GovWire

The first ever set of national data, alongside new investment from Government in high quality maths teaching.

The data showsanaverage scoreof 20 out of 25,withfull marks the most common score,and follows a new Multiplications Table Check sat by year 4 children across the country over the summer.

The check includes 25 times tables questions, up to 12 x 12, with pupils having a maximum of six seconds to answer each one. It helps schools determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently - an essential skill for future success in the subject and day-to-day life. The Multiplication Tables Check is the first statutory assessment students complete online, either on a PC or tablet.

The Department for Education is also announcing funding of up to 59.3 million to continue driving up the quality of maths teaching in schools across the country, in line the Governments commitment to making sure every child leaves school with a strong grasp of the basics.

The funding will support the continuation of the Maths Hubs Programme through to the end of the next academic year. The flagship programme which started in 2014 aims to reach 11,000 primary and secondary schools by 2023 and 40 hubs across England are now helping schools to improve their teaching quality.

Todays announcements build on the significant boost to school funding announced in the Autumn Statement last week, with an additional 2bn going into schools budgets both next year and the following year.

Schools Minister, Nick Gibb said:

Learning your times tables fluently is so important for children both for their time inschool and in day-to-day life, and todays data gives us an important benchmark to buildfrom over the years to come.

Mathematics is vital for doing essential calculations like how a higher base rate will affectyour mortgage or working out the best multi-pack bargains in a supermarket.

The additional funding for maths hubs announced today is also crucial, as we continueraising the standard of maths teaching across the country and driving towards our targetfor 90% of children leaving primary school with the expected standard in Mathematics andEnglish by 2030.

Pupils knowing their times tables will make more complex mathematics 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 mean average score was 19.8 out of 25.
• 25 out of 25 was the most common score (27% of pupils achieved this score) and 24 out of 25 was the second most common score (12% of pupils achieved this score).
• London was the highest performing region, with an average score of 20.9.
• South West was the lowest performing region, with an average score of 19.1.
• Over 625,000 students took the check in the summer.

The results from the data published today will provide teachers with standardised information to help to identify pupils who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.