What children learn in Year 5
Most children start Year 5 aged 9 and turn 10 during it. Here is what the national curriculum sets out for maths and English in Year 5, the national checks that fall this year and simple ways to help at home.
Daily challenges that keep pace with your child's school year
For Years 1 to 6, with an 11+ track when you're ready.
Maths in Year 5
- Number and place valueNumbers to a million and rounding. Negative numbers in context. Roman numerals to 1,000. Factors, multiples and primes. Square and cube numbers.
- CalculationAdding and subtracting large numbers. Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1,000. Long multiplication and short division.
- Fractions, decimals and percentagesComparing, adding and multiplying fractions. Decimals and percentages.
- MeasurementArea, perimeter and volume. Converting units, including time and money.
- Shape and positionAngles and properties of shapes.
- StatisticsLine graphs and tables.
Many schools teach maths in the order set by White Rose Maths. See the Year 5 blocks term by term.
Source: National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study (Department for Education).
English in Year 5
- ReadingInference and explaining answers. Word meanings in context.
- SpellingYear 5 and 6 spelling words. Year 5 spelling rules.
- Grammar and punctuationRelative clauses and modal verbs. Brackets and commas for clarity. Making verbs and verb prefixes. Linking ideas across sentences.
Source: National curriculum in England: English programmes of study (Department for Education).
National checks in Year 5
There are no national tests in Year 5. If your child might sit an 11+ test for a grammar school, registration usually falls during Year 5, so it is worth checking dates early.
11+ tests by area: dates, papers and schools
Source: Primary assessments: future dates (Standards and Testing Agency, updated 12 October 2026).
Ways to help at home
Bigger numbers and percentages
- Spot percentages on sale signs and work out what you would pay.
- Use the weather forecast to talk about temperatures below zero.
Angles and shape
- Estimate angles around the house, then check with a protractor.
- Ask why a triangle's angles always add up to the same total.
Reading and vocabulary
- After a chapter, ask for a one-sentence summary.
- Keep a list of new words from books and use one at dinner.
The CoachKite report shows which Year 5 topics your child has mastered and where they stand against their year. See what's in the report.
Daily challenges that keep pace with your child's school year
For Years 1 to 6, with an 11+ track when you're ready.