Learning and Teaching 

Building Mental Maths Strategies

Dear Parents,

 At St Joseph’s, our students continue to develop a range of mental maths strategies to help them solve problems efficiently and with confidence. These strategies include using doubles and near doubles, making friendly numbers (like turning 19 + 6 into 20 + 5), using place value, and applying known facts to new situations. They help children calculate flexibly and build a deeper understanding of numbers.

In the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, these strategies are part of the Number strand across all year levels. Students are expected to develop efficient mental methods, use estimation to check their thinking, and apply strategies in a variety of problem-solving contexts. 

For example:

• In the early years, students use counting patterns, doubles, and partitioning numbers.
• In the middle years, they build on these by using place value and number properties.
• In the senior years of primary, students refine strategies to solve more complex problems, choosing the most efficient method for the situation.

You can support your child at home by encouraging them to:

• Talk through their thinking – Ask, “How did you work that out?” instead of just focusing on the answer.
• Play games – Card games, dice, or even quick number challenges in the car strengthen recall.
• Use real-life maths – Involve them in cooking, shopping, or estimating time and distances.
• Celebrate effort – Praise the strategies and persistence they use, not just the final answer.

Together, school and home can make maths fun, engaging, and meaningful, helping students grow into confident problem-solvers.

Kind regards

Megan Barber