Primary School Milestones

As a Dad of young pre-school kids, I felt there were many tools to help me check that my son and daughter were ‘on track’ with their key developmental milestones of learning to walk, talk and play.

Now that they are in Primary school, I find it harder to do the same. England’s Department of Education is a thicket of dense information, whilst my children’s school has their own framework which is hard to compare with other schools.

Many families choose Arka to help them work out how their child is doing at school compared with their peers.

For your ease, we thought it would be helpful to share some of the key national milestones in Maths (Numeracy) and English (Literacy) so that you can work out whether your child is on track yourself. We base these milestones, just like we do all of Arka’s curriculum, on Key Stages 1 and 2 of the English National Curriculum.

If your child does not know some of the topics below, it might be for a whole host of reasons. Perhaps their teacher decided to delay the topic until the following year; perhaps your child wasn’t listening or just didn’t understand it; perhaps they did understand it but the topic was not securely mastered or practised and has since been forgotten.

The topics below are not a comprehensive list. We thought it would be helpful to provide just a few of the core representative topics from each year group. It should be used for indicative purposes only.

For a more comprehensive view, please get in touch with your local Arka for a free trial and free feedback on how your child is doing.

Year 1 English

Area	Skill/Concept	Example/Details / Representative Spellings
Grammar & Literacy	Use basic grammatical terms	noun, verb, adjective, prefix, suffix, plural
	Use capital letters and full stops	Sentence starters and endings
	Form simple sentences	Subject + verb + object
	Spell common exception words	the, to, no, go, he, she
	Use singular and plural correctly	cat/cats, dog/dogs
	Use common prefixes and suffixes	un-, -ing, -ed, -s
	Begin to use question marks and exclamation marks	What? Stop!
Reading	Read aloud and decode simple texts	Letters and sounds, phonics
	Understand simple stories and texts	Recall events and characters
	Use phonics to decode unfamiliar words	c-a-t; sh-i-p
Spelling	Spell common words and simple phonetically plausible words	at, cat, dog, jump
	Spell days of the week	Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Year 1 Maths

Number - Number and Place Value

Curriculum Objective	Example
Count to and across 100, forwards and backwards, beginning with 0 or 1, or from any given number	Can count 1, 2, 3... up to 100, and backwards 100, 99, 98... Can start counting from 27 and continue to 35
Count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals; count in multiples of 2s, 5s and 10s	Can write the number 47, can count 2, 4, 6, 8... or 5, 10, 15, 20... or 10, 20, 30, 40...
Given a number, identify 1 more and 1 less	If shown 15, knows that 1 more is 16 and 1 less is 14
Identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than (fewer), most, least	Can show 8 using counters, can point to 8 on a number line, knows 8 is more than 5
Read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in numerals and words	Can write "7" and "seven", can read "fourteen" and write "14"

Number - Addition and Subtraction

Curriculum Objective	Example
Read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (−) and equals (=) signs	Can read "5 + 3 = 8" and knows what it means
Represent and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 20	Knows that 10 + 7 = 17, so 17 - 10 = 7 and 17 - 7 = 10
Add and subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20, including 0	Can work out 12 + 5 = 17 or 18 - 3 = 15
Solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems such as 7 = ? − 9	Can solve "I had 12 stickers, I gave away 4, how many do I have left?"

Number - Multiplication and Division

Curriculum Objective	Example
Solve one-step problems involving multiplication and division, by calculating the answer using concrete objects, pictorial representations and arrays with the support of the teacher	Can share 12 sweets equally between 3 children (4 each), can double 6 to get 12

Number - Fractions

Curriculum Objective	Example
Recognise, find and name a half as 1 of 2 equal parts of an object, shape or quantity	Can find half of a pizza, knows half of 6 is 3
Recognise, find and name a quarter as 1 of 4 equal parts of an object, shape or quantity	Can find a quarter of a cake, knows a quarter of 8 is 2

Measurement

Curriculum Objective	Example
Compare, describe and solve practical problems for lengths and heights, mass/weight, capacity and volume, time	Can say which pencil is longer, which bag is heavier, which jug holds more water
Measure and begin to record lengths and heights, mass/weight, capacity and volume, time (hours, minutes, seconds)	Can use a ruler to measure their hand, can time 1 minute
Recognise and know the value of different denominations of coins and notes	Knows a 10p coin is worth more than a 5p coin
Sequence events in chronological order using language	Knows breakfast comes before lunch, can use "yesterday", "today", "tomorrow"
Recognise and use language relating to dates, including days of the week, weeks, months and years	Knows the days of the week in order, knows their birthday month
Tell the time to the hour and half past the hour and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times	Can read 3 o'clock and half past 4, can draw clock hands to show 7 o'clock

