Grade 1

GRADE 1 · MATHEMATICS (2020)

Revised Sep 2020

REFORM DATE

Effective September 2020; replaces the 2005 Grades 1–8 mathematics curriculum. No separate new Grade 1 mathematics syllabus introduced in September 2026.

KEY EXPECTATIONS

Numbers to 50; equal sharing and fractions; addition/subtraction; patterns and equality; short coding sequences; graphs, shapes, Canadian coins.

Difficulty & before/after

From the 2005 program to 2020: coding, early financial literacy and mathematical modelling are more explicit; foundational arithmetic still comes first.

ASSESSMENT

Teacher-based assessment and provincial report cards; no mandated province-wide 20%/25% math written final.

PARENT PRIORITY

Practice number bonds, basic addition/subtraction and explaining each step.

Official Grade 1 expectations Parent overview with examples

Learning difficulty, practice and proficiency

Progression: Build place value, addition and subtraction understanding through concrete models before abstract procedures.
Practice intensity: Use regular, purposeful practice: explain concepts, solve independently, check answers and revisit mistakes. More worksheets alone do not guarantee mastery.
Proficiency and early support: Evaluate accuracy, fluency and transfer to unfamiliar questions. Identify gaps promptly and adjust practice to the student’s needs.

Assessment and exam policies

Exams, marks & test writers

JK / SK

No conventional mandatory mathematics final exam or numerical mathematics course mark. Educators document learning through the Kindergarten Communication of Learning.

GRADES 1–8

No province-wide prescribed percentage for a school mathematics final exam. Classroom teachers evaluate achievement. Grades 3 and 6 take provincial EQAO math assessments; these are not a 20% or 25% math final-exam rule.

GRADE 9 — MTH1W

65% classroom work + 20% EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment as the written final exam + 15% attendance and participation (2026–27).

GRADE 10 MATH

65% classroom work + 20% written final exam + 15% attendance and participation (2026–27).

GRADES 11–12 MATH

65% classroom work + 25% written final exam + 10% attendance and participation (2026–27).

WHO WRITES THE QUESTIONS?

EQAO is a provincial testing agency: it develops/operates Grade 3, 6 and 9 provincial assessments. For regular Grade 10–12 math exams, the province sets the rules and weight, but does not prescribe one identical province-wide final exam paper; school/board educators prepare or administer local exams.

Before 2026–27: the longstanding general secondary assessment framework was approximately 70% work completed during the course and 30% final evaluation, which could include an exam, culminating task or other suitable activity. Since 2026–27, Grade 9/10 math uses 65/20/15, and Grade 11/12 math uses 65/25/10. A larger required written exam does not mean a higher mathematical syllabus level.

Attendance safeguard: excused absences are not penalized. Written final exams ordinarily occur in designated exam periods; Grade 9 EQAO mathematics is the stated exception. For Grade 9, the EQAO share was 10–30% in 2025–26 and becomes 20% in 2026–27.

Other new graduation rule: for students who entered Grade 9 in 2025–26 or later, a financial-literacy requirement takes effect in 2026–27. It is normally completed in Grade 10 Career Studies (GLC2O): at least 70% is required, and its result counts for 5% of that course. It is not an additional Grade 10 mathematics final exam.

Official full 2026 breakdown EQAO & report cards Financial-literacy graduation rule

Official reference directory

Official curriculum & policy sources

The links below point to government curriculum pages and policy documents. Grade-level course details are in each grade card. A link to a historical PDF is retained to show the still-used 2005/2007 course documents; Grade 9 material in the older Grades 9–10 PDF is superseded by MTH1W (2021).

Scope and interpretation: This is an independent bilingual summary as of October 12, 2026, for Ontario’s English-language curriculum. It is not a ministry publication or a substitute for reading a complete specific-expectations page, school-board guidance or accommodations. Dates are effective school-year dates unless a more exact date is stated.

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