Number Facts Fluency Programme

The programme builds on our innate ability to process quantities visually with graphics that expose mathematical structures. With animations and exercises with visual scaffolding, and a wide range of practical activities, a deep understanding of number and quantity is developed.

The programme is informed by research into the mathematical development of young children, by more than 10 years of classroom teaching, and by maths lesson observations in Shanghai. The research principles that underpin the programme can be found here.

At the core of the programme are the Addition and Subtraction Fact Grids. These essential facts are the equivalent of times tables for addition and subtraction. Just as all multiplication and division calculations use root times table facts, all future addition and subtraction calculations use these root addition and subtraction facts.

Click here for the Subtraction Fact Grid.

The core facts are taught alongside 12 calculation strategies. Learning and applying these strategies gives children a deep understanding of number and number relationships. Using these strategies children can then "use what they know to work out what they don't know". Explicit teaching of derived fact strategies is an effective route to fluency in addition and subtraction facts for all children, including lower attainers.

Click here for more detail of the calculation strategies.

The programme teaches every addition and subtraction fact systematically. Just as schools can tell you where they teach each grapheme-phoneme correspondence in phonics, the Number Sense Maths Fluency Programme systematically teaches the facts and strategies leaving nothing to chance.

Click on the thumbnail for a video showing how fluency in addition and subtraction facts builds up.

The facts and strategies are brought together in a six stage teaching programme. Each stage of the programme is broken down into smaller teaching steps, with resources provided for every step. The resources for each step include

• Teaching Points which explain what children need to learn in each step, and the models used
• Activities, for both the classroom and at home, which consolidate concepts 
• Animations that expose mathematical structure and develop number sense 
• Exercises that build progressively with scaffolding for children and talking tips to support teachers and parents 

Go to Free resources to see examples of all of these resources.

Click here for more detail of the six stages.

Click the image to preview how the tool is structured, and how to generate sheets. Note: to actually generate sheets requires a subscription to the programme.

The structured nature of the programme, combined with the detailed guidance for each teaching step, provides in built support for teachers and TAs to develop their pedagogical subject knowledge.

Teachers and TAs at subscribing schools can also come along to regular subscriber coaching sessions to learn more about key aspects of the programme and to ask for advice on any implementation questions they have.

The Number Facts Fluency in-depth training course is also available for further support.