Spring Block 4

Fractions, decimals and

percentages

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages

Small steps

Step 1 Decimal and fraction equivalents

Step 2 Fractions as division

Step 3 Understand percentages

Step 4 Fractions to percentages

Step 5 Equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages

Step 6 Order fractions, decimals and percentages

Step 7 Percentage of an amount – one step

Step 8 Percentage of an amount – multi-step

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages

Small steps

Step 9 Percentages – missing values

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 1

Decimal and fraction equivalents

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Year 5, children explored common equivalents between • If the whole has been split into 10/100 equal parts, what is
fractions and decimals. In this small step, they extend this each part worth as a fraction/decimal?
learning to include more complex equivalents.
• If you know that is equivalent to , what is
A hundred square is a useful representation to allow children to as a decimal?
explore equivalence. Using fraction and decimal walls also enables
1
• How can you convert fractions with a denominator of 100 to
children to see the relationship between fractions such as and decimals?
5
2
10
and therefore their decimal equivalents. • How can you convert fractions with a denominator that is a
factor of 100 to decimals?
They look at methods for finding more complex equivalents by
finding a common denominator of 100. These should include • How can you find equivalent fractions?
examples where children need to simplify fractions with larger
146
• Why might it be helpful to find an equivalent fraction with a
denominators, for example denominator of 100/1,000?
200

Possible sentence stems

Things to look out for • The first/second digit after a decimal point represents

• If children are not confident finding equivalent fractions, • To find an equivalent fraction, I need to or
they may find converting more complex fractions to the and the by the same number.
decimals difficult.

• Children may be comfortable with the idea of finding a National Curriculum links
common denominator of 100, but struggle with examples
that do not lend themselves to this strategy, for example
1 • Use common factors to simplify fractions; use common multiples to
express fractions in the same denomination
8

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 1

Decimal and fraction equivalents

Key learning
• The bar model is split into tenths. • Use the fraction and decimal walls to complete the equivalents.

0.1 1 1
1 1
0.5 0.5
Complete the sentences. 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
The whole has been divided into equal parts. 1 1 1 1 1
0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
5 5 5 5 5

Each part is worth 1

10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

As a fraction, this is written 1 3

= = = . = .

. . . .
On a similar bar model, shade: 2 4 10 4

4 parts 5 parts 7 parts 10 parts 1 4

0.2 = = = = .
What decimal and what fraction is shown in each diagram? 10 5

• Use a blank hundred square. • Rosie has converted three-quarters to a decimal.

Complete the sentences to match the hundred square. × 25

The whole has been divided into equal parts.
3 75
Each part is worth = = 0.75
4 100
As a fraction, this is written
× 25

. . .
On different hundred squares, shade:

. . .
Use Rosie’s method to find the decimal equivalents of the fractions.
9 parts 25 parts 75 parts
13 parts 50 parts 90 parts 17 23 11 112 275 192
20 50 25 200 500 300
What decimal and what fraction is shown in each of your
hundred squares?
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 1

Decimal and fraction equivalents

Reasoning and problem solving

137
Tiny wants to convert to
500
a decimal.
1
I can divide 500 1 1
by 5 to get a denominator of 2 2
100, but then I cannot divide 137 1 1 1 1
by 5, so I cannot convert it to 4 4 4 4
a decimal.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

0.274
1
To convert to a decimal, would you use an equivalent fraction
8
with a denominator of 10, 100 or 1,000?
1
Use your choice to convert to a decimal.
8
3
Now use your answer to convert to a decimal.
8
Explain a different method that 4
Why is it easy to convert to a decimal?
8
Tiny could use.
137
Write as a decimal. 1,000 0.125 0.375
500

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 2

Fractions as division

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children build on the learning from the • If the denominator is , how many equal parts are
previous step as they look at fractions as division to support there? What are you dividing by?
them in converting between fractions and decimals.
• Can you share 1 one into 4 equal parts? What can you
Children explore the idea of fractions as divisions, learning that, exchange the 1 one for?
3
for example can be interpreted as 3 ÷ 4. They use place value
4 • What can you exchange the remaining tenths for?
counters to exchange ones for tenths and share them into equal
1
• What do you notice about the decimal parts when dividing
groups to see that, for example, = 0.2 1 by 3?
5
Children progress to performing multiple exchanges to find other • What does “recurring” mean?
1 5
decimal equivalents. Once confident with this concept, they work
• How do you know that
2
= 2 or = 1.6 cannot be correct?
8
with the more abstract short division method. It can be helpful
to explore more complex examples, for example those that give
1
recurring decimal answers, such as = 0.3̇
Possible sentence stems
3
• The fraction can be expressed as ÷

• ÷ is the same as the fraction

Things to look out for
• I can exchange 1 for
• Children may interpret the division the wrong way around,
4
for example as 5 ÷ 4 rather than 4 ÷ 5
5
National Curriculum links
• Children may need support to use extra zeros as
placeholders when dividing, to avoid errors such as
• Associate a fraction with division and calculate decimal fraction
3 ÷ 4 = 0.7 remainder 2 equivalents for a simple fraction

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 2

Fractions as division

Key learning
• Write each fraction as a division. • Use division to find the decimal equivalents of
2 5
, and
3 6
2
9
3 7 112 What do you notice?
4 9 137
Write each division as a fraction.
• Teddy, Rosie and Jack have each found the decimal
2÷3 5÷8 24 ÷ 35 7
equivalent of
8
1
• Aisha uses place value counters to convert to a decimal by
2 Teddy Rosie Jack
dividing 1 whole by 2

0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0 8 7 5 0 1 2 5 0 1 2 5

1
= 0.5 8 7 70 60 40 8 1 10 20 40
0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 2 8 1 10 20 40

1
Use Aisha’s method to find the decimal equivalent of
5 7÷8 1÷8 1÷8
1 7
Use place value counters to find the decimal equivalent of 1 1
4 8 = 0.875 8
= 0.125
8
= 0.125
7 7
3 = 7 × 0.125 = 1 – 0.125
• Kim converts
4
to a decimal. 8
7
= 0.875
8
7
= 0.875
8 8

0 7 5 3
= 0.75 Explain why each method works.
4 3
3 0 0 2
4
Whose method do you prefer?

Use Kim’s method to find the decimal equivalent of each fraction. Use your preferred method to find the decimal equivalent
19
2 4 3 5 of
20
5 5 8 8
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 2

Fractions as division

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny uses division to find the decimal Filip shares 7 large pizzas equally
3 with 7 of his friends.
equivalent of
5
Esther shares 5 large pizzas with 5 of
her friends. Filip

1 6 6 ... Who gets more pizza, Filip or Esther?

3 5 20 20 ... Use decimals to help compare.

Tiny worked out

5 ÷ 3 instead of Annie has a plank of wood that is
3÷5 1 metre long.
3
= 1.66 ...
5
0.6 5
I have painted
8
of the plank red. 0.625 m
62.5 cm
How long is the piece of wood that is
How do you know that Tiny must
painted red?
be incorrect?
Give your answer in metres and then
What mistake has Tiny made?
in centimetres.
What is the correct answer?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 3

Understand percentages

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children explore percentages. They were • What does “per cent” mean?
introduced to percentages for the first time in Year 5, learning
that “per cent” relates to “the number of parts per 100” and
• How many parts are shaded/not shaded?

that if the whole is split into 100 equal parts, then each part is • What does 100% mean?
worth 1%. • How many equal parts is the bar model split into?
Using bar models, children split 1 whole into 10 equal parts to What percentage is each part worth?
explore multiples of 10%. They estimate 5% on a bar model split • How many ways could you make 95% using 50%, 25%,
into 10 equal parts by splitting a section in half, for example 45% 10%, 5% and 1%?
is four full sections and half of another section. Other common
percentages that are useful to explore are 50%, 25% and 20% by
splitting the bar model into 2, 4 and 5 equal parts respectively. Possible sentence stems
They then explore ways of making more complex percentages
using a combination of these, for example 65% = 50% + 10% + 5%.
• If the whole is shared into 100/10/5/4/2 equal parts, each
part represents %.
It is important for children to recap knowledge of complements to
100 to allow them to see that, for example, 35% + 65% = 100%. • If parts are shaded, the percentage shown
is %.
Things to look out for
• To find %, I can halve %.

• Children may think that 1% means 1 unit rather than

1 part out of 100 equal parts.
National Curriculum links
• If children are not confident with dividing 100 by 10, 5,
4 and 2, they may struggle to use bar models to find
common percentages.
• Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and
percentages, including in different contexts

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 3

Understand percentages

Key learning
• Here are some hundred squares. • Shade the percentages on the bar models.
75% 90%

• 45% of the bar model is shaded. 100%

How many parts out of 100 are shaded on each

hundred square?
Draw bar models to show the percentages.
What percentage of each hundred square is shaded?
What percentage of each hundred square is not shaded? 15% 85% 55% 35% 95%

What do you notice?

