Multiplication tables check: IT guidance

1 Introduction

It is a statutory requirement for schools to administer the multiplication tables check (MTC).

The check administration window for the official June 2023 check is 2 weeks, from Monday 5 June to Friday 16 June.

Schools can use the following week, Monday 19 June to Friday 23 June, to administer the check to any pupils who were absent during the first 2 weeks or in case of any delays to the administration of the check due to technical difficulties.

The MTC service will open on Monday 17 April 2023, when schools will be able to allow pupils to use the ‘try it out’ check.

Section 2 of this guidance is designed to help IT support staff who manage the school’s ICT network prepare in advance for check administration.

Section 3 recommends actions for IT support staff and check administrators to take to ensure pupil devices are ready before pupils take the official check in June.

2 Essential technical requirements

The MTC service is intended for use on modern operating systems (for example, Windows, macOS, iOS*, Android) and is suitable for desktop, laptop and tablet devices. Where pupil devices have restrictions applied to limited trusted websites, you should ensure the MTC service links below are accessible.

*The MTC will not work on iOS8, or earlier, due to the age and limitations of this technology. If your iPad still uses an older operating system, we recommend updating it to the latest operating system available.

MTC service

School staff will access the MTC service via DfE Sign-in.

The links below are included to support early accessibility checks and you should ensure these are in your network’s list of allowed websites:

• Once staff have signed in to DfE Sign-in, they will select the ‘multiplication tables check’ from their list of ‘services’. This will direct to: https://admin.multiplication-tables-check.service.gov.uk
• Pupils will access the ‘try it out’ check and official check at: https://pupil.multiplication-tables-check.service.gov.uk

Please note that if you access these links before Monday 17 April you will see ‘unavailable’ service messages.

Supporting services

Once a pupil starts the check on their device, the application needs to communicate with the following services:

• https://auth.multiplication-tables- check.service.gov.uk—for pupil authentication (you should ensure this is within your network’s list of allowed websites, noting the service is not available to access until Monday 17 April)
• *.windows.net—for data submission

For both school and pupil applications:

• *.msecnd.net—for Microsoft Telemetry (mandatory to support users)
• administrators should enable the school network and internet browser to communicate securely over the ‘TLS 1.2’ protocol and ensure secure browsing over HTTPS is permitted (by default, this takes place on port 443)
• *.googletagmanager.com—for the school administration application: for Google analytics (optional, this can be switched on or off in the cookie policy by school users)

Recommended browsers

The MTC has been designed to support common browsers, such as:

• Chrome
• Safari
• Edge
• Brave
• Firefox

Other browsers may also work with the MTC, but we suggest you use the ‘try it out’ check, available from Monday 17 April, to ensure your browser can communicate with the supporting services listed above. We recommend that you update your chosen browser to the latest version before pupils take the official check in June.

The MTC will not work on Internet Explorer due to the age and limitations of this browser technology. If your device still uses Internet Explorer, we recommend updating to Microsoft Edge or one of the other recommended browsers that are free to download.

Browser versions can commonly be identified in the ‘help’ section in your browser settings.

Using the audio version of the check (question reader)

Check administrators can enable an audio version of the check as an access arrangement to meet a pupil’s specific needs. As the pupil application has not been designed to be compatible with third party screen readers, the audio version has been specifically designed to be compatible with the timing of the questions. However, the MTC audio will not work on any version of Internet Explorer or old versions of Microsoft Edge (before version 14), due to the technical limitations of these browsers.

New browsers may also offer text-to-speech services that are an inbuilt option or downloadable extension. These services should be switched off or disabled to ensure they do not disrupt the pupil’s check.

3 Recommended actions before check administration

We recommend IT staff and check administrators complete the activities below to ensure all pupil devices are prepared for the check and to minimise the risk of disruption.

Are your devices ready to use?

You should ensure that:

• all devices and hardware with a battery are fully charged
• all devices are tested to ensure there are no issues (for example, slow running or missing keys on the keyboard)
• you have disabled standby or hibernate (sleep) mode
• if the device requires a mouse, it is tested to ensure it is fully charged and functioning with the device
• if using a keyboard with a number pad, the number lock is switched on
• if using a keyboard, all number keys work correctly
• if using an audio version of the check, headphones are tested to ensure the sound is at an appropriate level for the pupil
• if using the QR code on the printed PIN slips to access the pupil app URL, your device has a working camera with a minimum resolution of 480*320 pixels

Is your operating system up to date?

You should ensure pupil devices have been recently updated and have no scheduled or automatic updates on the day of the check.

Is your internet working?

You should ensure internet connectivity is working and stable on the day of the check.

Is your internet browser ready to use?

You should:

• close any unnecessary tabs on the browser and any other applications being used by the device, before the pupil starts taking the check
• ensure the browser is not in privacy (incognito) mode
• ensure cookies are enabled
• ensure your browser has local storage access enabled

4 Further assistance

For further IT assistance, you can contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

When contacting the helpline, it is useful to have information about your device available to assist troubleshooting. Please ensure you can confirm the:

• type of device you are using (for example, desktop, laptop, tablet or iPad)
• operating system (for example, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)
• browser you are using (for example, Edge, Chrome)
• issue with as much detail as possible

For information about accessing DfE Sign-in, including how to manage users, select the ‘Help’ page available when logged into your account. You can also submit a ‘contact us’ form if required.

Further information about the MTC is included in the 2023 key stage 2: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA). Information about administering the check is available in the MTC administration guidance, which will be updated in April 2023.