MTC Preparation

What does the MTC actually test: speed or accuracy?

The MTC is often described as a speed test, and in part it is. But understanding what it really tests, and how much of each, changes how you prepare. Six seconds per question is less than it sounds.

What the research says

The MTC framework gives 6 seconds per question for the whole cycle: reading the question, remembering the answer, typing it. The limit was chosen to leave time to remember and type, but not to calculate. And that’s exactly the difference that matters for how children should practise.

So the check measures two things at once: remembering the fact and typing it. In the MTC pilots, teachers reported children running out of time even though they knew the answer, because they couldn’t find and press the right keys quickly enough. Answering out loud sets the keyboard aside and trains only the part the test is meant to measure: memory.

What this means in practice

Training memory alone isn’t enough: the whole test cycle matters. If your child practises on a device, it should match the one they’ll use in the test. But only once recall is solid.

Try this

Find out which device your school uses for the MTC: an iPad touchscreen and a laptop keyboard each take a different amount of time.
If your child is slow on the keyboard, have them practise on the same type of device they’ll use on test day.
Use spoken answers to build recall speed, then, as the test gets closer, switch to typing on the keyboard.

→ TabTabTab uses spoken answers: it separates remembering from typing and measures only how fast your child remembers.

Sources

GOV.UK MTC framework — official guidance

Last reviewed: 2026-08-01