During the first term in Key Stage 1, many children have problems with place value. Springfield School in Jersey is pioneering a new teaching method. Teachers identify, for example, 2,000 as a numeral two followed by the word thousand. Children add this technique to their 'maths stories'. They do the same with hundreds, working up to tens, using the word ty. Words are adjusted so they don't obscure the logic of the maths. Twenty one is two ty one, thirty two is three ty two. The pupils can add two ty and three ty effortlessly. They are introduced to higher numbers, like four ty six using flashcards. A six is placed over the zero of '40' so that the '0' is obscured, helping pupils visualise that 46 is actually 40 and six.

Video Series: KS1 Numeracy
Release Date 2005