Mathematics at Acorns Nursery

Raising the profile of Mathematics in the Nursery At Acorns Nursery, we use numerals around the setting; for example, on labels near the sand, water, or role play area that show how many children may work at a time on these stations. We provide objects that use number in everyday situations such as calendars and clocks and refer to them in our conversations with the children. We display Makaton symbols to represent the ‘Rhythm of the Day’, which is shared daily with the children in order for them to process and order daily events. Numerals can be found on our number lines and on our storage trays, as well as showing the name of the equipment we also number them, as this enables children to notice that we can use numerals to help us finds things. Where possible Numicon Shapes are added next to each Numeral to 10 and Numicon Number lines are displayed at children's eye level so children notice this and begin to make important connections between their counting, the numerals and the Numicon shapes.

Numicon At Acorns Nursery, we strengthen the teaching and learning of Mathematics through the use of Numicon resources. ‘Work with Numicon Shapes is an important part of children's wider experience with mathematics and number ideas. It helps them eventually to see important connections between numbers, for example, that each number is 'one more' than the last, and 'one' fewer' than the next. The Numicon approach is multi-sensory so children learn about number ideas through seeing and feeling how Numicon shapes connect with each other. As adults, we can quickly make connections between Numicon shapes and number ideas because we already understand numbers. However, these connections are not obvious to children and it is really important to give them time to make their own discoveries and to avoid jumping in to tell them the number names for the shapes. As the children meet Numicon Shapes in play in different areas of the setting they get to know the colours, sizes and patterns of the Shapes. They will put their fingers into the holes in the Shapes and count them, and gradually start to make connections with numbers. In time, they will notice that the Shapes together form a regular patterned set that can be arranged in order of size.”

Counting It is easy for us, as adults to underestimate the difficulties involved in learning to count. First of all, children have to learn to say the number names in order, which is difficult because there is no pattern. We notice that when children start to count they may say, "One, two, three, seven, eight..." Most children do learn eventually to recite the sequence of number names correctly but at this stage, they do not yet know why they are counting. As children see adults pointing to objects as they count they learn to mimic this, and in time they learn to say one number name as they point to each object in the collection they are counting. This is sometimes referred to as 'one to one' counting. •Later, children learn that the last number they say when counting a group of objects tells them how many objects there are. •Then children learn that in whatever order they count the same group of objects, the number remains the same. All this is a lot for little children to learn. In Nursery, most children will be getting to grips with learning the number names and learning to count small numbers of objects. It is best to ask children questions such as, "How can we find how many there are?" to encourage the understanding that we count to find out how many.

Numicon at Acorns Nursery: At the start of the year, Numicon Shapes and number lines are placed within different areas for the children to explore and make their own discoveries and connections without an adult jumping in. Numicon Inputs are introduced during the second half term, when all other routines have been imbedded and children are able to sit together for a little longer and remain focused – Numicon is linked to the current week’s Nursery Rhyme or Story so it has a memorable and meaningful context. It is taught on a Thursday/Friday morning during family group time.

Daily Mathematics Morning Groups: Every morning during Family Groups, the adults count the small number of children within the group. As time progresses, more confident children can take the lead and take the head count, modelling correct counting vocabulary. This will support children’s reciting of numbers and understanding that numbers identify how many are in a group. During this time, children are also encouraged to find the same amount with little people counters or represent this number on their fingers, with more confident children using ‘Bunny ears’, for smaller quantities. When able, children will be challenged to find the numeral to match this quantity. Later in the year, staff can pose number problems for children e.g. If Molly has to go home, what can you tell me about the number of children in the group?

Resources and Opportunities at school and at home