What is the multiplication tables check?
4 min read · updated 2026-09-01
The multiplication tables check (MTC) is a short online times-tables test taken by Year 4 children in England every June. It checks fluency: 25 questions, 6 seconds each.
How it works
Children answer 25 multiplication questions online, each with a 6-second timer, drawn from all tables up to 12 × 12 with a focus on the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables. There is no official pass mark, but schools aim for most children scoring 20+ (the expected standard commonly referenced).
Why fluency matters beyond the check
Times-tables fluency is the foundation of KS2 fractions, written multiplication, division and later algebra and ratio. Children without automatic recall spend their working memory on calculating instead of problem-solving, and the gap compounds every year.
How to practise at home
Five minutes daily beats an hour weekly: apps, flashcards, chanting in the car, and games that mix the tables rather than drilling them in order. The 6-second timer is the hurdle, so practise answering against a countdown.
FAQs
Which tables are tested?＋
All tables up to 12 × 12, with extra focus on the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables (the harder ones).
My child knows the tables but runs out of time. What helps?＋
Recall speed, not knowledge: daily timed practice (apps or a stopwatch) builds the automaticity the check measures.
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