Having learnt about measuring length in Year One and Two, children in Year Three are introduced to perimeter. They learn that this is the total length around a shape and are able to find and calculate the perimeter of figures.

In Year Four, children find the perimeter of shapes using different units. Area is introduced as the surface that an object covers. Children find the area by counting squares.

In Year Five, children continue to calculate the perimeter of different shapes. They build on their knowledge of area by using measurements to calculate it and use square metres as a unit of measure.

Year Six use their knowledge of area to find the area of triangles and parallelograms. They also explore the relationship between perimeter and area, noting that shapes with the same perimeter might have different areas and vice versa.