1. Early Mark Making Friday, 27th September

2. Agenda and Objectives
To recognise the developmental stages in early mark making and counting.
To consider effective resources and activities to support progression.
To be familiar with EYFS Early Learning Goals and Area of Learning and approaches to counting within the new National Curriculum.

3. The EYFS (revised) 2012 What do you notice? 3 Prime Areas of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication and Language
Physical Development
4 Specific Areas of Learning:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
DfE (2012) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage available at
ns/eOrderingDownload/Development-Matters.pdf
DfE (2012) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage available at:

4. Interesting changes … Discuss these points and any others:
Now ‘Mathematics’ not ‘PSRN’
The arrows represent the ‘characteristics of effective learning’:
‘Creating and Thinking Critically’ – critical thinking not really included specifically before.
What do you think about that?
Let’s look at the key documentation …

5. The Early Learning Goals
Mathematics (Specific Area)
Numbers: children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
Shape, space and measures: children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them
Does maths link to any other specific area?

6. Prime Areas Do the examples above link clearly to maths? Should they?
Communication and language
Listening and attention: children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.
Understanding: children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.
Speaking: children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events
Do the examples above link clearly to maths? Should they?
Does maths link to any other prime areas? Is this made clear?
Does EYFS planning in your school take this into consideration clearly enough?
How aware are you of EYFS planning?
It is the foundation of everything else so extremely important to get right 

7. Williams Review (2008)
Recommendation 4: That the DCSF commissions a set of materials on mathematical mark making and children’s mathematical development which can be used to support early years practitioners’ CPD.

8. Mark Making Matters The National Strategies Early years
Matthew (3 years, 1 month)
He knows that marks carry meaning and they can sometimes represent numbers. He also knows that you write numbers down.)

9. Tins Games

10. Tins Game

11. What do marks mean? How would we know?

12. Marks have meaning
Worthington and Carruthers’ research and guidance: Gallery

13. Essential elements to support mark making
What is an ‘enabling environment’ for mark making?
Discuss and collect key ideas
Share these key points

14. The Pedagogy of Children’s Mark Making
Providing an ‘enabling environment’ for mark making
For example …
An environment that gives children many opportunities to explore mark making
Assessment that is positive and responsive to children’s marks and informs the next steps of learning
Adults that model mathematics in meaningful contexts
Adults that understand and value children’s marks
… and does not move children on before they are ready

15. … but they do need to move on
Are there implications for older children?
How important is it to allow children to record in their own way? APP evidence? SATS?
We need to help them make progress by careful planning and excellent teaching 

16. Numbers and Patterns: laying foundations in mathematics (written to support old EYFS)
How well has your school engaged with the ‘Numbers and Patterns’ Material?
Is there some scope for development here?
Let’s look at page 11 and 15
Early Years Magazines (NCETM)
(now recently combined with ‘Primary’ as one)
Does this regularly feature in EYFS planning in your school?
Let’s look at some of their recent issues:
NCETM