• Alex, Mo and Eva are exploring different ways of making 95%.

• What percentage of each bar model is shaded?
Alex Mo
Use the sentences to help.
95% = 9 × 10% + 5% 95% = 50% + 25% + 20%
100% 100%
Eva

95% = 100% – 5%
100% 100%

Explain each child’s thinking.

Find four different ways of making each percentage.
100% has been split into equal parts.
Each part is worth %. 45% 15% 65%
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 3

Understand percentages

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny is shading percentages on Tommy is comparing

bar models. percentages.

100%

I have
shaded 9% of the 100%
bar model.

90%

Part of the first box No

25% is greater
shaded. Just under than 50%, because the
10% green part is bigger than
the purple part.

Explain the mistake that Tiny

has made.
What percentage of the bar model
has Tiny shaded?
Do you agree with Tommy?
What would 9% look like on the
Explain your answer.
bar model?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 4

Fractions to percentages

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children recap Year 5 learning on equivalent • What is a percentage?
fractions and percentages, using visual representations, before
moving on to more abstract methods.
• If the whole is split into 100 equal parts, then what
percentage is parts equivalent to?
Children use hundred squares and bar models to explore
1
• How are percentages and fractions similar/different?
1 4
equivalents, for example is the whole split into 5 equal parts and
5
1 • If you know is equal to 20%, what percentage is equal to?
5 5
100% split into 5 equal parts is 20%, so = 20%. They then explore
5
1
the relationship with non-unit fractions, seeing that if is equal
• How do you find an equivalent fraction?

3
4
to 25%, then = 3 × 25% = 75%. More abstract methods allow • How many 20s/25s are there in 100?
4 1 1
children to convert more complex examples such as .
11
25
• What do you know about the relationship between
4
and ?
8

They recognise that if they can find an equivalent fraction with

a denominator of 100, then they can easily find percentage
Possible sentence stems
equivalences. Children explore examples where they are required
9
to multiply (for example, ) or divide (for example,
132
).
• % is equivalent to
100
20 200
• is equivalent to
100
because …

Things to look out for • The fraction is equivalent to %.

• Children need to be able to fluently find equivalent

fractions. National Curriculum links
• Children may not be confident with factors of 100,
• Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and
including 20 and 25 percentages, including in different contexts

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 4

Fractions to percentages

Key learning
3
• Max uses a hundred square to convert
31
100
to a percentage. • Whitney converts
5
to a percentage.

× 20
31
= 31% 3 60
100 = = 60%
5 100

× 20

Shade hundred squares to show the fractions.

Use Whitney’s method to convert the fractions to percentages.
7 49 96 70
100 100 100 100 3 23 23 13 14 112
4 50 25 20 20 200
What percentage is shown on each hundred square?

1
• The bar models show that
10
is equal to 10%.
• 2
5
of the people in a stadium have brown hair.

17% of the people have ginger hair.

1 100%
4
of the people have black hair.
1 10% 25
10
The rest have blonde hair.
Use the bar models to complete the statements. What percentage of the people have blonde hair?
3 9
= % = % = 50% = 70%
10 10 100

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 4

Fractions to percentages

Reasoning and problem solving

In a maths test, Scott answered 58% of

2 1
I know is equal to and the questions correctly.
8 4
1 2 2
is equal to 25%, so is also Nijah answered of the questions
4 8 5
equal to 25%. incorrectly. Nijah
12.5%
Who answered more questions
How can you use Ron’s facts to correctly?
1 Explain your reasoning.
work out as a percentage?
8
1
What is as a percentage?
8

13
Tiny converts to a percentage.
25

13 13
= = 13%
Huan thinks that 18% of the grid has 25 100
been shaded. 52%
Dora ×4
Dora thinks that 36% of the grid has
been shaded.
What mistake has Tiny made?
Who do you agree with?
What is the correct percentage?
Explain your answer.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 5

Equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children continue to explore the fraction, • How many parts has the whole been split up into?
decimal and percentage equivalents that they began in Year 5 What fraction is each part worth?

Children use hundred squares, bar models and number lines 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 • If the whole is 100%, what is / / ?
2 4 5
to recap equivalents to 2 , 4 , 5 and 10 as well as related non-unit
1 3
3 2 7
fractions such as 4 , 5 and 10. They then look at more abstract
• If
10
is equal to 10%, what is
10
equal to?

methods of converting between fractions, decimals and • How do you find equivalent fractions?
percentages. Learning from the previous step is reinforced, in
• How many 5s are there in 100?
which equivalent fractions are found with a denominator of
100, allowing for a straightforward conversion to decimals and • Can the fraction be simplified? How do you know?

percentages. Children also convert decimals or percentages into

a fraction with a denominator of 100 and then simplify where
Possible sentence stems
15 3
possible, for example 15% = 100 = 20. This enables them to find • If the whole is equal to 100%, then each part is worth %.
equivalents to more complex numbers, such as 92% or 0.76 1
• If is equal to %, then is equal to %.

• To find an equivalent fraction with a denominator of 100, I

need to by

Things to look out for

National Curriculum links
• Children may not be confident with methods for finding
equivalent fractions – both fractions with a denominator of
100 and those that need simplifying.
• Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and
percentages, including in different contexts

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 5

Equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages

Key learning
• Complete the sentences to describe the hundred square. • Complete the number line to show the equivalent fractions,
decimals and percentages.

The fraction shaded is 1 2

100
5 5
The decimal shaded is
0 0.2 0.6 1
The percentage shaded is
0% 40% 80%

• What are the fraction and decimal equivalents of 97%?

13
What are the percentage and fraction equivalents of 0.23? • Dexter converts
20
to a decimal and a percentage.

• What is the same about each bar model? What is different? ×5

1 1 13 65
= = 0.65 = 65%
1 20 100
0.1
10
×5
100%
Explain Dexter’s method.
10%
Use Dexter’s method to write each fraction as a decimal and
as a percentage.
Shade three parts of each bar model.
9 23 23 146
What fraction, decimal and percentage is shaded? 20 25 50 200
What other equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages
can you find?
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 5

Equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages

Reasoning and problem solving

Complete the part-whole model.

I know that
45% is equivalent
100%
Eva to 45
100

They are both

I know that correct, but Amir 0.7
45% is equivalent has written the
30 3
to 9 Amir fraction in its 0.3, 30%, ,
100 10
20
simplest form.
20 2 1
1 0.2, 20%, , ,
100 10 5
Who do you agree with? 10
11 10 1
Explain your reasoning. and 44% 0.1, 10%, ,
25 100 10

Which of these pairs are equivalent? 49 10%

and 0.98
50

11 and 44% 23 and 23% Is there more than one way to

25 50
complete it? How do you know?

17 and 0.17 49 and 0.98 Create your own question like

20 50 this for a partner.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 6

Order fractions, decimals and percentages

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Year 5, children compared and ordered decimal numbers with • What fraction/decimal/percentage is equivalent to?
up to 3 decimal places. In Year 6 Autumn Block 3, they ordered
fractions with the same numerator or denominator. In this small
• Which is the greater amount, or ?
How do you know?
step, they use their conversion skills from recent steps to order
and compare fractions, decimals and percentages. • Which of the amounts are greater than a half?

Children explore a range of strategies to compare and order • Which of the amounts is closer to 1 whole?
numbers, including converting to the same form. Ask children • Where do these amounts go on a number line?
to discuss if they prefer converting amounts to decimals,
percentages or fractions and why. Children also look at strategies
• Is it easier to convert the numbers to fractions, decimals
or percentages?
such as comparing amounts to a half and whether some
amounts are closer or further away from the whole.
For consistency, use the word “greatest” rather than “biggest” or Possible sentence stems
“largest” when comparing numbers.
• is greater/smaller than one half, and is smaller/
greater than one half, so is greater/smaller than

Things to look out for

• is equivalent to , so it is greater/smaller than

• Children may decimalise the percentage,

for example 0.67%.
National Curriculum links
• Children may turn numerators into decimals or
percentages even if the denominator is not 100, for • Compare and order fractions, including fractions >1

example
45
50
= 0.45 = 45%. • Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and
percentages, including in different contexts

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 6

Order fractions, decimals and percentages

Key learning
11 1
• Teddy knows that
20
is greater than a half and 42% is less than • Convert 0.38 and
4
to percentages.
11
a half because it is less than 50%, so is greater than 42%. 1
20 Use your conversions to write 45%, 0.38 and in
4
Use Teddy’s method to write “greater” or “less” to complete ascending order.
the sentences.
16 251
0.45 is than
30

500
is than 15%.
• Order the numbers from greatest to smallest.

