Year 1 Rationale

Autumn 1

Number (Place Value)

Pupils begin the Autumn term building on their learning of Number in EYFS to gain a secure understanding of Number and Place Value within 10. Pupils investigate and gain a deeper understanding of these numbers by counting forwards and backwards, sorting, ordering and comparing concrete and pictorial representations and manipulatives, before progressing onto demonstrating these same skills with digits. Pupils are introduced to the greater than (>), less than (<) and equal to (=) symbols and understand how digits within 10 are represented using the abstract method of a number line.

Number (Addition)

Pupils then build on their knowledge of Number and Place Value within 10 to Add Numbers within 10. Pupils are introduced to the abstract part-whole model, and the addition symbol, before progressing onto using this knowledge to identify and calculate fact families and number bonds to 10.

Autumn 2

Number (Subtraction)

Pupils begin Autumn 2 with a review of the learning from Autumn 1. Pupils then build on their understanding of Number, Place Value and Addition within 10 to support their understanding of Subtraction within 10. Pupils are introduced to the subtraction symbol and use the part-whole model to find the missing part when they have been given the whole and one part. They then progress onto calculating the difference between 2 amounts, using concrete and pictorial representations, before moving onto an abstract method such as a number line. Pupils conclude this unit by making accurate comparisons between addition and subtraction statements. This unit leads into Number and Place Value within 20 later in the half term.

Geometry (Shape)

Pupils build on their understanding of Geometry (Shape) in EYFS by accurately recognising, sorting and naming 2D and 3D shapes.  This progresses into making patterns with 2D and 3D shapes, based on the pupils’ knowledge of their properties.

Number (Place Value)

Pupils review Number and Place Value within 10.  Once it has been established that pupils have a secure understanding, they progress onto Number and Place Value within 20. Pupils begin by counting forwards and backwards accurately and representing these numbers using concrete and pictorial manipulatives, before writing numbers up to 20 in numerals and words.  Pupils then progress onto developing a deeper understanding of tens and ones, using this knowledge to accurately count forwards and backwards with one more and one less. This leads onto pupils comparing, grouping and ordering objects and then numerals. This unit is the foundation for pupils Adding and Subtracting within 20 next half term.

Autumn 2 concludes with an end of term review of learning which monitors pupils’ attainment and progress to date, highlighting pupils who have gaps in their knowledge and who are to be targeted for intervention next term.

Spring 1

Number (Addition and Subtraction)

Pupils begin Spring 1 with a review of Number and Place Value within 20 from Autumn 2.  Once pupils have a secure understanding of this knowledge, they progress onto Addition and Subtraction within 20.  Pupils use their knowledge of the number 10 and number bonds to 10 to add by making 10.  Pupils then build on this by subtracting within 20.  They begin by subtracting without crossing the tens. Once pupils are secure with this skill, they then progress to subtractions where the tens are crossed.  This unit concludes with the pupils strengthening their knowledge of mathematical connections by identifying and using related facts and by comparing number sentences.

Number (Place Value)

Once pupils are secure with Number and Place Value within 20, they then build on this understanding to work with Number and Place Value within 50.  Pupils use their knowledge of the number 10 to count to 50 by making 10s. Pupils then build on this to count forwards and backwards and to identify one more and one less within 50. Once they are secure with these skills, pupils compare and order concrete and pictorial objects within 50, before progressing onto comparing and ordering abstract numerals within 50. This unit concludes with pupils counting in 2s and 5s, which forms the foundations of their understanding of the times tables and leads into counting in 2s, 5s and 10s in the Multiplication and Division unit in Summer 1.

Spring 2

Measurement (Length and Height)

Pupils begin Spring 2 with a review of the learning from Spring 1. Pupils then build on their knowledge of Number and Place Value within 50 to gain a secure understanding of the Measurements of Length and Height. Pupils compare lengths and heights and measure lengths with familiar objects, before they progress onto using a ruler to measure lengths as a more efficient method.  This unit concludes with pupils using their Addition and Subtraction knowledge from Year 1 to solve addition and subtraction length problems. These problems provide pupils with the opportunity to think more deeply about length in a real life context and to independently choose the knowledge that they need in order to efficiently and accurately calculate and check an answer.

Measurement (Volume and Weight)

Once pupils have a secure understanding of the Measurements of Length and Height, they progress onto the Measurements of Volume and Weight. Pupils are introduced to weight and mass, before measuring and comparing mass.  Pupils then apply this knowledge to solve weight and mass problems in real life contexts.  Once pupils have a secure understanding of mass, they build on this knowledge by gaining an understanding of capacity and volume, before measuring and comparing different capacities.

Spring 2 concludes with an end of term review of learning which monitors pupils’ attainment and progress to date, highlighting pupils who have gaps in their knowledge and who are to be targeted for intervention next term.

Summer 1

Number (Multiplication and Division)

Pupils consolidate their knowledge of counting in 2s and 5s from Spring 1, before progressing onto counting in 10s and using their understanding of 5s to support them with this. Pupils also build on their knowledge of counting in 2s from Spring 1 to make doubles. Concrete and pictorial arrays are used to support pupils with these skills. This unit concludes with the pupils making and adding equal groups, before making equal groups by grouping and sharing.

Number (Fractions)

Pupils build on their knowledge of Number so far in Year 1 to gain a secure understanding of Fractions.  Pupils begin by making a half and a whole, using concrete and pictorial representations.  They then progress onto finding a half and a quarter of concrete and pictorial quantities, using their knowledge of grouping and sharing.  Once the pupils are secure with this knowledge, they build on this by understanding how these fractions are abstractly represented with a numerator, denominator and fraction line.

Summer 2

Geometry (Position and Direction)

Pupils begin Summer 2 by describing turns and positions.

Number (Place Value)

Pupils then build on their knowledge of Number and Place Value within 50, by understanding Number and Place Value within 100. Pupils use their understanding of making 10s to count to 100, before progressing onto counting forwards and backwards within 100.  Pupils are then introduced to the abstract 100 square representation and use this to partition, order and compare numbers within 100, before calculating one more and one less.

Measurement (Money)

Pupils apply their knowledge of Number from previous units within Year 1 to count in coins and to recognise the value of different notes and coins.

Measurement (Time)

Pupils begin by understanding what before and after mean in a variety of different contexts. Pupils then progress onto understanding different dates and how they can be written in different ways for different purposes. Pupils use an analogue clock to represent time to the hour and half hour, before building on this knowledge to compare different times and to write the time accurately.

Summer 2 concludes with an end of year review of learning, which monitors pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 1. This data informs the next academic year’s whole school areas for development, which are included within the Mathematics Action Plan. The knowledge that our pupils gain in Year 1 forms the foundations of their learning in Year 2 and beyond. Due to this, a review of learning takes place in Autumn 1 of Year 2 to ensure that pupils are ready for their new learning.