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Maths Mastery

Mathemtaics in the EYFS: Maths Mastery

"As a childcare professional you can make a real difference to ensure every child has a chance to become a confident learner and user of mathematics.”    

This MUST be our starting point when we want to provide children with opportunities to experience early mathematical concepts 

Evidence consistently shows that educators can implement approaches that support young children’s mathematical development. According to the Education Endowment Foundation, effective early numeracy strategies typically accelerate children’s learning by around seven months.

Actvities and Experiences in the EYFS

There's more to maths than counting! We all use maths skills in our daily lives and finding opportunities for supporting children with numbers, shapes, space and measures in your setting is easy when you know how...   

Maths is one of the four specific areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Each specific area is divided into Early Learning Goals, for maths these are:

Number - Children at the expected level of development will: - Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number; 14 - Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5; - Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts

Numerical Patterns - at the expected level of development will: - Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system; - Compare quantities up to 10 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 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally

Cumbria County Council have produced an interesting and refelctive Maths Toolkit, which can be found here

It includes information on enabling environments that support 'Maths Mastery' to happen in early years as well as practical ideas on dedicating time for children to learn mathematics and integrate mathematics throughout the day

Become a Maths Champion

The Maths Champions programme builds the knowledge of nursery practitioners to support children’s early mathematical development.

The one-year programme, developed and delivered by National Day Nurseries Association, supports early years settings (both PVI and school-based settings) to improve their maths provision. Each setting nominates a senior member of staff as a ​“Maths Champion” to undertake training and support colleagues to develop their maths teaching practice. A ​“Deputy Maths Champion” is also selected to support their work.

For more information contact Nicola McGarrell · nmcgarrell@londonsouthtsh.org: Early Years Hub Lead, London South Early Years Stronger Practice Hub 

 Useful Information

Mathematics - Help for early years providers - GOV.UK (education.gov.uk)

In this video, an early years expert explains the importance of numbers in the early years foundation stage framework. There are also some tips on how to support children in this area - you can watch here

Learn more about patterns and connections as part of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) including advice from experts and suggested activities here

In this video, an early years expert explains the importance of spatial reasoning in the early years foundation stage framework. There are also some tips on how to support children in this area here

Additional Resources

Also see:

https://www.eif.org.uk/resource/early-years-library

eyl-numeracy-full-series.pdf (pdf, 2.4mb)