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Curriculum Objective	Example
Recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes, including rectangles (including squares), circles and triangles, cuboids (including cubes), pyramids and spheres	Can identify and name a triangle, square, circle, cube, ball (sphere)

Geometry - Position and Direction

Curriculum Objective	Example
Describe position, direction and movement, including whole, half, quarter and three-quarter turns	Can say "the book is next to the pen", can make a half turn when dancing

Year 2 English

Area	Skill/Concept	Example/Details / Representative Spellings
Grammar & Literacy	Use expanded noun phrases	the red balloon, the tall girl
	Use different sentence types	statements, questions, commands
	Use commas in lists	I like apples, oranges, and bananas
	Use apostrophes for contractions and possession	can't, don't, the dog's bone
	Spell more common exception words	some, come, friend, school
	Use past and present tense accurately	walked, walking, walks
Reading	Read a range of fiction and non-fiction	Stories, poems, informational texts
	Make simple inferences	Why a character acted a certain way
	Discuss and express views about texts	Likes/dislikes based on content
Spelling	Spell suffixes -er, -est, -ly	bigger, biggest, happily
	Spell contracted words	I'm, we'll, couldn't

Year 2 Maths

Number and Place Value 

Curriculum Objective	Example
Count in steps of 2, 3, and 5 from 0, and in 10s from any number, forward and backward	Can count 2, 4, 6, 8... or 3, 6, 9, 12... Can count 17, 27, 37, 47...
Recognise the place value of each digit in a two-digit number (10s, 1s)	Knows that in 47, the 4 represents 40 (4 tens) and 7 represents 7 ones
Identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations, including the number line	Can estimate where 65 would go on a number line from 0-100
Compare and order numbers from 0 up to 100; use <, > and = signs	Can put 23, 45, 67, 12 in order: 12, 23, 45, 67. Knows 45 > 23
Read and write numbers to at least 100 in numerals and in words	Can write "thirty-four" as 34 and "74" as "seventy-four"
Use place value and number facts to solve problems	Can solve "What is 10 more than 36?" (46)

Number - Addition and Subtraction

Curriculum Objective	Example
Solve problems with addition and subtraction using concrete objects and pictorial representations, including those involving numbers, quantities and measures	Can solve "27 children in class, 5 go home, how many left?" using objects or drawings
Recall and use addition and subtraction facts to 20 fluently, and derive and use related facts up to 100	Knows 7 + 8 = 15 instantly, can use this to work out 70 + 80 = 150
Add and subtract numbers using concrete objects, pictorial representations, and mentally, including: a two-digit number and 1s, a two-digit number and 10s, 2 two-digit numbers, adding 3 one-digit numbers	Can calculate 34 + 5, 34 + 20, 34 + 23, or 4 + 6 + 7
Show that addition of 2 numbers can be done in any order (commutative) and subtraction of 1 number from another cannot	Knows 5 + 8 = 8 + 5, but 10 - 3 ≠ 3 - 10
Recognise and use the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction and use this to check calculations and solve missing number problems	Knows if 12 + 7 = 19, then 19 - 7 = 12, can solve 15 + ? = 23

Number - Multiplication and Division

Curriculum Objective	Example
Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables, including recognising odd and even numbers	Knows 7 × 2 = 14, 35 ÷ 5 = 7, knows 15 is odd and 18 is even
Calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division within the multiplication tables and write them using the multiplication (×), division (÷) and equals (=) signs	Can write and calculate 4 × 5 = 20 or 20 ÷ 4 = 5
Show that multiplication of 2 numbers can be done in any order (commutative) and division of 1 number by another cannot	Knows 3 × 4 = 4 × 3, but 20 ÷ 4 ≠ 4 ÷ 20
Solve problems involving multiplication and division, using materials, arrays, repeated addition, mental methods, and multiplication and division facts, including problems in contexts	Can solve "How many wheels on 6 cars?" (6 × 4 = 24)

Number - Fractions

Curriculum Objective	Example
Recognise, find, name and write fractions 1/3, 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects or quantity	Can find 1/4 of 12 sweets (3), can shade 3/4 of a rectangle
Write simple fractions, for example 1/2 of 6 = 3 and recognise the equivalence of 2/4 and 1/2	Can write 1/2 of 8 = 4, knows 2/4 = 1/2

