Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check: How It Works and How to Practise

By Daniel Carter · Updated 6 November 2026

How the check works

• Taken on a computer or tablet at school; about five minutes in total.
• 3 practice questions first, then 25 assessed questions, each written as a sum like 6 × 9.
• Pupils type or tap the answer. Each question has a 6-second limit, then a 3-second pause before the next one.
• Questions are not in order of difficulty — an easy one can follow a hard one.
• Only multiplication is tested. No division.

Sources: STA information for parents and administration guidance (2026 window: 1–12 June, catch-up 15–19 June; try-it-out from 27 April).

Which tables actually come up

The check isn't an even spread. The assessment framework sets how many questions each table can contribute:

So roughly half the check comes from the five hardest tables. If your child is solid on 2s, 5s and 10s, time spent on the 7s or 8s will move the score more than another round of doubles.

Why 6 seconds matters

Six seconds is enough to recall a fact and enter it. It isn't really enough to count up in sevens and then type. A child who can work 7 × 8 out given a minute may still score zero on that item in the check. That's the point: the MTC is looking for facts that are already automatic.

Worked example: the screen shows 7 × 8. Routes that fit inside 6 seconds:

• Instant recall: 56.
• Near square: 7 × 7 = 49, plus 7 = 56.
• Doubling chain: 7 × 4 = 28, double = 56.

Counting 7, 14, 21… usually doesn't finish in time. More rebuild strategies in our times tables tips.

Access arrangements (SEND, EAL and other needs)

Schools can enable arrangements without asking the STA for permission. Support should match normal classroom practice and must not advantage the pupil. Familiarise using the school's "try it out" check first. From the administration guidance:

Additional time for each question is not allowed. STA states that clearly: extra seconds would remove the fluent-recall purpose of the check.

If you're worried, talk to the class teacher or SENCO with a concrete description ("they freeze when the timer appears", "they need a larger font in class"). Ask which arrangements will be tried in the April "try it out" check. Some pupils should not take the check at all — for example if they cannot access it even with arrangements, or are working below Year 2 expectations in multiplication. The headteacher decides; school should explain the decision to parents.

A simple six-week practice plan

1. Week 1: find the gaps. One 60-second round of each times table on our game, or a Practice round per table. Note the lowest scores and any facts that needed the hint.
2. Weeks 2–4: the two or three weakest tables. Practice mode first, then 60 seconds. Quiz stubborn facts out of order: "What's 8 × 7? And 7 × 8?"
3. Week 5: Mixed tables. Accuracy should be high before you chase speed.
4. Week 6: Mixed at 30 seconds, keyboard typing, plus two MTC-style rounds (see below).

Five to ten minutes on most days is enough. Long sessions the weekend before the check rarely help and often raise anxiety.

The last month before June

Use this as a calm countdown, not a boot camp. Exact June dates change each year — confirm on GOV.UK.

Using our MTC-style practice

On the home page game, choose round type MTC style. It asks 25 mixed multiplication questions (tables 2–12), weighted toward the harder tables, with 6 seconds each and a 3-second pause. At the end we list any facts you missed.

What it is: fluency practice with similar timing and balance. What it is not: the official STA check. The real screen, PINs, and access arrangements only exist inside the school MTC service. Don't treat a home score as a predicted mark.

Typing answers on a keyboard is closer to many school setups than tapping buttons. The STA notes that keyboard or touchscreen may suit Year 4 pupils better than a mouse for this kind of timed task — school should decide based on normal classroom practice.

If your child isn't there yet

Plenty of children still have gaps in June. The DfE's Year 4 maths guidance says that for pupils without automatic recall of every fact, prioritise facts up to 9 × 9, because Year 5 written multiplication and division lean on them. The 11s and 12s can follow.

STA also says parents do not need to do anything extra to prepare. If practice at home is making your child distressed, pause it and tell the teacher. A smaller focus ("these four facts, this method") beats an hour of tears.

Results and what they mean

• There is no pass mark and no expected standard.
• The teacher shares the score out of 25 with parents.
• Schools use results to spot who needs more support. DfE publishes national and local authority statistics, not school league tables for the MTC.
• A lower score is information, not a verdict on your child as a mathematician.

Mistakes we see most often

• Only chanting in order. The check asks facts mixed up.
• Practising easy tables most. The 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 tables carry more of the check.
• Racing and guessing. A fast wrong answer scores nothing. Watch accuracy.
• Forgetting the turnaround. If 4 × 12 is known, so is 12 × 4.
• Assuming extra time is available. It isn't — ask about the arrangements that are allowed instead.

Keep it calm

The MTC isn't a pass-or-fail test. Some children still get anxious about anything timed. The Education Endowment Foundation's guidance notes that maths anxiety can overload working memory, so a worried child may freeze on facts they know. If you see that, use Practice mode, drop the pressure, and praise accuracy for a while.

The 2026–27 arrangements were unchanged at the time of writing, but the STA says future arrangements are under review after the Curriculum and Assessment Review. We'll update this page when official guidance changes.

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• How to Learn Times Tables Fast: 10 Tips That Actually Work