The Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check explained
The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is a short on-screen check that children in Year 4 in England take in the summer term. This page explains the format, what happens with the results, and how to prepare without turning it into a big event.
The format
- 25 multiplication questions, drawn from the 2× to 12× tables.
- 6 seconds to answer each question, with a short pause between questions.
- Answers are typed on screen; the whole check takes about five minutes.
- Questions are multiplication only — there is no division and no word problems.
- It is taken in school, in a three-week window in June.
The official guidance for schools is published by the Department for Education at gov.uk.
What happens with the results
The check is a score out of 25. There is no pass mark and children do not receive a grade or a level. Schools use the results to see which tables need more work, and the data goes to the Department for Education. Ask your child's teacher if you would like to know how your child did.
How to prepare
- Find the gaps first. A short untimed round across all tables shows which facts are missing. Most children have a handful, not dozens.
- Fix the gaps one table at a time. Untimed, five minutes a day.
- Then add the clock. Once answers are reliable, practise at check pace so the six-second limit feels normal.
- Keep it low-key. It is a five-minute check, not an exam. Children perform better when nobody has told them it matters enormously.
Practise at check pace
Our free Multiplication Tables Check practice runs 25 questions in 2.5 minutes — the same overall pace as the real check — and shows which tables were missed afterwards. No sign-up needed.
Teachers: MathsMission shows the same gaps for a whole class. Start a 30-day school trial.