3–6The Foundation

Montessori Beginnings

Hands-on number sense before symbols: bead chains, spindle boxes and sandpaper numerals adapted for live, one-to-one online teaching.

This stage follows the Montessori maths sequence in order: quantity first, then the symbol that names it, and only then the abstract sum done in the head. A five-year-old who has actually held seven beads and split them into two groups understands what "7" means in a way that reciting the numeral never teaches on its own.

Every lesson is live and one-to-one, so the pace is set by your child, not a curriculum calendar. We move on when the concrete material is no longer needed, never before, and never much after. This is also the stage where a maths learning difference, if there is one, tends to show itself first: a child who needs far more time with quantity than most. We watch for that gently, from day one.

The full year, term by term

Term 1: Quantity Before Symbols

Building real number sense with the hands, before a single written numeral is introduced.

Number rods and counters: quantities 1-10 held, compared and ordered by hand
One-to-one correspondence: matching objects to numbers without skipping or doubling
Sorting, classifying and pattern sequencing as a foundation for logical thinking
Introduction to sandpaper numerals, tracing shape and sound together
First matching of quantity to symbol: this many, called "5"

Term 2: The Teens and the First Symbols

Extending number sense past ten, where most informal counting starts to break down.

Teen boards: understanding 11-19 as "ten and some more", not a new set of words to memorise
Numbers 1-20 in both quantity and written form
Introduction to the golden bead material: units, tens and hundreds as physically different sizes
Simple addition using concrete materials, before any written sum
Early, informal noticing of any child who needs significantly longer with this stage

Term 3: Place Value and First Operations

Consolidating the year's work into place value, simple operations and a clear next step.

Golden bead addition and subtraction: composing and decomposing tens and hundreds by hand
The hundred board: sequencing and patterns from 1 to 100
Skip counting and bead chains as a bridge into later multiplication
Simple addition and subtraction, moving gradually from materials toward mental recall
End-of-year review with parents, including any learning-difference observations gathered through the year

What your child will learn

Number recognition and counting 1–20
Quantity and one-to-one correspondence with concrete materials
Introduction to place value with the golden bead material
Simple addition and subtraction using physical materials
Pattern recognition and sequencing
Early, informal screening for maths learning differences

Primary Maths →