Early Level
Counting and matching quantities, comparing amounts, shapes and patterns, coin recognition and simple routines.
CfE Primary maths assessment
Primary Check-Up
A starting-point maths assessment within CfE Maths Hub for Scottish Primary learning. Explore strengths, areas for further practice and suggested next steps across sampled Curriculum for Excellence skills.
30-day free trial, then £4.99/month
A starting point for Primary maths learning
The Primary Check-Up helps teachers build a picture of a pupil’s strengths and skills that may need more practice. It connects a sample of maths and numeracy questions with suggested next steps inside CfE Maths Hub.
Use this Curriculum for Excellence maths check to inform a starting point, targeted practice or a conversation about learning. It supports your professional judgement alongside classwork and observation.
Which levels and skills does it check?
The assessment draws questions from four areas. These are representative skills in the question banks, rather than a checklist covered in full on every attempt.
First Level
Number bonds, addition and subtraction, equal groups and sharing, halves and quarters, money totals, simple time and data.
Second Level
Place value, multiplication and division, fractions of quantities, decimals and percentages, area and perimeter, money, time, measure and data.
Third Level readiness
Bridge skills including percentages in context, ratio and proportion, best value, scale and measure, averages, missing-number algebra and multi-step problem solving.
Third Level readiness focuses on bridge skills towards secondary-style practice. The check does not establish that a pupil has achieved a whole CfE level or every benchmark.
How pupils complete the check
- Open the Primary Check-Up through the access available to your account or assigned work.
- Work through one question at a time, choosing an answer and moving to the next question. Visuals accompany the sampled activities.
- Complete the check to see a supportive result, strengths, next-practice areas and suggested practice links.
The pupil view keeps the focus on learning and the next step. The fuller teacher summary is available in the teacher view; pupil accounts do not gain access to teacher reports.
What teachers get from the results
Strengths and further practice
See skills answered successfully and areas identified for next practice, based on the questions sampled.
A suggested starting point
Use the recommended starting point and linked practice routes to help choose suitable follow-up work.
A teacher summary
Review level evidence, confidence in the recommendation, a practice guide, a suggested group and support style.
A copyable evidence note
Copy the existing summary note for your planning, considering it alongside classroom work and other evidence.
Fictional example · Selected result fields
What a starting-point result can look like
This illustrative example contains no real pupil information. It shows a selection of fields already used in the teacher view, not a formal attainment judgement.
- Suggested starting point
- First Level support
- Strengths
- Counting, matching quantities, shapes
- Development areas
- Number bonds, simple money totals, simple time
- Suggested group
- First Level confidence group
- Support style
- Build fluency with number lines, ten frames, UK coins and short repeated practice.
- Teacher summary
- This short informal check-up suggests the pupil may be working within First Level practice tasks and developing confidence. This is a guide, not a formal assessment result or CfE level judgement. Use alongside teacher observation, classwork, discussion and wider evidence.
Use the evidence to plan the next step
Review the suggested strengths and development areas alongside what you have noticed in class. Choose a manageable teaching focus, select suitable practice and use pupil discussion and subsequent work to review understanding.
This Primary numeracy assessment is an informal guide. It is not a statutory assessment, official CfE level certification or diagnosis of a learning difficulty.
Primary Check-Up FAQs
What is the Primary Check-Up?
It is a starting-point maths assessment within CfE Maths Hub. It samples maths and numeracy skills to suggest strengths, areas for further practice and a useful place to begin learning.
Which CfE levels does it cover?
Questions are drawn from Early, First and Second Level skills, plus Third Level readiness. Each check samples skills from these areas; it does not assess every Curriculum for Excellence benchmark or certify completion of a level.
Is this a formal CfE assessment?
No. This is an informal starting-point check, not a statutory assessment, official CfE level certification or pass/fail test. Use the result alongside teacher observation, classwork, discussion and wider evidence.
What results does the teacher see?
The teacher view includes strengths, areas for next practice, a suggested starting point and a summary. It also shows a level breakdown, confidence in the recommendation, a suggested support group and support style, with a copyable evidence note. These are prompts for professional judgement and planning.
Can it help identify gaps in numeracy?
It can highlight sampled skills that may need further teaching or practice, such as number bonds, fractions or money calculations. A short check cannot establish every learning gap or explain why a pupil finds an area difficult, and it does not diagnose a learning difficulty.
What happens after the assessment?
Pupils see a supportive result, strengths, next-practice areas and suggested practice links. Teachers can review the evidence and choose suitable follow-up work. Practice access still follows the existing free, Premium and class or school arrangements.
Who is it suitable for?
Teachers supporting Primary maths learning in Scotland can use it when deciding where to start or what to practise next. The Third Level readiness questions also provide evidence about bridge skills towards secondary-style practice. Teachers should judge whether the sampled tasks are appropriate for the learner.
Is access included in Premium?
Yes. The Primary Check-Up is included with Premium Teacher access and eligible supported class or school access. Assessment Credits provide another route to the check-up and its report without unlocking wider Premium practice. The check-up is not a free public assessment; Early Level journeys and Early Level practice remain free.
Access to the Primary Check-Up
Use Premium Teacher, Assessment Credits or eligible supported class or school access. Assessment Credits cover the check-up and its report; they do not unlock wider Premium practice. Early Level journeys and Early Level practice remain free.
Compare assessment access and Premium plansMonthly offers an eligible 30-day trial with existing assessment limits. Annual has no trial: full paid Premium begins after payment confirmation. Credits cover completed pupil assessments and their reports. No subscription required. Compare all plans.
Credits, Premium or School accessSupported access
Diagnostic access is limited to supported routes
Use Assessment Credits for occasional assessments, or choose Premium Teacher monthly or annual. Supported class and school access also applies.
The Primary check-up is available through Assessment Credits, Premium Teacher, class or school access.
Starting-point recommendations and diagnostic reports are available through supported access.
Early Level journeys and Early Level practice remain free. First, Second and Third Level practice requires Premium Teacher or supported class/school access; Assessment Credits cover the check-up only.
Pupil diagnostic access can be provided through an active class or school where supported.
Premium Teacher access is available from the pricing page. School access is available by enquiry.
Interested in diagnostic access for your class, tutoring or school? Contact cfemathshub@gmail.com.