--- title: "Reception- Maths- 2D shapes" url: "https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2025-12-16-reception-maths-2d-shapes" school: "Darwen St James’ C of E Primary Academy" --- # Reception- Maths- 2D shapes ![](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/news/Collage_2025-12-16_21_06_58.jpg) 16 December 2025 In Reception the children have been constructing a christmas tree design using a hands-on opportunity to recognise and name simple 2D shapes. They applied the taught language of the shapes properties to a purposeful task. As the children selected shapes for their tree, they actively used mathematical vocabulary to justify their choices. They intuitively understood that a triangle—which has "three straight sides" and "three corners"—was the most appropriate shape for the main foliage, while a rectangle—having "four straight sides" and "four corners," with two pairs of uneven sides—was correctly chosen for the tree trunk. The children showed their understanding of 2D shapes being flat and defined by the number of sides and corners they possess, turning a fun craft project into a solid mathematics lesson. ![](https://darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy.schudio.com/images/news/Collage_2025-12-16_21_06_58.jpg) [Reception](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/tag/reception) [Early Years Foundation Stage](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/tag/early-years-foundation-stage) [Maths](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/tag/maths) [![](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/imagecache/100x100c/news/6930a060-ee99-4293-b1bf-ae7354ea6dfb.jpg)](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2025-12-15-nursery-music-christmas-songs) Previous ### [Nursery - Music - Christmas Songs](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2025-12-15-nursery-music-christmas-songs) [![](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/imagecache/100x100c/news/Collage_2025-12-17_11_31_04.jpg)](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2025-12-17-year-6-design-technology-shadow-puppets) Next ### [YEar 6: Design Technology - Shadow Puppets](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news/2025-12-17-year-6-design-technology-shadow-puppets) ### Academy Life - [News](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/news) - [Events](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/events) - [Clubs](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/basc) - [School Council](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/school-council) - [Attendance](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/attendance) - [Charities and Fundrasing](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/academy-life/charities-and-fundraising) - ![School Games Gold](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/Gold_Logo_25-26(1).png) - ![Healthy school](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/healthy_school.png) - ![Picture News](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/6_Years_of_Picture_News.png) - ![AP smilestar](https://files.schudio.com/darwen-st-james-c-of-e-primary-academy/images/partners/Screenshot_2026-07-27_10.26.27.png) ##### Location St James Crescent Darwen Lancashire BB3 0EY ##### Contact Us 01254 703260 ##### Stay Connected - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Darwenstjames) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/darwenstjames/) © Copyright 2021–2026 Darwen St James’ C of E Primary Academy School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://darwenstjames.co.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)