Measurement

Curriculum Objective	Example
Choose and use appropriate standard units to estimate and measure length/height (m/cm); mass (kg/g); temperature (°C); capacity (litres/ml) to the nearest appropriate unit, using rulers, scales, thermometers and measuring vessels	Can measure their height in cm, weigh an apple in grams, measure water in ml
Compare and order lengths, mass, volume/capacity and record the results using >, < and =	Can say 150cm > 120cm, 2kg < 5kg
Recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value	Can make 37p using different coins, write £2.50
Find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money	Knows 50p can be made with 5×10p or 2×20p+1×10p
Solve simple problems in a practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit, including giving change	Can work out change from £5 when buying something for £3
Compare and sequence intervals of time	Can order activities by how long they take: brushing teeth, eating lunch, sleeping
Tell and write the time to five minutes, including quarter past/to the hour and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times	Can read quarter past 3, twenty to 5, can draw 10 past 7
Know the number of minutes in an hour and the number of hours in a day	Knows 1 hour = 60 minutes, 1 day = 24 hours

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Identify and describe the properties of 2-D shapes, including the number of sides, and line symmetry in a vertical line	Can count 5 sides on a pentagon, can spot that a heart shape is symmetrical
Identify and describe the properties of 3-D shapes, including the number of edges, vertices and faces	Can count 6 faces on a cube, 8 corners (vertices)
Identify 2-D shapes on the surface of 3-D shapes	Can spot the circular face on a cylinder, triangular faces on a pyramid
Compare and sort common 2-D and 3-D shapes and everyday objects	Can group shapes by number of sides or corners

Geometry - Position and Direction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Order and arrange combinations of mathematical objects in patterns and sequences	Can continue patterns like triangle, square, triangle, square...
Use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement, including movement in a straight line and distinguishing between rotation as a turn and in terms of right angles for quarter, half and three-quarter turns (clockwise and anti-clockwise)	Can describe a quarter turn clockwise, knows the difference between moving forward and turning

Statistics

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Interpret and construct simple pictograms, tally charts, block diagrams and tables	Can create a chart showing favourite fruits with pictures or blocks
Ask and answer simple questions by counting the number of objects in each category and sorting the categories by quantity	Can count data and say "More children like apples than oranges"
Ask and answer questions about totalling and comparing categorical data	Can work out "How many children altogether chose fruit?"

Year 3 English

Area	Skill/Concept	Example/Details / Representative Spellings
Grammar & Literacy	Use and understand different sentence types	Statement, command, question, exclamation
	Use a variety of conjunctions	when, if, because, although
	Use pronouns consistently	he, she, it, they
	Use paragraphs to organise writing	Group related ideas
	Use direct speech punctuation	"What time is it?"
	Spell more complex words correctly	accident, address, bicycle
Reading	Read and understand a range of texts	Fiction, poetry, non-fiction
	Identify themes and main ideas	Good vs. evil, friendship
	Infer meaning from context	Understand characters' feelings
Spelling	Use prefixes and suffixes correctly	un-, dis-, -ful, -less
	Spell homophones correctly	here/hear, sea/see
	Spell common words	Address, believe, caught, disappear, enough etc

Year 3 Maths

Number - Number and Place Value

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Count from 0 in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100; find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number	Can count 4, 8, 12, 16... or 50, 100, 150... Can find 10 more than 347 (357)
Recognise the place value of each digit in a 3-digit number (100s, 10s, 1s)	Knows in 275, the 2 = 200, 7 = 70, 5 = 5
Compare and order numbers up to 1,000	Can order 456, 321, 678, 234 correctly: 234, 321, 456, 678
Identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations	Can place 450 approximately on a number line 0-1000
Read and write numbers up to 1,000 in numerals and in words	Can write "two hundred and thirty-seven" as 237
Solve number problems and practical problems involving these ideas	Can solve problems like "What number is 100 less than 456?"

Number - Addition and Subtraction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Add and subtract numbers mentally, including: a three-digit number and 1s, a three-digit number and 10s, a three-digit number and 100s	Can work out 347 + 6, 347 + 30, 347 + 200 in their head
Add and subtract numbers with up to 3 digits, using formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction	Can set out 456 + 278 or 534 - 267 in columns and calculate correctly
Estimate the answer to a calculation and use inverse operations to check answers	Can estimate 298 + 156 ≈ 300 + 150 = 450, check by subtracting
Solve problems, including missing number problems, using number facts, place value, and more complex addition and subtraction	Can solve 345 + ? = 612 or "School has 456 pupils, 189 are boys, how many girls?"

