Maths: Bridging 10

Saturday 12 September 2026

What a fantastic start to the year we’ve had in Class 3/4C! It’s been lovely getting to know the children and seeing them settle into their new routines.

This week in Maths, we’ve been recapping bridging 10 when adding numbers.

Bridging 10 is a useful strategy that helps us to add numbers efficiently. We can use our knowledge of number bonds to 10 to make the calculation easier.

For example:

8 + 5

We know that 8 needs 2 more to make 10, so we can partition (split) the 5 into 2 and 3.

8 + 2 = 10
10 + 3 = 13

Therefore, 8 + 5 = 13.

We could partition in another way, too – ask your child how you might start with the 5 and partition the 8.

The children have been using practical resources, drawings and number lines to help them understand this strategy before applying it to calculations independently. We’ve also been thinking carefully about explaining how we know our answers, rather than simply finding the answer.

It’s been fantastic to see the children becoming more confident with their addition strategies and supporting one another with their learning.

Help at home: Why not practise some bridging 10 calculations together? You could try calculations such as 7 + 6, 9 + 4 or 8 + 7. Can your child explain how they could bridge through 10 to find the answer?

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