What’s the best way to improve your students’ mental maths skills? … Practice! Use these sets of ten questions every day to improve key mental maths skills. Read the ten questions to your class, followed by the answers. Students mark their own or each others - the whole process is done within minutes. “We start every maths lesson with these ten quick questions, not only is this brilliant practice, but it acts as a great settler - silent students within seconds of the lesson starting!” This sample includes six sets of questions at the ‘easier’ and ‘trickier’ level. A free tracker grid is also included (trimmed, fits nicely stuck in the back cover of an exercise book). Complete sets for the whole year available here: easier and trickier At the ‘easier’ level, the skills covered are: Timestables (up to 10 x 10) Multipliying/dividing by 10 and 100 Number bonds to 100 Adding/subtracting with negatives Using the order of operations Timestables (up to 15 x 15) At the ‘trickier’ level, the skills covered are: Timestables (up to 10 x 10) Multipliying/dividing by 10 and 100 Number bonds to 100 Percentages/fractions of an amount Common powers and roots Adding/subtracting with negatives Using the order of operations Timestables (up to 15 x 15)

An opportunity for students to practice the transformations skills required at foundation and higher tier level. Complete each transformation to solve the puzzle. Click here for the answer sheet showing the completed puzzle. I’d suggest giving students two copies of the worksheet- one for working and one for their final solution.

What’s the best way to improve your students’ mental maths skills? … Practice! Use these sets of ten questions daily to improve key mental maths skills. Read the ten questions to your class, followed by the answers. “We start every maths lesson with these ten quick questions, not only is this brilliant practice, but it acts as a great settler - silent students within seconds of the lesson starting!” Includes six booklets, each containing 48 sets of ten questions at the ‘trickier’ level. More than enough for the whole year! A free tracker grid is also included (trimmed, fits nicely stuck in the back cover of an exercise book). At the ‘easier’ level, the skills covered are: Timestables (up to 10 x 10) Multipliying/dividing by 10 and 100 Number bonds to 100 Adding/subtracting with negatives Using the order of operations Timestables (up to 15 x 15) Free sample available here

What’s the best way to improve your students’ mental maths skills? … Practice! Use these sets of ten questions daily to improve key mental maths skills. Read the ten questions to your class, followed by the answers. “We start every maths lesson with these ten quick questions, not only is this brilliant practice, but it acts as a great settler - silent students within seconds of the lesson starting!” Includes six booklets, each containing 48 sets of ten questions at the ‘trickier’ level. More than enough for the whole year! A free tracker grid is also included (trimmed, fits nicely stuck in the back cover of an exercise book). At the ‘trickier’ level, the skills covered are: Timestables (up to 10 x 10) Multipliying/dividing by 10 and 100 Number bonds to 100 Percentages/fractions of an amount Common powers and roots Adding/subtracting with negatives Using the order of operations Timestables (up to 15 x 15) Free sample available here

A completed solution sheet for the Combined Transformations Practice Puzzle

Two tasks based on converting between standard form and ordinary form. As ever - plenty of practice without repetition. In brief: The code breaker task is designed as a practice task giving students plenty of opportunities to convert between standard and ordinary form. The apply task uses real examples of numbers in standard form, as well as interpreting calculator displays given in standard form. Included: Code Breaker Worksheet (Practice Task) Code Breaker Answers Apply Task Worksheet Apply Task Answers Skills covered include: Converting from standard form to ordinary form Converting from ordinary form to standard form Correcting numbers incorrectly written in standard form Using and interpreting answers given on a calculator (eg 20!) The two tasks can be used to differentiate easily - have the students who are more competent move straight onto the apply task. Separate answer sheets are included, I normally display this at the back of the room and have students check their work as they see fit.

An exciting consolidation to any series of lessons on area (although this could easily be used as an introduction lesson too). In brief: Students are asked to order a series of photos in ascending order of area, before making estimations of the distances involved and then reordering. Finally, using the real values, calculate the areas and compare the actual order to their guesses. Included: Notebook lesson file Photo cards Full set of worksheets Skills covered include: Estimation of lengths from real world examples (using clues from the photo cards) Calculating the area of rectangles and triangles Using written multiplication methods I have used successfully with KS3 or foundation level KS4. This can be easily differentiated by removing some of the distances given in the tables in task one, or including additional photos (such as the circular O2 arena). I have used one of the buildings in our school, I’d recommend swapping that photo for a landmark local to your school.

An exciting consolidation (or introduction) task on nine circle theorems required for GCSE maths. For information on how a collective memory task works click here Included: Poster containing diagrams and descriptions for nine circle theorems. Two possible answer sheets, differentiated by the amount of information given (of course - you could just give your students blank sheets to start).

A mix of rounding skills practice questions, suitable for a KS4 recap lesson, but could easily be used at KS3. In brief: Students work through four different tasks designed to recap and review key skills in rounding. Included: Practice Task Worksheet Practice Task Assessment Skills covered include: Rounding to the nearest ten, hundred or thousand Rounding to the nearest decimal place Rounding to the nearest significant figure A separate answer sheet is included, I normally display this at the back of the room and have students check their work as they see fit.

Suitable for higher (or more able foundation) level GCSE students. The main task covers writing error intervals for numbers rounded to any place value or significant figure. The task includes three different activities - so plenty of practice without the repetition. The follow up task introduces using bounds in calculations. As with all my activities - answer sheets are included. I normally leave a copy at the back of the room for students to mark from as and when they need.

A simple, clear support sheet demonstrating a short division technique. Includes a step by step guide for division with and without carry-overs required. Followed by some questions to try (answers included to allow students to check).

A simple, clear support sheet demonstrating multiplication using the column method. Ideal for use in class where you need to give extra support to a few students.

A complete lesson designed to give students the opportunity to practice the use of bounds (error intervals) in a ‘real’ life context - The Towering Inferno. The lesson slides include a link to a clip of the film to show to students, as well as the solution to the problem. The task cards contain the problem and all the information required (as well as a few additional facts).