How to Prepare Your Child for a Times Tables Test

Whether it's a weekly spelling-style times tables test at school or the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check, the recipe for preparing is the same: target the gaps, practise little and often, and keep the pressure low. Here's a simple four-week plan.

Week 1: Which facts does your child actually need to practise?

Don't start by drilling everything. Most children already know most facts; the test will be decided by a small number of shaky ones. Spend the first week finding them:

• Do a few sessions of smart practice. It records every fact and shows the weak ones on the My Progress heat map.
• Or do a mixed printed worksheet and circle the ones that were wrong or slow.

You'll usually end up with a list of 10 to 25 facts, mostly from the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 tables.

Weeks 2 and 3: How should you practise the weak facts?

• Five to ten minutes a day. Daily practice beats longer sessions. See why 5 minutes a day works.
• Mixed order. Tests aren't in order, so practice shouldn't be.
• A trick for each tricky fact. 7 × 8 = 56 ("5, 6, 7, 8"), 8s by doubling. See our times tables tricks.
• Some fun. Swap a session for times table bingo or a game at home.

Week 4: When should you add timing?

Once your child is getting the weak facts right, start adding a little time pressure so that answering quickly feels normal:

• Turn on Timer Mode in My Player (6 seconds per question, like the Year 4 check), or use times table practice with the timer.
• Try a speed drill and aim to beat their own best, not anyone else's.
• Do one or two full practice tests in the same format as the real one, on paper or on screen.

What should you do the day before and on the day?

Keep it light: a short, easy session that ends on a success, a good night's sleep and a normal breakfast. Remind your child that if they don't know a fact, they should just move on. One missed question doesn't matter, but freezing costs several.

What if your child gets anxious about tests?

Anxiety genuinely blocks recall, so it's worth taking seriously. Make practice tests routine and relaxed, talk about what went well, and avoid comparing with siblings or friends. Our guide to maths anxiety in children has more ideas.

What about after the test?

Facts that aren't used fade, so keep a little mixed practice going. A couple of short sessions a week is enough to keep everything fresh for the bigger maths ahead, like long division.