A free homeschool maths guide for ages 5 to 11
A grade by grade breakdown of the maths topics most children cover in primary school, and how to teach each one at home for free.
April 19, 2026 · 11 min read
You do not need a paid curriculum to teach primary maths well at home. You do need a rough map of what to cover at each age, so you are not constantly second guessing whether your child is on track. This guide lays out that map.
Ages 5 to 6 (Reception and Year 1)
- Counting forwards and backwards to 100.
- Reading and writing numbers to 20.
- Addition and subtraction within 20.
- Recognising basic 2D and 3D shapes.
- Telling the time to the hour and half hour.
Focus on number sense over speed. Counting beans, sorting buttons, baking together. Most of the maths at this age can be done without a worksheet in sight.
Ages 6 to 7 (Year 2)
- Addition and subtraction within 100, using objects and number lines.
- Two, five and ten times tables.
- Halves, quarters and thirds.
- Telling the time to the nearest five minutes.
- Money: adding small amounts, giving change.
Ages 7 to 8 (Year 3)
- Times tables: three, four and eight, alongside the earlier ones.
- Column addition and subtraction with three digit numbers.
- Fractions of shapes and amounts.
- Measuring length, mass and capacity in metric units.
- Reading scales on rulers and jugs.
Ages 8 to 9 (Year 4)
- All times tables to twelve, with fluent recall.
- Short multiplication and short division.
- Equivalent fractions, decimals to two places.
- Perimeter and area of simple shapes.
- Reading and interpreting bar charts and pictograms.
Ages 9 to 10 (Year 5)
- Long multiplication and the first taste of long division.
- Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000.
- Adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator.
- Percentages: simple equivalences with fractions and decimals.
- Angles: measuring with a protractor, identifying types.
Ages 10 to 11 (Year 6)
- Long division with confidence.
- Fractions of fractions, mixed numbers, ordering.
- Ratio and proportion.
- Algebra: simple unknowns, basic formulas.
- Coordinates in all four quadrants, reflections and translations.
How to use this guide
Pick the age range that matches where your child currently is, not their chronological age. Spend two or three short sessions a week on the trickier topics from that list, using a mix of conversation, hands on materials and printable practice. Generate a fresh maths pack at the start of each session so the questions feel new.
And remember: depth beats coverage. A child who genuinely understands fractions of shapes will fly through fractions of amounts next year. A child who has been rushed through both will be stuck for months.