Mastering number is a project run by the NCETM for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children.

It aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. The aim over time is that children will leave KS1 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number. Attention will be given to key knowledge and understanding needed in Reception classes, and progression through KS1 to support success in the future.

In Reception, Mastering Number has a daily taught session followed by activities in the continuous provision. It is number focussed and moves slowly so that children develop a sound understanding of each step before moving on. 

In Year 1 and 2 it is a 10-15 minute daily session. These are extra maths sessions that focus on the children's ability to manipulate numbers and use them in a variety of contexts and problems. 

In these sessions, children use a range of concrete apparatus and pictorial representations. Each child has their own rekenrek to use in the sessions.

The sessions also use the characters and clips from the cbeebies show Numberblocks.