Mathematics introduces children to concepts, skills and thinking strategies that are essential in everyday life and support learning across the curriculum. It helps children make sense of the numbers, patterns and shapes they see in the world around them, offers ways of handling data in an increasingly digital world and makes a crucial contribution to their development as successful learners. Studying mathematics stimulates curiosity, fosters creativity and equips children with the problem solving skills they will need in life beyond school.

At Seven Sisters Primary School, we believe that all children can achieve in maths. We have adopted a mastery approach to the curriculum and make use of the many wonderful curriculum resources created by the White Rose Maths Hub which develop reasoning and problem solving skills.

Children now spend longer on each topic, allowing them the time needed to develop a deeper understanding of new concepts. We have a strong focus on arithmetic skills at the beginning of every lesson to develop confidence and fluency and we provide instant feedback in every lesson.

Please see our calculation policy below. 

Every morning, we start our Maths lessons by completing arithmetic questions. These are taken from "Fluent in Five".  Please see examples below. 

Below are a number of games that you can play to help children with their times tables. Some of the games, the children will already be familiar with. They don't take much resourcing at all and are fun to play.

Terror Tables

Each child is given the Terror Tables Grid.

They use known facts to work out unknown numbers. For example – 2 x 6 – 12 so 4 x 6 = 24 because 4 is double 2 , the answer of the first calculation is doubled to find the answer for the second.

Known facts can also be added e.g. 10 x 6 = 60 and 2 x 6 = 12 so 12 x 6 is those facts added as 2 + 10 = 12 so 60 + 12 = 72

The child is given 2 minutes to complete the grid. After that time a child can go against the clock to chant their times tables. Other children in the class noting them on a whiteboard.

A leader board of terror tables champions can be created showing chant times.

Four Stops To

Children play in two teams (could be pairs or up to whole class).

The aim of the game is to reach as close to x10 of the multiple without going over that number e.g. 8x tables – the target is to reach 80.

Team A rolls the dice  - they can either multiply by the number shown or add the number shown e.g. roll a 6 so 6 x 8 (times table chosen) or add 6.

Team B rolls the dice. On the second roll the totals accumulate. After 4 rolls, the team closest to the target number are the winners.

A good extension to the game is to work out (after 3 rounds) which team have the best probability of winning the game.

Beat the Clock

Children are given two minutes to complete as many time tables questions given to them on a times tables grid.

Quick Draw

Children work in pairs with their hands behind their back. They say 1, 2, 3 draw and both show their hands with a certain number of fingers showing.

For example, child A has 5 fingers on show and child B has 7. They then perform a quick multiplication 5 x 7 = 35

The winner is the first to shout the answer.

This could be adapted into a KS1 maths game by using simple addition or subtraction sums.

Kim’s Game

Place a set of times tables cards face up on a table.

A quiz master in the group removes 1 or 2 cards from the table while the rest of the team look away.

The first person in the team to say the times table that is missing wins a point. A score card can be kept.

The quiz master changes after each round.

Gladiators

On the whiteboard, write the desired x table answers.

All the children in pairs in class create x table questions (the answer must be on the white board).

Pick 2 challengers and a quiz master from the class. The first challenger to cover the correct answer to the quiz master’s question is the winner. The other children in class write their answer on their white board.

The children ‘show me’ answers after the completion of the challenge. Winner stays on as a champion.

Ping Pong

Children turn take with a partner or teacher turn takes with class asking and responding to x tables questions e.g. if the game is for 8 times table – quiz master says 6 and responder says 48, etc. 

Grid Game

A game which requires two players, two dice and a whiteboard.

Draw out a grid (9 square, 16 squares…)

Children work collaboratively at first to populate the grid with x table answers. They roll the dice e.g. roll a 6 (time table focus is 8 x table) and fill in one part of the grid with the answer.

They continue until the grid is full (repeated multiples are allowed).

The second part of the game is competitive – children roll again but this time cross off the times table they work out from the dice roll.

The winner is the partner with most times tables crossed off.

NB – if a partner misses a number and does not cross it off – the other partner can claim that square on their next turn.

Around the World

Children sit in a circle and a starting person is selected.

The starting person stands behind the child next to him/her. The teacher asks a times table question (or a quiz master child). The child who says the answer first moves on to challenge the next child. If the sitting child says the answer first, the children switch places.

The ‘winner’ is the child who makes most moves along the circle.

Power Towers

A game to play in pairs, groups or whole class.

Write multiplication problem on the outside of the cup and write the answer on the inside on the bottom. If the child gets the correct answer, they can begin making a tower.

Each time a correct answer is given they can add to the stack.

Play in teams – who can build the tower first?

Kahoot It

This is a multi-choice on line game.

There are a number of generated games for children to play or you can create your own.

You need to create a free account. Children can play in pairs using an Ipad or laptop computer.

What’s my Nameber?

Write out some tags with multiplication equations.

Give the tags to children to stick on.

For the remainder of the day, everyone will refer to the child as the answer to the equation on their tag e.g. the child with 3 x 8 on their tag will be referred to as 24!

Chase the Answer

Whole class game.

Create a series of cards (one per child) where there is a question and an answer on each card.

The question on the card leads to an answer on another card. For example – I have 64 (previous card question read who has 8x8) Who has 6 x 8?

Time how long it takes to complete the round of cards. Keep a leader board.

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