Long Division Explained for Parents (Step by Step)

Long division tends to be the maths topic parents feel least confident about helping with — many haven't used the method since their own school days. Here's a clear refresher, using the "bus stop" method most UK schools currently teach.

The bus stop method, step by step

Example: 156 ÷ 4

1. Write the calculation with the dividing number (4) outside a "bus stop" bracket, and 156 inside it.
2. Starting from the left digit: how many times does 4 go into 1? Zero times, so carry the 1 to the next digit, making 15.
3. How many times does 4 go into 15? Three times (4x3=12), with 3 remaining. Write 3 above, carry the remaining 3 to the next digit, making 36.
4. How many times does 4 go into 36? Nine times exactly, no remainder. Write 9 above.
5. Answer: 39.

What to do with a remainder

If the final division doesn't come out exactly, the leftover amount is expressed as "r" (remainder) — for example, 157 ÷ 4 = 39 r1. At upper KS2, children also learn to express this remainder as a fraction or decimal instead, depending on the context of the question.

Why this method specifically

The bus stop method builds directly on times tables knowledge and place value understanding already taught — which is exactly why solid times tables recall (ideally well before Year 5/6, when long division is introduced) makes this topic considerably easier when it arrives.

Where children commonly struggle

• Weak times tables recall, which makes each step slow and error-prone even when the method itself is understood
• Losing track of which digit to bring down next
• Confusion about what to actually do with a remainder at the end

The most useful thing to check first

If long division feels like a real struggle, it's worth checking times tables fluency before assuming the division method itself is the problem — a child who has to work out 4 x 9 slowly during each step of a long division problem will find the whole process exhausting, regardless of how well they understand the method itself.