A short starter on mental addition and subtraction for Year 3 maths. Quick-fire questions like 356 + 7 and 462 - 30 lead into number chains, then one written question where pupils explain a quick strategy for 495 + 8. The answer key includes example explanations. Covers the three England National Curriculum mental calculation objectives for three-digit numbers.
Number — addition and subtraction
“Add and subtract numbers mentally, including: a three-digit number and ones”
Quick-fire questions like 356 + 7 target this directly.
Number — addition and subtraction
“Add and subtract numbers mentally, including: a three-digit number and tens”
Questions such as 462 - 30 cover the tens step.
Number — addition and subtraction
“Add and subtract numbers mentally, including: a three-digit number and hundreds”
The number chains add and subtract whole hundreds.
Mental questions adding and subtracting ones, tens and hundreds, such as 356 + 7.
Follow a chain like start at 320, add 400, subtract 50, add 8.
Pupils write how they would work out 495 + 8 in their head.
Solutions plus examples of acceptable strategy explanations.
Lesson starter
Run the quick-fire section as a five-minute warm-up.
Daily fluency
Repeat the number chains format with new numbers through the week.
Assessment check
The strategy explanation shows who understands rather than counts on fingers.
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