A guide for Parents on

Big Maths
What is Big Maths?
It is a daily sequential programme of mental maths with a
strong emphasis on learning facts and developing mental agility.
It develops core numeracy skills using the same methods and
vocabulary throughout the school.
It breaks down progress in each area of maths into small steps
which follow on logically from one to the next

Big Maths is a teaching programme that we use to help children to

become numerate.

Numeracy is an essential part of every day life and problem solving

and word problems cannot be solved until children can manipulate
and understand how numbers work.

The 5 steps o becoming numerate

1. Children become numerate through following a natural sequence of progression: e.g.
for a child to know double 70, they need to know double 7 first. We call these steps of
progression Progress Drives. In summary... use sequences of progression.
2. Children need to have basic skills in order to use basic skills: Therefore it is
important to separate out the acquisition of core basic skills for Mathematics from the
using and applying of those skills. We call the basic skills Core Numeracy and the use
of these skills Outer Numeracy. In summary... prioritise the teaching of Core
Numeracy.

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3. Children acquire the basic skills of Mathematics through the chronology of CLIC:
When we look at Core Numeracy in more detail we see that it has a 4 stage process to
it; Counting (children learn to count and to count on). Learn Its (children then
short-cut this counting by recalling their counting on as facts). Its Nothing New
(children then swap the thing to realise that the counting fact, or Learn It, can be
applied to any object, amount or unit of measure). Calculation (the previous 3 phases are
combined to provided a calculation structure). In other words, Core Numeracy is CLIC!
Children become numerate through the chronology of CLIC, and therefore we use CLIC
as a strong, but simple, vehicle to teach the basic skills of Mathematics. In summary...
teach through CLIC.
4. Children need a structured, and regular, basic skills session: For children to become
properly numerate they need a daily CLIC session, i.e. little and often. We might leave
other areas of the primary curriculum for a period of time and then return to them, but
this does not work for the basic skills. Children need to constantly be nudged up Progress
Drives, with plenty of repetition, revisiting and reinforcement as they go. In summary...
provide a daily CLIC session
5. Schools need to have whole-school organisation and alignment: A child should come
through school with a basic skills journey of great continuity. The child should experience
this journey as if they were being taught, and tracked, by one teacher. For this to happen
all teachers need to be using the same steps of progression and teaching each individual
step in a uniform manner. The CLIC framework therefore provides instantaneous
whole-school organisation and alignment. In summary... use CLIC across the school.

Why are we using Big Maths

Common methods taught and language used throughout the
school

Clear progression from year to year

Build on prior learning and ensure children are secure in their

knowledge

Objectives are clearly matched to National Curriculum objectives

It gives children clear progression that insures that every child

makes progress.

Improve mental maths skills and general numeracy across the

school

How do we make it fun?

Children generally enjoy learning when they are given the
right tools and support to succeed. We harness their natural
competitiveness by challenging them to do better and
celebrating their achievements.
Big Maths also uses characters, visual prompts and jingles to
engage the children.
We also continue to use Numicon to help visual learners.
Big Maths lessons are fast, fun and active. Children work on
whiteboards and flash answers to their teachers. The pace of the
lesson is quick and effective with children having the knowledge
and understanding of numeracy at their fingertips. This is essential
as children are able to avoid counting on fingers and can solve
numeracy problems in day to day life.

How does it work?

The Nursery children start the strategy with Little Big Maths.
They then move on to Big Maths when they are ready or when they
reach the Reception (Whichever one comes first.)
Children follow Big Maths from the Reception till year 6.
Daily CLIC Session within the class, with a Beat That test to follow at
the end of the week.

Big Maths is based upon the principle that 4 core skills lie at the
heart of numeracy
These core skills form the platform for virtually all other maths
skills and are known as CLIC.
CLIC is a sequential programme of basic skills which provides a
daily drive to improve childrens numeracy.

Here at Ysgol Bro Ingli we use Little Big Maths for the Nursery children and
Big maths for children years Reception year 6. Little Big maths is an important
foundations that children need before they can build on and in develop their
numeracy skills. Little Big Maths has a big focus on amounts and emphasises that
children develop their skills to

Notice amounts

When there are lots of something

When something is very big or very small

When something has gone, or suddenly appeared.

Compare amounts

Comparing an amount to need (too much, too many, or not enough).

