This section looks at attainment in the multiplication tables check by gender, disadvantage, special educational need (SEN) provision, first language, ethnicity and month of birth. Further information is available via the table tool and data files, including attainment by free school meal eligibility and SEN primary type of need.
Attainment by gender
Of eligible pupils in year 4, a slightly larger proportion of girls took the check than boys (97% and 95% respectively). This was due to a larger proportion of boys being recorded as not taking the check due to working below the level of the assessment.
Boys performed slightly better than girls in the check, even when factoring in the difference in the proportion of pupils taking the check, however the difference is relatively small. Of pupils who took the check, the average score for girls was 19.6 while the average score for boys was 20.0.
The most common score in the check was 25 (full marks) for both boys and girls. The percentage of eligible pupils who achieved this score was 25% for girls and 28% for boys.
This pattern is similar to both key stage 1 (year 2) and key stage 2 (year 6) attainment in 2022, where a larger proportion of boys met the expected standard in maths than girls, although the differences are relatively small. In contrast, girls outperform boys in reading and writing at key stage 1 and key stage 2 and the phonics screening check by a large margin.
Attainment by disadvantage status
A smaller proportion of disadvantaged pupils took the check than other pupils (93% and 97% respectively). This was mainly due to a larger proportion of disadvantaged pupils being recorded as not taking the check due to working below the level of the assessment.
Disadvantaged pupils performed less well in the check than other pupils. Of pupils who took the check, the average score for disadvantaged pupils was 17.9, while the average score for other pupils was 20.5.
The most common score in the check was 25 (full marks) for disadvantaged pupils and other pupils. The percentage of eligible pupils who achieved this score was 18% for disadvantaged pupils and 30% for other pupils.
This pattern is similar to key stage 1 and key stage 2 attainment in 2022, where a smaller proportion of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard in maths than other pupils.
Definition of disadvantage
Disadvantaged pupils are defined as: those who were registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years, children looked after by a local authority or have left local authority care in England and Wales through adoption, a special guardianship order, a residence order or a child arrangements order.
Attainment by Special Educational Need (SEN) status
A larger proportion of pupils without SEN took the check than those with SEN. 99% of pupils without SEN took the check, compared to 93% of pupils on SEN support and 46% of pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan. This was mainly due to a larger proportion of pupils with SEN, particularly those with Education, Health and Care plans, being recorded as not taking the check due to working below the level of the assessment.
Among pupils on SEN support, achieving full marks was still the most common outcome (11% of pupils on SEN support achieved a score of 25), followed by not taking the check (7% of pupils on SEN support did not take the check).
Among pupils with EHC plans, the most common outcome was not taking the check (54%) followed by achieving full marks (6%).
Attainment by first language
A similar proportion of pupils with a first language of English and a first language other than English took the check (96%).
Pupils with a first language of English performed less well in the check than pupils with a first language other than English. Of pupils who took the check, the average score for pupils with a first language of English was 19.4 while the average score for pupils with a first language other than English was 21.2.
The most common score in the check was 25 (full marks) for both pupils with a first language of English and pupils with a first language other than English. The percentage of eligible pupils who achieved this score was 24% for pupils with a first language of English and 36% for pupils with a first language other than English.
This is similar to key stage 2 attainment in 2022, where a smaller proportion of pupils with a first language of English met the expected standard in maths than pupils with a first language other than English. Key stage 1 attainment in maths in 2022 was similar for both groups.
Attainment by month of birth
A slightly larger proportion of older pupils took the check compared to younger pupils (97% of September-born pupils took the check, compared to 95% of August-born pupils).
Pupils born later in the academic year (younger pupils) performed less well in the check compared to pupils earlier in the academic year. Of pupils who took the check, the average score for August-born pupils was 19.0 while the average score for September-born pupils was 20.6.
The most common score in the check was 25 (full marks) for pupils of all birth months. The percentage of eligible pupils who achieved full marks (25) was 23% for August-born pupils and 31% for September-born pupils.
This is similar to key stage 1 and key stage 2 maths attainment in 2022, where pupils born in September were the highest performing group and pupils born in August were the lowest performing group.
Attainment by ethnicity
A smaller proportion of Traveller of Irish heritage pupils (77%) and Gypsy/Roma pupils (82%) took the check than other ethnic groups (between 95% and 98%). This was due to a larger proportion of these pupils being recorded as not taking the check due to working below the level of the assessment.
Of pupils who took the check, Chinese pupils were the highest achieving group in the check with an average score of 23.5, followed by Indian pupils (22.7). Traveller of Irish heritage pupils were the lowest performing group with an average score of 13.2, followed by Gypsy/Roma pupils (13.4).
The percentage of eligible pupils who achieved full marks (25) was highest for Chinese pupils (55%), followed by Indian pupils (47%), and lowest for Traveller of Irish heritage pupils (6%) followed by Gypsy/Roma pupils (8%). Of pupils who took the check, this was the most common score for all ethnic groups.
This is similar to key stage 1 and key stage 2 maths attainment in 2022, where Chinese pupils and Indian pupils were the highest two performing groups, and Gypsy/Roma pupils and Traveller of Irish heritage pupils were the lowest two performing groups.