Year 6 maths: what your child learns

The Year 6 Math National Curriculum in the UK covers a range of topics designed to build upon the mathematical knowledge and skills developed in previous years. Here is a detailed breakdown of the main areas covered in Year 6:

Number and Place Value:

• Read, write, order, and compare numbers up to 10,000,000.
• Recognize the value of each digit in a number and multiply and divide numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
• Round numbers to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000.

Addition and Subtraction:

• Add and subtract whole numbers with up to 6 digits using efficient methods.
• Use estimation and inverse operations to check answers.
• Solve addition and subtraction problems, including missing number problems.

Multiplication and Division:

• Multiply and divide numbers mentally, including decimals and large numbers.
• Use efficient written methods for multiplication and division.
• Solve multiplication and division problems, including scaling problems and finding factors and multiples.

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages:

• Recognize and write decimal equivalents of fractions and vice versa.
• Compare and order fractions, including those with different denominators.
• Add and subtract fractions with different denominators and mixed numbers.
• Multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers.
• Find the percentage of a given amount.

Ratio and Proportion:

• Solve problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities using ratio and proportion.
• Solve problems involving percentage increase, decrease, or comparison.

Algebra:

• Use simple formulae.
• Generate and describe linear number sequences.
• Express missing number problems algebraically.
• Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns.

Geometry:

• Draw 2D shapes and make 3D shapes using modeling materials.
• Recognize and classify shapes based on their properties, including angles and lines of symmetry.
• Identify and describe the properties of triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons.
• Calculate the area and perimeter of shapes.
• Identify and describe the properties of circles, including the radius, diameter, and circumference.

Measurement:

• Convert between different units of measure (e.g., kilometers to meters).
• Calculate the perimeter and area of rectangles and related composite shapes.
• Estimate, compare, and calculate different measures, including money in pounds and pence.
• Solve problems involving the calculation of time intervals.
• Use metric units of measurement (including centimeters, meters, and kilometers) and estimate and compare measurements.

Statistics:

• Interpret and construct pie charts and line graphs.
• Solve comparison, sum, and difference problems using information presented in bar charts, pictograms, tables, and other graphs.

Throughout Year 6, students are encouraged to develop their problem-solving skills, apply their mathematical knowledge to real-life situations, and explain their reasoning using mathematical language. They also learn to use a range of mathematical tools, such as calculators and measuring instruments, to support their understanding and problem-solving abilities.