Supporting Your Child with Maths at Home
Helping Your Child Become a Confident Mathematician
At Hackney New Primary School, we aim to nurture curious, capable and confident mathematicians. Our children learn to solve problems, explain their reasoning and see maths as a powerful tool in the world around them.
We follow the National Curriculum and use a structured mastery approach to help every child develop a deep understanding of number and calculation.
We know how much progress children make when families support learning at home – even small, regular bits of practice can make a big difference!
Below, you’ll find:
- Curriculum expectations by year group
- How to support at home
- Links to videos and resources that show you the methods we teach
- Why times tables and number fluency really matter
The Importance of Times Tables
From Year 3 onwards, rapid recall of times tables and division facts underpins much of the maths curriculum – from fractions to algebra.
🔁 Knowing tables = greater confidence and success across maths.
✅ We provide every child in Years 3–6 with a login for Times Tables Rockstars, a fun and challenging way to practise regularly.
Please support your child to:
- Practise 10 minutes a day
- Improve both speed and accuracy
- Aim for fluency in all tables up to 12x12 by the end of Year 4
If you need help logging in, just ask your child’s teacher.
Year-by-Year Maths Guide
Reception: Exploring Numbers and Patterns
What They’re Learning:
- Counting reliably to 20 and beyond
- Understanding numbers through real objects
- Beginning to add and subtract using pictures and practical equipment
- Recognising shapes and patterns
What You Can Do at Home:
- Count everything! Stairs, buttons, toys
- Talk about shapes around you
- Play simple board games with dice
- Use everyday maths language: bigger, smaller, more, fewer, half
Year 1: Building Number Sense
📺 Watch and Learn:
BBC Bitesize Year 1 Maths
National Curriculum Focus:
- Number bonds to 10 and 20
- Adding and subtracting within 20
- Recognising 2D and 3D shapes
- Beginning multiplication as grouping and sharing
At Home:
- Use number lines and counters to solve problems
- Play card or dice games to practise number facts
- Count in 2s, 5s and 10s together
- Explore money and time in real-life situations
💡 Tip: The videos and quizzes on BBC Bitesize are brilliant for showing you how we teach methods and giving your child practice questions.
Year 2: Growing in Fluency
📺 Watch and Learn:
BBC Bitesize Year 2 Maths
National Curriculum Focus:
- Adding and subtracting two-digit numbers
- Understanding place value
- Learning 2, 5, 10 times tables
- Beginning to multiply and divide
At Home:
- Practise times tables in fun ways (songs, games, flashcards)
- Play ‘shop’ or cook together using measuring
- Use the BBC videos to review methods and support homework
- Solve real-life maths problems (e.g. “If we have 3 packs of 4 biscuits…”)
Year 3: Learning Key Methods for Multiplication & Division
📺 Watch and Learn:
Corbett Maths Primary
National Curriculum Focus:
- Times tables up to 12 × 12
- Written methods for +, –, × and ÷
- Fractions and telling time
- Understanding the value of each digit (place value)
At Home:
- Support with Times Tables Rockstars daily
- Use Corbett Maths videos to understand written methods we use
- Encourage your child to explain their thinking aloud
- Practise telling the time and using real money
🔍 Corbett Maths also has excellent practice questions – try one or two a day!
Year 4: Times Tables Mastery
📺 Watch and Learn:
Corbett Maths Primary
National Curriculum Focus:
- Secure recall of all times tables to 12 × 12
- Using written methods for all operations
- Comparing and calculating with fractions
- Reading and converting time
At Home:
- Make times table recall a daily habit (Rockstars is great for this)
- Use Corbett Maths videos to reinforce calculation strategies
- Cook and bake using scaling and measures
- Talk through problem-solving together
🎯 By the end of Year 4, children take a Multiplication Tables Check. Daily fluency is key.
Year 5: Developing Reasoning and Problem Solving
📺 Watch and Learn:
Corbett Maths Primary
National Curriculum Focus:
- Larger numbers (up to 1,000,000) and decimals
- Fractions, percentages and decimals
- Multiplying and dividing with larger numbers
- Interpreting data and graphs
At Home:
- Keep using Times Tables Rockstars for speed
- Watch Corbett videos together to revise methods
- Talk about maths in real-life: travel times, shopping, change
- Use puzzles and logic games to build resilience
Year 6: Preparing for Secondary and Mastering Maths
📺 Watch and Learn:
Corbett Maths Primary
National Curriculum Focus:
- Confident use of all written methods
- Ratio, algebra, and problem solving
- Converting units and using formulae
- Reasoning with numbers in context
At Home:
- Review tricky areas using Corbett Maths videos
- Work through SATs-style problems calmly and in small steps
- Discuss maths in the news or daily life
- Keep up with Times Tables Rockstars – fluency still matters!
💬 Final Message from the Headteacher
Maths is not just about numbers – it’s about thinking, solving, and seeing patterns in the world. With your support at home, we can build strong foundations, confident problem-solvers and children who enjoy maths.
If you ever feel unsure, don’t worry – you’re learning with your child too. Use the videos, ask questions, and talk to us. We’re always here to help.
Together, let’s make maths enjoyable and meaningful.
– Ms. Marya Afreedi, Headteacher