Number Skills Inventory

This is a simplified list of mathematical skills that pupils should have. It has been designed so that each idea has five levels making it visually easy to see where a pupil is now and what they need to do to improve.

Number	Read, write and order numbers up to 100 ExampleActivity	Read, write and order numbers up to 1000 ExampleActivity	Read, write and order numbers up to ten million ExampleActivity	Understand place value for numbers up to ten million ExampleActivity	Work with numbers up to ten billion ExampleActivity
Mental	Mentally add single digit numbers ExampleActivity	Know number pairs that add up to 10, 12, 15 etc. ExampleActivity	Mentally add two digit numbers ExampleActivity	Know the 2, 5, 10 and 11 times tables ExampleActivity	Know all times tables (2 to 12) ExampleActivity
Adding	Add single digit numbers up to 9 ExampleActivity	Add two digit numbers up to 99 ExampleActivity	Add three digit numbers up to 999 ExampleActivity	Find sums of more than two numbers ExampleActivity	Solve problems involving addition of large numbers ExampleActivity
Subtracting	Subtract one single digit number from another ExampleActivity	Subtract numbers up to 20 ExampleActivity	Subtract numbers up to 50 without carrying ExampleActivity	Subtract numbers up to 99 ExampleActivity	Subtract numbers up to 999 ExampleActivity
Multiplying	Multiply numbers up to and including 12 ExampleActivity	Multiply a two digit number by a whole number less than 10 ExampleActivity	Multiply two two digit numbers ExampleActivity	Multiply a three digit number by a two digit number ExampleActivity	Multiply a three digit number by a three digit number ExampleActivity
Dividing	Divide a two digit number by a single digit number ExampleActivity	Divide a three digit number by a single digit number ExampleActivity	Divide a four digit number by a two digit number ExampleActivity	Deal appropriately with the remainder of a division ExampleActivity	Divide a large number by a two digit number and rounding the answer ExampleActivity
Rounding	Round numbers to the nearest whole number ExampleActivity	Round numbers to one decimal place ExampleActivity	Round numbers to two decimal places ExampleActivity	Round numbers to three significant figures ExampleActivity	Round numbers to the nearest ten, hundred etc ExampleActivity
Negative	Subtract a single digit number from a smaller number ExampleActivity	Subtract a two digit number from a smaller two digit number ExampleActivity	Addition and Subtraction of directed numbers ExampleActivity	Multiplication of directed numbers ExampleActivity	Multi-part operations with directed numbers ExampleActivity
Decimals	Add and subtract basic decimal numbers ExampleActivity	Use decimals in real life situations (eg money) ExampleActivity	Multiply and divide decimal numbers by whole numbers ExampleActivity	Multiply decimal numbers ExampleActivity	Divide decimal numbers ExampleActivity
Fractions	Understand notation, simplifying and simple equivalence ExampleActivity	Add and subtract fractions with a common denominator ExampleActivity	Multiply and divide fractions ExampleActivity	Add and subtract fractions which don't have a common denominator ExampleActivity	The four rules of fractions and mixed numbers ExampleActivity
Factors	Find factors of numbers informally ExampleActivity	Know the properties of prime numbers ExampleActivity	Find all the factors of a number ExampleActivity	Find the HCF and LCM of two numbers ExampleActivity	Use the properties of numbers to solve problems ExampleActivity
Percentages	Understand the concept and estimate percentages ExampleActivity	Calculate with simple percentages such as 50% and 75% ExampleActivity	Calculate with everyday percentages in real life problems ExampleActivity	Express percentages as fractions and decimals ExampleActivity	Solve problems involving percentage change ExampleActivity
Ratio	Identifying ratios from pictures ExampleActivity	Simplifying ratios ExampleActivity	Simplifying ratios with fractional parts ExampleActivity	Dividing a quantity in a given ratio ExampleActivity	Using ratios in real life ExampleActivity
Estimating	Estimate instead of counting ExampleActivity	Estimate lengths ExampleActivity	Estimate the size of angles ExampleActivity	Approximate to give estimated solutions to problems ExampleActivity	Estimate the results of calculations ExampleActivity

Please note that the main objective of creating this inventory grid was to produce something that provided visual impact. Each of the ideas or concepts has been broken down into five levels. This has been done for consistency so the differences in the difficulty between levels is not the same in all cases. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for improvement.

The activity buttons will take you to the nearest match activity on the Transum website. The activity is not always an exact match for the statement but is the closest available.

This page should print nicely for you records or can be used online. The page should remember your ticks from one visit to the next. It does this by using Local Storage so the information is saved only on the computer you are working on right now.

Transum subscribers can use this page as part of the Class Admin system keeping a record of progress for each and every student in the class.

See also the Formal Written Methods examples.

Number Skills Inventory

A checklist with examples of basic numeracy techniques that every pupil should know

Featured Activity

Four Colour Theorem


Transum.org This web site contains over a thousand free mathematical activities for teachers and pupils. Click here to go to the main page which links to all of the resources available. Please contact me if you have any suggestions or questions.		More Activities: Maths Map Go Maths Games Puzzles Times Tables TablesMaster iPad Maths Investigations Exam Questions
Mathematicians are not the people who find Maths easy; they are the people who enjoy how mystifying, puzzling and hard it is. Are you a mathematician? Comment recorded on the 3 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Fiona Bray, Cams Hill School: "This is an excellent website. We all often use the starters as the pupils come in the door and get settled as we take the register." Comment recorded on the 7 April 'Starter of the Day' page by Marta, Rosea: "Hello! I wanted to comment that these starters always brighten my day. My students and I are very grateful to have access to these resources. Thank you!"		Each month a newsletter is published containing details of the new additions to the Transum website and a new puzzle of the month. The newsletter is then duplicated as a podcast which is available on the major delivery networks. You can listen to the podcast while you are commuting, exercising or relaxing. Transum breaking news is available on Twitter @Transum and if that's not enough there is also a Transum Facebook page.
Featured Activity Four Colour Theorem This mathematical activity involves colouring in! That makes a change. Using the paint bucket tool can you flood fill the regions so that no two adjacent regions are the same colour?	Numeracy "Numeracy is a proficiency which is developed mainly in Mathematics but also in other subjects. It is more than an ability to do basic arithmetic. It involves developing confidence and competence with numbers and measures. It requires understanding of the number system, a repertoire of mathematical techniques, and an inclination and ability to solve quantitative or spatial problems in a range of contexts. Numeracy also demands understanding of the ways in which data are gathered by counting and measuring, and presented in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables." Secondary National Strategy, Mathematics at key stage 3
Go Maths Learning and understanding Mathematics, at every level, requires learner engagement. Mathematics is not a spectator sport. Sometimes traditional teaching fails to actively involve students. One way to address the problem is through the use of interactive activities and this web site provides many of those. The Go Maths main page links to more activities designed for students in upper Secondary/High school.
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