Display the 60-to-70 number line with 67 marked as pupils settle. Take three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Draw out the word nearer rather than bigger or smaller — this is the whole idea of rounding.

43 between 40 and 50, nearer 40, rounds down to 40. Name the two tens first, then let them see it.

78 between 70 and 80, nearer 80, rounds up to 80. Ask which two tens before revealing.

65 between 60 and 70, exactly halfway. Pause: nearer 60 or 70? Let them realise it is neither, then agree the rule that halfway rounds up, so 65 goes to 70.

3,247 between 3,240 and 3,250, rounds to 3,250. Rounding to the nearest 10 still works inside a big number; only the last 2 digits move, the 3,2__ stays put.

Talk this round through together — pupils take turns at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.

For each number make the class name the two tens before the marker is dragged. On 85 (halfway), pause and ask the class to state the rule aloud before you round it. Revoice a strong answer: it is exactly halfway — not nearer either ten — so our rule says round up to 90.

Pupils take turns at the board, check each answer, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.

• 34 rounds down to 30.
• 85 is halfway — rounds up to 90.
• 1,256 rounds to 1,260.
• 3,995 is halfway, rounds up to 4,000; ask the class to predict the roll-over before checking.