NumberClub began because I thought the way many children practised times tables wasn’t actually improving their maths. I didn’t know how right I was!

In 2022, every child in England took the new Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), a government test to measure whether they could quickly answer questions like 6 x 7. Two years later, the same children took their SATs to assess their overall ability at maths.

Research now shows children who do badly in the MTC can later get great marks in SATs. Children who get top marks in the MTC can then go on to perform terribly in SATs. As the statisticians say - there is no correlation between MTC scores and SATs outcomes. The research is from two independent sources and spans over 80,000 students. It’s compelling.

The MTC unintentionally fuelled a culture of repetitive practice for speed, rather than learning through connections and deeper understanding. Many primary education experts predicted this would do diddly-squat for children's maths, and now we know.

Join us for a webinar on 18th November when Dr Sam Parkes will go over the research and ways to practice for the MTC that are more likely to benefit your pupils. Sign up for the webinar