13
50% is than 0.309 is than 0.5 2 3
24 50% 0.45 54% 0.05
5 10

9
• Aisha knows that
10
is closer to 1 whole than a half, but 52% is
13
closer to a half than 1 whole, so
9
10
is greater than 52%. • Explain why
10
is greater than 87%.

Use Aisha’s method to write < , > or = to compare the amounts.

0.61 95% 0.809

26
61%
33 • Write < , > or = to compare the amounts.
50 35
2 19
1.1 105% 1.01 100%
3 20
13 65
• Kim converts
20
to
100
, which is equivalent to 65%.

She uses this to recognise that

13
20
< 67%. • Write the values in ascending order.

Use Kim’s method to write < , > or = to compare the amounts.

1 21
0.48 2.7 65% 49%
2 20
34 24 4 9
68% 98% 38% 44%
50 25 10 20
Compare methods with a partner.
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 6

Order fractions, decimals and percentages

Reasoning and problem solving

Write a fraction, decimal and percentage multiple possible

I know that that could complete the comparison. answers, e.g.
100% is greater than 7
, 70%, 0.7,
53 3 4 10
because 100 is < <
0 5 5 13
No , 75%, 0.78
less than 53 20

Do you agree with Tiny?

Mo wants to write the numbers
Explain your answer. in descending order.

17
87% 0.19
15
Is the statement true or false?
4 17
0% 2.19 2.19, , 87%,
8 15
4
There is no fraction, decimal or , 0.19, 0%
I am going to convert 8
99 False
percentage that is greater than , them all to percentages.
100
0.99 or 99%, but smaller than 1 whole.
Explain why Mo does not need to
do this.
Explain your answer. Write the numbers in descending order.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 7

Percentage of an amount – one step

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children calculate percentages of amounts • How are percentages and fractions similar/different?
for the first time. Children are familiar with finding fractions of
amounts, but it may be worth recapping this before moving on
• How do you find a fraction of an amount?

to percentages. • How can you represent this question with a bar model?

Children find percentages of amounts that can be completed in • How many lots of 10/20/25/50% are there in 100%?
one step, for example finding 1%, 10%, 20%, 25% and 50% by • What do you need to divide a number by to find
dividing by 100, 10, 5, 4 and 2 respectively. Using bar models to 10/20/25/50%?
represent this allows children to see the links to finding fractions
of amounts. They explore different strategies for dividing by
• What strategies could you use to divide by ?

these amounts, looking for the most efficient method for the
calculation, including moving the digits when dividing by 10 and Possible sentence stems
100, halving and halving again for dividing by 4, as well as the
formal written division method. • There are lots of % in 100%
To find % of a number, I need to divide by

• The whole amount is worth %.

Things to look out for To find %, I need to divide the whole by

• Knowing that to find 10% of a number they divide by 10 • If 100% is equal to , then % is equal to
may confuse some children, leading to misconceptions
such as dividing by 20 to find 20%.
National Curriculum links
• Children may answer every question by dividing the
number by 100 to find 1% and then multiplying, rather
• Solve problems involving the calculation of percentages and the use
than solving in one step. of percentages for comparison

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 7

Percentage of an amount – one step

Key learning
• There are two lots of 50% in 100%. • Use the bar model to complete the sentences for 10% and 20%.

100% 100%
50% 50% 20% 20% 20% 20% 20%

This means that to find 50% of an amount, you divide it by 2 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%

Work out 50% of each number. There are lots of % in 100%.

240 360 170 1 To find % of an amount, you divide it by

• Work out the percentages.

• There are four lots of 25% in 100%.
10% of 500 10% of 380 10% of 3
100%

25% 25% 25% 25% 20% of 500 20% of 380 20% of 3

This means that to find 25% of an amount, you divide it by 4
What do you notice?
Work out 25% of each number.

240 360 170 1 • 100 ÷ 100 = 1

So to find 1% of an amount, divide it by 100
What do you notice about your answers?
Find 1% of each number.
Why does this happen?
500 250 608 24,200 3.7

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 7

Percentage of an amount – one step

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny is finding percentages

of amounts. My amount is
Max
greatest, because I
started with the 20% of 480
To find 10% Max greatest amount.
I divide by 10, so to
find 50% I divide
by 50 My amount is
Eva
greatest, because I am
finding the greatest 50% of 210
Eva percentage.
2

2% I think my Alex
amount is greatest.
25% of 424
Explain the mistake that Tiny Alex
has made.
Who do you agree with?
What do you need to divide by to
find 50%? Talk about it with a partner.

What percentage would you find

if you divided by 50?
Alex

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 8

Percentage of an amount – multi-step

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children build on the learning of the • How can you find 1%/10%/20%/25%/50% of a number?
previous step by finding percentages of amounts that require
more than one step.
• How can you use 10% to find 30%?

Using knowledge of how to find 1%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 50%, • How can the percentage 36% be made using 1%, 5%, 10%,
20%, 25%, 50% and 100%?
children find multiples of these amounts. For example, to find
75% they can find 25% and multiply it by 3; to find 60% they • If you know 1% of an amount, how can you work out 37% of
can find 10% and multiply it by 6. They then move on to more that amount?
complex percentages.
• If you know 1% of an amount, how can you work out 99% of
Allow children time to explore different ways of making that amount?
percentages without actually calculating the percentages
of amounts, for example 45% can be made from
25% + 10% + 10%, 5% × 9, 1% × 45, 50% – 5%. Once children Possible sentence stems
recognise that percentages can be made in a range of ways,
they apply this to finding a percentage of an amount using • % is made up of %, and %.

the most efficient method. • % of is equal to

• If 100% is equal to , then % is equal to

Things to look out for • % is equal to lots of %.

• Children often do not explore subtraction as an efficient

strategy, particularly subtracting from the whole, for
example 95% = 100% – 5%. National Curriculum links
• Children may rely on finding 1% and then multiplying it,
• Solve problems involving the calculation of percentages and the use
rather than considering more efficient methods. of percentages for comparison

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 8

Percentage of an amount – multi-step

Key learning
• Work out 1% of each number. • Here is a method for finding 11% of 250

500 180 2,000 15 10% of 250 = 25

1% of 250 = 2.5
Use your answers to work out the percentages of amounts.
11% of 250 = 25 + 2.5 = 27.5
3% of 500 2% of 180 7% of 2,000 5% of 15
Use this method to work out the percentages.

11% of 400 51% of 400 21% of 400 26% of 400

• The bar model shows that 30% is made up of three lots of 10%.

100% 36% of 6,400 41% of 900 66% of 80 87% of 2,000

10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%

30% • Rosie knows that 99% of an amount is 1% less than the full
amount, so she finds 1% and takes that away from the total.
Use the bar model to help you work out the percentages.
100%
30% of 500 70% of 5,000 90% of 25
99% 1%

• Calculate the percentages. Use this to work out the percentages.

75% of 500 40% of 500 80% of 500 99% of 8,000 99% of 4.5 98% of 450 49% of 60

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 8

Percentage of an amount – multi-step

Reasoning and problem solving

Dora, Jack, Mo and Rosie were asked to Work out 24% of 3.5 metres.
find 90% of a number. Give your answer in
I found 10% and centimetres and in metres.
84 cm, 0.84 m
multiplied it by 9 Compare methods with
a partner.
Dora

I found 1%
by dividing by 100,
then I multiplied my Jack
answer by 90 All the methods are Work out the percentages
acceptable ways of of amounts.
I worked out finding 90%.
50% + 10% + 10% + 10% + 10%.
45% of 60
Mo 27

I found 10% and 60% of 45

subtracted it from 100% 27
Rosie
What do you notice?
Whose method is correct?
Does this always happen?
Explain your answer.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 9

Percentages – missing values

Notes and guidance Key questions

For the final small step in this block, children use their • If you know % of a number, how can you work out
understanding of percentages to find the whole number from a the whole?
given percentage. This links back to the previous step, as children
will have to know how many lots of % are in 100% and
• How many lots of % are there in 100%?

multiply accordingly. For example, if they know 20% of a number, • If you know 23%, how can you find 1%? Once you know 1%,
then they multiply that by 5 to work out 100%. how can you find 100%?

