Ross MackellUK-qualified primary teacher · 9 min read

25 questions. 6 seconds each.

Every Year 4 child in England sits the times tables check in June. And here's what most parents don't realise: the children who struggle usually aren't the ones who don't know their tables. They're the ones who know them, but slowly.

I'm Ross, a UK-qualified primary teacher with over ten years in the classroom. In this guide I'll tell you exactly what the check is, which questions are most likely to come up, why six seconds catches so many children out, and a simple plan to get your child ready, starting now.

What the times tables check actually is

Here's everything you need to know about the check, taken from the government's official multiplication tables check assessment framework.

So the whole thing takes under five minutes. There's no pass or fail, and no resit. But the score does go to the school, schools must report it to parents by the end of the summer term, and it's a really clear signal of whether your child's times tables are secure before the big jump into Year 5 and Year 6 maths.

And one detail that matters more than any other: whatever is in the answer box when the six seconds run out is what counts. There's no going back to a question.

The 11 facts most likely to come up

The questions are picked at random, but not all tables are equal. The official framework says there's an emphasis on the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables, because they're the hardest. The 1 times table isn't in the check at all.

These are the 11 facts I'd make sure are rock solid:

• 6 × 6 = 36
• 6 × 7 = 42
• 6 × 8 = 48
• 6 × 9 = 54
• 6 × 12 = 72
• 7 × 8 = 56
• 7 × 9 = 63
• 7 × 12 = 84
• 8 × 9 = 72
• 8 × 12 = 96
• 12 × 12 = 144

And remember, 8 × 6 is the same fact as 6 × 8. Your child doesn't need to learn them twice. Learn it once, use it both ways. That's why there are far fewer facts to learn than the grid suggests, which I explain in how to learn times tables fast.

If your child can answer all 11 of these instantly, they're in a really strong position.

Why six seconds catches children out

Let me show you what happens when a child doesn't know 7 × 8 but can work it out by counting up.

When I time myself doing this, an adult writing it down, it takes several seconds. A nine-year-old counting in their head, losing their place, starting again... that's well over six seconds. And they still have to type the answer in.

So a child can get every fact right at the kitchen table and still score 15 out of 25 in the check. Not because they don't know their tables. Because counting up is too slow.

A 4-stage plan to get your child ready

Here's the plan I'd use if your child is in Year 4 right now. The order matters more than the dates. If you're reading this later in the year, squeeze the stages closer together, but keep them in the same order.

Stage 1: Can they work it out? (now until Christmas)

Every fact up to 12 × 12, worked out using a fact they already know, not counting from zero. For example: "7 × 8? 7 × 4 is 28, double it, 56."

All the tricks for this stage, including the best order to learn the tables in, are in my guide to learning times tables fast.

Stage 2: Do they know it? (January and February)

Same facts, asked out of order, with no timer. The goal now is answering without working it out.

Keep a simple tracker with four columns: Fact, Can work it out, Knows it and Under 6 seconds. When a fact comes back instantly three days running, tick "Knows it".

Stage 3: Can they do it fast? (March and April)

Now add speed. Play the six-second game: you ask a fact, count six in your head, and see if the answer comes before you get there.

Speed only comes in now, once they know the facts. If you time facts they can't work out yet, all you're practising is panic.

Stage 4: Practise the check itself (May)

Use a free online practice version set to 25 questions and 6 seconds, on the same kind of device they'll use at school. Ask your child's teacher which device that is.

A child who's never done it on a screen loses seconds just finding the number keys. Typing 144 takes longer than you think.

Whichever stage you're on: little and often wins. Five minutes a day does more than an hour on a Sunday.

3 mistakes parents make preparing for the check

Mistake 1: Only practising the easy ones

Children love the 2s, 5s and 10s because they feel successful. But those aren't where the marks are lost. Spend most of your time on the 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s and 12s.

Mistake 2: Making it a big scary test

If your child hears "test" every night from January, the six seconds feel twice as fast. Keep it light. It's a quick game, not an exam. There's no pass mark. If your child already gets anxious about maths, have a read of my child hates maths: what to do.

Mistake 3: Never practising the format

Knowing the facts on paper and typing them on a screen against a timer are different skills. Do at least a few practice runs on a device before June.

Tips for check day

Tell your child that if they don't know one, it's fine to let it go. One missed question is one mark. Panicking about it can cost you the next three.

Make sure they've had breakfast, keep the morning calm, and don't make a big deal of it. Most children are done before they've had time to get nervous.

Why this matters beyond Year 4

The check itself is short, but the skill it measures is the foundation for nearly everything that follows. In Year 5 and Year 6, your child uses times tables in long multiplication, in short division with the bus stop method, in finding common denominators when adding fractions, and all over the Year 6 SATs arithmetic paper. If you want to see how children did nationally, the government publishes the official MTC results each year.

A child who knows their tables instantly has their brain free for the new learning. A child who's still counting up spends all their effort on the facts and has nothing left for the method.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Year 4 multiplication tables check?

The multiplication tables check (MTC) is a short online check that every Year 4 child in England takes in June. It has 25 multiplication questions from the 2 to 12 times tables, with 6 seconds to answer each one. It takes under five minutes.

Is there a pass mark for the times tables check?

No. There is no pass mark and no expected standard. Your child gets a score out of 25, and the school must report it to you by the end of the summer term.

Which times tables come up most in the MTC?

Questions are chosen from the 2 to 12 times tables, but there is an emphasis on the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables because they are the hardest. The 1 times table is not included.

Is there division in the times tables check?

No. The check is multiplication only. There are no division questions and no word problems.

How long does my child get for each question?

6 seconds per question, followed by a 3 second pause before the next one. Whatever is in the answer box when the 6 seconds run out is what counts, and children cannot go back to a question.

Can my child resit the multiplication check?

No. There is no resit. The score is a snapshot of how secure your child's times tables are before Year 5 and Year 6, which is why preparing early matters.