Year 3 Rationale 

Autumn 1

Number (Place Value)

In Year 3, pupils build on the learning in Year 2.  Pupils progress from representing numbers to 100 and adding tens and ones in Year 2 Autumn 1 to have a secure understanding of how to calculate 1, 10 and 100 more and less than a given number. Once pupils are able to accurately and independently perform this skill, they progress onto numbers to up 1000.  Pupils also apply their knowledge of number lines to 100, to now have a secure understanding of number lines to 1000.  This unit concludes with pupils comparing and ordering concrete and pictorial objects, before progressing onto comparing and ordering abstract numbers.

Number (Addition and Subtraction)

Pupils progress from adding and subtracting ones using a mental method in Year 2 Autumn 2 to now add and subtract multiples of 100.  Once pupils are secure with this skill, they build on this knowledge to add and subtract 3-digit and 1-digit numbers without crossing 10s.  Pupils apply this skill to then add and subtract 3-digit and 1-digit numbers crossing 10s.  Once pupils are secure with these skills, they build on this knowledge to add and subtract 3-digit and 2-digit numbers firstly without crossing 100s, before progressing onto crossing 100s. This half term concludes with pupils investigating links and connections between their mathematical knowledge, by exploring patterns within addition and subtraction calculations.

Autumn 2

Number (Addition and Subtraction)

Autumn 2 begin with a review of learning from Autumn 1. Pupils then build on this knowledge by continuing with the Number Addition and Subtraction unit from last half term.  Pupils apply their knowledge of adding and subtracting two 2-digit numbers mentally by adding and subtracting 1s and 10s in Year 2 Autumn 2, to now add and subtract 2-digit and 3-digit numbers firstly without crossing the 10s and 100s, before finally progressing onto crossing the 10s and 100s.  Once pupils are secure with these skills, they build on this knowledge to add and subtract two 3-digit numbers firstly without crossing the 10s and 100s and without exchanges, before progressing onto crossing the 10s and 100s with exchanges.  This unit concludes with pupils estimating and checking their answers, which builds towards pupils effectively using efficient methods.

Number (Multiplication and Division)

Pupils build on the learning from Year 2 Autumn 2 and Spring 1, where pupils gained a secure understanding of the multiplication symbol and using arrays to now multiply equal groups accurately and efficiently. Pupils then progress onto multiplying and dividing by 3, 4, and 8, building on the knowledge gained from Year 2 Spring 1 when pupils developed a secure understanding of multiplying and dividing by 2, 5 and 10.

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 (Multiplication and Division)

Spring 1 begins with a review of learning from Autumn 2, as this half term begins by building on pupils’ Multiplication and Division knowledge.  Pupils progress from the reasoning, links and connections knowledge they have gained so far throughout Year 1 and 2 to compare statements, identify related calculations and recognise as many different ways as possible of answering multiplication and division calculations. This unit concludes with pupils learning about scaling.

Measurement (Money)

Pupils build on from counting Money in pounds and pence in Year 2 Autumn 2 to now convert amounts of money between pounds and pence. Pupils then progress onto applying their knowledge of addition and subtraction from earlier in the year to add and subtract money and to calculate change.

Pupils progress on from making tally charts in Year 2 Spring 1’s Statistics unit and drawing and interpreting pictograms in multiples of 2, 5 and 10 to draw and interpret bar charts and tables.

Spring 2

Measurement (Length and Perimeter)

Pupils begin this half term by building on from the learning in Year 2 Summer 1 to now developing a secure understanding of Length and Perimeter. Last year, pupils measured lengths in m and compared different lengths. Now they identify equivalent lengths in mm and cm, and m and cm, before progressing onto adding and subtracting lengths.  This unit concludes with pupils measuring and calculating the perimeter.

Number (Fractions)

Pupils conclude the Spring term by reviewing the Fractions learning in Year 2 Spring 2, when they became secure with making equal parts; recognised and identified a half, a quarter and a third; developed an understanding on unit and non-unit fractions; counted in fractions and understood that a half and two quarters are equivalent. This unit leads into the Summer term, when pupils build on this Fractions knowledge.

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 (Fractions)

Summer 1 begins with a review of the Fractions knowledge that was recapped in Spring 2. Pupils build on this understanding to accurately make a whole and understand the value of tenths by counting in tenths and recognising tenths as a decimal (0.1). Once pupils are secure with these skills, they apply this knowledge of number lines in Year 2 to identify fractions on a number line.  Then pupils calculate fractions of a set of objects and build on their knowledge of two quarters being equivalent to one half to develop a secure understanding of other equivalences.  This unit concludes with pupils comparing and ordering fractions before progressing onto building on their knowledge of addition and subtraction to now add and subtract fractions.

Measurement (Time)

Pupils conclude Summer 1 by building on their knowledge of the Measurement of Time in Year 2 Summer 2, when pupils developed a secure understanding of o’clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to telling the time to 5 minutes. Now pupils progress onto months and years and telling the time to 1 minute. Once pupils are secure with this knowledge, they build on this understanding to use a.m and p.m accurately, to understand how to use a 24-hour clock, before further progressing onto finding and comparing durations of activities by accurately identifying start and end times. This unit concludes with pupils applying their Measurement of Time knowledge to real life contexts, where they independently choose the knowledge and most efficient methods, enabling them to accurately calculate the answers to time problems.  

Summer 2

Geometry (Properties of Shapes)

Summer 2 begins with pupils building on the learning in Year 2 Spring 2. Pupils develop a secure knowledge of turns and angles, identifying angles within shapes, comparing angles and drawing angles accurately.  Once pupils are secure with the knowledge of right angles, they progress onto being able to identify types of lines: horizontal, vertical, perpendicular and parallel. This unit concludes with pupils being able to recognise and describe 2D and 3D shapes, before progressing onto making 3D shapes accurately.

Measurement (Mass, Capacity and Temperature)

Summer 2 concludes with pupils building on the learning in Year 2 Summer 2, when pupils developed a secure understanding of comparing different amount of mass, comparing different volumes and temperatures. Now pupils progress onto accurately measuring different amounts of mass, before applying their knowledge of addition and subtraction to add and subtract mass. Once pupils are secure with mass, they progress onto accurately measuring capacity, before applying this knowledge to adding and subtracting capacities.

Summer 2 concludes with an end of year review of learning, which monitors pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 3. This data also informs the next academic year’s whole school areas for development, which is included within the Mathematics Action Plan. The knowledge that our pupils gain in Year 3 forms the foundations of their learning in Year 4 and beyond. Due to this, a review of learning takes place in Autumn 1 of Year 4 to ensure that pupils are ready for their new learning.