What do teachers recommend for times tables practice at home?

Teaching practice around times tables has evolved significantly in recent years, with more schools drawing on the cognitive science research rather than relying solely on traditional approaches. The consensus among evidence-informed teachers is clearer than the debate in the media suggests.

What the research says

A review published by the Chartered College of Teaching — one of the most authoritative UK sources for evidence-based teaching practice — identifies several consistent themes in the effective teaching of times tables: the importance of retrieval over passive exposure, the value of mixed practice across all tables, and the role of frequency over intensity.

The review also acknowledges the ongoing debate around timed practice, noting that its effectiveness depends significantly on whether children approach it with confidence or anxiety — and that building fluency before adding time pressure is generally the safer sequence.

What this means in practice

The research-backed position that most UK teachers and educational researchers would agree on: short daily practice, mixed questions, active retrieval, immediate correction. What divides opinion is timing and pressure — not the core methods.

Try this

• Ask your child’s teacher what method they use in school, and try to use a compatible approach at home. Consistency between settings reduces confusion.
• Focus home practice on retrieval — asking questions and requiring answers — rather than methods that feel educational but are passive, like watching times tables videos.
• If your child’s school uses a specific app or programme, ask if you can use the same one at home, or one that uses the same principles.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-01