Dear Parent/Carer,
We use a programme in school called ‘Times Tables Rock stars’ which helps develop and reinforce knowledge of times tables and division facts for all pupils from Y1-Y6. As well as using this programme in school, all children in these classes have their own user name and password to continue this practice at home. Times tables are recognised as essential to access many mathematical concepts as they progress through school and from June 2020, their fluency and accuracy in times tables will be assessed at the end of Y4 by a National test.
We are taking part in a competition next week that ‘Times Tables Rock stars’ are running as part of Maths Week England. It’s called ‘Rock Out 2019’ and it’s all done online via play.ttrockstars.com. For every correct answer to a multiplication or division question, your child will earn their class a point. The ‘Times Tables Rock Stars’ platform will calculate the class average (the number of correct answers per pupil in the class who play during the competition hours). Winning classes in the school and in the country as a whole will be the ones with the highest average. At the end of the competition, we will arrange some school and class prizes.
All game modes (Gig, Garage, Studio, etc.) will count, so that all abilities and ages can access points for their class but only from games played between 7.30am and 7.30pm on Monday 11th, Tuesday 12th, Wednesday 13th, Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and Saturday 16th.
In the spirit of the competition, please don’t play on their behalf but by all means encourage and support them. We suggest a limit of half an hour a day outside school hours – some will play more, some will play less.
‘Times Tables Rock stars is used in many schools across the country and worldwide and its child friendly approach has had great success in increasing the speed, accuracy and confidence when learning and practising times tables. We hope that next week’s competition will show the children what they can achieve with regular practice and will motivate them to continue to use the programme at home throughout the year.
Thank you for your continual support.
Mrs McBrien
Assistant Headteacher
Download: Times Table Rock Stars [PDF]