KS1 Subtraction Worksheets (Ages 5–7)

What KS1 subtraction worksheets cover

Between five and six the action moves onto paper. A child crosses out pictures, counts the survivors, and for the first time writes the result as a number sentence with a minus sign. Sheets at this age should stay within ten, show the objects for every problem, and introduce a number line so counting back becomes a strategy rather than a guess. Instant recall of subtraction facts is not expected; counting, out loud, still is.

• Cross out pictures and write the matching number sentence within 10
• Hop backward on a 0–10 number line to solve 9 − 4
• Fill subtraction bonds of 5 and 10 with one number missing
• Count down from 10 to 1 aloud before starting the sheet
• Solve a picture word problem: seven ducks, three swim away

How to use these worksheets at home or in class

Because this stage spans two years, match the sheet to what the classroom is doing rather than to age alone: decoding and number bonds for a Year 1 child, comprehension and times tables for a Year 2 child, in sessions of fifteen to twenty minutes.

Start with the sheet that matches what your child can already do, then move one step up. Keep finished sheets in a folder: KS1 teachers often ask for evidence of practice, and children like seeing their own progress.

Is your child ready for KS1 subtraction work?

A child ready for the later half of this stage reads a short passage with reasonable fluency, writes several connected sentences, adds and subtracts within twenty and recalls the 2, 5 and 10 times tables with growing confidence.

• Write all four facts in a family from 8, 6 and 14
• Find the missing number in 15 − ? = 9
• Subtract through ten in two steps, taking 4 then 2 from 14

Frequently asked questions