KS2 (Years 3–6) · Mathematics
Reasoning & Problem Solving
What is it
Reasoning and problem solving means applying maths skills to unfamiliar, multi-step word problems — working out not just how to calculate, but which calculation to use and why.
Why it matters
This is the skill that SATs papers, and later GCSE exams, weight most heavily — a child who can calculate perfectly but can't identify which method a problem needs will lose marks that a confident reasoner would easily gain.
Exam tip
Teach the habit of underlining the key numbers and the actual question in a word problem before starting to calculate — it prevents the common mistake of solving the wrong thing correctly.
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