10 priority maths skills for 9 year olds
Age nine is an important year in maths for young learners. By nine the ground work on core maths skills should be paying off and a solid foundation in maths taking shape.
This is the ideal situation, but as a maths teacher and parent, I'm aware that nine can also be a precarious year where confidence and attitude to maths can tip the other way.
I’ve picked out my 10 priority maths skills for 9 year olds. You can use them as a 'maths health checklist' to help you ensure your child is on track. If your child can answer these correctly and fluently (in a few seconds) chances are they’ve mastered the skill.
(But please don't despair if they haven't quite mastered a skill, for most learners, a little additional support and practice will soon have them back on track.)
1) Multiplication tables - It feels so old fashioned to say it but here goes: Children must know their times tables, and be able to recall them fluently.
Here are a few of the hardest tables.
7 x 8 =
7 x 12 =
6 x 7 =
Here are a few of my blog articles on how to help - A Parent's Guide to Learning Times Tables & Tips for Learning The 12 Times Tables. For additional practice, I've put together the 38 Times Tables Challenge - a three step (free) activity to super-charge times table learning.
2) Division facts - Multiplication tables get all the attention but division facts, which are closely related, are often neglected.
So what do we mean by 'division facts'?
72 ÷ 8 =
54 ÷ 9 =
36 ÷ 4 =
3) Addition and Subtraction Bridging 10 - Hesitation with bridging 10 is a sign learners could benefit from some extra practice.
16 - 9 =
7 + 6 =
15 - 8 =
4) Fractions - recognise and write equivalent fractions - Fractions are introduced earlier in the curriculum that previously. Knowing that two fractions are the same is a strong sign that the concept of fractions is on track. Complete the missing numbers:
5) Addition and subtraction using multiples of 10 and 100:
1569 - 400 =
638 - 50
254 + 70 =
6) Number - able to write any spoken number to one million and know the value of each digit:
"Write the number seven hundred and thirty two thousand and twenty one"
7) Decimal Numbers - know decimal equivalents of simple fractions and order decimal numbers in terms of size. Put these fractions and decimal numbers in order of size, smallest first (take more than a few seconds over this):
⅒ ¾ 0.72 0.09 0.5 ⅗
8) Decimal Numbers - multiply and divide by 10, 100, 1000:
0.12 x 100 =
1.64 ÷ 100 =
0.45 x 1000 =
9) Short Multiplication:
257 x 8
using written methods, needs more than a few seconds!
10) Short Division:
569 ÷ 3
using written methods, remainders are okay, needs more than a few seconds!
A good indication your child has really mastered a skill is if they can answer correctly and quickly. Being hesitant is an indication that mastery isn't quite there.
The good news for parent and learners is that addressing problems in maths is easy when children are young. In most cases, all that's needed is some regular, targeted practice. This is why we designed Komodo for home use and families.
I’m Ged, Co-founder of Komodo, ex-maths teacher and dad. If you have any questions please get in touch.
About Komodo – Komodo is a fun and effective way to boost primary maths skills. Designed for 5 to 11 year olds to use in the home, Komodo uses a little and often approach to learning maths (15 minutes, three to five times per week) that fits into the busy routine. Komodo helps users develop fluency and confidence in maths – without keeping them at the screen for long.
And now we've got Komodo English too - check it out here.
