Dear Parents/Carers,

You may be aware that from June 2020 the Government announced a new test for Year 4 children called ‘The Multiplication Tables Check’. Due to the pandemic, the test was postponed for a while, resuming in the last school year (June 2022). This means that in the Summer Term 2023, your Year 4 child will be taking this test.

The National Curriculum states that primary school children are expected to know all of their times tables up to 12x12, by the end of Year 4. As a result, we’ve been teaching children strategies to learn their tables in school and have been encouraging the use of TTRockstars to help with instant recall.

Please see the information below about the check itself:

● The Multiplication Tables Check will take place in the summer term in June 2023, over a one-week period

● The test will be  completed at school using an iPad

● A few days before the test, a practice test will be released from the DfE and the children will practice the official test at school. (The link for this is only live between 9am and 3pm)

● The test will be done in small groups out of the classroom, allowing pupils to concentrate ● The test will take no longer than 5 minutes

● The test will feature 25 questions and children will have 6 seconds to answer each question

● There are no problem solving questions, just simple “3 x 4 = ?” type questions

Last year, TTRockstars was a huge help to the children, as the Soundcheck section looks just like the Multiplication Tables Check. It was designed to help children to prepare for the test and to practise the type of questions they will be given. You could help your child by encouraging them to log on to TTRS at home (a tablet or phone is the best way to access the app but you could also use a laptop or computer). There will be dojos given to the children who practise at home. Closer to the time, we will also have TTRockstar battles, competitions and lunch time clubs.

If you have any questions about this Multiplication Check, please ask  your child’s class teacher.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Pritchard & Mr MacDonald