Maths and expectations by end of Y2

[Cortina]

We had a maths workshop last week for parents re: maths in Y2. Some of the questions posed were very tricky I thought. Would a child that was on course for a high level 2 or 3 at the end of KS1 be expected to know the following fully?:

All the times tables by heart
Be able to work out a quarter of any number
Be very proficient at 'partitioning' division etc

Our school set for maths in Y3 and have a reputation for very stagnant setting with lots of behavioural problems in the bottom sets. I am keen that DS does as well as possible this year.

Some of the questions that were given as examples of the work, made me scratch my head a bit! DS will still be 6 at the end of the year too!

For example:

Look at this sequence: 224 112 56 28 14 7

Tick the rule for this sequence:

divide by 3
add 7
subtract 10
divide by 2

Look at the digit cards: 948
Use all the digits to make the number nearest to 900.

Write the answer: 60x5 =

Write the correct number in the box

1067 to the nearest 100 =

Do they do times tables in Yr2? Not sure our school does that?

Pretty sure in Y2 an 'average' child will be expected to be able to count in 2s (2 times table) 5s (5 times table) and 10s at least by year end.

End of Y2? Really? dd's school does pretty well in maths at this stage, but they most definitely do not do all the times tables. I think its 2s, 5s and 10s by the end of the year (though I'm hoping for a little more).

Rounding up/down to nearest 10s dd has already done this term, so wouldn't be surprised if they did the 100s next term.

I take it this a Prep school, not a state? My DD in year 2 at a small private school and sounds like the things the more capable children can already do. Mainly because they have been doing Kumon maths or similar at home.

What do they mean by knowing your times tables? Being able to count up in, eg, 12s, or instantly knowing that 7x12=84? I think expecting the average 6-year old to memorise all their times tables so that they can achieve instant recall is asking a bit much, particularly if they don't even really understand what they are doing. ie understanding the process is still more important than the feat of memory at this stage.

They all seem to tally pretty well with the guidelines we were given for children heading for a level 2a/3, except for the times tables - 2, 5, 10 definitely, plus 3 and 4 for level 3.

Nope, not a prep. The example questions came from old SATs I think.

They didn't say you needed to know your tables as such, it was about how helpful it would be if kids could double in their heads, had instant recall of number bonds to 10 and 20 and then could count in 2s, 5s and 10s etc. About applying knowledge.

Will ask what expectations are by year end - what does curriculum state? Think 2s, 5s and 10s?

Another question on shape from our notes:

A cuboid has 3 faces and one blue face. The other faces are all yellow. How many faces of the cuboid are yellow?

I thought they just had to know that a square had 4 sides at this stage etc..

There are links on the left hand side of this page to requirements for the maths NC levels, which might help.

Sorry, link didn't work - it's here...
nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/84888

They teach many more strategies and so on now though so what can look initially difficult is not if broken down into several actions. So, for example, that to find a quarter you halve a number twice.

I was quite impressed by Year 2 maths as I feel children came away with a lot of number sense.

For your sequence example they would look at ways of figuring it out. Really they only need, initially, to look at the relationship between 224 and 112.

Clearly adding 7 or subtracting 10 does not work so they just have to work out if they divide by 2 or by 3.

And for dividing 224 they would learn to look at each piece.

200 - half of this is 100
20 - half of this is 10
4 - half of this is 2

Therefore half (or dividing by 2) 224 is 112.

A quick sense check, knowing that 50 is half of 100 and 25 is half of 50 would confirm this is the right answer.

I pity the child asked the question about the cuboid, since it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. A cuboid has 6 faces... methinks the question should therefore refer to 3 faces being, eg, red...

The cuboid question is almost a trick question surely? Thought they were banned in SATS?

Thanks for clarifications here.

I think the questions sound reasonable and I am abysmal at Maths.

DS and his Y1 class did the 2,5 and 10 x tables by the end of the first term so I am a bit that they are still doing them with the whole class in his Y2/3 now.

Last year, in Y1, he did many solid 3D shapes that I had to google.

The cuboid one is pretty straightforward, I suspect the notes are wrong ! If the question was

A cuboid has 3 green faces and one blue face. The other faces are all yellow. How many faces of the cuboid are yellow?

then any Level 2/3 mathematician would have no problems!

We don't teach all times tables in Y2
2x
5x
10x are standard any additional ones are a bonus at this point.
but the rest looks pretty average

mrz when you say that any additional ones are a bonus at this point, what do you mean? Do you mean that it could bump a child up a sub-level, or simply that it will help on a day-to-day basis in the classroom? I ask because DD2 in yr2 knows 2, 5 and 10; but also knows 11, 3, 4 and is getting to grips with 6 and 9.

P.S when I set up a free school, will you come and work for me

No I simply mean that if a child is secure with 2x 5x & 10x I would move on and teach 3X ...