No particular targets for Year 6 for mental addition but children are expected to be quick and accurate with adding, including working with very large numbers.

Three particular skills which children should be using are:

1. Partitioning including crossing place value boundaries e.g. 49 + 38. It is often easier to start by adding the tens of the smaller number to the whole larger number (49 + 30 = 79) and then adding the other ones (79 + 8 = 87). Note that this is not the same order as when adding using the standard written method.
2. Compensating and adjusting is a method we highly recommend when adding numbers close to a multiple of 10. e.g. 39 + 65 can be done by adding 40 to 65 and subtracting 1 (40 + 65 = 105. 105 – 1 = 104).
3. Using near doubles is another technique which is very useful when adding two numbers that are near doubles. Children are expected to know, off by heart, doubles of small numbers so 18 + 17 can be done by doubling 18 and subtracting 1 (double 18 = 36. 36 – 1 = 35).

We can help children with all these skills with our extensive range of activities, both worksheets and on-screen activities. Why not take a look at all our mental addition resources now.

Year 6 Addition Worksheets

Year 6 Addition Games