If you have a child in Year 4 at a state primary school in England, you may have heard mention of the "Multiplication Tables Check", or MTC. It can sound alarming, especially when the word "check" arrives alongside terms like "statutory assessment". In reality, it is a short, low-stakes exercise designed to give schools a snapshot of times table recall — not a hurdle your child needs to fear. This guide explains exactly what it is, how it works, and how to support your child sensibly in the run-up to it.
The MTC is a statutory online assessment introduced by the Department for Education and taken by pupils in Year 4 (typically aged eight or nine) in state-funded primary schools in England. It checks how quickly and accurately a child can recall multiplication facts from the 2 to 12 times tables — the same range our Learning Centre covers.
The check is administered on a school computer or tablet, usually within a set window in June. It is not a written exam and there is no preparation booklet a school is required to send home, though many schools do share practice materials.
Children answer 25 multiplication questions, presented one at a time, drawn randomly from the 2 to 12 times tables (weighted more heavily towards the tables that are usually trickier, such as 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12). Each question allows six seconds to answer, with a three-second pause between questions. The whole check typically takes well under five minutes.
There is no negative marking and no time limit beyond the per-question window. A child’s score is simply the number of correct answers out of 25. The check is designed so that a child who knows their tables can complete it comfortably within the time given — the pressure comes from unfamiliarity with the format, not from the maths itself.
Results are shared with schools and, on request, with parents, but they are intended to inform teaching rather than to label a child. There is no pass mark, and the results do not appear on school league tables or Ofsted judgements in the way that Key Stage 2 SATs results do. Schools mainly use the data to see which pupils, classes or specific tables might benefit from more focused teaching.
For families, the most useful thing to take from the result is simply where the gaps are — for example, if a child scores well overall but consistently misses questions from the 7 and 8 times tables, that tells you exactly where to focus future practice.
The best preparation for the MTC is simply steady, ongoing fluency with the times tables — exactly the kind of short, regular practice recommended throughout our Parent Hub. Cramming in the final week rarely helps and can increase anxiety; a child who has practised little and often across the year will find the check straightforward.
In the weeks before the check, it is worth specifically rehearsing the on-screen format and pace, since some children are thrown by the six-second timer even when they know the facts. Our Timed Challenge mode is a good, low-pressure way to build comfort with quick recall under a gentle time limit, and the Mixed Quiz mirrors the check’s randomised question order.
Most importantly, talk about the check calmly. Explain that it simply helps the teacher understand what to practise next, and that there is nothing to lose by trying their best. Children pick up on adult anxiety quickly, so a relaxed, matter-of-fact tone from home makes a real difference.
A lower score is simply useful information, not a verdict on ability. Some children know their facts perfectly well but are unsettled by strict timing, screen-based formats, or test conditions in general; others genuinely need more practice on specific tables. Either way, the response is the same: identify the weak spots, and build them up gradually with short, frequent, pressure-free sessions.
Our individual times table pages break each table down into patterns, memory tricks, common mistakes and practice questions, which is a good next step for any table that needs extra attention after the check.
It is administered during a set window in June each year, typically over the last full school week of that month, though schools can choose the exact days within the window.
No, the check is statutory only for state-funded primary schools in England. Independent schools are not required to administer it, though some choose to.
Schools have a short window to administer the check, so a child absent on the original day can usually take it on another day within that period.
No, the MTC only tests multiplication facts, presented as "a x b" style questions, not division or word problems.
You can find more articles like this on the Times Table Hero blog.