To think a 9/10 yo should be able to add 8+7 in their head?

My DS is P5 and it's endemic in our local authority according to teachers. I think a lot of people posting about their advanced mathematical abilities are forgetting what happened in schools 4 years ago when these kids were 5 and supposed to be learning the basic maths principles.

I’ve just started as a TA in secondary school and working in maths intervention groups for yr7 & yr8 and those coming up in September as the maths for many is behind. Ds9 missed a lot due to two lockdowns and there are huge gaps in his maths. Try as we might, cannot catch him up.

I teach 9/10 year olds (Primary 5) and the amount they have been affected by covid is insane. The things like basic number bonds and basic times tables just don’t seem to have stuck with them (that and a whoooole range of other problems!)

I'd expect year one children to be able to do those, some children will be able to in reception or earlier.

My year 6 ds needed to use his fingers. He got there in the end though. He has moderate learning disabilities.

Ds9 would struggle he’s in yr4 & below expected in maths, always has been. Currently being assessed for dyslexia & processing difficulties. Dd8 could do it easily as could dd6 in yr2. Ds4 in reception not a chance.

I agree. I teach Yr 5 and this year group have very shaky foundations in Maths and SPAG. They understand the Yr 5 content, but fall down on basic number sense and things like full stops and capital letters. They missed the crucial deliberate practice when they were younger.

Agree - multiplication was taught in KS1 for my DCs and I also learnt it when in primary school all those years ago, distinctly remember playing the “buzz game” in y6 over 3 decades ago

My ds had to know this at 7 when he wrote the 7+. I really thought time tables were taught this early.
I would be really shocked if a 9yo could not do this simple, simple sum

I could do these types of sums at age six months, but unlike kids today I wasn't helicopter parented by tiktok crazy snowflakes who think that a mobile phone is a suitable substitute for a good education and an abacus.

I struggle to do mental maths or spell things in my head, I have to write them down to "see" them (the irony of being partially sighted and needing to do this hasnt past me by...)

I, despite this, have A level physics, a science degree and a masters in data and I work in data so I wouldn't necessarily worry that not being able to do mental maths means that they are bad at maths

@HaggisHhahaha you’re right that number bonds to five is the focus in Reception. A child who enjoys Maths probably could go into double digits if given the chance though. This type of question is in the curriculum for Year One but many children will use notation / manipulatives to find the answer.

Dd year 3 so 7 answered it correct with help from her fingers but she is emerging in maths. I totally expect her to get it by end of year 3 judging by how her maths is taught...I'd say in her class it be 60÷ who gets it right now but by next year aged 8 most should...

They’re either not concentrating (entirely possible) or they’re ‘working towards’ in Maths. Only a few children in my Year 4 class would need to use fingers to work that out and I can only imagine a child with significant SEN getting it wrong.

Haha Haggis. You forget that everyone of Mumsnet is raising a mini Einstein!

Sorry my brain may be addled by time passing but…

reception age children adding 8+7 and 5+9??

my two maths enthusiasts (Alevel maths + further maths)…one at RG uni doing astrophysics, the other in yr 12 with As in recent mocks for both…

could only count on one hand to 5 at that stage

They couldn’t add or subtract greater than those 5 fingers

i don’t remember maths being a big push, it was reading and handwriting at that age 🤷🏻‍♀️

My 5 year old knows the answer. It’s basic mental maths

Very definitely, my grandson is only just 4 and can add all numbers totalling up to ten quickly ‘in his head’.

My DC in year 2 could do this as could DC in year 5. Interestingly though the year 5 teacher has mentioned that several children have no issue at all with year 5 work in grammar or maths or spelling, etc but struggle with the basics, ie the things they missed in yr 1 and yr 2 due to Covid. The example she gave was a child using semi-colons confidently but then missing full stops and capitals.

Yep. My Y4 and Y2 could both do this.

I started as a year 1 TA in the run up to Christmas and they've covered "almost doubles" since then (so would know 7+8 is one more than double 7, or one less than double 8). I don't think they'd all get it right away but it's definitely being taught to 5 and 6 year olds.

@WittiestUsernameEver I got a tutor for my son last year and numeracy is a huge issue for children in this age group due to Covid. I'm sure there will be a variance depending on household circumstances but for us, our DS hated home learning and we both worked full time from home with another child as well so didn't have time to home educate anything but the absolute basics.

Exactly.

My DD is Y1 and working at the expected level for her age. She is able to work that sum out in her head.