Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers. By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding - such as using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting - children will develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. In addition, it is important that the curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes.

ELG: Number

• Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number.
• 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.

ELG: Numerical Patterns

• 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

Nursey 3-4 Years Old

• Sing counting songs and rhymes.
• Count small groups of numbers, starting from three.
• Playing games with numbers such as rolling a die and finding the correct number of objects.
• Counting our steps and things we see in the environment.
• Make groups of objects into sets and count how many sets there are.
• Make sets of one dot, sets of two dots, etc. Start with up to five.
• Using mathematical language, who is first? Who is second?
• Subitising quantities up to four.
• Identifying repeating patterns in print and songs
• Opportunities to count and compare sets, Which group is bigger/smaller?
• Activities that reproduce a number with manipulatives, e.g. place two counters on a table, hide another under a cloth .and show it to children. 
• Measuring using non-standard units, such as cubes or hands.
• Exploring light and heavy objects, including large light objects and small heavy objects. 
• Exploring capacity using a range of different objects such as teapots, buckets, spoons and ladles.
• Using nesting containers to generate curiosity and discussion. 
• Exploring a variety of pouring media, sand, water lentils and countable materials such as blocks and conkers. 
• Time, playing games that help us think about what time of day it happens such as the moon at night or the sun in the day.
• Exploring shapes in the environment, the round clock, the square picture. 
• Using pictures and stories to name and identify simple shapes.
• Using simple positional language through games.
• Simple problem solving, how many children have blue eyes/brown eyes?

Reception 4-5 Years Old

• Counting games, can you roll a die and find that many objects from a group of ten?
• Using arrays, can you say how many?
• Using mathematical resources such as Numicon, multilink and ten-frames to work out arrays.
• Recognising multiplication arrays by using columns and rows. Using resources such as Lego, egg boxes and cake tins.
• Counting more complex arrangements of numbers. Encouraging children to talk about how they see the number.
• Using number lines to write numbers in order and find what is more or less.
• Recognising and continuing repeating patterns in pictures, objects and rhymes. Can you see it? Can you hear it? Can you copy it?
• Solving number problems, can you count the dots? Can you say the number? Do you recognise the number? Can you make the number in different ways?
• Singing number songs to support counting backwards, using our fingers to help us, such as 10 fat sausages/10 in a bed.
• Using 3D bar grids and pictograms to sort into groups.
• Reading graphs to answer questions.
• Measuring and comparing length using mathematical language, longer, shorter, the same.
• Using different types of weight scales to compare mass.
• Predicting weight and checking our estimates.
• Using scales measure ingredients to cook.
• Capacity problem-solving. How many cars will fit into the box?
• Using a variety of containers and media to compare capacity.
• Learning about time in daily routines. Talk about what day it is and what month it is.
• Talk about age, next week, last week, today, last month. When is your Birthday?
• Using different timers to record our activities in our play.
• Names and describing 2D shape and their properties.
• Making some basic tangrams.
• Recognising 3D shapes in the environment.

Birth to Three Years Old - babies, toddlers and young children will be learning to:

• Combine objects like stacking blocks and cups. Put objects inside others and take them out again.
• Take part in finger rhymes with numbers.
• React to changes of amount in a group of up to three items.
• Compare amounts, saying ‘lots’, ‘more’ or ‘same’.
• Develop counting-like behaviour, such as making sounds, pointing or saying some numbers in sequence.
• Count in everyday contexts, sometimes skipping numbers – ‘1-2-3-5’.
• Climb and squeeze themselves into different types of spaces.
• Build with a range of resources.
• Complete inset puzzles.
• Compare sizes, weights etc. using gesture and language - ‘bigger/little/smaller’, ‘high/low’, ‘tall’, ‘heavy’.
• Notice patterns and arrange things in patterns.

3 and 4-year-olds will be learning to:

• Develop fast recognition of up to 3 objects, without having to count them individually (‘subitising’).
• Recite numbers past 5.
• Say one number for each item in order: 1,2,3,4,5.
• Know that the last number reached when counting a small set of objects tells you how many there are in total (‘cardinal principle’).
• Show ‘finger numbers’ up to 5.
• Link numerals and amounts: for example, showing the right number of objects to match the numeral, up to 5.
• Experiment with their own symbols and marks as well as numerals.
• Solve real world mathematical problems with numbers up to 5.
• Compare quantities using language: ‘more than’, ‘fewer than’.
• Understand position through words alone – for example, “The bag is under the table,” – with no pointing.
• Describe a familiar route.
• Discuss routes and locations, using words like ‘in front of’ and ‘behind’.
• Make comparisons between objects relating to size, length, weight and capacity.
• Select shapes appropriately: flat surfaces for building, a triangular prism for a roof, etc.
• Combine shapes to make new ones – an arch, a bigger triangle, etc.
• Talk about and identify the patterns around them. For example: stripes on clothes, designs on rugs and wallpaper. Use informal language like ‘pointy’, ‘spotty’, ‘blobs’, etc.
• Extend and create ABAB patterns – stick, leaf, stick, leaf.
• Notice and correct an error in a repeating pattern.
• Begin to describe a sequence of events, real or fictional, using words such as ‘first’, ‘then...’

Children in reception will be learning to:

• Count objects, actions and sounds.
• Subitise.
• Link the number symbol (numeral) with its cardinal number value.
• Count beyond ten.
• Compare numbers.
• Understand the ‘one more than/one less than’ relationship between consecutive numbers.
• Explore the composition of numbers to 10.
• Automatically recall number bonds for numbers 0–5 and some to 10.
• Select, rotate and manipulate shapes to develop spatial reasoning skills.
• Compose and decompose shapes so that children recognise a shape can have other shapes within it, just as numbers can.
• Continue, copy and create repeating patterns.
• Compare length, weight and capacity.