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Numbers as Labels and for Counting Calculating Shape, Space and Measures
Birth-11 Months
 
  • Respond to people and objects in their environment.
  • Notice changes in groupings of objects, images or sounds.


 
  • Are logical thinkers from birth.





 
  • Develop an awareness of shape, form and texture as they encounter people and things in their environment.


8-20 Months
 
  • Develop an awareness of number names through their enjoyment of action rhymes and songs that relate to their experience of numbers.
  • Enjoy finding their nose, eyes or tummy as part of naming games.
 
  • Have some understanding that things exist, even when out of sight.
  • Are alert to and investigate things that challenge their expectations.
 
  • Find out what toys are like and can do through handling objects.
  • Recognise big things and small things in meaningful contexts.
16-26 Months
 
  • Say some counting words randomly.
  • Distinguish between quantities, recognising that a group of objects is more than one.
  • Gain awareness of one-to-one correspondence through categorising belongings, starting with 'mine' or 'Mummy's'.
 
  • Are learning to classify by organising and arranging toys with increasing intent.
  • Categorise objects according to their properties.
 
  • Attempt, sometimes successfully, to fit shapes into spaces on inset boards or jigsaw puzzles.
  • Use blocks to create their own simple structures and arrangements.
  • Enjoy filling and emptying containers.
22-36 Months
 
  • Have some understanding of 1 and 2, especially when the number is important for them.
  • Create and experiment with symbols and marks.
  • Use some number language, such as 'more' and 'a lot'.
  • Recite some number names in sequence.
 
  • Begin to make comparisons between quantities.
  • Know that a group of things changes in quantity when something is added or taken away.
 
  • Notice simple shapes and patterns in pictures.
  • Begin to categorise objects according to properties such as shape or size.
  • Are beginning to understand variations in size.
30-50 Months
 
  • Use some number names and number language spontaneously.
  • Show curiosity about numbers by offering comments or asking questions.
  • Use some number names accurately in play.
  • Sometimes match number and quantity correctly.
  • Recognise groups with one, two or three objects.
 
  • Compare two groups of objects, saying when they have the same number.
  • Show an interest in number problems.
  • Separate a group of three or four objects in different ways, beginning to recognise that the total is still the same.
 
  • Show an interest in shape and space by playing with shapes or making arrangements with objects.
  • Show awareness of similarities in shapes in the environment.
  • Observe and use positional language.
  • Are beginning to understand 'bigger than' and 'enough'.
  • Show interest in shape by sustained construction activity or by talking about shapes or arrangements.
  • Use shapes appropriately for tasks.
  • Begin to talk about the shapes of everyday objects.
40-60+ Months
 
  • Recognise some numerals of personal significance.
  • Count up to three or four objects by saying one number name for each item.
  • Count out up to six objects from a larger group.
  • Count actions or objects that cannot be moved.
  • Begin to count beyond 10.
  • Begin to represent numbers using fingers, marks on paper or pictures.
  • Select the correct numeral to represent 1 to 5, then 1 to 9 objects.
  • Recognise numerals 1 to 5.
  • Count an irregular arrangement of up to ten objects.
  • Estimate how many objects they can see and check by counting them.
  • Count aloud in ones, twos, fives or tens.
  • Know that numbers identify how many objects are in a set.
  • Use ordinal numbers in different contexts.
  • Match then compare the number of objects in two sets.
  • Say and use number names in order in familiar contexts.
  • Count reliably up to ten everyday objects.
  • Recognise numerals 1 to 9.
  • Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems.
 
  • Find the total number of items in two groups by counting all of them.
  • Use own methods to work through a problem.
  • Say the number that is one more than a given number.
  • Select two groups of objects to make a given total of objects.
  • Count repeated groups of the same size.
  • Share objects into equal groups and count how many in each group.
  • In practical activities and discussion, begin to use the vocabulary involved in adding and subtracting.
  • Use language such as 'more' or 'less' to compare two numbers.
  • Find one more or one less than a number from one to ten.
  • Begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects and subtraction to 'taking away'.
 
  • Show curiosity about and observation of shapes by talking about how they are the same or different.
  • Match some shapes by recognising similarities and orientation.
  • Begin to use mathematical names for 'solid' 3D shapes and 'flat' 2D shapes, and mathematical terms to describe shapes.
  • Select a particular named shape.
  • Show awareness of symmetry.
  • Find items from positional or directional clues.
  • Order two or three items by length or height.
  • Order two items by weight or capacity.
  • Match sets of objects to numerals that represent the number of objects.
  • Sort familiar objects to identify their similarities and differences, making choices and justifying decisions.
  • Describe solutions to practical problems, drawing on experience, talking about own ideas, methods and choices.
  • Use familiar objects and common shapes to create and recreate patterns and build models.
  • Use everyday language related to time; order and sequence familiar events, and measure short periods of time with a non-standard unit, for example, with a sand timer.
  • Count how many objects share a particular property, presenting results using pictures, drawings or numerals.
  • Use language such as 'greater', 'smaller', 'heavier' or 'lighter' to compare quantities.
  • Talk about, recognise and recreate simple patterns.
  • Use language such as 'circle' or 'bigger' to describe the shape and size of solids and flat shapes.
  • Use everyday words to describe position.
  • Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems.