To read an analogue clock, identify whether the long minute hand is on the "minutes past" side (right half of the dial) or the "minutes to" side (left half), then determine the hour reached by the short hand.
The minute hand points at 4 (20 minutes past the hour). The short hour hand has moved slightly beyond 9.
The UK National Curriculum Framework for Time
In English schools, teaching pupils to tell the time on an analogue clock follows a carefully staged progression across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2:
- Year 1 (ages 5–6): Telling the time to the hour ("o'clock") and half past the hour, drawing hands on clock faces to show these times.
- Year 2 (ages 6–7): Telling and writing the time to five minutes, including quarter past and quarter to the hour, and comparing time intervals.
- Year 3 (ages 7–8): Telling and writing the time from an analogue clock, including using Roman numerals from I to XII, and 12-hour and 24-hour clock equivalents.
Dividing the Dial: "Past" Versus "To"
The fundamental concept taught in British primary classrooms divides the circular clock face vertically into two equal semicircles:
From 12:01 to 12:30. Read how many minutes have elapsed since the current hour.
- • 1 = five past
- • 2 = ten past
- • 3 = quarter past
- • 4 = twenty past
- • 5 = twenty-five past
- • 6 = half past
From 12:31 to 12:59. Count how many minutes remain before the upcoming hour.
- • 7 = twenty-five to
- • 8 = twenty to
- • 9 = quarter to
- • 10 = ten to
- • 11 = five to
- • 12 = o'clock
Translating Between Analogue and 24-Hour Digital Time
In Year 3 and Year 4, British curriculum outcomes require pupils to convert analogue dial positions directly into 24-hour digital railway timetables:
For example, if an analogue clock displays "twenty to four in the afternoon," identify the upcoming hour (4 PM). Add twelve to express afternoon hours: 4 + 12 = 16. Because twenty minutes remain before 16:00, subtract twenty minutes to arrive at 15:40 on a digital display.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what year group do UK schools introduce analogue clocks?
Under the English National Curriculum for mathematics, Year 1 pupils learn to tell the time to the hour and half past the hour. In Year 2, pupils advance to telling time to five minutes, including quarter past and quarter to. In Year 3, pupils read time on an analogue clock with Roman numerals and calculate time intervals.
What is the distinction between "past" and "to" on an analogue dial?
When the long minute hand sits on the right-hand side of the dial (between 12 and 6), you count minutes past the hour. When the minute hand crosses 6 to the left-hand side (between 6 and 12), British convention switches to counting minutes remaining until the next hour (such as "twenty to four").
How do British Summer Time (BST) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) affect analogue wall clocks?
Analogue quartz and mechanical clocks do not receive automated radio time codes unless specifically equipped with MSF 60kHz receivers from Anthorn. In late March, clocks must be put forward one hour manually for BST, and in late October, set back one hour for GMT.
Related Educational Resources
Support your classroom practice with our interactive tools:
- Try the interactive quiz for children.
- Review our US standard reading guide.
- Inspect the Roman numeral dial face specified in Key Stage 3 requirements.
- View the real-time online analogue clock.