Mental Addition & Subtraction
An interactive lesson on screen. Your child works through worked examples, practises on their own, then tests themselves with questions that get harder as they go.
About this lesson
By the end of this lesson your child can look at any mental addition or subtraction question, bridging through a ten, adding a near multiple of ten, or counting up to subtract, and know instantly which method it needs. Mental methods are the difference between a child who finishes an 11+ arithmetic section and one who runs out of time on it.
Topics covered:
- Adding and subtracting within 10, and the number bonds every later method is built on
- Adding and subtracting within 20, bridging through ten instead of counting on fingers
- Adding to 100, choosing between adding the tens first and jumping to the next ten
- Subtracting to 100, deciding whether to count back or count up
- Adding to 1000, including near multiples like adding 99 or 199
- Subtracting to 1000, including counting up across a hundred boundary
- Choosing the method, reading the numbers first and picking the quickest route
Your child works through this lesson on any screen. They play with the tool at the start of a unit, click to reveal each step of a worked example, try the practice questions on paper, then click to check their own answer.
How it's structured:
- Each unit opens with a worked example your child clicks through one line at a time, then 10 practice questions colour-coded easy, medium and hard
- 104 questions in total, each with a click-to-reveal answer and a reveal-all option, plus a New Questions button that generates a fresh set whenever you want more
- A final 20-question mixed challenge pulling from all 7 units, including spot-the-mistake, always-sometimes-never and two-step word problems
Two tools a printed worksheet cannot give you. A bond machine that splits any whole into two parts and shows the adding fact and the taking away fact side by side, with the whole switchable from 10 up to 1000. And a bridging number line that takes the jump one hop at a time, so your child sees why 47 + 26 is easier as a hop to 50 and then a hop of 23, and why the same question can be done a second way.
Use this if:
- Your child is in Year 2 to Year 6 and still counts on their fingers for questions like 8 + 7
- You are preparing for the 11+, where arithmetic speed decides how much time is left for the harder questions
- Your child reaches for a written column method for questions that should be done in their head
- You want a resource your child can check their own work with, not one more thing on your to-do list
Built by an experienced maths teacher with over 3,000 hours of one-to-one tutoring experience and a Master's in Education.
Format: Interactive digital lesson, link sent by email straight after purchase.
Suitable for: Year 2 to Year 6, KS1, KS2, 11+, SATs.
Who this is for
Built for students who want to practise independently, at their own pace, with clear examples and instant feedback rather than a static worksheet.
What's included
Worked examples
See the method explained step by step before trying it yourself.
Guided practice
Work through questions with answers hidden until you're ready to check.
Exam-style questions
Split easy to hard, so your child is always working at the right level.
How it works
Buy the lesson
Complete checkout securely through Shopify.
Get your link by email
Your lesson link lands in your inbox straight after payment.
Work through it on screen
Open the link on any device and start straight away.
FAQs
How do I access the lesson?
You'll get an email with your lesson link as soon as payment goes through. Click it to open the lesson in any browser, no login and no app to install.
How does the marking work?
There's no typing answers into a box. Your child works it out on paper, then clicks to reveal the correct answer and checks their own work. Full working is shown too, not just the final answer, so mistakes are easy to spot.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
It works best on a tablet or laptop, where there's more room to read the examples and questions. It'll open on a phone too, but the text and diagrams can feel quite small on a smaller screen.
Can I use the lesson more than once?
Yes. There's no limit on how many times you open the link, so it's there for revision right up to the exam.
What if I lose the link or don't get the email?
Email info@shlc-tutor.co.uk and we'll resend it straight away.
Ready to start?
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