year 5)
Recognising equivalent fractions
All calculator skills removed from KS2
Knowing equivalent decimals to common
fractions
Measuring angles in degrees (moved to year 5)
Dividing by 10 and 100
Using factor pairs
Translation of shapes
Finding area/perimeter of compound shapes
Solve time conversion problems
Changes to the Maths
Curriculum: Year 5
What’s gone?
What’s been added?
Detail of problem-solving process and data handling
cycle no longer required
Understand, use and solve problems involving
decimals with 3 dp
Calculator skills (moved to KS3)
Write percentages as fractions; fractions as decimals
Probability (moves to KS3)
Use vocabulary of primes, prime factors, composite
numbers, etc
Know prime numbers to 20
Understand square and cube numbers
Use standard multiplication and division methods for
up to 4 digits
Add and subtract fractions with the same
denominator
Multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by
whole numbers
Deduce facts based on shape knowledge
Distinguish regular and irregular polygons
Calculate the mean average
To sum up…
• Fractions are introduced earlier, multiplication tables up to
12x are expected by age 9
• There is an increased emphasis on practice. “So pupils develop
the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly
and accurately”
• Calculators are out! – to be replaced by “mental fluency and
the use of efficient written methods in the four mathematical
operations”
• The National Curriculum Levels are out! – Schools will be free
to decide how to report to parents on children’s progress.
How can I help my child at
home?
-
Praise! Praise! Praise!
Make it fun! Games/puzzles/jigsaws/songs
Make it practical!
Make it relevant ! Show how we use maths skills in our
everyday lives and involve your child in this.
- Make it noisy! If your child is stuck talk it through. Use
mathematical vocabulary.
- Times Tables – top tips for times tables/apps/songs/websites
- Number bonds – apps/websites/games
Useful website
• http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110202093118/
http:/nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/85273