This Week in Maths: SATs, GCSEs, National Numeracy Day and Useful Resources

Sunday 17 May 2026

Here is this week’s Numeracy Ninjas maths round-up for teachers, parents, carers, tutors, HoDs and anyone interested in maths education.

It has been a busy assessment week: KS2 SATs finished, GCSE maths Paper 1 happened for many pupils, and National Numeracy Day is coming this Wednesday.

What’s new this week

SATs week has finished

KS2 tests ran from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May 2026, with maths papers on Wednesday and Thursday.

The useful follow-up question is not just what score pupils get. It is:

What target skills do pupils need next?

GOV.UK primary assessment dates:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/primary-assessments-future-dates

GCSE maths Paper 1 has happened

For many Year 11 pupils, this is the point where revision needs to become more precise.

The best next move is not vague revision. It is one clear topic, method, or accuracy habit before the next paper.

AQA GCSE Mathematics key dates:
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/mathematics/gcse/mathematics-8300/key-dates

Pearson Edexcel GCSE summer 2026 timetable:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Examination-timetables-for-UK-Edexcel-GCSE/gcse-summer-2026-final.pdf

National Numeracy Day is this Wednesday

National Numeracy Day 2026 is Wednesday 20 May. This year’s theme is Count on Your Community.

This is a useful prompt for schools and families. Confidence with numbers is not built by pressure. It is built by small wins, everyday conversations and low-stakes practice.

National Numeracy Day:
https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/numeracyday

Helping children with numeracy:
https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/helping-children

Formula sheets are still part of the GCSE maths conversation

Formula sheets can reduce memory load, but they do not remove the need for method choice, substitution, checking, fluency and accuracy.

DfE GCSE exam support materials:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-exam-support-materials-minister-for-school-standards-writes-to-ofqual

Ofqual consultation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-the-assessment-of-mathematics-physics-and-combined-science-gcses/proposed-changes-to-the-assessment-of-mathematics-physics-and-combined-science-gcses

NCETM and Maths Hubs are worth checking now

NCETM has current news, classroom thinking and Maths Hubs professional development opportunities. This is a good time for subject leaders to look ahead to 2026/27 CPD.

NCETM news and features:
https://www.ncetm.org.uk/news-features/

Maths Hubs:
https://www.ncetm.org.uk/maths-hubs/

Useful classroom and revision links

Resourceaholic Maths Gems #198

Jo Morgan’s Maths Gems remains one of the best teacher-curated maths resource round-ups. This issue includes GCSE revision links, Maths Genie updates, QAMA, Big Mathematical Ideas, Transum Squareas and other teacher-created finds.

https://www.resourceaholic.com/2026/05/5-maths-gems-198.html

Dr Frost Maths

Useful for GCSE practice, topic work and targeted revision.

https://www.drfrost.org

Maths Genie

Good for GCSE topic revision, videos, exam questions and quick pupil-facing support.

https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk

Corbettmaths

Still one of the most useful free sources for GCSE revision, 5-a-day, topic practice and videos.

https://corbettmaths.com/

MathsBot

Practical for starters, retrieval, manipulatives, printables and quick classroom tools.

https://mathsbot.com

Transum

Worth browsing for puzzles, starters, interactive tasks and low-stakes practice.

https://www.transum.org

Big Mathematical Ideas

Good professional reading and task design material for thinking more deeply about concepts.

https://bigmathematicalideas.org

Research and evidence worth revisiting

EEF Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3 evidence review

A useful evidence anchor for transition, intervention, practice, feedback and fluency.

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/evidence-reviews/mathematics-in-key-stages-2-and-3

EEF maths guidance report

Still useful when thinking about what effective maths intervention actually looks like.

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/maths-ks-2-3

Ofsted maths subject report

Worth revisiting when thinking about curriculum coherence, fluency, reasoning and assessment.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/subject-report-series-maths/coordinating-mathematical-success-the-mathematics-subject-report

NCETM on putting the Ofsted maths report into practice

A more practical bridge from the report to classroom and department action.

https://www.ncetm.org.uk/features/how-to-put-the-ofsted-maths-report-into-practice

Parent and carer links

If your child has had SATs, or is in GCSE season, the next useful step is small and specific.

Try this:

  1. Choose one thing that felt slow.
  2. Practise for five minutes.
  3. Stop before it turns into a battle.

Useful links:

National Numeracy: helping children:
https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/helping-children

BBC Bitesize Maths:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zqhs34j

NRICH:
https://nrich.maths.org/

Free Samurai Sums games from Numeracy Ninjas:
https://www.numeracyninjas.org/samurai-sums/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=2026-05-weekly-roundup&utm_content=parent-samurai-sums

CPD and maths education community

NCETM news and features:
https://www.ncetm.org.uk/news-features/

Maths Hubs:
https://www.ncetm.org.uk/maths-hubs/

AMSP:
https://amsp.org.uk/

MEI:
https://mei.org.uk/

Mathematical Association:
https://www.m-a.org.uk/

Association of Teachers of Mathematics:
https://www.atm.org.uk/

One Numeracy Ninjas note

SATs week, GCSE Paper 1 and National Numeracy Day all point to the same thing:

confidence grows when pupils can see progress.

After an assessment, the most useful question is:

What is the next target skill?

Numeracy Ninjas is built around that idea: short Skill Checks, self-marking, target skills, visible progress and regular low-stakes practice.

For Years 8-10 and GCSE readiness:
https://www.numeracyninjas.org/ninjas-plus/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=2026-05-weekly-roundup&utm_content=gcse-target-skills

For a whole-school fluency routine:
https://www.numeracyninjas.org/ninjas-essentials/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=2026-05-weekly-roundup&utm_content=teacher-essentials

For free no-login home practice:
https://www.numeracyninjas.org/samurai-sums/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=2026-05-weekly-roundup&utm_content=parent-samurai-sums

What have we missed?

Send us a useful maths link, blog, resource, research paper, CPD opportunity or parent-friendly maths idea for next week’s round-up.

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