An introduction to the Multiplication Tables Check

The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) for pupils in year 4 was announced by the Department for Education (DfE) in September 2017 as a new assessment intended to determine whether pupils can fluently recall their multiplication tables. Voluntary trialling of the MTC was made available to schools in June 2019 ahead of the test becoming statutory from June 2020. From June 2020, all year 4 pupils from maintained schools, special schools or academies (including free schools) in England will be required to take the check.

What is the format of the MTC?

The multiplication tables check (MTC) is an online assessment which schools are required to administer to pupils either on a computer or a tablet during a 3-week assessment window. The checking does not have to be administered to all pupils on the same day. The check includes 25 questions and takes each pupil 5 minutes to complete, with 6 seconds for each question. Pupils will be required to answer only multiplication statements with division not tested.

What is the expected standard?

A total score out of 25 will be reported to each school for all of their pupils who took the check. There is no expected standard threshold for the MTC, beyond the number and percentage of pupils who achieve full marks, as fluency is the focus of the assessment.

What happens with the results?

Individual pupil and school-level results are made available to schools to allow them to provide additional support to pupils who require it. School-level results are available to Ofsted via the Analyse School Performance (ASP) data system; they will not be published in performance tables.

More information about the Multiplication Tables Check, including administration guidance, can be found on the DfE website.