Number - Multiplication and Division

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables	Knows 7 × 3 = 21, 32 ÷ 4 = 8, 6 × 8 = 48 instantly
Write and calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division using the multiplication tables that they know, including for two-digit numbers times one-digit numbers, using mental and progressing to formal written methods	Can calculate 23 × 4 = 92
Solve problems, including missing number problems, involving multiplication and division, including positive integer scaling problems and correspondence problems	Can solve "Apples cost 4p each, how much for 15 apples?" or "3 hats and 4 coats, how many outfit combinations?"

Number - Fractions

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Count up and down in tenths; recognise that tenths arise from dividing an object into 10 equal parts and in dividing one-digit numbers or quantities by 10	Can count 0.1, 0.2, 0.3... knows 6 ÷ 10 = 0.6
Recognise, find and write fractions of a discrete set of objects: unit fractions and non-unit fractions with small denominators	Can find 1/4 of 20 (5) or 3/5 of 15 (9)
Recognise and use fractions as numbers: unit fractions and non-unit fractions with small denominators	Understands 3/4 is a number that can go on a number line between 0 and 1
Recognise and show, using diagrams, equivalent fractions with small denominators	Knows 1/2 = 2/4 = 4/8 using fraction walls or diagrams
Add and subtract fractions with the same denominator within one whole	Can calculate 2/7 + 3/7 = 5/7 or 5/8 - 2/8 = 3/8
Compare and order unit fractions, and fractions with the same denominators	Knows 1/3 > 1/5, can order 2/7, 5/7, 1/7
Solve problems that involve all of the above	Can solve "I ate 2/6 of a pizza, my sister ate 3/6, how much did we eat altogether?"

Measurement

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Measure, compare, add and subtract: lengths (m/cm/mm); mass (kg/g); volume/capacity (l/ml)	Can measure in mm and know 1cm = 10mm, can add 250g + 175g
Measure the perimeter of simple 2-D shapes	Can measure around the edge of a rectangle: 5cm + 3cm + 5cm + 3cm = 16cm
Add and subtract amounts of money to give change, using both £ and p in practical contexts	Can work out change from £10 for items costing £6.75
Tell and write the time from an analogue clock, including using Roman numerals from I to XII, and 12-hour and 24-hour clocks	Can read times like 14:30 (2:30pm), can read Roman numerals on clocks
Estimate and read time with increasing accuracy to the nearest minute; record and compare time in terms of seconds, minutes and hours	Can read 2:17 pm, knows which activities take seconds/minutes/hours
Know the number of seconds in a minute and the number of days in each month, year and leap year	Knows 1 minute = 60 seconds, knows which months have 31 days
Compare durations of events	Can compare how long different activities take

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Draw 2-D shapes and make 3-D shapes using modelling materials; recognise 3-D shapes in different orientations and describe them	Can draw a hexagon, can recognise a cube even when rotated
Recognise angles as a property of shape or a description of a turn	Understands an angle is where two lines meet, or describes turning
Identify right angles, recognise that 2 right angles make a half-turn, 3 make three-quarters of a turn and 4 a complete turn; identify whether angles are greater than or less than a right angle	Can spot right angles (90°), knows which corners are bigger/smaller than right angles
Identify horizontal and vertical lines and pairs of perpendicular and parallel lines	Can identify lines that are horizontal/vertical, parallel (never meet) or perpendicular (meet at right angles)

Statistics

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables	Can create and read bar charts showing class data
Solve one-step and two-step questions using information presented in scaled bar charts and pictograms and tables	Can answer "How many more children chose football than tennis?" from a graph

Year 4 English

Area	Skill/Concept	Example/Details / Representative Spellings
Grammar & Literacy	Plural vs. possessive -s	girls, girl's, girls'
	Apostrophes for possession	The girl's book, the girls' toys
	Standard English verb forms	"I did", "we were"
	Expanded noun phrases	the old, creaky house on the hill
	Fronted adverbials with commas	"Later that day, ..."
	Paragraphs to organise writing	By theme or idea
	Direct speech punctuation	She said, "Come here!"
	Prefixes and suffixes	re-, dis-, -ation, -ous
	Homophones	hear/here, some/sum, night/knight
	Use a range of conjunctions	when, if, because, although
Reading	Read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction	fairy tales, myths, poems, plays, reports
	Justify inferences with evidence	Predict outcomes based on text details
	Read fluently and prepare texts for performance	Poems, play scripts
	Understand layers of meaning and literary devices	Metaphor, simile, personification
	Engage with different genres	Myths and legends, poetry, classic stories
Spelling	Common exception words (age-appropriate)	because, friend, enough
	Words with prefixes and suffixes	unhappy, dislike, enjoyment, cautious
	Words with tricky vowel patterns	-tion (station), -ous (fabulous)
	Homophones and near-homophones	see/sea, write/right
	Possessive apostrophes	dog's, children’s

