The complete guide to KS2 maths: resources, games & methods 

June 07, 2021

Discover everything you need to support your child with their KS2 maths learning journey and maths tuition. 

Explore the different sections by clicking on the links below:

KS2 maths curriculum

When it comes to school key stages, your child will progress and develop their skills from their early years, working towards KS1 and then KS2 objectives. Let’s have a look at what each year group involves and why maths matters: 

KS2 year 3 maths

Your child will be challenged to work with whole numbers using all four operations. They will progress from using a number line and partitioning methods to using columnar methods.

• Use multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 50 and 100
• Add and subtract three-digit numbers using columnar written methods
• Start to multiply and divide two-digit numbers by one-digit numbers
• Understand how to create fractions and compare unit fractions

KS2 year 4 maths

This is the year your child will continue to develop fluency, working with increasingly large numbers. They will begin to compare fractions with decimals, and are expected to know all of their multiplication tables to 12 x 12 by the end of the year.

• Use multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1,000
• Add and subtract 4-digit numbers using columnar written methods
• Recall addition and division number facts for multiplication tables to 12 x 12
• Convert between different units of measurement

KS2 year 5 maths

Year 5 includes using the long multiplication and division methods to solve problems with larger numbers. Your child will become more agile working with fractions, decimals, and percentages, understanding that they are all ways of expressing proportions and can therefore be interchanged.

• Solve problems involving a combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
• Multiply 4-digit numbers by 2-digit numbers; divide 4-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers
• Identify equivalent fractions and compare fractions with different denominators
• Understand percentages

KS2 year 6 maths

The last year of Key Stage 2. This is where your child will be required to work more fluently with fractions, decimals, and percentages, switching between them when required or necessary. They must identify when they should use the written methods established in year 5 to solve more complex problems with large numbers.

• Use negative numbers in context
• Use common factors to simplify fractions and show fractions in the same denomination
• Multiply two fractions or two decimals
• Solve problems involving percentages

KS2 Maths resources

We encourage everyone to find the wonder in numbers and develop a real love for this essential subject, so we’ve compiled a list of the best maths resources, worksheets, revision guides, and apps to help support your child to unlock their full maths potential.

KS2 maths worksheets

Find plenty of free worksheets to support your child in and out of school:

• The School Run 

From Times Tables worksheets to SATS practice papers, The School Run offers hundreds of free printable and interactive worksheets to help support your child.

• Explore Learning – Discover Maths 

Our maths competition may be over, but our ‘Discover Maths’ webpage is still available for you to find plenty of ways to uncover the magic of maths in daily life! 

• 
  Twinkle

Twinkle has a range of downloadable KS2 maths worksheets to help teach addition, multiplication, fractions, money, measurement, 2D & 3D shapes, and more. 

• TES

We’ve partnered with TES to provide you with a wide range of our free worksheets! Find everything you need and more in this one-stop-shop.

KS2 maths questions and simple strategies

Get support with tackling challenges that tickle both your and your child’s brain and find simple strategies to master maths topics: 

• Explore Learning Mid Morning Maths with Bobby Seagull

We’ve previously partnered with University Champion legend and maths genius, Bobby Seagull to bring you exciting maths lessons and daily challenges! 

• Find the maths in everyday 

Learn how to integrate maths questions into daily life and find some simple maths strategies that you can use to support your child for fun home maths learning!

Everyday maths

KS2 maths revision

Looking for support for your child’s exam revision? Look no further:

• 11 Plus and Entrance Exams preparation 

The maths 11 Plus and Entrance Exams papers are designed to assess your child’s intelligence, academic potential and tests them on everything they have learnt from primary school, albeit at a trickier level! 

As an Explore Learning member, your 11 Plus maths tuition will provide your child with all of the resources to develop the skills your child will need to support your child in developing these key maths skills. 

11 Plus and Entrance Exams practice quiz 

• SATS past papers 

Help to prepare your child for their KS2 SATS maths exam by familiarising them with past papers.

Maths websites KS2

Explore the different free maths activities available to you and your family:

• NRICH 

NRICH has amazing maths activities and challenges for children, and that’s why we partner with them every year for our National Young Mathematicians’ Awards!

• National Numeracy 

We know that supporting children with maths can be daunting for parents. With resources to support both children and parents, National Numeracy helps to empower the whole family to build their confidence with numbers. We’ve partnered with them to celebrate National Numeracy Day!

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• BBC Bitsize 

It’s a classic! BBC Bitesize covers a huge range of KS2 topics and subjects and is free for children to use.

Best maths apps for KS2

Do you want to turn your child’s screen time into a learning experience? Maths apps are a great way to help children learn maths through games and fun! Here are our top picks:

• Khan Academy

Khan Academy’s app provides excellent video tutorials and preparation for KS2 maths, plus SATS preparation materials. It’s free to access and there are educational resources for parents too!

• Times Tables Rock Stars

If your child is finding learning their Times Tables challenging then this is the app for you! Times Tables Rock Stars is a carefully sequenced programme of daily Times Tables practice to help support Times Tables recall speed.

• Photomath 

Photomath aims to take the frustration out of maths, by reading and solving mathematical problems instantly by using just your mobile camera! It provides step-by-step solutions and methods to those tricky maths questions to bring more peace to your child’s maths practice.

