Sale Tag Showdown: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 6

Sale Tag Showdown is a free printable percentages worksheet for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). Children fill in a shop receipt row by row, working out the money off and the sale price from each tag. Then they use the finished receipt to answer questions about totals, percentages and change. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up the answers, help ideas and a stretch task.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children complete a receipt table with the columns Item, Was, Sale tag, Money off and You pay. They turn each tag into a form they can use, find the saving and then the sale price. Then they use the receipt to total a column, compare which items have the biggest and smallest percentage off, work out change from £120 and find the price of a £20 toy with 3/5 off.

• Item
• Was
• Sale tag
• Money off
• You pay
• What is the total of the You pay column?
• Which item has the biggest percentage off?
• Which item has the smallest percentage off?
• You pay for the receipt with £120. How much change do you get?
• A £20 toy has a tag of 3/5 off. What do you pay?

A worked example

Why use sale tags for percentages?

Skills and curriculum link

• Fractions, decimals and percentages
• Finding a part of an amount
• Money calculations
• Comparing values
• Checking answers

Helpful maths ideas for this sheet

• Percent means out of 100A percentage is a fraction with a denominator of 100. 50% means 50 out of every 100, which is the same as one half.
• Tenths make a good starting pointFinding 10% of an amount means dividing by 10. Other percentages that are multiples of ten can be built from that.
• Fraction of an amountTo find a fraction of an amount, divide by the bottom number to find one part. Then multiply by the top number to find the parts you need.
• Estimate then checkA sale price must be lower than the original price. If an answer is higher, something has gone wrong. A quick estimate can catch it.

Key words

• Sale priceThe lower price you pay after the money off has been taken away.
• Original priceThe price before any reduction. On the sheet this is the Was column.
• PercentageA number out of 100. The symbol is %.
• DecimalA number that uses a decimal point to show parts of a whole, such as 0.5.
• EquivalentWorth the same amount but written in a different way.
• ChangeThe money you get back when you pay more than the cost.

How to use it

1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the answers and notes.
2. Read the table headings together. Check your child knows what Was, Sale tag, Money off and You pay each mean.
3. Let your child convert each tag in their head or in the margin, then fill in the receipt row by row.
4. Move on to the questions below the table. Ask your child to explain how they chose their method.
5. Check with page 2 and talk about any differences. Come back another day, because repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

Mistakes to watch for

Talk about it

• Which is easier to work with, a fraction, a decimal or a percentage? Why?
• How can you tell a sale price is sensible before you work it out?
• What is the difference between money off and the price you pay?
• Is a bigger saving in pounds always a bigger percentage off? Explain.
• Where have you seen sale tags in real shops?
• How could you check your total another way?

Take it off the page

Who it is for

Where this fits in maths learning

Before this sheet, children learn to find simple fractions of amounts and to know that fractions, decimals and percentages can describe the same value. They also build confidence with money and with adding and subtracting amounts in pounds and pence.

After it, children can move on to harder percentages of amounts, comparing and ordering a mix of fractions, decimals and percentages, and solving multi step money problems. These skills carry on into Key Stage 3 work on proportion and percentage change.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Sale Tag Showdown for?

It is written for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11), in Key Stage 2. Children who are confident with simple fractions of amounts will manage best, and the help ideas on page 2 support those who need a gentler start.

What will children practise?

Children practise comparing fractions, decimals and percentages and using them to find money off and sale prices. They also add and subtract money and find a part of an amount.

How do I use it?

Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. They convert each tag, fill in the receipt row by row, then answer the questions. Keep page 2 for checking, and talk about their methods.

What if it feels too hard?

Let your child write each tag as a percentage first. A number line or 100 square helps with thirds and fifths. Work through one row together, then let them try the next on their own.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision, and black and white printing works well.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 offers support and stretch ideas.

Is this a screen free activity?

Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Working by hand gets children talking, thinking and writing out their methods.