Year 4 Maths

Number - Number and Place Value

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1,000	Can count 6, 12, 18, 24... or 1000, 2000, 3000...
Find 1,000 more or less than a given number	Knows 1,000 more than 3,456 is 4,456
Count backwards through 0 to include negative numbers	Can count 3, 2, 1, 0, -1, -2, -3...
Recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (1,000s, 100s, 10s, and 1s)	In 5,847: 5 = 5000, 8 = 800, 4 = 40, 7 = 7
Order and compare numbers beyond 1,000	Can order 2,456, 5,123, 987, 4,001 correctly
Identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations	Can estimate positions on number lines to 10,000
Round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000	Can round 3,756 to 3,800 (nearest 100) or 4,000 (nearest 1,000)
Solve number and practical problems that involve all of the above and with increasingly large positive numbers	Can solve problems with thousands
Read Roman numerals to 100 (I to C) and know that over time, the numeral system changed to include the concept of 0 and place value	Can read XLIV = 44, knows how number systems developed

Number - Addition and Subtraction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate	Can calculate 4,567 + 2,345 or 5,234 - 2,678 using column methods
Estimate and use inverse operations to check answers to a calculation	Estimates answers then checks using opposite operation
Solve addition and subtraction two-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why	Can solve "Bus had 47 people, 23 got off, 19 got on, how many now?"

Number - Multiplication and Division

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12	Knows all tables to 12×12 instantly, e.g., 8×9=72, 84÷7=12
Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally	Can work out 40×6=240, 3600÷9=400
Recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations	Knows factors of 24: 1×24, 2×12, 3×8, 4×6
Multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using formal written layout	Can calculate 47×6 or 234×7 using written methods
Solve problems involving multiplying and adding, including using the distributive law and integer scaling problems	Can solve "3 times as many as 45" (135) or use 23×4 = (20×4)+(3×4)

Number - Fractions (including decimals)

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Recognise and show, using diagrams, families of common equivalent fractions	Knows 1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6 = 4/8 etc., can show with diagrams
Count up and down in hundredths; recognise that hundredths arise when dividing an object by 100 and dividing tenths by 10	Can count 0.01, 0.02, 0.03... knows 0.1 ÷ 10 = 0.01
Solve problems involving increasingly harder fractions to calculate quantities, and fractions to divide quantities	Can find 3/4 of 28 = 21 or divide 15 into quarters
Add and subtract fractions with the same denominator	Can calculate 5/8 + 2/8 = 7/8 or 7/9 - 4/9 = 3/9
Recognise and write decimal equivalents of any number of tenths or hundreds	Knows 7/10 = 0.7, 23/100 = 0.23
Recognise and write decimal equivalents to 1/4, 1/2, 3/4	Knows 1/4 = 0.25, 1/2 = 0.5, 3/4 = 0.75
Find the effect of dividing a one- or two-digit number by 10 and 100	Knows 34 ÷ 10 = 3.4, 56 ÷ 100 = 0.56
Round decimals with 1 decimal place to the nearest whole number	Can round 7.6 to 8, 4.3 to 4
Compare numbers with the same number of decimal places up to 2 decimal places	Knows 0.47 > 0.39, can order decimal numbers
Solve simple measure and money problems involving fractions and decimals to 2 decimal places	Can work with money: £4.57 + £2.38

Measurement

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Convert between different units of measure	Can convert 1.5km to 1500m, 2 hours to 120 minutes
Measure and calculate the perimeter of a rectilinear figure (including squares) in centimetres and metres	Can find perimeter of L-shaped figures
Find the area of rectilinear shapes by counting squares	Can count squares to find area = 12 square cm
Estimate, compare and calculate different measures, including money in pounds and pence	Can estimate and calculate with measurements and money
Read, write and convert time between analogue and digital 12- and 24-hour clocks	Can convert 2:30pm to 14:30, read both clock types
Solve problems involving converting from hours to minutes, minutes to seconds, years to months, weeks to days	Can work out 3 hours = 180 minutes

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes	Can identify equilateral, isosceles, scalene triangles; parallelograms, rhombuses
Identify acute and obtuse angles and compare and order angles up to 2 right angles by size	Knows acute <90°, obtuse >90°, can order angles by size
Identify lines of symmetry in 2-D shapes presented in different orientations	Can find lines of symmetry in various shapes and orientations
Complete a simple symmetric figure with respect to a specific line of symmetry	Can complete a pattern across a line of symmetry

