Introducing the 100 Club!

All children in year 4 will be expected to take part in this new and exciting times table challenge. Using a stepped approach, the children will work their way towards becoming members of our new and highly anticipated 100 club! Children need to aim to correctly answer all of either 20, 30, 50, 80- or 100-times table questions in 5 minutes. Successful children will be accepted as members of each of these clubs whilst they continue to strive to improve their speedy recall skills in their quest to be the best they can be. New members of each club will be celebrated for their efforts and their individual journeys will be tracked in class. Children will have plenty of opportunities to sign up and ‘try out’ for each club with regular test slots available before and during the school day. Class teachers will also hold regular ‘big grid’ challenges, where children see how quickly they can complete a 12 x 12 times table grid. Look out for the dates and times of this on our school newsletter.  

Why are times tables so important?

Secure and confident knowledge of times tables is vital to children’s success in Maths. They are the building blocks of Maths and with multiplications mastered the doors to many other areas of Maths are unlocked!

Here are some ways which memorising times tables can benefit your child:

• Most importantly, knowing their times tables will give your child confidence in their mathematical ability. In year 4, we aim for all children to be able to mentally recall their times tables with increasing confidence, moving away from concrete or pictorial methods and minimising the need to count on using their fingers.
• Times tables can help your child to grasp other mathematical concepts, such as fractions, division, ratio and percentages to name a few. Children who do not know their times tables will find it more difficult to access complex procedures.
• If a child is confident with their times table skills, this can reduce the cognitive load when learning a new method. An example of this is when learning the long multiplication method; if a child is already confident with their times tables then they can solely focus on the new skills with the method, e.g. where to carry numbers or when a place value holder is needed, estimating and checking that their answer is correct. This will not only help to ensure that their calculations are accurate, but speed up the process of learning a new method and also boost their confidence when they see they have been successful.
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  How do we teach times tables in year 4?

  Some children thrive on learning their times tables, others may find the experience more challenging and stressful, especially if put on the spot. 

  In year 4, we use a range of different teaching strategies to make learning times tables engaging and fun. Central to this is the online learning platform Times Tables Rock Stars or TTRS. This carefully sequenced programme has been proven to boost the recall speed of times table facts when used regularly at home and at school. It also allows teachers to track the progress and engagement of class groups and individuals.

  As teachers, we see the pride and confidence that a child gains when they master a new times table so we are keen to work with you to unlock this skill in your child.