How can I check my maths provision is outstanding?

Sometimes when you work in the same room day after day, with the same provision, and the same resources it can become difficult to think outside the box and evaluate your own provision. Maths can become a very standardised area which is always accessible but rarely used in the correct ways. For example sorting bears become used for small world play, unifix cubes are often used to build weapons and pegs for peg boards which end up all over the floor instead of being used to create patterns, shapes and counting. 

Using a maths audit is a great way to evaluate and improve your maths provision. Maths although not a prime area is still greatly important and is highly focused on for preschool children and at the end of the foundation stage profile. Therefore having the best maths provision possible is highly important. A maths audit sold here is fantastic as it asks a variety of questions ensuring your provision meets all areas of maths in the EYFS. It highlights areas for improvement and gives suggestions of resources that should be accessible. You can use this maths audit in all of the rooms across your setting, you may even want to evaluate and improve the maths provision you have available outdoors. 

What resources could I add to my maths area to improve it?

Shapes, space and measure – 

1.  Race track shapes – These are great to have out to encourage children with an interest in cars to engage with maths at the same time
2. Sorting games – Sorting games according to length, height, weight or general size are great for promoting this area of maths. 
3. Shapes pack – Display materials, thought provoking questions, lotto games and can you draw…. pages
4. Shape threading cards – Great for fine motor and also for discussing the number of sides, corners etc on shapes
5. Matching shape games – These are great for individual activities or group activities.  

Numbers – 

1. Number song props – The children can sing the number songs and visually see the number increasing or decreasing. The props may be in the maths area for child led or adult initiated activities
2. Flash cards – Particularly useful if they are also aimed at a child’s interest such as space or pirates. Flashcards are great if used in other areas of the room such as in the sand tray or out next to the cars.
3. Teaching the time – This pack is useful for small group activities, home learning or to be displayed next to clocks to encourage children to begin thinking about the time.

Colour – 

1. Colour pack – Although not a key part of the EYFS, this is still an important milestone for children to achieve. Mixing colours is explored in the EYFS but before this can be achieved children need to accomplish knowing their colours. Colour packs with display colours, matching colour games etc are all good resources to have available.
2. Colour matching games – These are good to have out for small group games or individual child initiated activities

Outdoors – 

1. Outdoors minibeast maths pack – These may contain number displays or thought to provoke questions with space for number mark making and writing. These are great prompts for practitioners and ensure that they are remembering to promote mathematics wherever they are. They may be available next to the minibeast hotel and can then engage children’s interests at the same time.
2. Bean bag shape toss – Encourage the children to toss the beanbag onto the shape that has been called out 
3. Number templates – These number templates are great to use outdoors to promote loose parts and transient art. Encourage the children to use natural materials they can find outdoors such as leaves or stones to fill in the numbers. 

What else do you do in your setting to promote mathematics?