Geometry - Position and Direction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Describe positions on a 2-D grid as coordinates in the first quadrant	Can read and plot coordinates like (3,5) on a grid
Describe movements between positions as translations of a given unit to the left/right and up/down	Can describe moving 3 squares right and 2 squares up
Plot specified points and draw sides to complete a given polygon	Can plot coordinates and join them to make shapes

Statistics

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate graphical methods, including bar charts and time graphs	Can create bar charts and interpret time graphs
Solve comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in bar charts, pictograms, tables and other graphs	Can solve multi-step problems using data from charts

Year 5 English

Area	Skill/Concept	Example/Details / Representative Spellings
Grammar & Literacy	Use relative clauses	The boy who ran fast
	Use modal verbs to express possibility	might, could, should
	Use passive voice correctly	The cake was eaten
	Use brackets, dashes, and commas for parenthesis	My brother (who lives in London) is visiting
	Spell a range of complex words	environment, believe, necessary
Reading	Analyse and discuss themes and author’s purposes	Understand opinion and viewpoint
	Summarise ideas from multiple paragraphs	Create short summaries
	Identify how language contributes to meaning	Simile, metaphor, personification
Spelling	Spell words with silent letters	knight, thumb, castle
	Spell words with suffixes such as -able, -ible	comfortable, incredible

Year 5 Maths

Number - Number and Place Value

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Read, write, order and compare numbers to at least 1,000,000 and determine the value of each digit	In 2,456,783: knows the 4 represents 400,000
Count forwards or backwards in steps of powers of 10 for any given number up to 1,000,000	Can count in 10s, 100s, 1000s, 10,000s from any number
Interpret negative numbers in context, count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers, including through 0	Can use negative numbers for temperature: -3°C is colder than 2°C
Round any number up to 1,000,000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000	Can round 247,563 to 250,000 (nearest 10,000)
Solve number problems and practical problems that involve all of the above	Can solve large number problems in real contexts
Read Roman numerals to 1,000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals	Can read MCMXC = 1990

Number - Addition and Subtraction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Add and subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits, including using formal written methods (columnar addition and subtraction)	Can add/subtract numbers like 456,789 + 234,567
Add and subtract numbers mentally with increasingly large numbers	Can work out 45,000 + 37,000 = 82,000 mentally
Use rounding to check answers to calculations and determine, in the context of a problem, levels of accuracy	Estimates to check if answer is reasonable
Solve addition and subtraction multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why	Can solve complex problems requiring multiple steps

Number - Multiplication and Division

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Identify multiples and factors, including finding all factor pairs of a number, and common factors of 2 numbers	Can find all factors of 36: 1,2,3,4,6,9,12,18,36
Know and use the vocabulary of prime numbers, prime factors and composite (non-prime) numbers	Knows 17 is prime, 18 is composite
Establish whether a number up to 100 is prime and recall prime numbers up to 19	Knows prime numbers: 2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19...
Multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a one- or two-digit number using formal written methods, including long multiplication for two-digit numbers	Can calculate 2,456 × 23 using long multiplication
Multiply and divide numbers mentally, drawing upon known facts	Can work out 2,400 ÷ 8 = 300 mentally
Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a one-digit number using formal written method of short division and interpret remainders appropriately for the context	Can calculate 2,456 ÷ 7 = 351 remainder 1
Multiply and divide whole numbers and those involving decimals by 10, 100 and 1,000	Knows 4.6 × 100 = 460, 5,600 ÷ 1,000 = 5.6
Recognise and use square numbers and cube numbers, and the notation for squared (²) and cubed (³)	Knows 5² = 25, 4³ = 64, can identify square numbers: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25...
Solve problems involving multiplication and division, including using their knowledge of factors and multiples, squares and cubes	Can solve problems like "What's the smallest number divisible by both 6 and 8?"
Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and a combination of these, including understanding the meaning of the equals sign	Can solve multi-step problems and knows = means "is the same as"
Solve problems involving multiplication and division, including scaling by simple fractions and problems involving simple rates	Can solve "3/4 times as big" or speed problems

Number - Fractions (including decimals and percentages)