Once confident with simple percentages such as 1%, 10%, 20%, • If you know 40%, how can you find 10%?
25% or 50%, children work out percentages such as 12% that Once you know 10%, how can you find 100%?
cannot be solved in one step. With examples such as these, • How can linking percentages to fractions help you to
children recognise that for any percentage, they can find 1% first answer this question?
before multiplying up to 100%. For example, if they know 9% of
a number, they divide that by 9 then multiply by 100. Similarly, if
they know 30% of a number, they can divide that by 3 and then Possible sentence stems
multiply by 10
• If % of a number is , then the whole is

• There are lots of % in 100%.

Things to look out for • If % of a number is , then 1% of the number is

, so 100% is
• Children may be confused with two-step solutions, for
example saying “30% of a number is 12, so I will multiply
12 by 30” National Curriculum links
• Children may use inefficient methods to multiply, for
• Solve problems involving the calculation of percentages and the use
example using the formal method for × 10 of percentages for comparison

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 9

Percentages – missing values

Key learning
• If you know 10% of a number, you can multiply by 10 to find • Use the bar models to work out the missing numbers.
the whole.
1,254 8.46
100%
20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 25% 25% 25% 25%
10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
60% of = 1,254 75% of = 8.46
Work out the missing numbers.
10% of = 2.8 10% of = 709
• If you know 1% of a number, you can work out the whole by
multiplying by 100
10% of = 45p 10% of = 38 g
Use this fact to work out the missing numbers.
1% of = 0.06 1% of km = 56 m
• If 50% of a number is 123, what is the number?
3% of = 0.27 1% of g = 2.9 g
If 25% of a number is 45, what is the number?
If 20% of a number is 70, what is the number?
• 12% of a number is 36

I can find 1% by
• Tom knows that 30% of a number is 210
dividing by 12, then multiply by
He then works out the whole by finding 10% first. 100 to find the whole.
10% = 210 ÷ 3 = 70
Use Max’s method to find the whole.
100% = 70 × 10 = 700

Use Tom’s method to work out the missing numbers. • Annie is thinking of a number.
30% of = 360 70% of = 4.9 15% of her number is 90
90% of = 0.36 kg 60% of = 92p What is her number?
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 4 – Fractions, decimals and percentages | Step 9

Percentages – missing values

Reasoning and problem solving

A bag contains red, blue and Tiny is solving this problem.

yellow balloons.
20% of the balloons in the bag 5% of = 0.3
are red.
There are 24 red balloons. 72 blue, 24 yellow

There are three times as many blue I know that there

balloons as yellow balloons. are 20 lots of 5% in 100%,
so I will multiply 0.3 by 20
How many blue and yellow balloons to find the answer.
are there in the bag?
Yes

Fill in the missing values to make

the statement correct. multiple possible
answers, e.g.
25% of 60 = 25% 5% = 0.3
25% of = % of 60
100% = 0.3 × 20 = 6
of 60
25% of 120 = 50% Do you agree with Tiny?
Can you find more than one way? of 60
Explain your answer.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Spring Block 5

Area, perimeter
and volume

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume

Small steps

Step 1 Shapes – same area

Step 2 Area and perimeter

Step 3 Area of a triangle – counting squares

Step 4 Area of a right-angled triangle

Step 5 Area of any triangle

Step 6 Area of a parallelogram

Step 7 Volume – counting cubes

Step 8 Volume of a cuboid

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 1

Shapes – same area

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children recap learning from previous years by • How can you find the area of this shape? Is there more than
finding the areas of shapes. It may be useful to remind children one way?
about the differences between area and perimeter, which will be
covered explicitly in the next step.
• Do shapes that have the same area have to look the same?

Children find the areas of shapes by counting squares and then

• How can you use factor pairs to find shapes that would
have the same area?
identify shapes that have the same area. It should become clear
to children that shapes can look different but still have the same • How would you draw more than one rectangle that has an
area. Rectilinear shapes are included here. area of cm2?

Children then explore instances when multiplication can be

used to find the areas of shapes. They should begin to identify Possible sentence stems
rectangles that will have the same area by using factor pairs
rather than relying on counting squares. They can also use • The total number of squares in the rectangle is
factor pairs to draw rectangles that have the same area. The area of the rectangle is cm2

• The length of the rectangle is cm.

The width of the rectangle is cm.
Things to look out for
The area of the rectangle is cm2
• Children may confuse area and perimeter.

• When counting squares, children may miscount or use

inefficient strategies.
National Curriculum links
• Children may not use factor pairs to notice shapes
that have the same area or to create shapes with the
same area.
• Recognise that shapes with the same areas can have different
perimeters and vice versa

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 1

Shapes – same area

Key learning
• Complete the sentences to describe the rectangle. • Find the areas of the rectangles.

5 cm The length of the rectangle is cm.

The width of the rectangle is cm. 5 cm 3 cm

6 cm The total number of squares in the 14 cm

rectangle is
7 cm 8 cm
The area of the rectangle is cm2
Explain your method to a partner.
Use the same method to find the areas of these rectangles.
4 cm
8 cm
• Which two rectangles have the same area?

4 cm
2 cm

A 3 cm B 8 cm C 4 cm
What do you notice?

8 cm
• Each square represents 1 cm2 6 cm

A B C D E 4 cm
How do you know?

• Draw as many rectangles as possible that have these areas.

Which shapes have an area of 12 cm ? 2
All the side lengths should be whole numbers.
Which shapes have an area of 16 cm ? 2
36 cm2 16 cm2 17 cm2
Why is there more than one representation for each?
What do you notice about your last answer?
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 1

Shapes – same area

Reasoning and problem solving

Which rectangle has the greatest area?

These two shapes
cannot have the same area,
as they look different.
2 cm

5 cm

1 cm

3 cm 10 cm

8 cm
0.5 cm
1 cm
20 cm
24 cm
Sketch the next rectangle in the pattern.
Do you agree with Alex?
What is its area?
Explain your answer.
How do you know?

No All the rectangles have the same area. 10 cm²

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 2

Area and perimeter

Notes and guidance Key questions

Building on the previous step and reinforcing learning from • What is perimeter? What is area?
Year 5, in this small step children find the areas and perimeters
of rectangles and rectilinear shapes.
• How can you find the perimeter of the rectangle?

Children explore methods for finding the perimeters and areas of • How can you find the area of the rectangle?

rectangles and rectilinear shapes and compare their efficiency. • What is the formula to find the area of a rectangle?
When finding the area of a rectilinear shape, encourage children
to look for the most efficient way to split the shape rather than
• How can you split the rectilinear shape into rectangles?
Is there more than one way?
always splitting it the same way. They should pay close attention
when calculating unknown side lengths, and explain how they • How is finding the area/perimeter of a rectilinear shape
different to finding the area/perimeter of a rectangle?
know whether they need to add or subtract. They can also explore
How is it similar?
when it may be efficient to find the area of a rectilinear shape by
subtracting the missing part from the area of a whole rectangle. • How can you work out the other side lengths?

Things to look out for Possible sentence stems

• Children may confuse area and perimeter. • The formula to find the area of a rectangle is ...

• When finding the area of a rectilinear shape, children may • To find the perimeter of a rectangle, I …
not split the shape in the most efficient way.

• When calculating the perimeter, children may not use National Curriculum links
efficient strategies, instead relying on adding lengths
in order.
• Recognise that shapes with the same areas can have different
perimeters and vice versa

• Children may struggle to work out missing side lengths

• Recognise when it is possible to use formulae for area and volume
or forget to do so. of shapes

© White Rose Maths 2022

 Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 2

Area and perimeter

Key learning
• Find the area and perimeter of each rectangle. • Both of these rectilinear shapes are made from two rectangles.

12 cm 2 cm

4 cm 4 cm
2 cm

6 cm D 6 cm
9 cm 3 cm B 6 cm 3 cm

3 cm 2 cm A 2 cm C

Work out the areas of the rectangles to work out the areas of the
Compare methods with a partner. rectilinear shapes.
What do you notice?

• Work out the perimeters of the rectilinear shapes. Why does this happen?
9 cm
8 cm
1 cm • Find the area and perimeter of each shape.
2 cm 5 cm 8 cm
8 cm
5 cm
5 cm
8 cm 6 cm
3 cm 4 cm
7 cm 7 cm
3 cm
3 cm 4 cm

5 cm
1 cm
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 2

Area and perimeter

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny is finding the area of this shape. Dora has made two rectilinear shapes using lolly sticks.

1 cm B
Area of A = 6 cm × 5 cm
2 cm = 30 cm2
6 cm
A Area of B = 1 cm × 2 cm
The length of each lolly stick is 10 cm.
= 2 cm2
Total area = 32 cm2 Work out the perimeter of each shape.
What do you notice?
5 cm If I cut a rectangle out of
the corner of another rectangle, the
The area is 32 cm2 perimeter of the rectilinear shape will
always be the same as the perimeter
of the rectangle I started with.

