Times Tables Check Year 4: A Parent's Guide to the MTC

Published November 4, 2026

The times tables check, officially the multiplication tables check (MTC), is a short online test that Year 4 children in England take in June. Each child answers 25 questions from the 2 to 12 times tables, with 6 seconds for each answer. There is no pass mark, and the whole check takes about 5 minutes.

Below you’ll find what happens on the day, what the score means, and a simple plan for times tables check practice at home, including our free online test in the same format.

What is the times tables check?

The check was designed by the Standards and Testing Agency, part of the Department for Education. Its purpose is to see whether Year 4 pupils can recall their multiplication tables fluently, and to help schools spot children who need extra support. The official framework says it is not meant to be a diagnostic tool.

It links to the national curriculum for England, which expects children to know their multiplication tables up to 12 × 12 by the end of Year 4.

The check is statutory for Year 4 pupils at state-funded maintained schools, special schools and academies in England. Schools could try it voluntarily first, and it became statutory in the 2021/22 school year, with the first full national run in June 2022.
Who takes it Year 4 pupils in England
When June, at a time the school chooses within the official window
Questions 25, one mark each
Time per question 6 seconds
Pause between questions 3 seconds
Tables 2 to 12 (the 1 times table is not included)
Pass mark None
Length About 5 minutes

What happens on the day

Your child sits at a computer or tablet at school. Each question appears on the screen in the same simple format, for example 7 × 8 =.

  • The 6 seconds start as soon as the question appears.
  • Your child types the answer, using a keyboard or an on-screen number pad.
  • After each question there is a 3-second pause before the next one.
  • Before the real questions, there are 3 practice questions.

Children with particular needs may get access arrangements. The teacher decides what is appropriate. If you have concerns, talk to the school.

Which questions come up?

Each child gets a set of 25 questions picked from the 121 facts in the 2 to 12 tables. The framework puts a limit on how many questions can come from each table, with an emphasis on the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables, because these were judged the most difficult.

Why only 6 seconds?

The check is about knowing facts by heart, not working them out. The official framework explains that 6 seconds gives children enough time to recall and type an answer while limiting their ability to work it out.

So a child who knows that 7 × 8 = 56 but needs to count up in sevens will often run out of time. That doesn’t mean they can’t multiply. It means the fact isn’t automatic yet.

Is there a pass mark?

No. There is no pass mark and no expected standard. Each child gets a score out of 25. Higher scores show more fluent recall.

The school sees every pupil’s result and can use it to plan extra support. Your child’s teacher should share the score with you. Some schools include it in the end-of-year report; if you haven’t heard, just ask.

How do other children score?

The Department for Education publishes national results each November. Here are recent national figures for England:

Year Average score Full marks (25/25)
2022 19.8 27%
2024 20.6 34%
2025 21.0 37%

In 2025, 25 out of 25 was the most common score. Keep in mind that an average is just an average. A child scoring 17 is not “failing”; they simply have a few more facts to practice.

Times tables check practice at home

You don’t need to do anything special to prepare, and the government’s guidance for parents says so. Normal times tables practice is enough. Still, a little regular practice can make the day feel familiar and calm.

A simple weekly plan

  1. Find out which facts are shaky. Ask your child to answer a mixed set without time pressure. Write down every fact they miss or have to work out slowly.
  2. Work on a few facts at a time. Pick three or four missed facts. Say them aloud together, write them, and use them in a quick question at dinner (“If one box has 8 eggs, how many in 7 boxes?”).
  3. Add the clock last. Once your child knows a fact, timed rounds help it become quick. Our free times tables test has an MTC mode with 25 questions, 6 seconds each and a 3-second pause, plus a practice mode with no timer.
  4. Repeat little and often. Five to ten minutes on most days usually works better than one long session on Sunday.

Tip: Keep a short list of “tricky facts” on the fridge. Cross one off when your child answers it quickly three days in a row.

Times tables check games

Games make practice feel less like homework:

  • Times tables snap. Make cards with questions (6 × 7) and cards with answers (42). Turn them over in pairs; shout “snap” when a question meets its answer.
  • Beat the clock. Read out ten facts. Your child answers as many as possible in one minute, then tries to beat that score tomorrow.
  • Dice multiplication. Roll two dice (or a 12-sided die if you have one) and multiply. Highest product wins the round.
  • Real-life math. Doubling a recipe, counting money or working out how many wheels are on 9 bikes all use the same facts.

Patterns that help with the hard tables

  • 9s: 9 × 6 is one 6 less than 10 × 6, so 60 − 6 = 54.
  • 12s: 12 × 7 is 10 × 7 plus 2 × 7, so 70 + 14 = 84.
  • 8s: double, double, double. For 8 × 6: 6, 12, 24, 48.
  • 6s: if your child knows the 3s, double them. 3 × 7 = 21, so 6 × 7 = 42.
  • Reverse facts: 8 × 3 is the same as 3 × 8. Knowing one gives you the other for free.

Times tables check “try it out”

Schools can use an official “try it out” area before the check, so many children practice the real format in class before June. Ask your child’s teacher whether the class has used it. At home, any practice that copies the 6-second timing will feel similar.

What the times tables check doesn’t measure

The check measures quick recall of 121 facts. It doesn’t measure problem solving, understanding of division, or whether your child likes math. A child can score 25/25 and still find word problems hard, or score 18 and be a strong mathematical thinker.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Nerves and typing speed matter. A child who types slowly on a tablet or freezes under a timer may score lower than their knowledge.
  • Practice improves what is practiced. Regular practice usually makes the practiced facts quicker. We can’t promise a particular score.
  • Keep it low-pressure. There is no pass mark, so there is no reason for your child to feel they might “fail.”

If timed rounds upset your child, practice without the timer for a while. Speed tends to come once the facts feel familiar.

If your child doesn’t live in England

Only schools in England take the multiplication tables check. If you’re in the US, the goal is similar but earlier: the Common Core standards used in many states expect children to know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers by the end of 3rd grade. Our times tables test works for that goal too: use practice mode with the tables from 2 to 9.

A structured option

Quick recall depends on attention and memory as well as math. Our Brain Training for Kids 6–12 page describes an 11-week program by educator Shamil Ahmadullin that covers attention, memory, thinking and mental arithmetic. It is already taught in Russian, and the English edition is in development. You can join the waitlist on the program page.

Sources

Brain Training for Kids 6–12: English edition coming soon

An 11-week program that works on attention, memory and thinking through daily lessons, with three progress check-ups along the way.

Try our free tools for kids →