Multiplication Tables Check for Year Four

You may have heard announcements about the Multiplication Tables Check (MCT) for Year Four children...

Here’s what you need to know...

1. We love maths! It’s an amazing subject to learn and to teach.
2. 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, so much of the rich, interesting maths is all about the multiplicative relationships and these are hard to fully grasp without a fluent recall of the tables. For that reason, learning the tables is fundamental – they are a key tool to work with the maths that sits on top. 
3. We’re not worried about the checks as the children in Year Four are asked by the National Curriculum to complete learning their times tables by the end of the year. We’re already in a good place with learning the tables as expectations are in line with the National Curriculum, so it’s business as usual for us.
4. We work extremely hard to make sure that children are prepared and have enough experience of trying out the test before the actual day. Children also try out a similar test in TTRS so that the format isn't daunting.
5. The check will be carried out in June (the government opens the 'try it out before' at the end of March.
6. The results of the test are not published publicly;they’re not going to end up on a league table and they’re not to worry about. They’re not to be used to compare children; they’re for us to reflect on so that we make the most of our provision. We’re actually looking forward to seeing how well we do.
7. The checks consist of twenty-five questions which will only be multiplication (even though we ask the children to learn their division facts too) and they will go up to twelve times twelve. 
8. The checks are all about remembering the multiplication facts. That doesn’t mean we’ll forget all about the concepts, patterns, structures and relationships in multiplication. We’re going to be learning those too, partly because they go hand in hand with excellent recall. The children have a few seconds to be able to answer each question - not enough time to work out the answer. 
9. Tests in themselves often don’t cause anxiety...it’s the perceived cost of not doing well. For that reason, we will actively downplay the checks with the pupils and work hard to prepare the children, with support from home, reassuring them that their best is good enough.  
10. You may notice us taking even more initiative when it comes to learning the tables with more options for home learning. If you are practising with your child, remember you’re practising for the benefit of their wider maths education, not for them to get a high score on the tests. Therefore, please enjoy the opportunity to work with your child and remember to hold back on pressure about the checks.
11. Please be supportive of our approach in parent-parent communication channels. It’s important that we get behind the checks for the benefit of all our children
12. Watch out for an invite to the parent information evening for further information, including helpful strategies to use at home, the use of Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS). The meeting will also outline access arrangements (such as a coloured background filter) for children with specific learning needs). 

Please use the links or downloads below to find out more. Do not hesitate to ask your child's teacher for further information or to discuss your child's individual needs. For further details, you can also visit www.gov.uk/STA.