Do you agree with Tiny? Do you agree with Dora?

Explain your answer. Talk about it with a partner.

No both 60 cm Yes

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 3

Area of a triangle – counting squares

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children are introduced to finding the area of a • How is finding the area of a triangle similar to finding
triangle by counting squares. They estimated area in Year 5, but the area of a rectangle when counting squares?
may need to be reminded of efficient strategies for calculating and How is it different?
estimating areas of shapes.
• How will you count the squares accurately?
Children first find the areas of triangles that require them to only
count full and half squares. They can calculate these separately
• Is more or less than half the square shaded?

and then combine them to find the area. They then move on to • Can you see any parts of squares that combine to make
estimating the areas of triangles that involve sections of squares approximately one full square?
greater and less than half. Children also explore creating their own • How does the area of the rectangle link to the area of a
triangles with a specific area. triangle? Why do you think this happens?
Some links are made between the area of a rectangle and the area
of a triangle, but the formula is not introduced until the next step.
Possible sentence stems

Things to look out for • The triangle has full squares.

The triangle has half squares.

• Children may count half squares as full squares. The area of the triangle is cm2

• Without an efficient method, children may not count

• The approximate area of the triangle is cm2
squares accurately.

• Children may find it difficult to draw a triangle with a

specific area.
National Curriculum links
• If a triangle is not placed on a line, children may believe it
is impossible to estimate its area. • Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 3

Area of a triangle – counting squares

Key learning
• Complete the sentences to find the area of the triangles. • Draw three different triangles that have an area between
5 cm2 and 15 cm2
Label the approximate area of each triangle. 1 cm
1 cm

The triangle has full squares.

The triangle has half squares. • Work out the area of each shape by counting squares.

+ =
The total area of the triangle is cm2

• Estimate the areas of the triangles by counting squares.

What do you notice about the area of the triangle compared

to the area of the square?
Does this always happen?
Draw a rectangle and a triangle to explore the pattern.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 3

Area of a triangle – counting squares

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny says that the area of the triangle Huan draws three squares and splits them into six
is 15 cm2 right-angled triangles.

Tiny has counted

the half squares as
full squares. B B G
P P P
Tiny is incorrect.
Explain what Tiny has done wrong.

What is the total area of the purple (P) triangles?

Part of the triangle has been covered. What is the total area of the blue (B) triangles?
What is the area of the green (G) triangle?
Compare methods with a partner.
9 cm2

Estimate the area of the whole triangle. purple: 24 cm2

Would your estimate change if blue: 16 cm2

the splat was in a different place? green: 8 cm2

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 4

Area of a right-angled triangle

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children look in more detail at finding the areas • How can you split the rectangle into two
of right-angled triangles. right-angled triangles?

Children move on from counting squares to identifying and using a • What do you notice about the two triangles?
formula. They explore the fact that a right-angled triangle with the
same length and perpendicular height as a rectangle has an area
• What do you notice about finding the area of a rectangle
and finding the area of a right-angled triangle?
that is half the area of the rectangle. They then adapt the formula
for the area of a rectangle to find the area of a right-angled • What is the formula to find the area of a
1 right-angled triangle?
triangle. Children use the formula area = × base × perpendicular
2
1
height rather than × length × width in readiness for the next step,
2
• What does “perpendicular” mean?
where they look at non-right-angled triangles. This vocabulary • How do you know which measurement is the base/
should be explored and children should be confident identifying the perpendicular height?
correct parts of the triangle.

Possible sentence stems

Things to look out for
• The area of the right-angled triangle is the area of
the rectangle.
• Children may not identify that a rectangle can be made
into two right-angled triangles. • The formula for the area of a triangle is ...

• Children may not be able to identify the base

and perpendicular height, choosing the incorrect National Curriculum links
measurements to multiply.
1
• Recognise when it is possible to use formulae for area and volume

• Children may not associate multiplying by with dividing

2
of shapes
by 2 • Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 4

Area of a right-angled triangle

Key learning
• Here is a rectangle and a right-angled triangle. • Scott uses the formula to work out the area of this
right-angled triangle.

1
area = × base × perpendicular height
4 cm 2
1 1
area = × 6 × 4 = × 24 = 12 cm2
2 2
6 cm

Use the formula to find the areas of the triangles.

What is the area of the rectangle?
What is the area of the right-angled triangle? 3m

What do you notice? 7 cm 4m 120 cm

• Here is a rectangle and a triangle.

7 cm
6 cm 2 cm

3 cm
3 cm 60 mm 5 cm 12 cm 80 mm

6 cm 17 cm

What is the area of the rectangle? 8 cm 13 cm

10 cm
What is the area of the triangle? 15 cm

How do you work out the area of a right-angled triangle?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 4

Area of a right-angled triangle

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny is working out the area of a Calculate the area of the shaded
right-angled triangle. triangle.
24 cm
I only need 24 cm2
to know the lengths 6 cm
of any two sides to
work out the area
Compare methods with a partner.
of a triangle. No

Aisha has placed five right-angled

triangles onto a square.
Do you agree with Tiny?
The total area of the square is 36 cm2
Explain your answer.
1 cm2 is not covered by a triangle.
What is the area of the green triangle?
5 cm2

The area of a right-angled

triangle is 54 cm2 multiple possible
What could the base and height be? answers, e.g.
18 cm and 6 cm
How many solutions can you find?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 5

Area of any triangle

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children extend their knowledge of finding the • What is the formula for the area of a triangle?
area of a right-angled triangle to find the area of any triangle.
• How do you know which side is the base?
Children use the same formula as before, but now need to
identify that the perpendicular height is not always the length
• How do you know what the perpendicular height is?

of one of the sides. Initially, they find the areas of triangles • How do you know that you are using the correct lengths?
where only the base and perpendicular height are given, before • Is there more than one way to find the area of this triangle?
looking at triangles where more measurements are given.
• Is the base always at the bottom of the triangle?
Children need to understand that the base is not always at the
bottom of a triangle and sometimes there may be more than
one possible calculation they could use to find the area. Possible sentence stems
• The formula for the area of a triangle is ...

• The base is cm.

Things to look out for The perpendicular height is cm.

• Children may not identify the base and perpendicular

Area = × ×
height correctly.

• Children may think that the base is always at the bottom

of the triangle.

• Children may think that the measurement giving the National Curriculum links
perpendicular height is always labelled inside the triangle.
• Recognise when it is possible to use formulae for area and volume

• If given more than two measurements, children may of shapes

multiply the incorrect lengths. • Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 5

Area of any triangle

Key learning
• Work out the areas of shapes A, B and C. 1 cm • Work out the areas of the triangles.

1 cm

6 cm 8 cm 10 cm
C 6 cm
A B
7 cm 7 cm

What is the same and what is different about the first

What is the total area of the scalene triangle formed by A and B? two triangles?
Compare this area to the area of rectangle C.
What do you notice? • Find the area of each triangle.

Does this always happen? 7 cm

6 cm 10 cm
5 cm 8 cm 8 cm
4 cm
• Here is a triangle.
6 cm 8 cm
5 cm
4 cm

10 cm
• Calculate the area of each shape.

What is the length of the base of the triangle?

5 cm
What is the perpendicular height of the triangle? 7 cm 4 cm
1
Use the formula area = × base × perpendicular height to work
2
6 cm
out the area of the triangle.
3 cm
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 5

Area of any triangle

Reasoning and problem solving

Tiny is finding the area of this This shape is made up of three

triangle. identical triangles.

12 cm 99 cm2
8 cm
6 cm
3 cm
22 cm
What is the area of the shape?
4 cm

12 cm2
I need to Here is a flag.
multiply all the 7 cm
lengths, then
divide by 2
6 cm
9 cm2
Explain why Tiny is incorrect. 3 cm
Work out the area of the triangle. Find the area of the flag that is white.

Can you find more than one way Is there more than one way to
to do it? find the answer?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 6

Area of a parallelogram

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children explore the area of a parallelogram, • How could you change the parallelogram into a rectangle?
identifying and using a formula. How will this help you to find the area?

