Mathematics
ELG: Number
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Have a deep understanding of numbers up to ten, including the composition of each number
- Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to five
- Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to five (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to ten, including double facts.
ELG: Numerical Patterns
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system
- Compare quantities up to ten in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity
- Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to ten, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally.
Ofsted’s Mathematics - Help for early years providers, states the following about maths in the early years foundation stage:
Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to ten, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers.
By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding - such as using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting - children will develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built.
In addition, it is important that the curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures.
It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes.
