On the 5 February 2020 the school held a meeting for parents of children in Year 4 to explain about the new Times Tables Check that starts this year. The content from the meeting is reproduced here for reference.
What is the purpose of the check?
To determine whether year 4 pupils can fluently recall their multiplication tables.
To help schools to identify pupils who require additional support.
There is no ‘pass’ rate or threshold.
The DfE will create a report on overall results across all schools in England to measure improvements.
When will the check be carried out?
There will be 3-week window in June for the administration of the check.
There is no set day to administer the check.
Children are not expected to take the check at the same time.
All eligible year 4 pupils England will be required to take the check.
How will the check be carried out?
The check will be fully digital and take place on screen.
Children will be able to use laptops, desktops and tablets.
Answers will be entered using a keyboard or by pressing digits using a mouse or touchscreen using an on-screen number pad.
Under standard administration* the multiplication check will take less than 5 minutes per pupil.
Children will get 6 seconds from the time the question appears to input their answer.
There will be 25 questions with a 3 second pause in-between questions.
Specific arrangements for the check.
Children with additional needs, who have similar provision in their day-to-day learning at school, may be allotted specific arrangements, including:
Colour contrast;
Font size adjustment;
‘Next’ button (alternative to 3-second pause);
Removing on-screen number pad;
An adult to input answers;
Question reader;
Audible time alert.
The Questions
Each pupil will be randomly assigned a set of questions.
There will be repeated questions across different checks each year, but no more than 30% of questions will be repeated in any two checks.
Children will only face multiplication statements in the check (not related division facts).
Pupils will not see their individual results when they complete the check.
During the check
There will always be questions from the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 multiplication tables in each check.
There will be no questions from the 1 times table (i.e 1 x 8 or 8 x 1).
The 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables are more likely to be asked.
There will only be a maximum of 7 questions from the 2, 5 and 10 times tables.
Reversal of questions will not feature in the same check.
Multiplication Table limits
The STA state that they are classifying the multiplication tables by the first number in the question. For example, 8 x 3 would fall within the 8 times table.
Questions more likely to appear
The following 11 multiplication questions are more likely to be asked:
6 x 6, 6 x 7, 6 x 8, 6 x 9, 6 x 12
7 x 8, 7 x 9, 7 x 12
8 x 9, 8 x 12
12 x 12
Before the check
Children can practise before taking the check
There will be a ‘try it out’ area the children can use to become familiar with the timings and layout of the check.
How does the school teach times tables?
Teaching times tables facts first:
Counting and looking for patterns
Repeated addition
Multiplication is commutative
Multiplication is the inverse of division
Number families
Use of different representations
Concrete manipulatives such as counters or multilink cubes
Pictorial representations such as arrays
How can I support my child with the times tables check?
Firstly, a positive attitude goes a long way – so as much encouragement and support as possible (but we don’t need to tell you that)!
Some further tips:
Make times tables fun;
Climb stairs counting in multiples
Play verbal times tables games
Listen to and learn times tables songs
Take it in turns to say different times tables in funny voices (i.e. say 2 x 3 = 6 in a lion’s voice)
Play online maths games
Talk directly to your child’s class teacher if you have any worries (try not to worry your child);
Encourage your child to talk to you, their teacher, or another adult they trust, if they express persisting anxieties about the check. Remember that a small amount of anxiety is normal and not harmful.
Use Times Tables Rock Stars – the log in is at the front of your child’s reading diary.
Remember these facts
The check will focus on what they know about times tables
It won’t reflect their understanding of wider mathematical topics.
The check is only 5 minutes long
For most children, the check will last for a maximum of 5 minutes. When they have finished, they will not need to repeat the check, regardless of their final score.