The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is a key stage 2 assessment to be taken by pupils at the end of year 4 (in June). The MTC's purpose is to ensure the times tables knowledge is at the expected level. In the 2022/2023 academic year, the multiplication tables check (MTC) is statutory for primary schools.

Maths is a big subject and we appreciate there’s more to it than times tables and there’s more to times tables than learning them off by heart. However, a lot of the rich, interesting maths is all about the multiplicative relationships and these are hard to fully grasp without fluent recall of the tables. For that reason, learning the tables is fundamental – they are a key facilitator to the maths that sits on top. We’ve always believed that.

What you need to know?

• the children will take the test on a desktop computer, laptop or tablet (such as an iPad) at school.
• it will be timed, with the entire assessment lasting approximately 5 minutes in total. The children will be set a handful of practice questions to begin with – mostly from the one times table.
• the test itself will comprise of 25 questions, all formatted, for example, as 2 x 5 = with the child required to input the product or result, which in the example we’ve provided would mean inputting the answer 10.
• Children will be given six seconds to answer each of the questions, with a three second blank gap between each question.
• questions will be randomly selected by the testing programme from 121 different options, ranging from 2 x 2 = up to 12 x 12.
• school’s results will not be published in any public way, nor will they be used in informing any type of league or performance table.
• purely to allow teachers a chance to identify children who need some more help with their times tables to stop them from falling behind 

What can you do to help your child in practising their times tables?

When it comes to times tables, speed AND accuracy are important – the more facts your child remembers, the easier it is for them to do harder calculations.

At Witham Oaks Academy, we use Times Table Rock Stars  as it is a fun and challenging programme designed to help students master the times tables!

Play TTRockstars online using the login card your child should have received. They should play for a short while until they are successfully answering the questions quickly. Every week, certificates are awarded to for the leaderboards’ winners in each year group to celebrate their success!

You can also:

• Ask multiplication calculations out of order, like: “What is 4 x 7? What is 9 x 5? What is 6 x 11?”;
• Use pasta pieces or pebbles to show groups of numbers representing times tables, e.g. four groups of three pasta shells to show 3 x 4 = 12;
• Ask related short division questions, like “What is 12 divided by 4? What is 55 divided by 11?”;
• Ask word problems based on times tables