Numicon for Key Stage 1 maths and beyond...
If you are new to Numicon we encourage you to watch the video 'Making Numbers Real'
on our home page. This will help you understand why maths is so
difficult for so many learners and how Numicon's multi sensory maths
resources and teaching materials help.
This page introduces the Numicon resources available for different classroom settings through KS1/KS2 maths and beyond. Use the links for detailed information on the different maths resources and to download support materials. You can also download a spreadsheet containing prices and recommended quantities of resources that we recommend for each setting in a one form entry school for primary maths teaching.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the information on this page.
The image below gives an overview of ALL of our kits and how these
interelate. Please see the sections below specific to your situation
for details of which of these are most appropriate. The Kits work in progression, so after completing the activities in a
Kit the pupils are then ready to move on to the next Kit, i.e. after
completing on the Kit One Activities the pupils
can progress to Kit Two.
Year 1 and Year 2 maths (Key Stage 1)
Numicon Kits 1 and 2 are designed for pupils aged 5-7, (KS1). The
teaching programmes in these Kits follow on from the Firm Foundations
Kit or Closing the Gap, so it is vital that children have a solid understanding of the
ideas covered in either of these Kits before moving on to the
calculating in Kits 1 and 2.
If you are starting with pupils in Years 1 or 2 that are new to Numicon they will need time to explore the Numicon Shapes and Baseboard, and to construct
their own meaning for the Shapes,
before moving on to use them in calculating. For Year 1 we would recommend going back to the Firm Foundations Kit/Closing the Gap Kit and working through the Activities before moving on. For Year 2 pupils we would recommend making the resources available for a session p/day for a week with no mention of maths. This will give the pupils the opportunty to talk, play and experiment with the shapes. You can they discuss what they can see or have discovered. This will give them the opportunity they need to construct their own meaning and to add the number names to the shapes. Please see the support materials and downloads below for help with this.
The teaching
programmes in both Kit 1 and Kit 2 help children to secure
understanding and help teachers to meet the Primary Strategy Objectives for Years 1 and 2 maths. Kit One covers NC levles 1 - 2b (aimed at year 1) and Kit Two covers NC levels 2b - 3 (aimed at year 2). The first part of the teaching
programme in Kit 1 helps with planning children’s transition from EYFS
to Year 1. The Kits also include assesement tools to help decide where to start pupils in the Teaching Programme. The kit goes on to introduce children to the many big ideas
which will form the basis for all their later work in KS2. These Kits are useful for all pupils who are working at
English National Curriculum Levels 1 to 3.
For full details of the primary resources please see the links below.
Core Numicon Resources for Year 1 maths
Numicon Kit 1
Firm Foundations Binder - for transition work
Core Numicon Resources for Year 2 maths
Numicon Kit 2
Kit 1 Binder - for transition work
Supplementary Resources for Year 1 and 2 maths
Extra baseboards
Cuisenaire Rods
Large Format Table-top Number Lines
Sets of 1-10 shapes for class teaching using the IWB Software
Working with Numicon – DVD and Training resource
Numicon Software for Interactive Whiteboards
Challenges with Numicon
Support material and Downloads
Video introductions to our core kits
Preview of the Kit 1 printed teaching materials
Preview of the Kit 2 printed teaching materials
5 minute demonstration of the IWB software
Sample Lesson Plans for Kit 1 Activities using the Numicon Software for Interactive Whiteboards
Sample Lesson Plans for Kit 2 Activities using the Numicon Software for Interactive Whiteboards
Year 1 Framework Objectives matched to Numicon
Year 2 Framework Objectives matched to Numicon
Introducing Numicon in Year 1
Introducing Numicon in Year 2
Moving into Key Stage 2
Kit 2 is aimed at NC levels 2b - 3 and the ideas around division, multiplications and fractions can be brought through into Year 3. The Numicon resources can also be used throughout Key Stage 2 to support understanding of numeracy concepts.
We have a new resource called Investigations with Numicon. This contains 10 challenging open-ended mathematical investigations with a low
threshold and high ceiling. Aimed at KS2 and extendable to KS3 levels,
for pupils aged 8 to 11.
This resource will help pupils move beyond number facts and calculating and encourages investigations and mathematical thinking. Sir Jim Rose's review of the primary curriculum highlighted the importance of '...developing mathematical understanding through more practical, problem-solving activities.' Chapter 3 point 3.40 (p.68).
Core Numicon Resources for Key Stage 2 maths
Investigations with Numicon
Investigations with Numicon - supplementary resources
