Stages of Early Arithmetical Learning (SEAL)

Children are taught using the SEAL maths approach throughout the school. It is a fun, practical, hands-on approach to develop children’s numeracy and problem solving skills.

Children need plenty of practical experiences to link what they can see, hear and feel, with the idea that maths is real and makes sense to them. Where possible, maths will be taught to your child within a context through the “Shared-Guided-Independent” approach. Maths is taught practically using both indoor and outdoor learning environments.

Early Stages

You may already have helped your child’s understanding of numeracy and maths by:

• Singing nursery rhymes e.g. “Hickory Dickory Dock”, “One Two Buckle my Shoe”
• Playing games e.g. snakes and ladders, dominoes.
• Sorting things by shape, size, colour e.g. all square packets, big forks, red socks.
• Matching one burger to rolls when setting the table etc.
• Counting objects; the stairs in the house, money at the checkout etc.
• Pointing out numbers on a clock, tv remote control, on buses.
• Using words to compare things like ‘more, less.’
• Making simple patterns and talk about them.
• Using words to describe where things are: ‘over, under…’