Fun maths activities KS2

To really ignite a passion for maths, children need that excitement and sense of wonder that promotes problem-solving. Problem-solving allows children to think outside the box, promoting those key KS2 Maths skills in a fun way. What better way to get your child to enjoy maths than games, puzzles, and quizzes!

Maths games KS2

Maths games give children the chance to apply their knowledge in a different way. They can involve friends or family and there should be no fear of getting the wrong answer! Explore’s Club is the place to be online if you’re looking for free worksheets and helpful videos.

Go to The Club 

For more free worksheets, click on the images below to be taken through to your downloadable activity! 

Telling the Time Game

  Maths Fortune Teller Game

Money Game

Matching Puzzles

Brief Puzzles

Tangram puzzles

More Explore learning activities on TES

Maths puzzles KS2

Puzzles are a great way to break down barriers and keep your children engaged with the different steps needed to solve a lot of maths questions. Watch as Bobby Seagull brings a challenging maths puzzle to life! 

Maths quiz KS2

Maths quizzes can consolidate lots of the mental maths that your child does in the classroom. The emphasis is once again on having fun with numbers!

The school curriculum now covers more than ever before. Have a go at our fun quiz to find out some of what your child will be tackling in class. Even better, get your son or daughter to have a go too! Can they beat you? We love a bit of friendly competition!

Try our quiz

Maths methods KS2

From formal written methods to perfecting Times Tables to problem-solving and more, use this section to decode maths terminology and discover the different methods and strategies used for KS2 maths. 

Maths strategies and maths reasoning KS2

Compass is our in-house learning platform designed to support children in both core subjects. In this video, Explore Manager Rob, explains how it’s the perfect tool to help children develop their strategies for maths reasoning questions.

Looking for more? Explore our other maths support blogs: 

Simple Strategies to teach maths

Maths hacks and tricks 

KS2 maths vocabulary 

• Array 

Organising pictures or objects into rows and columns. For example, 3 x 4 = 12 can be represented as an array with 3 rows and 4 columns.

• Common denominator 

When two or more fractions have the same denominator. For example, 2/4, ¼, ¾.

• Common factor 

A number that can be divided into two different numbers. For example, 5 can be divided into 25 and 40. Common factors are often used to simplify fractions because you must divide both the numerator and denominator by the same number.

• Congruent 

Two shapes are congruent if they are the same size and same shape.

• Decimal fraction

A fraction where the denominator is a power of ten (10, 100, 1,000, etc). For example, 28/100 or 317/1000.

• Denominator 

The bottom number of a fraction.

• Digit numbers 

 A single numeral. The number 45 has two digits: 4 and 5.

• Equivalent fraction 

Fractions that use different numbers to represent the same value. For example, 2/5 is equivalent to 4/10.

• Improper fraction 

A fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator. This means the number is greater than or equal to one. For example, 6/3.

• Integer 

A whole number. For example, 22 or -5.

• Mixed number 

A number that has both an integer and a proper fraction. For example, 2 4/5.

• Numerator 

The top number of a fraction.

• Partitioning 

Splitting a number into smaller parts to make it easier to work with. For example, 183 can be split into 1 hundred, 8 tens, and 3 ones.

• Proper fraction 

A fraction where the numerator is less than the denominator. This means the number is less than one. For example, 4/6.

• Unit fraction 

 A fraction where the numerator is 1. For example 1/3 or 1/7.

• Units of measurement

Units of measurement give standards so that the numbers from our measurements refer to the same thing. Examples include centimetres for length (cm) and kilograms (kg) for mass.

KS2 maths word problems

Here are some words you might see in maths problems, grouped by the operation they’re related to.

+

add, plus, total, sum, altogether

–

Subtract, minus, difference, decrease, reduce

x

multiply, times, product, double, triple, twice

÷

divide, share, find equal amounts, halve, partition

KS2 maths problem-solving

Wondering how to go about solving maths problems without them becoming a problem? Bobby Seagull is on hand to support and solve problems involving shapes with your child.

Bobby’s Problem Solving Activity

KS2 Maths Geometry 

Geometry can sound as though it is a complex topic, but usually, children are learning about shapes without even knowing it. During our live maths lessons with Bobby Seagull, he immersed himself into the world of shape and direction so that children could begin to see maths all around them, helping them to understand more about geometry and helping to understand spatial reasoning skills. 

EXPLORE BOBBY’S LESSONS

KS2 Maths Percentage Questions 

Percentages can often feel overwhelming for children because they tie in so closely to other topics in maths like fractions or decimals. However, it is important to not give up as they are a key topic throughout KS2 Maths. Take it step-by-step and watch our video to make percentages easier.  

KS2 Mental Maths

Mental maths is a great math skill that children can practice anywhere and everywhere.  This is where children have to calculate maths questions in the brain without using any paper to show workings out. For example, 3+2 or 4×7. Families can incorporate mental maths into daily life, playing quick-fire games on long car journeys or calculating how much change you will receive from the shopkeeper!

 KS2 Maths Angles

There are lots of different angles which children learn within the KS2 maths curriculum from right angles to reflex angles. It is important for children to be aware of the size of these angles, whether this be through memorising or measuring using a protractor. 

Maths tuition

Whether your child is a budding mathematician, or in need of extra support from a local maths tutor, our maths tuition can help get them to where they want to be. 

Find your perfect maths tutor