A key part of learning about subtraction in Year 1 is to think about subtraction as finding a part. Knowledge of number bonds to 10 will be a great help with this. There are plenty of practical activities that can be done. For example, telling a child that you have 7 cubes altogether in your hands and show 3 in one hand – ask how many there must be in the other hand?

This leads on to questions presented in a different form. Usually, children will have seen a subtraction in the form of 6 – 2 = ?

Whilst finding a part it can be shown as 6 - ? = 4.

Our latest, ‘find a part’ pages feature the seaside, shells and creatures; well worth a look.