Children look at the properties of a parallelogram and compare • How can you count the squares accurately to find the area?
to a rectangle. Using the “cut-and-move method”, they explore
how the parts of the parallelogram can be rearranged to make
• How do you know you have found the base/
perpendicular height?
a rectangle in which the length and width correspond to the
base and perpendicular height of the parallelogram. Through • What is the formula for finding the area of a parallelogram?
this, they recognise that the area of a parallelogram can be • When you have different units, what is your first step?
found by using the formula area = base × perpendicular height.
As they did for triangles, children need to be able to identify
Possible sentence stems
the base and perpendicular height when given more than the
required measurements. This needs to be carefully modelled
so that children do not believe that area = l × w. It may be
• The base of the parallelogram is cm.
The perpendicular height of the parallelogram is cm.
useful to compare all the formulas they know for finding the
areas of shapes. The area of the parallelogram is × = cm2

Things to look out for

• When finding the area of a parallelogram, children may
try to use the formula for finding the area of a rectangle National Curriculum links
or a triangle.
• Recognise when it is possible to use formulae for area and volume

• Children may struggle to identify the base and of shapes

perpendicular height. • Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 6

Area of a parallelogram

Key learning
• Here is a parallelogram. 1 cm • Annie has worked out the area of this parallelogram.

1 cm
area = base × perpendicular height
5 cm
= 4 cm x 5 cm
= 20 cm2
4 cm

Use Annie’s method to find the areas of the parallelograms.

Copy the parallelogram onto centimetre squared paper.
Estimate its area by counting squares. 25 cm
8 cm
Now cut along the dotted line. 7 cm 2.5 cm
Move the triangle to make a rectangle.
6 cm
What is the area of the rectangle?
4 cm
What do you notice?
• Label the base b and perpendicular height h on each parallelogram.

• Work out the areas of the parallelograms. 1 cm Then find the area of each shape.
1 cm

6 cm 5 cm
6 cm 5.5 cm

11 cm
3 cm
Explain your method to a partner.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 6

Area of a parallelogram

Reasoning and problem solving

These parallelograms each have All the parallelograms have the

an area of 40 cm2 same area.
Find the perpendicular height of Find the total area of the shaded
each shape. parallelograms.

40 mm
5 cm 144 cm2
18 cm
8 cm 10 cm 7 cm
2.5 cm 7 cm

12 cm

Which measurement is not needed?

Find more than one method to
work out the answer.
16 cm Which was more efficient?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 7

Volume – counting cubes

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Year 5, children began to explore volume as the amount of • What is volume?
space that a solid object takes up. They started by counting
cubes, before being introduced to cubic centimetres (cm3) as
• How is volume different from area?

a unit of measure for volume. This learning is recapped at the • How can you count the number of cubes efficiently?
beginning of this small step. • If each cube has a volume of 1 cubic centimetre (cm3), what is
Children then explore shapes where they can find the volume by the volume of the shape?
multiplying the volume of a single layer by the number of equal • How many cubes are there in this layer? How many equal
layers. This can include cuboids and other prisms. Encourage layers are there? So how can you find the volume?
children to explore the relationship between the total volume of
a cuboid and its length, width and height, although there is no
• What is the length/width/depth of this cuboid?

need to explicitly introduce the formula for finding the volume of

a cuboid, as this will be covered in more detail in the next step. Possible sentence stems
• The volume of the shape is cubes.

• The volume of the shape is cm³

Things to look out for • There are cubes in each layer and equal layers,
so the volume is cubes.
• Children may believe that shapes that look different
visually must have different volumes.

• Children may ignore cubes that cannot be “seen” in an National Curriculum links
image, so it is important to discuss the possibility of hidden
cubes and how children might know for certain that more
• Calculate, estimate and compare volume of cubes and cuboids using
standard units, including cubic centimetres (cm3) and cubic metres
cubes exist even if they cannot see them. (m3), and extending to other units

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 7

Volume – counting cubes

Key learning
• Using 12 cubes, how many different shapes can you make? • Each shape is made using centimetre cubes.
Work out the volume of each shape in cm3

• How many cubes are used to make each shape?

What is the quickest way of finding the volumes?

• Brett makes this shape using cubes. • Each cuboid is made using centimetre cubes.

What is the volume of the shape in cubes? Find the volumes of the cuboids.

Mo makes an identical shape and attaches

the shapes together like this.
What is the volume of the shape in cubes?

What do you notice?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 7

Volume – counting cubes

Reasoning and problem solving

between 15 and
23 cubes
What could the volume of this
No shape be?
I only need 8
cubes to make Compare answers with a partner.
this shape.

Do you agree with Tiny?

Explain your reasons. Dani makes this cuboid.

Make a cuboid using 24 cubes.

What are the dimensions of 24 cubes
multiple possible She makes another cuboid by
your cuboid? answers, e.g. increasing the height, width and depth
How many different cuboids 6 cubes, 2 cubes by 1 cube.
can you make with this number and 2 cubes
What is the difference in the volumes
of cubes?
of the cuboids?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 8

Volume of a cuboid

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children move on from counting cubes • What is volume?
to finding the volumes of cuboids using multiplication and
applying a formula.
• How many cubes are there in one layer? How do you know?

Children discover that they can use multiplication to find • How do you find the total volume of the cuboid?

the number of cubes in one “layer” of the shape and then • What is the formula to find the volume of a cuboid?
multiply this by the number of layers to find the total
volume. This will help children identify the formula: volume
• What is the same and what is different about area
and volume?
of cuboid = length × width × height. They should recognise
that the formula works whichever way they look at the • What is the most efficient order to multiply the
three numbers together?
cuboid and what they think of as a “layer”.
Once children understand the formula, encourage them to
Possible sentence stems
find the most efficient method to calculate the volume using
the associative law of multiplication. • There are cubes in each layer.
There are layers.

Things to look out for The volume of the cuboid is

• Children may think that it is impossible to find the volume • The length is . The width is . The height is .

without cubes. The volume of the cuboid is × × =

• Children may think that they must always multiply

l × w × h in that order, which may not always be the most National Curriculum links
efficient calculation.
• Calculate, estimate and compare volume of cubes and cuboids using
• When finding the volumes of cubes, children may think standard units, including cubic centimetres (cm3) and cubic metres
that they need more than one measurement. (m3), and extending to other units

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 8

Volume of a cuboid

Key learning
• The cuboid is made using centimetre cubes. • Find the volumes of the cuboids.
What is the volume of the cuboid? 1 cm
What is the length, width and height 6 cm
of the cuboid?
13 cm
3 cm
Find the product of the length, width and height. 5 cm
What do you notice? 3 cm
6 cm
8 cm
• Here is the formula for the volume of a cuboid. 3 cm

volume = length × width × height • Find the volumes of the cubes.

Use the formula to find the volumes of the cuboids. 2m 4m

8m

Compare methods with a partner.

23 cm

11 cm 15 cm • Find the volumes of the cuboids. 3 cm

40 mm
6 cm
3 cm 2 cm 4m
4 cm 3 cm 6m 85 mm
7 cm
Does it matter in which order you multiply the numbers?
1
10 cm m
4 cm 4
50 mm
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 5 – Area, perimeter and volume | Step 8

Volume of a cuboid

Reasoning and problem solving

Here is a cube. Which cuboid has the

greater volume?

5 cm
40 cm Both cuboids have
the same volume:
3 cm 10 cm
200 cm3

4 cm
I cannot work out
the volume of the cube, 1 cm
because I do not know its 5 cm
No
width or height. Explain how you know.

Calculate the volume of the

compound shape.
2 cm
7 cm 146 cm3
9 cm
Do you agree with Tiny?
4 cm
Explain your answer.
12 cm

© White Rose Maths 2022

Spring Block 6

Statistics

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics

Small steps

Step 1 Line graphs

Step 2 Dual bar charts

Step 3 Read and interpret pie charts

Step 4 Pie charts with percentages

Step 5 Draw pie charts

Step 6 The mean

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 1

Line graphs

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Year 5, children focused on drawing, reading and interpreting • How do you read information from a line graph?
simple line graphs. In this small step, they revisit that learning and
progress to looking at more complex graphs, including ones with
• What does each axis represent?

more than one line. • What is the smallest value in the data? What is the greatest?

