Strand N

Number & the four operations

Counting, place value and the four operations — the spine of the whole curriculum.

Learning sequence 20 concepts

In prerequisite order. Each row is a self-contained “can-do”; open it for the full explanation, examples and resources.

  1. N0.1
    Subitizing & counting
    Subitize small quantities (≤ 4–5 without counting); one-to-one counting; cardinality; compare “more/fewer”.
    Stage 0
  2. N0.2
    Teen numbers as ten-and-ones
    Compose/decompose teen numbers 11–19 as “ten ones and some further ones” (18 = 10 + 8) — the bridge to place value.
    Stage 0
  3. N1.1
    Whole numbers to 100
    Count, read, write & order whole numbers to ~100; “1 more / 1 less”; place on a number line.
    Stage 1
  4. N1.1b
    Ordinal numbers
    Ordinal numbers & rank (“twentieth”; identify a position in an ordered list).
    Stage 1
  5. N1.2
    Place value to two digits
    Place value of a two-digit number (tens & ones); compose/decompose (30 + 5); use =, <, >.
    Stage 1–2
  6. N2.1
    Numbers to 1000 & skip-counting
    Count, read, write & order to ~1000; skip-count (2s, 3s, 5s, 10s).
    Stage 2
  7. N3.1
    Place value to 10,000 & rounding
    Place value to ~10,000; round to the nearest 10/100; estimation / orders of magnitude as a recurring check (Überschlag).
    Stage 3
  8. N3.3
    Roman numerals
    Roman numerals (via the clock I–XII, then I–C).
    Stage 3–4
  9. N4.1
    Place value to a million & negatives on the line
    Place value to ~1,000,000; round to any place; negative numbers on the number line (count back through 0).
    Stage 4
  10. N5.1
    Numbers to 10 million & the ×10/÷10 relationship
    Read/order numbers to ~10,000,000+; Roman numerals to M (EN Y5); the 10× / ⅒ place-value relationship (the basis for decimals).
    Stage 5
  11. N6.2
    Standard form, significant figures & number sets
    Standard form A × 10ⁿ (1 ≤ A < 10); rounding to significant figures / an appropriate degree of accuracy; error bounds a < x ≤ b; classify numbers into ℕ, ℤ, ℚ and appreciate their infinitude.
    Stage 6
  12. N1.3
    Number bonds & +/− within 20
    Number bonds within 20; add/subtract within 20 (concrete/pictorial); meaning of +, −, =; missing-number problems.
    Stage 1
  13. N2.2
    Addition & subtraction facts & mental methods
    Know from memory all addition facts to 20; commutativity of +; the inverse relationship of + and −; add/subtract within 100 mentally & with informal written methods.
    Stage 2
  14. N3.2
    Column addition & subtraction
    Column (standard) written addition & subtraction, up to 3–4 digits; estimate the result first & check with the inverse.
    Stage 3–4
  15. N2.6
    Meaning of × and ÷
    Meaning of multiplication (repeated addition, arrays, “groups of”) & division (sharing & grouping); commutativity of ×.
    Stage 2
  16. N3.1×
    The times tables (2, 5, 10 → 3, 4, 8)
    Build & recall the 2, 5, 10 tables (then 3, 4, 8); odd/even.
    Stage 2–3
  17. N3.4
    Recall all multiplication & division facts
    Recall multiplication & division facts up to 12×12 fluently (single-digit “to 9×9 from memory” is the US/CCSS floor; England’s Y4 MTC assesses to 12×12).
    Stage 3–4
  18. N4.4
    Multi-digit ×/÷ & divisibility
    Multiply 2–3-digit by 1-digit (formal written / area model); short/Euclidean division with a 1-digit divisor & remainders; factor pairs; divisibility rules (2, 3, 5, 10); the distributive law.
    Stage 4
  19. N5.4
    Long multiplication, primes, powers & roots
    Long multiplication; long/short/decimal division with 2-digit divisors; factors, multiples, HCF/LCM; prime & composite numbers, prime factorisation; square & cube numbers, powers with natural exponents, powers of ten, roots & reciprocals; order of operations.
    Stage 5–6
  20. N6.1
    Negative numbers (integer arithmetic)
    Negative numbers: order, add/subtract (and ×/÷ — DE / KS3) integers; absolute value.
    Stage 6