Mathematics guidance - key stages 1 and 2 - Non-statutory guidance for the national curriculum in England - June 2020

Oct 21, 2026

Non-statutory guidance from the Department for Education for England supports teachers and schools in developing primary pupils’ mastery of mathematics across key stages 1 and 2. It explains ready-to-progress criteria from Year 1 to Year 6, outlines teaching guidance, core representations, precise language structures, and links between concepts. Each year-group chapter includes example assessment questions and development of calculation and fluency, while noting that only priority areas are covered.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages335

Reading Time14 h 4 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Acknowledgements

Summary

Introduction

Ready-to-progress criteria: year 1 to year 6

Year 1 guidance

Year 2 guidance

Year 3 guidance

Year 4 guidance

Year 5 guidance

Year 6 guidance

Appendix: number facts fluency overview

Representations of the mathematics

Language structures

Making Connections

Mathematics guidance: key stages 1 and 2 Non-statutory guidance for the national curriculum in England June 2020 Contents Acknowledgements 3 Summary 4 Introduction 5 Ready-to-progress criteria: year 1 to year 6 9 Year 1 guidance 16 Year 2 guidance 48 Year 3 guidance 82 Year 4 guidance 143 Year 5 guidance 208 Year 6 guidance 278 Appendix: number facts fluency overview 332 Acknowledgements We would like to thank and acknowledge the following people involved in the production of this publication: Dr Debbie Morgan (Director for Primary Mathematics, NCETM); Clare Christie (Maths Consultant and Lead Practitioner, Ashley Down Primary School); Professor Anne Watson (Emeritus Professor in Mathematics Education, University of Oxford); Dr Yvette Sturdy (Development Editor, DiGiV8 Ltd. ); Jalita Jacobson (Editor and Illustrator); Steve Evans (Illustrator); Dr Xinfeng Huang,(Associate Professor, Shanghai Normal University); Elizabeth Lambert (Assistant Director for Primary, NCETM); Emma Patman (Assistant Director for Primary, NCETM); Carol Knights (Director for Secondary, NCETM); Kris Dong (Deputy Head of Primary, National Nord Anglia Chinese International School Shanghai); Ellie Swidryk (Mastery Specialist Teacher, Shrubland Street Primary School); Thomas Hassall (Mastery Specialist Teacher, St Andrew’s Junior School); David Byron (Mastery Specialist Teacher, Cathedral Primary School, Bristol); Thomas Henesey (Mastery Specialist Teacher, Kingsholm C of E Primary School); Ione Haroun (Mastery Specialist Teacher, St White's Primary School); Farzana Khan (Mastery Specialist Teacher, Astwood Bank Primary School); Joanne Lane (Mastery Specialist Teacher, Stourport Primary Academy); Cat Potter (Head of Mathematics, Trinity Academy Bristol) . Summary This publication provides non-statutory guidance from the Department for Education. It has been produced to help teachers and schools make effective use of the National Curriculum to develop primary school pupils’mastery of mathematics. Who is this publication for? This guidance is for: 􀁸 local authorities 􀁸 school leaders, school staff and governing bodies in all maintained schools, academies and free schools Introduction Aims of the publication This publication aims to: 􀁸 bring greater coherence to the national curriculum by exposing core concepts in the national curriculum and demonstrating progression from year 1 to year 6 􀁸 summarise the most important knowledge and understanding within each year group and important connections between these mathematical topics What is included in the publication? This publication identifies the most important conceptual knowledge and understanding that pupils need as they progress from year 1 to year 6. These important concepts are referred to as ready-to-progress criteria and provide a coherent, linked framework to support pupils’mastery of the primary mathematics curriculum. The ready-to-progress criteria for all year groups are provided at the end of the introduction ( Ready-to-progress criteria ), and each criterion is explained within the corresponding year-group chapter. Please note that the publication does not address the whole of the primary curriculum, but only the areas that have been identified as a priority. It is still a statutory requirement that the whole of the curriculum is taught. However, by meeting the ready-to-progress criteria, pupils will be able to more easily access many of the elements of the curriculum that are not covered by this guidance. The year-group chapters Each chapter begins with a table that shows how each ready-to-progress criterion for that year group links to pupils’ prior knowledge and future applications. Each year-group chapter then provides: 􀁸 teaching guidance for each ready-to-progress criterion, including core mathematical representations, language structures and discussion of connections to other criteria 􀁸 example assessment questions for

FAQs

Who is this mathematics guidance intended for?

The guidance is for local authorities, school leaders, school staff, and governing bodies in maintained schools, academies, and free schools.

What are the ready-to-progress criteria and where are they used?

They identify the most important conceptual knowledge pupils need as they progress from Year 1 to Year 6. The criteria are listed at the end of the introduction and explained within each corresponding year-group chapter.

How does the publication support teaching and assessment?

Each year-group chapter provides teaching guidance for each criterion (including representations and language structures), example assessment questions, and guidance on developing calculation and fluency.

Oct 21, 2026

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