Year 0 maths · explained

PHASE 1 · YEARS 0–3NEW ENTRANTALL YEARS

Where Year 0 fits

Year 0 covers a child's first six months at school — the new-entrant stage, and the start of Phase 1 (Years 0–3). It's where maths begins: noticing how many, counting things one by one, and discovering that numbers have names, an order, and jobs to do. Remember the golden rule of the refreshed curriculum: it's progression-based — children move on when they're ready, not on a birthday. Treat year levels as a guide only.

What children learn in Year 0 Number

Year 0 is about making friends with small numbers. Children learn to subitise — recognise 3, 4 or 5 things at a glance without counting — to count a collection of up to 10 objects by touching each one once, and to read, write and order numbers to 20. They meet the number line, compare groups (more, fewer, the same), and start the very first adding and taking away: combining and separating small groups, and memorising the addition and subtraction facts to 5 (like 2 + 3 and 5 − 1). They also copy and continue simple repeating patterns — cat, dog, cat, dog, what comes next?

Five ways to help at home 🏡

1. Count everything, everywhere

Steps to the letterbox, jandals at the door, kina at the beach. Touch each object as you count — one number per object is the skill.

2. Do quick dot flashes

Hold up 2–5 fingers (or draw dots) for one second and ask 'how many?'. Recognising small amounts at a glance is a real curriculum skill — and feels like magic.

3. Talk about more and fewer

'Who has more crackers? How many more?' Comparing groups builds the ideas that adding and subtracting hang off.

4. Sing the number order

Count forwards to 20 in the car, then backwards from 10 like a rocket launch. Knowing what comes before and after a number is a Year 0 goal.

5. Make the facts to 5 a reflex

'You have 2 blocks, I give you 3 — how many now?' Keep it tiny and quick. Instant facts to 5 are the foundation for everything in Year 1.

Practise Year 0 with a mystery

Every Year 0 mystery on Kiwi123 practises one focus skill from this year, inside a whodunit — so the maths practice feels like detective work, not drill. Browse the Year 0 mysteries → Or see everything in Phase 1 (Years 0–3).