Guidance report
Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1
First Edition
Who it is for
Senior leaders, Subject leaders, Practitioners
Read the full guidance report
Recommendations poster
Overview
What this guidance report covers
This report is part of a series that the EEF is producing on mathematics. It focuses on children aged three to seven in the early years and Key Stage 1. A previous EEF report covers key recommendations for teaching mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3.
Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 reviews the best available evidence to offer five recommendations for developing the maths skills of 3-7-year olds.
Recommendations include integrating maths into different activities throughout the day – for example, at registration and snack time – to familiarise children with maths language and make the most of the school day.
It also highlights that story and picture books can be a powerful tool for engaging children with basic maths concepts, while board games (such as Snakes and Ladders) are particularly beneficial to developing understanding of numbers.
Based on the best available international research – and drawing on the expertise of teachers and academics – this report is packed with examples and case studies to support practitioners.