Children start by looking at simple line graphs and the information • What intervals would be appropriate for this line graph?
that can be gathered from them. They should recognise that they
• What does this line graph tell you?
can only read off approximate values for data that lies between two
marked points, which is why a dashed line is used. They then draw • What does the direction of the line tell you about what happened?

line graphs using given information. When doing this, it is important • How can two sets of data be recorded on the same line graph?
to discuss what each axis will represent, drawing children’s
attention to the fact that time is usually shown on the horizontal
axis. When they are drawing line graphs, support children in
Possible sentence stems
choosing appropriate scales based on the numbers given.
• The horizontal axis shows
Children also answer problems involving line graphs. They should The vertical axis shows
be able to infer what has happened in a given situation based on
the information provided in the line graph. • At , the graph reads
At , the graph reads

Things to look out for The difference between the two points is

• When drawing their own line graphs, children may need

support to choose appropriate scales. National Curriculum links
• When there is more than one line on a graph, children may
• Interpret and construct pie charts and line graphs and use these to
use the wrong line. solve problems

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 1

Line graphs

Key learning
• Discuss with a partner what is the same and what is different • The graph shows water consumption over two days.
about the line graphs.
The water consumption was recorded every 2 hours.
35 30 1,200
30

temperature (°C)
1,000
temperature (°C)

temperature (°C)
25 Monday
20 800
20 600
Tuesday
15 400
10
10 200
5 0
09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00
0 0
9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 9:00 am 10:00 am time
time time At what times was the recorded amount of water consumed
on Monday and Tuesday the same?
What is the temperature at 9:45 am?
Was more water consumed at 5:00 pm on Monday
At what time was the temperature approximately 12 °C? or Tuesday?
Approximately how much more?
• The table shows the height a rocket reached between
0 and 60 seconds. • The table shows the populations in the UK and Australia from
1995 to 2020
Time (seconds) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Height (metres) 0 8 15 25 37 50 70
UK 58,000,000 58,900,000 60,300,000 63,300,000 65,400,000 67,900,000

Draw a line graph to represent the information. Australia 18,000,000 19,000,000 20,200,000 22,100,000 23,800,000 25,500,000

Draw a line graph to represent the information.

© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 1

Line graphs

Reasoning and problem solving

This graph shows the distance travelled by a car. The graph shows some of Dr Lee’s journeys.
The car stops between 25 and 40 minutes.
Tiny has added the red line to show the car stopped.

distance (km)
35
(miles)
travelled (miles)

30
25
distance travelled

20
15
distance

10
time (hours)
5
What is the same and what is different about
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 the journeys?
time(minutes)
time (minutes) What might have happened during the green journey?
Do you agree with Tiny?
multiple possible answers, e.g.
Explain your answer.
All the journeys took the same length of time.

No During the green journey, Dr Lee might have stopped

for a rest.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 2

Dual bar charts

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children build on learning from earlier in the • How is a dual bar chart different from a single bar chart?
key stage as they explore dual bar charts, looking at the different
information that can be seen from them, and discussing the
• What information does this dual bar chart give?

similarities and differences when compared to a single bar chart. • What is different about what the two bars show?
In particular, children should recognise the importance of a key • How do you know which bar shows which information?
to ensure that the bar charts can be interpreted.
• What questions can be asked about this chart?
It is useful to begin with a simple dual bar chart showing discrete
data with small whole numbers, allowing children to explore • What is the difference between and ?

a range of questions such as the total and difference between • How much is and in total?
various amounts. This is a good opportunity to revisit reading
scales and estimating from number lines.
Possible sentence stems
The focus of this step is interpretation, but children could also
explore drawing dual bar charts. • The first bar represents
The second bar represents

• The difference between and is

Things to look out for

• The bar is closer to than , so I estimate that the
value is

• Children may only read one of each of the pairs of bars.

• Children may combine the pairs of bars and find a total, National Curriculum links
rather than considering them separately.
• Interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate
• Support may be needed to estimate from scales. graphical methods, including bar charts and time graphs (Year 4)

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 2

Dual bar charts

Key learning
• Five children play two games. • Years 2 to 6 are raising money for charity.
Their scores for each game are recorded on a dual bar chart. The amount each year group raised in September and October
is recorded in the dual bar chart.
8
7
number of points

400
6
350
5

money raised (£)

game 1 300
4
game 2 250
3 September
2 200
150 October
1
0 100
Scott Aisha Filip Dani Tom 50
0
Who scored the most points in game 1? Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6
Who scored the fewest points in game 2?
How much money was raised in September?
Who scored the most points altogether in both games? How much was raised in October?
How many children got a higher score on their second game? Estimate how much more money Year 4 raised than
Year 5 in October.
Which child scored the same on their first and second games?
Which year group has raised the most money so far?
How many more points did Filip score on his second game
than his first game? How much money was raised altogether in September
and October?
What is the difference between the total points scored in
games 1 and 2? How much money in total have all five classes raised so far?
What else can you find out? What else can you find out?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 2

Dual bar charts

Reasoning and problem solving

The bar chart shows the number of goals scored by some The bar chart shows the average temperature
teams in two games. in a UK city.
8
number of goals

7 26
6 24
5 game 1

average temperature (°C)

22
4
3 game 2 20
18 March
2
1 16 August
0 14
A B C D E 12 December
team 10
8
Tiny wants to work out whether each team scored more goals 6
in game 1 or game 2 4
I need to create 2
a table first to show how 0
2017 2018 2019 2020
many goals they scored year
in each game.
Summarise what the chart tells you.
Do you agree with Tiny?
What questions could you ask a partner about this chart?
Explain your answer.

No Compare answers as a class.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 3

Read and interpret pie charts

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children are introduced to pie charts for the • What does the pie chart show?
first time. Discuss with children why a pie chart is a useful way to
represent data. They should realise that a pie chart quickly and
• What does each section of the pie chart show?

easily shows information as part of the whole. Discuss the fact that • Which of the choices was the most popular? How do you know?
bar charts may show the numbers of most/least popular items • If you know the total, how can you work out the value of
quickly, whereas pie charts show something as more/less than a one part?
half/quarter etc. of the total.
• If you know the value of one part, how can you work out the
Children first look at simple pie charts to identify the greatest/ total number?
least amounts. They then move on to using the total number
represented by a pie chart to work out what each equal part is • How is a pie chart different from a bar chart?

worth. Finally, given the value of one part, children work out the
total and/or the values of other parts of the pie chart. Possible sentence stems
• There are equal parts altogether.
The total is , so each equal part is worth
Things to look out for
• Children may need a reminder of how to work out • One part is worth

fractions of amounts. There are equal parts altogether, so the total is equal
to
• Children may confuse the total number with the value of
one part.
National Curriculum links
• Children may think that because a sector is larger in
one pie chart than another that it must represent
a greater amount.
• Interpret and construct pie charts and line graphs and use these to
solve problems

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 3

Read and interpret pie charts

Key learning
• Some children in a class were asked to name their favourite sport. • Mo asked 180 people to name their
O SV
The results are shown in the pie chart. favourite flavour of crisps.
The results are shown in the pie chart. RS SV

How many people chose ready salted? RS CO

cricket
football
How many people chose a flavour
rugby salt and vinegar (SV)
other than salt and vinegar?
cheese and onion (CO)
How many more people chose salt
Write more or less to complete the sentences. and vinegar than cheese and onion? ready salted (RS)
than half of the class have cricket as their What other questions can you ask? other (O)
favourite sport.
than a quarter of the class have football as their
favourite sport.
• In a survey, people were asked to name
W SP
their favourite season of the year.
Discuss with a partner what other sentences you can write W SP
The results are shown in the pie chart.
about the information in the pie chart. A SP
48 people said that summer was their
SU SU
• The pie chart shows how 600 children travel to school. favourite season.
How many people took part in
walk (W) spring (SP)
T W the survey?
T W bus (B) summer (SU)
How many people said that spring
C W car (C) was their favourite season? autumn (A)
B W winter (W)
train (T)
Work out how many children use each method to travel to school.
© White Rose Maths 2022
Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 3

Read and interpret pie charts

Reasoning and problem solving

200 people were asked to name The pie charts show the favourite
their favourite colour. colours of the children in
two classes.
The pie chart shows the results.
class 1 class 2

red yellow blue green blue

blue
green red red

green
50 More children No
yellow
chose blue in class 2 than
in class 1, because the
blue part is bigger.

Approximately how many more people

chose green as their favourite colour
than chose red?
Do you agree with Tiny?
How did you work it out?
Explain your answer.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 4

Pie charts with percentages

Notes and guidance Key questions

This small step revises children’s understanding of percentages, • What percentage does the whole pie chart represent?
in the context of pie charts.
• What percentage does half/quarter of the pie chart
Children need to know that a whole pie chart represents 100% represent?
of the data, so one half represents 50%, one quarter represents
25% and so on. It may also be useful to revisit efficient
• What percentages of an amount can you work out easily?

strategies for finding multiples of 10%, 20% and 25%. • How do you work out 10% of an amount? How does this
help you to work out other percentages?
Children look at pie charts where the total number is not given,
and they need to work out the total from a given percentage. • If you know 10%/20%/25%, how can you work out the total?
They can then work out the value of the remaining sections,
using either the total or proportional reasoning (for example, Possible sentence stems
knowing 40% must be 8 times the size of 5%).
• If % is worth , then I can multiply/divide it
by to find %.

