The Year 4 multiplication tables check: a times tables guide for parents

Last updated: 17 October 2026

The multiplication tables check (MTC) is a short online check that children in Year 4 in England take in June. It has 25 times tables questions up to 12 × 12, with 6 seconds for each answer. The best way to get ready is a few minutes of practice every day, so every fact comes quickly and surely, not a long session the week before.

What is the multiplication tables check?

The MTC is a statutory check for Year 4 pupils in England. Schools run it on a computer or tablet during a three-week window in June. It checks whether a child can recall the times tables fluently, which the national curriculum expects by the end of Year 4.

There is no pass mark. Each child gets a score out of 25, and the school uses it to see who needs more help.

How does the check work?

• 25 questions, for example “7 × 8 = ?”.
• 6 seconds to type each answer, then a 3-second pause before the next question.
• The child types the answer with a keyboard or with the number pad on the screen.
• 3 practice questions come first; they do not count.
• The whole check takes less than 5 minutes.

Which times tables come up?

The times tables from 2 to 12. Questions from the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables come up more often, because these are the hardest for most children. So it pays to spend the most practice time on facts like 6 × 8, 7 × 8, 8 × 9 and 12 × 7.

The 1 times table is not in the check; it only comes up in the practice questions.

How fast does my child need to be?

Six seconds is enough for a child who knows the fact by heart. It is not enough to count up from zero or to work a hard fact out slowly. So the goal is recall: the answer comes in about 2–3 seconds, without counting.

Tricks are the bridge to get there. A trick for each table helps while a fact is new; practice on later days makes the answer automatic.

How can my child practise at home?

1. 5 minutes a day. A short daily session works better than 30 minutes once a week.
2. Easy tables first. ×1, ×2, ×10 and ×5 first; then ×3, ×4, ×6, ×9, ×8, ×7, ×11 and ×12.
3. Use the turn-around. 7 × 8 is the same as 8 × 7, so the 144 facts up to 12 × 12 are really 78 facts.
4. Few new facts at a time. 2–5 new facts a day, each with a picture or a trick.
5. Bring mistakes back. A missed fact comes back a few minutes later, and again on the next days.
6. Type the answers. The check is typed, so practise on a keyboard or a number pad, not only out loud.
7. Start early. Year 3 or the autumn of Year 4 gives time for every fact without stress.

Times Galaxy does all of this as a game. Your child flies through 12 planets, one for each times table. New facts come with a dot picture and a trick, mistakes come back a few questions later, and old facts come back on later days. On a computer or Chromebook, children type the answer and press Enter, just like in the check. More in our 5-minutes-a-day guide.

What if my child is worried about the timer?

Keep practice calm: right answers first, speed later. Tell your child that the check has no pass mark. In Times Galaxy you can switch on a relaxed mode with no speed goal, and the planet challenge never has a timer.

Questions

Sources

• Standards and Testing Agency. Multiplication tables check assessment framework. GOV.UK. gov.uk
• Standards and Testing Agency. Multiplication tables check (guidance for schools). GOV.UK. gov.uk

Times Galaxy is not made by or linked to the Standards and Testing Agency or the Department for Education. Your child's school has the dates and details for this year.

More guides

• Times tables tricksOne easy trick for every table from 1 to 12.
• Learn the times tables in 5 minutes a dayA simple daily plan for all multiplication facts.
• For teachersFree times tables practice at home: one link, no logins.
• For parentsSet up, the grown-ups area, keeping progress safe.