Times Tables

Cotwall End Primary School – Times Tables Policy

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The quick recall of multiplication and division facts (times tables) is essential for all children. The ability to recall these facts quickly enables children to answer related questions with ease.

 

It is therefore important that we approach the teaching and testing of times tables in a similar and progressive format across the school.

 

According to the National Curriculum the expectation is that ALL pupils by the end of Year 4 should know ALL times tables up to 12x12.  It is also a fact that mandatory checks in the form of an online test will be administered to Year 4 pupils by 2020 The purpose of the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is to determine whether Year 4 pupils can fluently recall their multiplication tables. The check will help schools to identify pupils who are fluent in their times tables and those who require additional support,

 

We have always taken the learning of times tables seriously at Cotwall End through our ‘25’ Club, ‘50’ Club, ‘100’ Club etc but we are aware that this system needs updating and ‘rebooting’ in order to help our pupils know ALL their tables by Year 4.

 

Firstly, because there will be a test in the spring term in Year 4, we want to prepare our pupils fully to allow them to succeed and feel confident with this.  But more importantly, for the long term, pupils need the mathematical tools to become fluent and achieve mastery of maths concepts as they grow older and, having times table knowledge, that instant recall of multiplication and division facts, will really help them cope with the demands of the maths curriculum.

 

The Cotwall End System:

OUR AIM IS FOR ALL PUPILS TO BE FLUENT IN TIMES TABLES UP TO 12X12 BY YEAR 4.

We believe that learning times tables is a partnership between home and school.  Pupils will be taught times tables and complete tables activities in Maths lessons as part of developing fluency in Maths.  But we need support from home to back this up.

 

School:  Becoming Rock stars!

 

At Cotwall End, the whole school will be striving, through activities and challenges, to become Rock Stars and their progress will be displayed on guitars in each classroom.  Pupils will be challenged to complete mental arithmetic and times tables sheets to achieve rewards, achieve Rock Star status and make progress ‘up the guitar.’ 

 

Reception and Year 1

We want to include the whole school in our new initiative and to this end we are encouraging our Reception and Year 1 pupils to learn number bonds to 10 and 20 (linked to their Maths curriculum).  In lessons pupils are already practising number bonds but they will be given random number bonds sheets to practise recall of these facts.  They will also be encouraged to count in 10s and 2s which links to times tables. Success in this will provide them with a firm foundation in number facts and get them started on their journey to Rock Star status. 

 

Year 2 – 6

Pupils will continue to complete in-class activities to improve their knowledge of times tables but pupils will also have regular times tables challenges to test their knowledge and guide further development.  These challenges will be organised to follow a set structure linked to our original ‘25’, ‘50’ and ‘100’ Club challenges.  Pupils will need to prove that they are confident, achieving a 100% score before moving onto the next times table and as before, achieve 100% on 3 separate occasions to achieve the milestone awards of:

Rock Star:

Rock Legend:

Rock Hero:

Rock Mega Star:

Rock Ace:

Rock Idol:

Pupils will be rewarded with badges and certificates and across the school and ALL pupils will monitor their progress by their movement up the Rock Star Guitar.

 

HOME:

Our children will need support from home to ensure that each child achieves the fluency in times tables by Year 4.  As such, the school has purchased the license for an online times tables program called TT Rockstars.  ALL pupils from Reception to Year 6 will be registered for this and staff will set relevant times tables and monitor progress for each pupil.  There will also be access to a wide variety of online and paper resources for you to download and use at home. (See the school web site for details).

 

Rock Star Tables. HTTP://ttrockstars.com/

We have taken inspiration from the TT Rockstar web site but tailored it to our own system.  Pupils will progress through these stages on their journey to become fluent in their times tables.

In order to prepare for becoming a:

Rock Star: x ÷ 2,5,10 (25 Club) 5 minutes

Rock Legend: x ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3,4,6,8 (50 Club) 3 minutes

Rock Hero: x ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3,4,6,8, 7, 9, 11, 12 (100 Club) 3 minutes

Rock Mega Star: ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3,4,6,8, 7, 9, 11, 12 (100 Division Club) 5 minutes

Rock Genius: ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3,4,6,8, 7, 9, 11, 12 (100 Division Club 3 minutes)

Rock Idol: ÷ Decimals (100 decimals) 5 minutes

Pupils will learn individual times tables and division equivalents and achieve Star Guitar awards.

STAR GUITAR 1 = Number bonds to 10

STAR GUITAR 2 = Number bonds to 20

STAR GUITAR 3 = x ÷ 10

STAR GUITAR 4 = x ÷ 5

STAR GUITAR 5 = x ÷ 2

 

ROCK STAR = x ÷ 2, 5, 10 (25 Club) 5 minutes

 

STAR GUITAR 6 = x ÷ 3

STAR GUITAR 7 = x ÷ 6

STAR GUITAR 8 = x ÷ 4

STAR GUITAR 9 = x ÷ 8

 

Rock Legend: x ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3, 4, 6, 8 (50 Club) 3 minutes

 

STAR GUITAR 10 = x ÷ 7

STAR GUITAR 11 = x ÷ 9

STAR GUITAR 12 = x ÷ 11

STAR GUITAR 13 = x ÷ 12

 

Rock Hero: x ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3, 4, 6, 8, 7, 9, 11, 12 (100 Club) 5 minutes

       

Rock Mega Star: ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3,4,6,8, 7, 9, 11, 12 (100 Division Club) 5 minutes

Rock Ace: ÷ 2, 5, 10, 3,4,6,8, 7, 9, 11, 12 (100 Division Club 3 minutes)

Rock Idol: ÷ Decimals (100 decimals) 5 minutes