It is a superb idea to prioritise learning times tables during home learning - they are VITAL and are the key  for unlocking a range of concepts in maths - not just a whole range of multiplication and division problems, but also doubling, halving, factors, fractions, prime numbers, squares and square roots of numbers... even the area and volume of shapes! You cannot tackle these mathematical concepts without knowing your times tables!

Being able to fluently recall all times tables from 1x up to 12x is going to be a HUGE advantage in school and will make maths SO much easier! Test yourself - can you give the answer to a times table question within FIVE seconds? Can you give the division fact too?

There are a range of ways to explore times tables, online resources are really fab and freely available. (Keep an eye on Teams for updates through the year). Doubling in particular is a great technique - the 4x table is just double the 2x table, and the 8x table is just double the 4x table! The 6x table is just double the 3x table, and the 12x table is just double the 6x table!

There's more! If you need to times a number by 9, times it by 10 first and then take away the multiple (eg. for 9 x 6, do 10 x 6 first to give you 60, then take away 6 which equals 54). The 7x table often causes problems seeing as it has no real pattern, but it can be made easier by multiplying your number by five first, then by two and adding your two answers together (eg. for 6 x 7, do 6 x 5 first to give you 30, then 6 x 2 to give 12, then add 30 and 12 together to give 42).

Don't forget that times tables are commutative which means that you can also swap the two digits around if you find the times table of the other number easier to work out, and it will still give you the same answer (eg. for 5 x 7, try 7 x 5 instead - much easier!). Keep practising, and good luck!