L1 4-Digit Column Addition, no exchanges

This Year 4 Autumn Term Addition and Subtraction lesson plan provides a complete, ready-to-teach resource focused on developing pupils’ confidence with formal columnar addition of four-digit numbers. The lesson begins with a recap of key place value learning from Year 3 and early Year 4, using mini-whiteboard activities to diagnose understanding and address common misconceptions. Clear teaching slides guide children through using place value charts, correctly lining up digits, and adding one column at a time. The resource includes structured modelling, guided practice, and independent tasks in which pupils select cut-up question cards and record calculations neatly in their maths books. Support suggestions—such as using base-10 or place value counters—ensure the lesson is fully differentiated. Built-in assessment opportunities help teachers check that children can align digits accurately, add columns in the correct order, and recall single-digit facts efficiently. The plenary revisits key questions, encourages pupils to reflect on their methods, and uses an example calculation with a common alignment error to reinforce deeper understanding. This lesson plan also highlights typical misconceptions, provides key questions for discussion, and links directly to the National Curriculum requirement to add and subtract numbers with up to four digits using formal written methods. It is ideal for teachers delivering a structured, mastery-aligned approach to written addition.