Numbers and counting articles

Here's how the primary school maths aid could help your child get to grips with counting, calculating and more.

Counting may seem as easy as one-two-three to us, but it’s a tricky skill for your child to learn. We explain the stages of getting to grips with number in Reception and Year 1.

Children in KS2 are expected to read and write Roman numerals as part of the primary curriculum. We explain how Roman numerals are introduced in the classroom and how you can help your child practise reading Roman numerals at home.

Children are expected to memorise a number of different number facts in primary school, including number bonds to 20 and the multiplication and division facts for the twelve times tables. We explain what number facts your child will be taught when and suggest easy ways to support their learning at home.

From area to word problems, TheSchoolRun's primary-school numeracy glossary offers a complete guide to all the maths concepts children are taught in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Brush up on your own mathematical skills, clear up homework confusion and understand exactly what your child is learning at school by reading our basic definitions (with links to more detailed explanations, teachers' tips and examples).

We explain what prime numbers are and give examples of the types of questions KS2 children might be asked to test their knowledge of prime numbers.

We explain what negative numbers are and how children can be taught the concept using a number line, as well as looking at the types of questions that children might be asked involving negative numbers.

We explain what multiples and factors are and how children are taught to recognise multiples from Year 1 and factors from Year 5, with examples of the types of problem they might be asked to solve.

We explain what expanded notation means, how it is taught in primary school and how it can help children with addition and multiplication calculations.

We explain how children might be taught to use a calculator for primary school maths (though the 2014 curriculum suggests their use should be minimal in the classroom).

We explain what cube numbers are and how the concept builds on prior knowledge of square numbers.

We explain what equations are and how children are taught to solve equations in KS1 and KS2, as well as how the topic of algebra is introduced.

We explain what teachers mean when they talk about finding 'the difference between' and give examples of how children are taught to work out the answers to subtraction problems.

We explain what descending order means and give examples of how the concept might relate to numbers, decimals, fractions or amounts of money.

We explain what the lowest common denominator is and how to find it and use it to compare different fractions, as well as giving examples of how the concept might be taught to your primary-school child.

We explain what the highest common factor is and give examples of how the concept might be taught to your primary school child.

We explain what a number sentence is and how primary-school children are taught to write number sentences (or fill in gaps in number sentences) in KS1 and KS2.

Numbers are all around us, almost from birth! Teacher Phoebe Doyle looks at counting, a fundamental aspect of mathematical understanding, to help your child grab the basics (without confusion!) from day one.

A good understanding of place value (the value of each digit in a number) is vital in primary-school maths. Our parents' guide explains how your child will be taught about units, tens, hundreds and thousands with number lines, arrow cards and more, as well as outlining how place value is used to help children visualise calculations.