Mathematics
Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs)
KIRFs are the ‘Key Instant Recall Facts’ that children need to secure during their primary years. They include facts such as number bonds and times tables. They are particularly useful when calculating, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing but also underpin many other areas of mathematics. When children have quick access to a bank of facts, which incur little cost to working memory, they have more capacity to think about more complex problems that draw on these facts. Without regular rehearsal, these facts are forgotten so it is essential they are practised regularly and embedded in children’s long-term memory so they can be recalled quickly and accurately.
Every half term, your child will be set home learning which focuses on a particular set of KIRFs. This will be shared via Class Dojo but will also be available on our school website under the Mathematics section and on each of the class pages. You will see that each KIRF home learning sheet explains what the focus is for the half term and gives examples of the key facts that need to be learnt, as well as key vocabulary and questions to ask your child and top tips for learning them. Learning KIRFs shouldn’t be time-consuming. In fact, KIRFs can be practised anywhere: in the car, walking to school, at the dinner table. The most important thing is facilitating regular practice. Little and often will support your child in retaining these facts for the long term!
We thank you for supporting your child in developing as a confident mathematician. We strongly believe that with factual fluency, your child will become much more confident when working with number and be able to access the curriculum year-on-year with more confidence and enjoyment.
Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) Overview
Please view the whole school progression document below for the KIRFs covered each half term.
Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs)
Please click the button for your child's year group to take you to the corresponding KIRFs.
