Year 4 Maths: The Complete Curriculum Guide for Parents

• Year 4 (age 8–9): the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) takes place in June — all tables to 12×12
• Numbers to 10,000: place value in thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones
• Negative numbers introduced (in context), and Roman numerals up to 100 (C)
• Fractions: equivalent fractions, add/subtract same denominator, tenths and hundredths as decimals
• Measurement: area and perimeter of rectangles, unit conversions, 12- and 24-hour time
• Times table fluency is the single biggest priority — everything else builds on it

Overview

Year 4 is an important milestone in the UK primary curriculum. Children aged 8–9 are consolidating what they learned in early KS2, tackling more complex arithmetic, and building the foundations they will need for the KS2 SATs in Years 5 and 6.

The defining event of Year 4 is the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) in June — a national online assessment that tests recall of all multiplication facts to 12 × 12. This makes times table fluency the single most important goal for the year.

Times Tables and the MTC

The headline goal in Year 4 is mastering multiplication tables up to 12 × 12. The government introduced the Multiplication Tables Check in 2022, and all state schools in England must administer it in June of Year 4.

How the MTC Works

• 25 questions, each with a 6-second time limit
• On-screen, typed answers — children type the product of two numbers
• Questions weighted towards the harder tables (6, 7, 8, 9, 12)
• National average in 2024 was approximately 20 out of 25

Building Fluency

Children should be able to recall multiplication facts rapidly and accurately. This means automatic recall — not counting up on fingers. Regular short practice (5 minutes a day) is far more effective than long weekly sessions.

Useful patterns to teach:

• The 4× table is double the 2× table; the 8× table is double the 4× table
• The 9× table: digits always sum to 9 (e.g. 9 × 7 = 63, 6+3 = 9)
• The 6× table: always even; when multiplying by an even number, the answer ends in the same digit (6×2=12, 6×4=24, 6×6=36, 6×8=48)
• Commutativity: 7 × 8 = 8 × 7 — knowing this halves the number of facts to learn

Place Value to 10,000

In Year 4, children work with numbers up to 10,000. Understanding place value — the idea that the position of a digit determines its value — is fundamental to everything else.

• Recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones)
• Order and compare numbers beyond 1,000
• Round any number to the nearest 10, 100, or 1,000
• Count backwards through zero to include negative numbers (introduced in temperature contexts)
• Read Roman numerals to 100 (I, V, X, L, C) and know that, over time, the Roman number system changed to include the concept of zero

Worked Example: Rounding

Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division

Year 4 solidifies formal written methods:

• Add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using formal columnar methods
• Estimate and check answers using inverse operations
• Multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using formal short multiplication
• Use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations

Worked Example: Short Multiplication

Fractions and Decimals

Fractions become significantly more demanding in Year 4. Children move beyond recognising simple fractions to working with them flexibly:

• Recognise and show, using diagrams, families of common equivalent fractions (e.g. ½ = 2/4 = 3/6 = 4/8)
• Add and subtract fractions with the same denominator
• Count up and down in hundredths; recognise that hundredths arise when dividing by 100 or dividing tenths by 10
• Recognise and write decimal equivalents of ¼, ½, ¾
• Recognise and write decimal equivalents of tenths and hundredths
• Round decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number
• Compare numbers with the same number of decimal places up to two decimal places

Worked Example: Equivalent Fractions

Measurement

• Convert between different units of measure: km/m/cm/mm, kg/g, l/ml
• Measure and calculate the perimeter of rectilinear shapes in cm and m
• Find the area of rectilinear shapes by counting squares
• Read, write, and convert time between analogue and digital 12- and 24-hour clocks
• Solve problems involving converting between units of time
• Estimate, compare, and calculate different measures, including money in pounds and pence

Worked Example: Perimeter vs Area

Geometry and Statistics

Geometry

• Compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties
• Identify acute and obtuse angles and compare them to right angles
• Identify lines of symmetry in 2D shapes in different orientations
• Describe positions on a 2D grid as coordinates in the first quadrant
• Describe movements between positions as translations

Statistics

• Interpret and present discrete and continuous data using bar charts, pictograms, and tables
• Solve comparison, sum, and difference problems using information in charts

How to Help at Home

1. Prioritise Times Tables Above All Else

If there is one thing to focus on in Year 4, it is times tables. The MTC in June depends on it, but more importantly, every area of maths from Year 5 onwards (long multiplication, fractions, ratio) relies on rapid table recall.

2. Short Daily Practice

Five minutes a day of focused practice — mixing easy and hard facts, in random order rather than sequential — builds the speed and confidence that makes everything else easier. Vary the approach: verbal quizzes, written practice, online tools.

3. Use Real-World Maths

Cooking (measuring ingredients), shopping (calculating change), and telling the time (12-hour and 24-hour) all reinforce Year 4 concepts naturally.

4. Celebrate Effort Over Results

Year 4 introduces several new concepts (decimals, negative numbers, area vs perimeter) that can feel confusing initially. Normalise getting things wrong and praise the process of working through difficulty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MTC pass mark?

There is no official pass/fail threshold. The check is scored out of 25, and results are shared with parents. The national average in 2024 was approximately 20 out of 25. Schools use the results to identify children who need additional support.

What tables are tested most in the MTC?

The check is weighted towards the harder tables: 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12. These appear more frequently than 2, 5, and 10. The 1× table is not tested.

My child knows their tables but freezes in timed tests. What can I do?

Practice under light time pressure at home — start with generous time limits (10 seconds per question) and gradually reduce to 6 seconds. Familiarity with the format reduces anxiety. Also reassure your child that the MTC does not affect school places or SATs.

When do children learn formal long multiplication?

Short multiplication (e.g. 346 × 7) is introduced in Year 4. Long multiplication (e.g. 2,347 × 36) comes in Year 5. However, the foundation of both is fluent times table recall.

Should I teach my Year 4 child about negative numbers?

The curriculum introduces negative numbers in context (mainly temperature). Children should be able to count backwards through zero and understand that −3 is less than 0. Abstract operations with negative numbers come much later.

How is Year 4 fractions different from Year 3?

Year 3 focuses on recognising fractions and adding fractions with the same denominator. Year 4 introduces equivalent fractions, tenths and hundredths as decimals, and the connection between fractions and decimal notation — a significant conceptual step up.