The maths checklist for trainee teachers (whole numbers, fractions, percentages, pupil data)

England’s ITT providers must assure that every trainee has fundamental maths at a standard equivalent to GCSE grade 4. Whether that assurance happens through your existing qualifications or through a provider’s own equivalence assessment, the underlying content is the same: practical numeracy and the ability to interpret data in an educational context.

Use this checklist to audit your own knowledge before you apply — or before you sit a provider’s equivalence test. If you can do everything on this list confidently and accurately, you’re in a strong position. If some areas feel shaky, that’s useful information — it tells you exactly where to focus.

1. Whole numbers and basic arithmetic

Add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers without a calculator
Understand and apply the order of operations (BIDMAS/BODMAS)
Round numbers to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000 and to a given number of significant figures
Work with negative numbers — adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing
Identify factors, multiples, prime numbers and square numbers
Find highest common factors (HCF) and lowest common multiples (LCM)

2. Fractions

Simplify fractions to their lowest terms
Convert between improper fractions and mixed numbers
Add and subtract fractions with different denominators
Multiply fractions together
Divide one fraction by another
Find a fraction of a quantity (e.g. 3/4 of 240)
Order fractions from smallest to largest

3. Decimals

Add, subtract, multiply and divide decimal numbers
Understand place value to two and three decimal places
Round decimals to a given number of decimal places
Convert between fractions, decimals and percentages

4. Percentages

Calculate a percentage of a quantity (e.g. 35% of 240)
Express one quantity as a percentage of another
Calculate percentage increase and decrease
Find the original value after a percentage change (reverse percentages)
Understand percentage points vs percentage change
Read and interpret percentage data in tables and graphs

5. Ratio and proportion

Write and simplify ratios
Divide a quantity in a given ratio
Scale quantities up and down proportionally
Solve problems involving direct proportion
Compare ratios and proportions (e.g. comparing class sizes across year groups)

6. Algebra basics

Substitute values into a simple formula and evaluate the result
Solve a simple linear equation (e.g. find x when 3x + 4 = 19)
Recognise and extend simple number sequences
Understand what a variable represents in a formula

7. Measures and units

Calculate area and perimeter of rectangles and simple compound shapes
Convert between common metric units (km/m/cm/mm, kg/g, litres/ml)
Solve time-related problems (e.g. duration, start and end times, timetables)
Work with money — calculating costs, change, unit prices

8. Interpreting pupil data and statistics

This is the area that surprises many applicants — but it’s central to what teachers do. You’ll regularly read assessment data, track pupil progress, and interpret school performance reports. Providers want to know you can handle numbers in this kind of context.

Calculate the mean, median, mode and range of a data set
Identify outliers and understand their effect on averages
Read and interpret bar charts, pie charts, line graphs and scatter graphs
Extract specific figures from tables with multiple rows and columns
Understand what a cumulative frequency or two-way table represents
Compare two groups of data using averages and range
Identify trends, patterns and anomalies in data
Understand context: what does it mean if 68% of a class met the expected standard? What if the average reading age increased by 0.4 years?

9. Problem-solving across contexts

Identify the calculation required from a worded problem (without the numbers being handed to you)
Choose an efficient method and carry it out accurately
Check your answer makes sense in context
Apply more than one mathematical concept to solve a single problem

How to use this checklist

Go through each section and be honest with yourself. Mark items as:

Confident — I can do this reliably and quickly
Uncertain — I know roughly how to do it but make errors
Need to review — I’ve forgotten this or never learned it fully

Your “uncertain” and “need to review” items are your revision list. That’s where your preparation time should go. Don’t spend time rehearsing things you already know well — focus on the gaps.

Find your gaps in 10 minutes

Our free UK diagnostic tests across these exact topic areas and gives you an instant score with a breakdown by category — so you can see precisely which sections need attention before your provider’s equivalence assessment.

Take the free maths diagnostic →

— The people of SN Academy