More children score full marks in times tables check
Twenty-nine per cent of children scored full marks in their Multiplication Table Check in 2023, up from 27% in 2022.
In its second year, the times table national data has shown that more children scored full marks in the check than last year with 29% of eligible pupils in 2023 up from 27% in 2022. Overall attainment rose among all eligible children with an average score of 20 out of 25 marks for those who took the check.
Disadvantaged children also scored higher this year getting on average 18 out of 25 marks, up by +0.4 points on 2022. Both boys and girls scored higher than last year.
Schools Minister, Damian Hinds said: “Every stage of school is an opportunity to set children up to succeed and ensure they are learning the skills they need for life.
“Mastering times tables by age 9 will make sure children can tackle more complex maths later on in life as well as help them with everyday adult activities.
“That is why it’s so exciting that these checks show more children are learning their times tables in primary schools alongside our phonics screening check which has seen an increase in results since last year. Together our reforms are driving up standards in our schools hand in hand with the hard work of teachers.”
The multiplication tables check was made compulsory in primary schools from 2022 to help ensure children aged 8 to 9 know their times tables up to 12 off by heart. Pupils knowing their times tables will make more complex mathematics in the future like algebra and long division simpler to process and give children the platform they need to move on to more advanced mental arithmetic.
The multiplication table checks results show of pupils who took the check, the average attainment score was 20.2. Results also show that London was the highest performing region, with an average score of 21.1, and the South West was the lowest performing region, with an average score of 19.7.
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