Things to look out for • If the total is , then the part representing % is
worth
• Children may not use the most efficient strategy for
working out the percentage of an amount. • If the part representing % is worth , then the
total is
• Children may assume two pie charts alongside each other
represent the same amount.
National Curriculum links
• When given a part and asked to find the whole, children
may not work backwards and instead continue to find a
percentage of the amount given.
• Interpret and construct pie charts and line graphs and use these to
solve problems

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 4

Pie charts with percentages

Key learning
• 150 children were asked to name their favourite flavour • 1,200 people were asked to name their favourite day of the week.
of ice cream.
Mon 2% Monday (Mon)
The results are shown in the pie chart.
Tuesday (Tue)
Tue
M Sun 12% Wednesday (Wed)
strawberry (S) 25% Wed
20% Thursday (Thu)
S chocolate (C) 13%
V 10% 40% Friday (Fri)
vanilla (V) Sat Fri Thu
C 25% 6% Saturday (Sat)
mint choc chip (M) 17%
30%
Sunday (Sun)

How many children chose each flavour of ice cream? Use the pie chart to create a table showing how many people
chose each day of the week.

• 200 children in Key Stage 2 chose an after-school activity.

The pie chart shows the results.
• 50 people were asked to name their favourite destination.
The results were recorded in this table and a pie chart was drawn.

F Destination People
D 20% reading (R) dancing (D)
5% Legoland 12 Legoland (L)
R cricket (C) football (F) A L
S 50% Disneyland (D)
swimming (S) Disneyland 21
10% C T Thorpe Park (T)
15% Thorpe Park 6
D Alton Towers (A)
Alton Towers 11
How many children chose each activity?
How many more children chose football than dancing? Use the table to help you write the percentages on the pie chart.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 4

Pie charts with percentages

Reasoning and problem solving

120 boys and 100 girls were asked to name their The pie chart shows the results
favourite subject. of a survey about how many
siblings people have.
The results are shown in the pie charts.
15 people in the survey have no siblings.
boys’ favourite subjects girls’ favourite subjects
5%
No siblings: 15
S 9%
S Maths (M) 20% 31% 10% 1 sibling: 27
35% M M
50% English (E) E 2 siblings: 30
20% 60%
E Science (S) 17%
3 siblings: 51
15% 28%
4 siblings: 84
More girls
5 siblings: 93
prefermaths than boys, no siblings 3 siblings
because 60% is greater
1 sibling 4 siblings
than 50%.
2 siblings 5 siblings 300

Do you agree with Tiny?

Draw a table to show how many people
Explain your answer. each sector of the pie chart represents.
How many people took part in
No the survey?

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 5

Draw pie charts

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children complete their exploration of pie charts • What percentage does the whole pie chart represent?
by drawing them.
• How can I show % of a pie chart?
Children recap what a pie chart represents, with the whole being
worth 100%. They start by drawing simple pie charts, with each
• How many degrees are there in a full turn?

part being worth 50% or 25%, where they can easily see one half • If there are in total and a part is , what fraction
and one quarter of the chart. They then move on to constructing is the part of the whole?
pie charts where guidelines are provided, firstly in 10% intervals • How can you work out the percentage/angle that represents
and then at 1% intervals. Children need to use their conversion each sector?
skills to work out what percentages are needed.
• How do you use a protractor? How do you know which scale
Finally, children construct pie charts using a protractor. They use to use?
division to work out how many degrees represent each item of
data, and then multiplication to find the angle for each sector.
Possible sentence stems
• The fraction/percentage of is

Things to look out for • The whole pie chart is °

This represents items of data.
• Children may confuse the angle with the percentage or the
Each item of data is represented by ÷ = °
number that a sector represents.

• Children may need reminding how to use a protractor.

National Curriculum links
• When drawing a pie chart using a protractor, children
may use the frequency as the size of the angle rather
than working out what the angle should be.
• Interpret and construct pie charts and line graphs and use these to
solve problems

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 5

Draw pie charts

Key learning
• 20 cars drove past a school one morning. • Draw a pie chart using the data shown in the percentage
bar model.
The table shows the colours of the cars.
Complete the table and show the information on the pie chart. apples oranges strawberries bananas pears grapes

Fraction % of
Colour Number
of total total 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Red 5 What is the same and what is different about the two diagrams?
Blue 5

Black 10 • The table shows how 36 children travel to school.

Type of transport Number of children Angle

• 100 people were asked to name their favourite ice cream. Car 12 12 × 10 = 120°

The table shows the results. Bike 7

Use the information to draw a pie chart. Walk 8
Fraction % of Bus 5
Flavour Number 0%
of total total 10%
90%
1 Scooter 4
Chocolate 10 10%
10 80% 20%
Vanilla 30 Total 36 360°
70% 30%
Strawberry 20 Complete the table.
60% 40%
50%
Mint 40 Use a protractor to help you draw a pie chart to show the data.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 5

Draw pie charts

Reasoning and problem solving

Rosie asked the children in Year 6 The owner of a restaurant is

to name their favourite sport. working out which Sunday
dinner is most popular.
The table shows the results.
Complete the table and draw a
Complete the table and draw a pie chart
pie chart to show the information.
to show the information.

vegetarian chicken
Dinner Total Angle
Sport Total Angle golf

cricket football Chicken 2

Football 10 pork
swimming
Pork 8
Tennis 18 tennis beef lamb
rugby
Lamb 6
Rugby × 6 = 90°

Beef 20 180°
Swimming 6 6 × 6 = 36°

Vegetarian 4
Cricket × 6 = 42°

Total
Golf 4 4 × 6 = 24°

Write some questions about your

Total 60 360°
pie chart for a partner to answer.

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 6

The mean

Notes and guidance Key questions

In the final small step in this block, children calculate and • How can you calculate the total number of ?
interpret the mean as an average.
• What operation do you use to share equally?
Children may be familiar with the word “average”, but are less
likely to have heard of the mean. Begin by discussing what an
• How can you use the total to calculate the mean?

average is and why averages are useful to summarise sets of data. • Why would you want to find the mean of a set of data?
Explain that the most commonly used average is the mean and • For what sets of data would it be useful to calculate
show how it is calculated, recapping addition and division skills if the mean?
necessary. Using simple data in familiar contexts will help children
to understand the concept. Using concrete representations to • How can you use the mean to work out missing information?

model sharing out items can help children to make sense of the
formula: mean = total number ÷ number of items. Possible sentence stems
When children are confident in finding the mean, they can be
challenged to find missing data values if the mean is known. • The mean is the size of each part when the whole is

Children need to recognise that the first thing they need to do shared
is to multiply to find the total.
• The total is
There are numbers.
Mean = ÷
Things to look out for
• Children may make calculation errors in the addition
or division.
National Curriculum links
• Children may need support to realise they can “work
backwards” to find the total when the mean is known. • Calculate and interpret the mean as an average

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 6

The mean

Key learning
• Three children each drink some glasses of juice. • Here are the number of runs Jack scored in seven
cricket matches.
The table shows a method to find the mean number of glasses of
juice that each child had to drink.
134, 60, 17, 63, 38, 84, 10
If each child had
Number of glasses Total number of
the same number Calculate the mean number of runs Jack scored in a match.
per child glasses
of glasses

• The amount of money raised for charity by five children is

shown in the table.

Child Amount raised

Aisha £24.55
Sam £29.60
Tommy £40
How does the table show that the mean number of glasses that
Filip £21.20
each child had is 3?
Scott £19.65

• Work out the mean number of slices of pizza eaten by each child.
What is the mean amount of money raised by the children?

• Calculate the mean of the numbers.

0.145 0.05 0.28 0.205

© White Rose Maths 2022

Year 6 | Spring term | Block 6 – Statistics | Step 6

The mean

Reasoning and problem solving

The mean number of goals scored • Mum is 48 years old.

in six football matches was 4
• Scott is 4 years older than James.
Use this information to work out
how many goals were scored in the
• James is 7 years older than Esme.

6th match. The average age of pairs of family

members are shown.
Match Number of goals 3 Mum: 48 years
1 8 Dad: 52 years
Mum
2 4 mean age of 50
Dad Scott: 15 years
3 6
4 2 James: 11 years
Scott
5 1 mean age of 13 Anna: 8 years
6 James
Esme: 4 years
Anna
mean age of 6
Esme
Rosie takes 5 spelling tests. 23 years

Her mean score is 7

any set of 5 Work out the age of each member of
What scores might Rosie have got numbers that the family.
in each spelling test? totals 35
Work out the mean age of the
Compare answers with a partner whole family.

© White Rose Maths 2022