Number facts and calculating

Recall of number facts

• Finds it very difficult to fluently recall number facts – for example, number bonds to 10.
• Is reliant on counting on and back in ones when adding and subtracting.
• Doesn’t remember times table facts (or may only remember facts for the 2-, 5- and 10-times tables).
• May use ‘skip counting’ to work out the answer to times tables (for example, to work out 3 x 4, they count 3, 6, 9, 12).

Understanding the four operations

• Doesn’t understand that addition and multiplication can be done in any order – for example, they can’t see that if 7 + 5 = 12, then 5 + 7 = 12.
• Does not see the relationship between addition/ subtraction and multiplication/division – for example, they can’t see that if 3 x 5 = 15, then 15 ÷ 3 = 5.
• Finds it hard to recall the meaning of mathematical symbols.
• Finds it difficult to solve number problems, particularly if these have more than one step

Based on need, some of this provision will be effective.

• Provide written scaffolds (such as times tables grids and hundred squares) to support the child or young person until the number facts they need to know to access whole-class work are learnt to fluency.
• Provide worked examples to support written methods and use backwards fading to support independence. For some children and young people, having these in front of them is easier than working from the board.
• Provide squared paper to support children and young people to lay out calculations accurately.
• Provide sentence starters and stem sentences to support the use of full sentences.
• Pre-teach the language used to access maths lessons – for example, equal, altogether.
• Play games that involve the recall of number facts in a small group, so that children and young people have regular opportunities to develop fluency without time pressure.
  • Number Facts – Nrich
  • Secondary Interactive Games and Challenges – Nrich
• Use the ‘No Nonsense Maths’ materials to support fluency in recall of number facts.
• Provide 1:1 precision teaching (for example, of number facts).
• Plan pre-teaching based on the Connective Model of maths to support understanding.
• Provide 1:1 or small group support. For example –
  • Use the ‘Supporting children with gaps in their mathematical understanding‘ materials. These were aimed at children and young people in Key Stage 2.
  • Use ‘Spot on with number,’ 1:1 or small group (up to four children). This is for Key Stage 1 children with moderate difficulties in maths, or older children and young people with specific difficulties, including dyscalculia.
  • Use ‘From Counting to Calculating,’ a small group intervention to support children who lie just above the bottom 5% in Year 2 and for children older than this who are working significantly behind age related expectations. Contact the Devon maths team.
  • Use ‘Making a difference: developing additive reasoning,’ an intervention to support children and young people with developing conceptual understanding of addition and subtraction, building on ‘From Counting to Calculating,’ and covering the expectations in the National Curriculum up to the end of Year 4. Contact the Devon maths team.
  • Use ‘Fair and Equal: developing multiplicative reasoning’, an intervention to support children and young people with developing conceptual understanding of multiplication and division, covering the key ideas related to multiplicative reasoning in the National Curriculum up to the end of Year 4, with a few elements from Year 5. Contact the Devon maths team.
  • Use ‘Success at arithmetic,’ a small group intervention for children and young people in Years 5 to 8 who have difficulties with arithmetic.
  • For older pupils, plan support based on the NCETM’s mastery materials.

Support services

• Devon’s Primary Maths team
• Devon’s Educational Psychology Service

Further reading and information

• A Devon approach to supporting children and young people with mathematical difficulties
• Additional classroom strategies from the Primary Maths Team
• Mathematics guidance: key stages 1 and 2 – DfE
• ‘Teaching for Mastery’ statement – Jurassic maths hub

NCETM

• Cardinality and number sense
• Secondary mastery materials
• Numberblocks support materials

Nrich

• Number facts games
• Secondary interactive games and challenges

• Models and images to support understanding of multiplication and division
• Four ways to create better mathematical talk in your classroom
• High quality talk in mathematics – Research Schools Network
• Jurassic Maths Hub Oracy Statement

Resources to share with parents

• 1-minute maths app | White Rose
• Times Tables Rock Stars
• NumBots (for children in years 1, 2 and 3, or older pupils working at this level)
• Hit the Button (an app to practise recall of number facts)
• Parent resources | Nrich
• Numberblocks | BBC iPlayer