The National

Numeracy Strategy
in Cumbria

NATIONAL NUMERACY STRATEGY

IN

CUMBRIA

Presentation for parents to

introduce the National Numeracy Strategy

and to outline the most important changes

in the teaching of mathematics

 NATIONAL NUMERACY STRATEGY IN CUMBRIA

A PARENTS’ MEETING
Outline Plan

§ 9x table activity

§ Grey elephant activity

§ Samples questions KS2 SATS 1999 Mental Test

§ Introduction to National Numeracy Strategy and reasons for

the Strategy

§ Outline of 3 part daily mathematics lesson

§ Differences in teaching of mathematics as a result of the

Strategy

§ Examples of mental strategies

- partitioning
- compensation
- doubles and near doubles
- bridging through 10, 20

§ Readiness for written strategies

§ Progression through addition

§ Multiplication by grid method

§ Division by “chunking”

§ How can parents help

 WARM-UP ACTIVITIES BASED ON 9X TABLES

A. Ask the audience to : Answers

1. Think of a number between 0 - 9

2. Times that number by 9.
3. Add the digits in your answer.
4. Subtract 5 from your answer.
5. Count in that number of letters in the alphabet. D
6. Think of a country starting with the letter. Denmark
7. The second letter of the country (E) - think of
an animal starting with the letter. Elephant
8. Think of a colour for your animal. Grey

Ask :

How many people have a grey elephant in Denmark?

B. Ask the audience to :

1. Think of a number between 0 - 9.

2. Times that number by 9.
3. Add the digits in your answer.
4. Subtract 6 from the total.
5. What is your answer? It should be 3.

Explain that the total of the digits in the 9 times table is

always 9.
eg 5 x 9 = 45 4 + 5 = 9
7 x 9 = 63 6 + 3 = 9
 KEY STAGE TWO SAT’S MENTAL ARITHMETIC
TEST

To give parents an idea of the type of questions and the

pressure of time, ask them the following questions taken from a
recent mental arithmetic SAT test for 11 year olds.

Read out the following allowing 10 seconds to answer.

§ The following sequence of numbers follows the rule - double

and subtract one. What is the next number? 3, 5, 9, 17, ?

§ Which of the following fractions is equivalent to 40%?

1 40 1 4 6
/40, /60, /4, /10, /40

§ Calculate the difference between three hundred and forty,

and seven hundred and ten.

Read out the following allowing 15 seconds to answer.

§ Add together thirty-eight, twenty-three and forty-four.

§ Which of the following expressions gives an answer nearest

to 100?
50 x 19; 49 x 20; 1.9 x 50; 4.9 x 1.9; 5.9 x 20
 OHT (1)
INTRODUCTION TO THE

NATIONAL NUMERACY STRATEGY

AND THE FRAMEWORK

Background

§ Research from abroad (especially Europe) showed more

focus on mental work lead to success in mathematics.

§ Results from NNP trialed in all types of school - 200,000

children

National Project School

KS1 SATS 2% improvement 4% improvement
KS2 SATS 4% improvement 9% improvement

§ Pupils made 9-13 months more progress on special

numeracy tests

§ Outcomes from Ofsted Inspections identified good practice in

mathematics

§ Observations of effective practice in UK and other countries

in Europe showed most successful approaches to teaching
mathematics

§ Practice developed in National Literacy Strategy had impact

in formulating National Numeracy Strategy
Key Differences in National Numeracy Strategy to previous
practice in many schools

§ More direct/interactive teaching

§ Teaching of mental calculation strategies

§ A new approach to teaching written calculation

§ Introduction of 3 part daily mathematics lesson

Government has target of 75% pupils at 11 reaching at least L4

by 2002.

Cumbria 79% by 2002 (as always above national).

 INTRODUCTION TO THE

NATIONAL NUMERACY STRATEGY

Use OHT (1) to explain the background reasons for the

National Numeracy Strategy, its impact on schools in the pilot
project and to outline the key differences between the daily
mathematics lesson and previous mathematics teaching.

Use OHT (2) of a typical daily mathematics lesson and discuss

§ the use of time

§ the 3 part structure to the lesson

§ what is meant by oral/mental starter

§ the main part of the lesson

§ the use of the plenary

To show a mental/oral starter, use video from 3 day training

from Summer 1999 showing Joy with her class.

Show the Framework and explain how it is organised to help

teachers with continuity and progression.
 OHT (2)
A TYPICAL DAILY MATHEMATICS LESSON
Oral and mental starter

Whole class § Oral and mental work to rehearse about 5

and sharpen skills to 10
minutes

Main teaching and pupil activities

§ Clear objectives shared with

children
§ Direct teaching input
§ Practical and/or written work for
children on the same theme for all
Whole the class
class/ § If group work, usually differentiated about 30
groups/ at no more than 3 levels, with to 40
pairs/ focused teaching of 1 or 2 groups minutes
individuals for part of the time
§ Continued interaction and
intervention
§ Misconceptions identified

Plenary

§ Feedback from children to identify

progress and sort misconceptions
§ Summary of key ideas, what to
Whole class remember 10 to 15
§ Links made to other work, next minutes
steps
§ Work set to do at home

It may be helpful to show some resources which are being used

- counting sticks, digit fans, whiteboards, partitioning cards, flip
flops, number lines, 100 squares.
 OHT (3)

USE OF MENTAL STRATEGIES

One of the major changes in the National Numeracy Strategy is

the teaching of a range of mental strategies to pupils.

