Why I Wouldn’t Have a Maths Table... By Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg

(and Why You Probably Shouldn’t Either) - By Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg

Why I Wouldn’t Have A Maths Table…

By Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg

As lots of you will know, I've never been a fan of the “Maths Area.” You know the one. It’s usually a little table in the corner with some counting bears, a ten-frame, maybe a few Numicon tiles and a basket of cubes. It’s probably been labelled with something cheery like “Our Marvellous Maths Table!” and if you’re lucky, someone’s blu-tacked up a number line. It’s well-intentioned. It’s familiar. It’s what we were told to do. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t actually reflect how children learn about maths.

Maths isn’t something that lives in a corner. It doesn’t sit politely at a table waiting to be noticed. Maths is alive. It’s in every tower built, every cup poured, every turn taken, every button counted. And that’s exactly where it should be—everywhere.

Maths Isn’t a Destination

When we label an area as “maths,” we subtly tell children, “This is where maths happens.” That might not sound like a problem, but it becomes one when you think about what that implies. If maths only happens there, then is it not happening anywhere else? If I don’t go to that table, am I not doing maths? And what if I’m not confident with numbers—will I even choose to go near it?

Labelling can create invisible boundaries. Psychological research into spatial context and learning shows that children often compartmentalise their knowledge. They associate skills with certain places or routines, which can really limit their ability to transfer what they’ve learned into new situations. So, if they only ever practise counting in the “Maths Area,” they may not recognise counting opportunities in the sand tray or during snack time.

We’re not just trying to teach them how to count—we’re trying to help them become mathematical thinkers. That means developing a flexible understanding of number, pattern, measure and shape that they can apply across all aspects of life and learning. That can’t happen if maths is boxed up in the corner.

But Children Still Need to Learn Maths!

Absolutely they do. But let’s think about how children in the Early Years actually learn. They don’t learn best by sitting at a table with a worksheet or fiddly resources they don’t care about. They learn through doing. Through playing. Through talking. Through exploring things that are meaningful to them.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) tells us that young children’s mathematical understanding is most powerfully developed through play, real-life experiences, and sensitive adult interaction. Ofsted’s most recent curriculum review of early maths echoes the same message: high-quality provision involves both a well-resourced environment and skilled adult support to weave mathematical thinking into everyday moments.

So, rather than setting up a maths area and waiting for children to come to it, what if we brought the maths to them?

Maths in the Moment

You’re in the block area. Two children are building a tower. One says, “Mine’s taller!” That’s your moment (if you are not interrupting their play!). You talk about “taller” and “shorter,” about “more” and “less.” Without them even realising, they’re engaged in maths talk, applying comparison, number and measure—all in the context of their play.

Or it’s snack time. You’ve got five children and only three bananas. What are you going to do? Cut them? Share them? Ask the children what they think is fair? They’re not just solving a problem—they’re grappling with division, fractions, reasoning, collaboration. That’s real maths.

The possibilities are endless. Sorting socks in the home corner? Classification. Creating repeating patterns everywhere? Early algebra. Filling and pouring in the water tray? Capacity and estimation.

If we embed maths across our provision, we’re giving children a hundred different ways to notice it, experience it, understand it, and apply it. We’re not waiting for them to make a visit to the maths table—we’re ensuring it’s everywhere they go.

Creating a Maths-Rich Environment (Without a Sign)

Now I’m not saying maths shouldn’t be visible in your environment. Quite the opposite. I want to see maths everywhere—but not as a rigid area with a laminated sign. Instead, think about how to weave it in. It’s not about having more resources—it’s about using what you already have with mathematical intent. And above all, it’s about noticing and naming the maths that’s already happening.

Adult Interaction ‘Can’ Bring The Magic

Of course, none of this works without you. You are the co-thinker, the vocabulary model, the question-asker. The one who notices when a child’s curiosity could be deepened with just the right nudge.

Instead of asking, “How many?” all the time, try:

• “I wonder if we have enough for everyone?”

• “What do you notice about these two?”

• “How could we make them equal?”

• “Can you find another way to do it?”

These aren’t maths questions. They’re thinking questions. And that’s what we’re really after—children who think like mathematicians because they’ve had the freedom to explore maths in a way that makes sense to them.

So, What Do I Do With My Maths Area?

You don’t have to rip it out overnight. But start asking yourself a few questions:

• Is it being used?

• Who’s using it?

• Are children engaging in deep mathematical thinking there—or are they just stacking counters and walking away?

• Is it offering something they can’t get elsewhere?

• Could the resources be better used in other areas?

Sometimes the maths area becomes a bit of a resource parking lot—a place where all the “maths-y stuff” gets stored, even if no one’s using it meaningfully. That’s not helping anyone.

Instead, start dispersing those resources. Stick the tens frames in the snack area. Move the scales outside. Let children encounter mathematical tools in contexts that matter.

You’re not getting rid of maths—you’re giving it room to breathe.

So…

We don’t need a table to teach maths. We need opportunities. We need curiosity. We need play. Most of all, we need to trust that children are already mathematical thinkers—our job is to help them see it.

So next time you find yourself wondering whether your maths table is working, I’d invite you to be brave and try something different. Take the sign down. Let the maths loose. Watch what happens when children discover that numbers, shapes and patterns are all around them—not just in a corner, but in every aspect of their world.

References:

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). (2020). Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1: Guidance Report. London: EEF. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/early-maths

• Ofsted. (2024). Best Start in Life Part 3: The Curriculum – Mathematics. London: Ofsted. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-in-life-a-research-review-for-early-years/mathematics

• Education Scotland. (2020). Realising the Ambition: Being Me. Edinburgh: Scottish Government. https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/realising-the-ambition-practical-illustrations/

• Gifford, S. (2018). Teaching Mathematics 3–5: Developing Learning in the Foundation Stage. Abingdon: Routledge.