What are your yr 2 children learning about in maths?

[Blurple]

Just wondering really.

DD's spent most of this term going over topics learnt in year 1 with the exception of column addition and subtraction.

The step up I was expecting hasn't happened and I'm wondering if this is usual or maybe down to the very lovely yr 2 teacher being an NQT?

How do you know they aren't adding to the topics done in year one with differentiated work?

Just because the topic is the same doesn't mean the content is.

They'll be 'doing' whatever the qualified teacher has planned for them to do.

What was the step up you were expecting?

I was expecting the same sort of step up there was between reception and yr 1.

The teacher told me there is no differentiation at parents evening.

DD tells me what she's been doing, it's the same, not different. It's like consolidating instead of learning new things or learning about the same topic at a deeper level. Which is fine for a few weeks but for 3/4 of a term?

Now wondering if I posted in AIBU accidently - I was just hoping to check whether this is normal for current yr 2s and what other children have been doing in maths this term.

DD in yr2 is doing 2, 3, and 5 times tables. more advanced addition (tens & units). it is a private school (if it matters).

Do the school send out an overview of the learning to be covered that term?

I would be concerned about the differentiation but the NQT will be more heavily monitored than most teachers so I wouldn't necessarily question that.

Once you've spent a few weeks consolidating each maths topic, you'd be amazed how quickly a term can fly by!

Incidentally, is it only a few children doing column addition? I'd be surprised if a whole class of y2 were being taught that (and worried, it's too soon)...

This term my yr2 seems to be doing some times tables 2,5,10,11 (mostly doing them 2,4,6,8 rather than knowing the multiplication facts out of sync though....so early stages) and some estimation (v basic), measuring things and addition/subtraction, consolidating number bonds to 10 and trying to get a bit further. He's in a state school.

DS in Y2
Column addition & subtraction
Doubling & halving
All his times tables but I think from what teacher was saying the focus is on 2,5,10
Fractions
Using greater, less than & equals symbols
Telling time
Using appropriate units for measurement, time, money etc
Building on last years work - a lot of it is more complexity added on top of what they did last year

Thank you Parietal that does sound similar, but was being done in yr 1 too.

The overview says things like shapes & measure, addition, subtraction. There are no targets or things like "should know x, y & z tables" by the end of the year.

Whole class learning except for a small support group.

Currently ds2 is learning his tables (we've done 2s, 5s, 10s, 11s and are now on 3s).

Other than that he's currently completing a unit on 2 step addition and subtraction using a number line (63-37= type thing)

Other stuff this term - graphs and tables, shapes, fractions - same as last year but in more depth.

If you're concerned do some extra one on one work at home for ten minutes a day with him. My DD are I are currently working through The Power Of Two from Amazon and it's fab! She's year two. She loving doing it with me (She likes the extra attention)

DS2 in Y2 is doing division using number line at the moment.

Ours is similar to wonkylegs on maths

With Literacy they are doing comprehension and DS told me what adverbs were in a story we were reading the other day so I'm assuming he's learning that too!

Same as cloud, doing division. We have already done quite a bit of it at home.

Hi Blurple:

It can be really frustrating as a parent working out what exactly is being done in maths - especially in KS1 - as kids often can't clearly explain what they're doing (or just plain forget).

My first port of call for Year 2 would be the new national curriculum: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335158/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Mathematics_220714.pdf - what should be covered in Y2 starts on page 11.

I'm not a teacher (so hopefully someone will come along and clear this up) - but I think I heard that current Y2 are not working toward this curriculum for end KS1 SATs 2014/2015 school year. But again - just a parent so not totally sure.

As a result - your child may be 'piggy in the middle' - not quite working to the higher standards of the new national curriculum and largely working to old national curriculum content.

-------

What you can do:

BBC Bitesize KS1 - has great maths games which you can set by ability (medium/ difficult/ hard) which will review concepts to be examined (by teacher assessment) on KS1 SATs: www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths/

Woodlands Junior school Maths Zone - has links to resources/ games in maths - just select the specific area you want to practice. There's a huge choice - so I tend to work out what DDs need to practice (say x5 times tables) and then find games that will help: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

At some point Mumsnet recommend Maths champs - the games are divided across age ranges - so Y2 is midway between 5 - 7 and 7 - 9 (which can be fine if high ability - but daunting if maths is a bit of a struggle at age 7). anyway DDs liked the games and it is good practice: www.mathschamps.co.uk/#home

My advice is whilst you're busy - say doing housework/ cooking - encourage your DC to play a game or two. Cumulatively it can make a huge difference.

HTH

PastSellBy is right, Y2 have been advised not to follow the new curriculum this academic year but the info will give you an idea about the sort of stuff we do in year 2. It's not really that different!

DS is Y2. The new things he has covered this year so far have been fractions, some times tables, and they have started doing some division. They have also been learning about 10's 100s and units.

Ds is doing multiplication, division and just started fractions at the moment (average state school).

New things so far are measuring a perimeter of a shape, = signs, basic fractions and 8 times table.

3d shapes
Basic 2, 5 & 10 times tables
Adding/subtracting in tens and units
Number bonds
Relationships in time (1 min, hr etc)

Sorry, had to unexpectedly take mum to hospital appointment yesterday and have come down with a cold to boot!

Thank you for all responses.

Mumof3, those are the sort of topics I'd expect (they'd be new for DD). DDs TA was 3c so I just expected some new topics to have been covered by now.

DD says maths very easy (she doesn't mind though) but maybe it's due to lack of differentiation.

I don't know what she "should" be doing, just feeling it shouldn't be going over the same things from yr 1 for nearly a whole term (when she had a slightly less lovely but very experienced teacher).

So now I have to decide whether to go in or pick up stuff at home I suppose....

They spent the first half term going over last years areas, the work according to DS had actually got easier. Maths is DS's favourite subject and he was getting disheartened with this. (Literacy has always been a struggle for DS so looking forward to Maths lessons has a big impact on his ovall view of school.) I raised it at parents evening and things seemed to have improved. DS is definitely happier. I think it is definitely worth a word with the teacher.

It is normal for the same maths topics (at an age appropriate level) to be taught in each year group

DD (yr2) is doing division using a number line.

The same topics will be covered in each year group but it will be pitched at different levels suitable to the class. I seriously doubt that "there is no differentiation" at all. As an NQT she'll be supported by a mentor with teaching and planning. There will be differentiation.

Stuff they are sending home for homework right now is mostly strategies for mental maths (so the actual sums are much the same as the sums they were doing on paper in Y1, but the methods are different) and times tables.