Using a flipchart explain the following strategies :

partitioning :

eg 34 + 35 = (30 + 4) + (30 + 5)
(30 + 30) = 60
(4 + 5) =_ 9
69
§ compensation :

eg 17 + 9 = 17 + 10 - 1 = 26
26 + 11 = 26 + 10 + 1 = 37

§ doubles or near doubles

eg 8 + 8 = 16
so 8 + 9 = 8 + 8 + 1 = 17

§ bridging through 10, 20, etc.

eg 8 + 7 = (8 + 2) + 5
= 10 + 5 = 15
15 + 9 = (15 + 5) + 4
= 20 + 4 = 24

You could ask the audience to work out 37 + 29 mentally and

explain to you their method of calculation. You record on a
flipchart the range of methods.
Suggest these have probably been developed by each
individual to give them short cuts but that they were probably
not taught at school.

The National Numeracy Strategy focuses on teaching pupils a

range of mental strategies to support calculation. The pupils
can then choose the method they understand/are comfortable
with.
 OHT (4)
WRITTEN STRATEGIES

Children will still record mathematics in their books from early

on but possibly not in the form we have seen in the past.

Remind the audience that :

§ Children in this country are relatively weak at calculations
compared with children of the same age in some other
countries
§ The main difference in these countries that are more
successful than us at teaching number is that, until children
are about 9 (our Year 4) much more emphasis is placed on
mental calculation, with jottings where appropriate, and only
then are more formal written methods introduced.

Approach adopted by National Numeracy Strategy :

§ Up to Year 3 the emphasis is on children working mentally,
with calculations recorded in horizontal number sentences,
with some jottings for more challenging numbers
§ In Year 3-6 children will be taught more formal written
methods of calculation.

What children should be able to do before they start on

formal written calculations :
§ Do they understand place value in three digit numbers?
§ Can they partition three digit numbers into hundreds, tens
and units?
§ Do they know by heart + and - facts to 20?
§ Can they +/- mentally any pair of 2 digit numbers - using a
strategy of their choice?
§ Can they explain their strategy orally and record it using
informal jottings?

Work through progression :

§ informal
§ expanded form
 WRITTEN STRATEGIES

Use OHT to explain to parents the changes in written

strategies, the changes in expectations for younger pupils, the
term “jottings” and how teachers will judge whether a pupil is
ready to start formal written calculations and what they as
parents are expected to see in the children’s written work.

§ To illustrate the progression from mental to written methods

in addition use a flipchart or OHT to show :

- mental strategies
- informal jottings to support mental calculations
- expanded form adding most significant digit first
- expanded form adding units first
- standard written form

Explain by demonstration each of the above stages.

 OHT (5)

PROGRESSION FORM MENTAL TO WRITTEN

METHODS - ADDITION

Remember the aim up to Year 3 is to ensure pupils are good at

mental methods especially for addition and subtraction. The
aim is also that in Year 6 each pupil should be able to use a
standard written method.

Progression through addition

The first step is to establish that children are ready to move to

more formal methods.

OHP 6.5 Written calculations : addition Year 3 and Year 4

1. Mental calculations

2. Informal jottings to support mental calculation

36 + 19 = 36 + 20 - 1 )
or = 36 + 10 + 9 ) pupil choice of method
or = 30 + 10 + 6 + 9 )

Can the pupil explain their method to you?

3. Expanded form adding most significant digit first

36 + 19 36 +
19
40 +
15
55
4. Expanded form adding units first

36 + 19 36 +
19
15
40
55

5. Standard written form - compact

36 +
19
55
1
 NEW METHODS OF TEACHING MULTIPLICATION
AND DIVISION

A. Multiplication by grid method - based on the ability to

partition :

29 x 6 = 174

X 20 9 Total
6 120 54 174

28 x 34 = 952

X 20 8 Total
30 600 240 840
4 80 32 112

Give parents an example to work for themselves.

Do they like the method?

Is it easier to understand?
B. Division by chunking :

(i) 327 ÷ 7 =

327 -
70 (10x7)
257 -
70 (10x7)
187 -
70 (10x7)
117 -
70 (10x7)
47 -
42 (6x7) 46 lots of 7 r 5
5 ie 46 r 5

(ii) or when pupils are more confident

327 ÷ 7 =

327 -
280 (40x7)
47 -
42 (6x7)
5 46 x 7 r 5

Give parents an example to work for themselves.

 OHT (6)
HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

Research from IMPACT project shows parental involvement is

crucial to raising standards.

Stress :

§ Parents sharing the activity with the child is the key

§ Just sending more homework has no real effect

§ Some activities need to be shared/discussed with an

adult/parent/carer

§ Involvement of parents in their child’s education has been

proved to be a vital factor in a child’s success

§ Feedback home-school/school-home is a very important

aspect in order to reinforce the partnership of parents and
school

§ Parents are not expected to teach pupils but share, talk and
listen to their child

Most important is for parents to TALK AND LISTEN to children

about their work in mathematics.

Show parents the booklet “Mathematics activities for out of

class” and attach some of the activities. Stress a lot of
mathematics can be done using everyday situations and does
not have to mean pencil and paper, eg when shopping.
 OHT (7)

HOW GOVERNORS CAN HELP

The school will have nominated a numeracy governor who has

received training as part of the three day conferences. The
numeracy governor has a clear role which is outlined in the
booklet “Information for Governors”. (Show booklet)

All other governors should concentrate their commitment upon

the raising of standards.

All governors and the headteacher share responsibility for

strategic planning - setting realistic but challenging school
targets for mathematics.

All governors need to be familiar with the National Numeracy

Strategy and key issues relating to its management at school
level.

Being informed gives you the background upon which you can
discuss confidently with parents and the community the
mathematics teaching in your school.