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Compare and order fractions whose denominators are all multiples of the same number	Can order 2/3, 5/6, 1/2 by converting to sixths: 4/6, 5/6, 3/6
Identify, name and write equivalent fractions of a given fraction, represented visually, including tenths and hundredths	Knows 3/5 = 6/10 = 60/100, can show with diagrams
Recognise mixed numbers and improper fractions and convert from one form to the other	Can convert 7/4 to 1¾ and vice versa
Add and subtract fractions with the same denominator, and denominators that are multiples of the same number	Can calculate 1/4 + 1/8 = 2/8 + 1/8 = 3/8
Multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers, supported by materials and diagrams	Can work out 3 × 2/5 = 6/5 = 1⅕
Read and write decimal numbers as fractions	Knows 0.71 = 71/100
Recognise and use thousandths and relate them to tenths, hundredths and decimal equivalents	Understands 0.001, can work with 3 decimal places
Round decimals with 2 decimal places to the nearest whole number and to 1 decimal place	Can round 4.67 to 5 (nearest whole) or 4.7 (1 dp)
Read, write, order and compare numbers with up to 3 decimal places	Can order 4.567, 4.576, 4.657 correctly
Solve problems involving number up to 3 decimal places	Can work with measurements like 2.456m
Recognise the per cent symbol (%) and understand that per cent relates to 'number of parts per 100'	Knows 25% = 25/100 = 0.25 = ¼
Solve problems which require knowing percentage and decimal equivalents of ½, ¼, ⅕, ⅖, ⅘ and fractions with denominators of multiples of 10 or 25	Knows 50% = ½, 25% = ¼, 20% = ⅕, 75% = ¾

Measurement

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Convert between different units of metric measure	Can convert 2.5km to 2,500m, 1.2kg to 1,200g
Understand and use approximate equivalences between metric units and common imperial units such as inches, pounds and pints	Knows roughly: 1 inch ≈ 2.5cm, 1kg ≈ 2.2 pounds
Measure and calculate the perimeter of composite rectilinear shapes in centimetres and metres	Can find perimeter of complex shapes made of rectangles
Calculate and compare the area of rectangles (including squares), and estimate the area of irregular shapes	Can calculate area = length × width, estimate irregular areas
Estimate volume and capacity	Can estimate volume by counting cubes, capacity using water
Solve problems involving converting between units of time	Can convert hours to minutes, days to hours
Use all four operations to solve problems involving measure using decimal notation, including scaling	Can solve problems with decimal measurements

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Identify 3-D shapes, including cubes and other cuboids, from 2-D representations	Can identify a cube from a 2-D net or drawing
Know angles are measured in degrees: estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles	Can estimate angles: acute <90°, obtuse 90°-180°, reflex >180°
Draw given angles, and measure them in degrees (°)	Can use a protractor to draw 60° or measure angles
Identify angles at a point (360°), on a straight line (180°), and other multiples of 90°	Knows angles around a point = 360°, on a line = 180°
Use the properties of rectangles to deduce related facts and find missing lengths and angles	Can find missing sides using opposite sides are equal
Distinguish between regular and irregular polygons based on reasoning about equal sides and angles	Knows regular shapes have equal sides and angles

Geometry - Position and Direction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Identify, describe and represent the position of a shape following a reflection or translation	Can describe reflections in mirrors and translations (slides)

Statistics

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Solve comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in a line graph	Can interpret line graphs showing change over time
Complete, read and interpret information in tables, including timetables	Can read bus/train timetables and extract information

Year 6 English

Area	Skill/Concept	Example/Details / Representative Spellings
Grammar & Literacy	Use a wide range of clause types	Main, subordinate, relative clauses
	Use passive and active voice appropriately	The ball was thrown / They threw the ball
	Use semi-colons, colons, and dashes	To join clauses and add emphasis
	Maintain consistent verb tense	Past, present, future
	Spell complex and technical vocabulary accurately	accommodate, rhythm, parliament
Reading	Analyse how authors develop settings, characters, and atmosphere	Infer meaning from authorial techniques
	Distinguish fact from opinion	Critical reading
	Evaluate texts and justify opinions	Compare different texts
Spelling	Use a wide variety of prefixes and suffixes	anti-, auto-, -tion, -sion
	Spell commonly misspelled words	necessary, definitely, foreign

Year 6 Maths

Number - Number and Place Value

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Read, write, order and compare numbers up to 10,000,000 and determine the value of each digit	In 7,456,832 knows the 4 represents 400,000
Round any whole number to a required degree of accuracy	Can round to nearest 10, 100, 1000, 10,000 etc. as required
Use negative numbers in context, and calculate intervals across 0	Can work out temperature differences: from -5°C to 3°C is 8°
Solve number and practical problems that involve all of the above	Can solve complex problems with large numbers and negative numbers

