At the start of Year 5 children should be able to:

• recall all the times table facts up to 12 x 12 within 5 seconds
• divide numbers with up to 3 digits by 1 digit, using a written method

• estimate the answer to a calculation and use inverse operations to check answers

During year 5 children will develop:

• Multiply and divide numbers mentally drawing upon known facts.
• Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a one-digit number using the formal written method of short division and interpret remainders appropriately for the context.
• Multiply and divide whole numbers and those involving decimals by 10, 100 &1000.
• Solve problems involving multiplication and division, including scaling by simple fractions and problems involving simple rates.

It is important that children know the Times Table facts to apply those quick recall of facts to basic division.

If 4 x 6 = 24

Then 24 ÷ 6 = 4

And  24 ÷ 4 = 6

Once children can recall these facts they can start to apply to larger numbers.

Firstly we encourage them to try and look for groups of 10 to get close to the answer.

Eg 138 ÷ 6

I know that 10 x 6 = 60

              So 20 x 6 = 120    (That leaves 18 away from the question)

                     3 x 6 = 18

So 138 ÷ 6 = 23

Eventually children are directed to use a written method. In this case Bust Stop Method.

See Direction poster below.

When children become more confident in this method they are then introduced to remainders and eventually expanding those remainders in to the question so their answer has a decimal answer.

Note: This is one of the hardest methods children learn. It requires multi step process that at the start they forget what to carry, where to put the answer or struggle to recall their multiplication facts. (Hence why recall of these are so important!)