Telling the time
O'clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to. Year 2 expects 5-minute intervals.
Year 1 reads o'clock and half past. Year 2 adds quarter past, quarter to, and 5-minute intervals (related to the 5 times table). Digital time is supplementary.
Worked examples
3 o'clock — minute hand on 12, hour hand on 3.
Half past 4 (4:30) — minute hand on 6, hour hand halfway between 4 and 5.
Quarter to 9 (8:45) — minute hand on 9, hour hand close to 9.
Frequently asked questions
Why is ‘quarter to’ tricky?
It looks like 9 (the minute hand on 9) but the hour is one less than the next o'clock. Children often say ‘9 to 9’ instead of ‘quarter to 9’.
Should they learn 24-hour time?
Year 4 introduces 24-hour. KS1 stays on 12-hour analogue.
Digital or analogue first?
UK schools prioritise analogue first because of the geometry of fractions (quarter, half) being visible on a clock face.