Number - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Multiply multi-digit numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using formal written method of long multiplication	Can calculate 2,456 × 37 using long multiplication
Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using formal written method of long division	Can calculate 3,654 ÷ 23 using long division
Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit number using short division where appropriate	Can use short division when appropriate
Perform mental calculations, including with mixed operations and large numbers	Can calculate complex problems mentally
Identify common factors, common multiples and prime numbers	Can find HCF of 48 and 36 (12), LCM of 6 and 8 (24)
Use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving the 4 operations	Knows BIDMAS: 2 + 3 × 4 = 2 + 12 = 14
Solve multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why	Can solve complex real-world problems
Use estimation to check answers and determine appropriate degree of accuracy	Can estimate and check reasonableness of answers

Number - Fractions (including decimals and percentages)

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Use common factors to simplify fractions; use common multiples to express fractions in the same denomination	Can simplify 15/25 to 3/5, convert 1/4 and 1/6 to 3/12 and 2/12
Compare and order fractions, including fractions >1	Can order 5/4, 7/6, 3/2 by converting to common denominators
Add and subtract fractions with different denominators and mixed numbers	Can calculate 2/3 + 1/4 = 8/12 + 3/12 = 11/12
Multiply simple pairs of proper fractions, writing the answer in its simplest form	Can calculate 2/3 × 3/4 = 6/12 = 1/2
Divide proper fractions by whole numbers	Can calculate 3/4 ÷ 2 = 3/8
Associate a fraction with division and calculate decimal fraction equivalents	Knows 3/8 = 3 ÷ 8 = 0.375
Identify the value of each digit in numbers given to 3 decimal places and multiply and divide numbers by 10, 100 and 1,000	In 4.567: 4=units, 5=tenths, 6=hundredths, 7=thousandths
Multiply one-digit numbers with up to 2 decimal places by whole numbers	Can calculate 3.47 × 6 = 20.82
Use written division methods in cases where the answer has up to 2 decimal places	Can divide to get decimal answers
Solve problems which require answers to be rounded to specified degrees of accuracy	Can round answers appropriately for context
Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and percentages	Knows ½ = 0.5 = 50%, ¾ = 0.75 = 75%

Ratio and Proportion

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Solve problems involving the relative sizes of 2 quantities where missing values can be found by using integer multiplication and division facts	Can solve "If 3 apples cost 60p, how much do 5 apples cost?"
Solve problems involving the calculation of percentages and the use of percentages for comparison	Can find 15% of 240, compare using percentages
Solve problems involving similar shapes where the scale factor is known or can be found	Can work with scale drawings and similar triangles
Solve problems involving unequal sharing and grouping using knowledge of fractions and multiples	Can solve "Share 20 sweets in ratio 2:3"

Algebra

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Use simple formulae	Can use formulae like Area = length × width
Generate and describe linear number sequences	Can continue sequences like 3, 7, 11, 15... (add 4 each time)
Express missing number problems algebraically	Can write equations like n + 5 = 12
Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with 2 unknowns	Can find solutions to a + b = 10
Enumerate possibilities of combinations of 2 variables	Can list all combinations systematically

Measurement

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Solve problems involving the calculation and conversion of units of measure, using decimal notation up to 3 decimal places	Can convert 2.456km to metres: 2,456m
Convert between standard units, including imperial measures	Can convert between metric and imperial units
Convert between miles and kilometres	Knows 5 miles ≈ 8 kilometres
Recognise that shapes with the same areas can have different perimeters and vice versa	Understands area and perimeter are independent
Recognise when it is possible to use formulae for area and volume of shapes	Knows when to use specific formulae
Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles	Can use Area = base × height for parallelograms and Area = ½ × base × height for triangles
Calculate, estimate and compare volume of cubes and cuboids using standard units	Can calculate Volume = length × width × height

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Draw 2-D shapes using given dimensions and angles	Can draw triangles with specified angles and side lengths
Recognise, describe and build simple 3-D shapes, including making nets	Can identify and make nets of cubes, pyramids etc.
Compare and classify geometric shapes based on their properties and find unknown angles in triangles, quadrilaterals, and regular polygons	Can find missing angles using angle properties
Illustrate and name parts of circles, including radius, diameter and circumference	Knows diameter = 2 × radius
Recognise angles where they meet at a point, are on a straight line, or are vertically opposite, and find missing angles	Can use angle facts to find unknown angles

Geometry - Position and Direction

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Describe positions on the full coordinate grid (all 4 quadrants)	Can plot and read coordinates in all quadrants, including negative coordinates
Draw and translate simple shapes on the coordinate plane, and reflect them in the axes	Can move shapes on coordinate grids and reflect in x and y axes

Statistics

Curriculum Objective	Example for Parents
Interpret and construct pie charts and line graphs and use these to solve problems	Can create pie charts and interpret data from various graphs
Calculate and interpret the mean as an average	Can find the mean of a set of data: (2+3+7+8) ÷ 4 = 5