And by comparing amounts to each other (bigger than, smaller than)

Watch and appreciate changing amounts

Is it growing or shrinking

Is it getting bigger or smaller

Is anything happening to make it change? (Is something being added or

taken away?)

A daily ACLIC session is dedicated time for children to acquire the basic skills for
numeracy. ACLIC stands for:
Amounts
Counting
Learn its
Its nothing new
Calculation

Here are the 10 Key Messages to follow in

Little Big Maths

Little Big Maths is a systematic and structured programme that follows an

agreed sequence of progression. It offers a smooth transition to Big Maths
insuring that each child is working on the correct progress drives.
Big Maths also has a dedicated time for children to acquire the basic skills for
numeracy daily these session are called CLIC sessions.
CLIC Sessions
CLIC session usually last around 20 minutes, a CLIC Session contains these
aspects of:

Counting
Learn Its
Its Nothing New
Calculation.

Counting
Children will learn to count in a variety of different ways, read and write numbers
and in multiples. When practising counting at home with your children, make sure
you go backwards and forwards. Dont always start at 0 make sure they can
count on from any given number.

Learn Its
Learn Its are addition facts and times tables facts that the children need to learn
off by heart, so when they are asked What is 6+4 ? they are able to give the
answer as quickly as they would be able to tell you their name. As soon as they
know 3x5=15 they also know 5x3=15 (This is known as a Switcher)

Counting
Children will learn to count in a variety of different ways, read and write
numbers and in multiples. When practising counting at home with your children,
make sure you go backwards and forwards. Dont always start at 0 make sure
they can count on from any given number.

Learn Its
Learn Its are addition facts and times tables facts that the children need to learn
off by heart, so when they are asked What is 6+4 ? they are able to give the
answer as quickly as they would be able to tell you their name. As soon as they
know 3x5=15 they also know 5x3=15 (This is known as a Switcher)

Its Nothing New

This is the most important aspect of CLIC the way children become successful
and properly numerate. Ideas such as 5things and 3things are always 8things. If
we then change the thing to tens for example. 5 tens + 3 tens = 8 tens. Children
will count in bananas, aliens, cats etc. to lead into this. It becomes much easier to
use amounts and measures such as ml, m, Pim the Alien is used to reinforce this
concept. The idea is that the learning is nothing new children find begin told that
this means they feel able to answer the questions with real understanding. If a
child knows double 4, they can use that to find double 40 with confidence.
Strange phrases such as Jigsaw Numbers, Smile Multiplication and Wheres
Mully? are all part of this section of Big Maths.

Calculation.
This aspect of CLIC is when the teacher will work on developing the class progress
and understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Big Maths
clearly maps out which steps children should do in a clear order and helps
teachers to identify where to go back to if a child is struggling.

Assessment
Big Maths Beat That Challenge
Total Recall test - A timed test where children answer Learn
Its questions.
CLIC test
10 questions relating to concepts taught at childrens individual
level.
Big Maths Beat That
Big Maths Beat That is a weekly timed test of your childs Learn Its. The aim
is to improve their score by one each time. You can help your child to improve
their scores, by asking them to give you instant responses to their Learn Its
while at home, the journey to school and throughout the day at weekend.
Little and very often is the key to success, so the information enters the long
term memory.. Once they have scored full marks three weeks in a row in
their test, they move onto the next level

CLIC Challenges
The CLIC Challenges are aligned to each term of a childs journey through
Primary School, assessing their knowledge of core maths skills and their
position on that journey. This allows teachers and school leaders to keep a
constant progress check as the weeks go by... all linked into National
Curriculum age expectations!

Big Maths Characters

Big Maths Characters

Big Maths Characters

Speedy Col
Speedy Col has a lot of energy! She likes to do everything
quickly. She isnt just fast though, shes careful too. She
likes everything done properly and is motivated to get the
right answer! She is, therefore, AWESOME at Column
Methods!

Super-FAB
Super-FAB reminds children they are challenged to move
along the FAB continuum and head towards a brain only
method. He is really good at focusing on holding numbers
in his head, doing something else, and then coming back
to those numbers again!

Big Maths is a very useful tool to help children become numerate but we still
need your support at home.
How can you help?
Help your child practice their Learn Its at home a few minutes a day is
all you need
Encourage your child that numbers are written the correct way round
and correct if needed.
Celebrate your child Susses in Big Maths at every opportunity.
Make maths a positive experience (dont tell your child you were rubbish at
maths when you were at school they will think they should be!)