Maths

Times-table progress record

Track times-table practice, notice useful number relationships and reflect on progress over ten practice sessions. The record includes a facts grid, score chart, strategy examples and a personal target for the next week.

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Fold the fourth finger to model nine times four. Three tens and six ones make 36.

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Page 1

NAME
CLASS
STARTED
1
My facts grid
Colour a box for each fact you know quickly.
×
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
3
3
6
9
12
15
18
24
27
30
33
36
4
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
5
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
6
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
7
7
14
28
35
42
49
56
63
70
77
84
8
8
16
24
32
40
48
56
64
72
80
88
96
9
9
18
27
36
45
54
63
72
81
90
99
108
10
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
11
11
22
33
44
55
66
77
88
99
110
121
132
12
12
24
36
48
60
72
84
96
108
120
132
144
LEARNING GOAL
I know my times tables to 12 × 12
and I can track my progress.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
I can colour facts I know.
I can find a fact’s twin.
I can beat my own best.
Learn one, get one free. 3 × 7 in
row 3 and 7 × 3 in row 7 both make
21.
The shaded square numbers are a
mirror line: every fact has a twin. 144
boxes, only 78 different facts!
FACTS I AM WORKING ON
GOT IT
×
=
×
=
×
=
2
My daily log
One row per practice. Score out of 10 or 20.
DAY
DATE
TABLE
SCORE
TIME
HOW IT FELT
1
×
/
2
×
/
3
×
/
4
×
/
5
×
/
DAY
DATE
TABLE
SCORE
TIME
HOW IT FELT
6
×
/
7
×
/
8
×
/
9
×
/
10
×
/
Times-table progress record · Facts grid and daily log
MATHEMATICS
AGES 7 TO 9
TIMES TABLES
Times-table progress record
Colour the facts you know, log a little practice every day and watch
yourself grow.
21
21
Page 1 of 2

Page 2

3
My personal best chart
Colour a bar up to each day's score. New best? Draw a star.
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Score
BEST SCORE
out of
on day
FASTEST TIME
on day
4
Strategy cards
Stuck? Use a fact you know.
×2 ×4 ×8
Double, double again
×2: double it. 7 × 2: double 7 = 14
×4: double, then double again. 6 × 4: double 6 = 12,
double 12 = 24
×8: double three times. 7 × 8: 14, 28, 56
Try: 3 × 4 =
  5 × 8 =
×5
Half of ten lots
Times by 10, then halve it.
8 × 5: 8 × 10 = 80, half of 80 = 40
7 × 5: 7 × 10 = 70, half of 70 = 35
Try: 6 × 5 =
×9
Ten lots, take away one lot
Times by 10, then take away one lot.
7 × 9: 7 × 10 = 70, 70 − 7 = 63
6 × 9: 6 × 10 = 60, 60 − 6 = 54
Try: 8 × 9 =
×9
The finger trick
For 9 × 1 to 9 × 10. Hold up ten
fingers. For 9 × 4, fold down
the 4th finger from the left.
Fingers to the left are tens, to
the right are ones: 36.
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
fold the 4th
3 tens
6 ones
Try: 9 × 7 =
5
Look back
The table I know best is ×
 because ...
A fact that still trips me up is 
 × 
. I will
remember it by ...
GO FURTHER
How many boxes on your grid hold 24?
 Write them as twins below.
My target for next week is ...
Race only yourself
My tables now:
Not yet
Getting there
Got it
TIMES-TABLE PROGRESS RECORD
RACE ONLY YOURSELF
Beat your own best
Page 2 of 2

The pupil task

What pupils will do

Choose two or three facts to practise and agree a low-pressure routine. Use the grid to model a known fact and its commutative partner, such as 3 × 7 and 7 × 3. Explain that the progress chart is for self-reflection, not comparison with classmates.

Learning objective

Practise multiplication facts, use a known fact to derive another and reflect on personal practice using a score, time or strategy that feels useful.

When to use it

Use the practice record when pupils are learning multiplication facts and benefit from short, regular retrieval. It can support a one-to-one check-in or home-school practice routine. Choose a small practice set so the pupil can concentrate on a few relationships rather than racing through every table.

What’s included

A multiplication grid, selected fact space and practice log help pupils focus on facts that need work. Strategy examples, a personal progress chart and a fact pair challenge support reflection on the approach used.

A teaching sequence

Practise multiplication facts, use a known fact to derive another and reflect on personal practice using a score, time or strategy that feels useful.

Choose a small set of linked facts

Colour facts the pupil recalls confidently, find their matching partners across the shaded diagonal and identify a small set to practise. Record those facts in the “facts I am working on” area.

Which matching fact across the diagonal helps explain this multiplication?

Log a brief practice and chosen strategy

Complete one log row after each brief practice, noting the table, score and optional time or feeling. Use a strategy card, such as doubling for ×2, doubling twice for ×4, halving ten lots for ×5, or subtracting one lot from ten lots for ×9.

What known fact supports the doubling, halving or ten-lots approach?

Chart comparable scores if helpful

Plot a score on the personal chart and mark a new best only if the pupil finds that motivating.

Do the question counts and difficulty allow this comparison?

Reflect and choose a manageable target

Reflect on a secure fact, a fact still being learned and one strategy or target for next week.

Which fact and strategy would the pupil like to practise next week?

Before you teach

Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.

What to look for

Ask the pupil to explain or show a strategy for a small sample of facts. For example, ask how 7 × 10 helps them find 7 × 9, then compare their reasoning with the strategy card. Check that practice remains calm and specific; treat speed as optional and do not equate a faster score with complete mastery.

Give a little support

Practise a small set with counters, arrays or a trusted number line. Let pupils answer orally or with manipulatives before recording, and choose one strategy card at a time. Celebrate careful reasoning as well as recall.

Take the idea further

Invite pupils to explain why a multiplication fact has a commutative partner, generate all factor pairs for a chosen product, or compare two strategies for the same calculation. Ask them to check each result against a reliable source.

Things to keep in mind

A coloured grid or personal best score records practice; it does not establish secure recall of every fact. Keep timing optional and allow pupils to explain with arrays, counters or a known fact. Compare scores only when the number and difficulty of questions are similar, and use the reflection prompts to choose a manageable next target.

Keep the idea. Make it yours.

Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.

Make one for my class

Ideas to try with your class

Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.

🤔

Quietly Curious

The two-page record combines a facts grid from 1 to 12, a practice log and a personal progress chart. It pairs commutative facts such as 3 × 7 and 7 × 3, both 21, and invites pupils to track a small set of facts over ten sessions.

🍵

Tea at Breaktime

The “learn one, get one free” prompt connects related facts, while strategy examples such as using 7 × 10 to find 7 × 9 support derivation. The chart is framed as personal progress, not comparison with classmates.

📋

Planning List

Choose two or three facts, model a related fact and allow counters or arrays before recording. Keep speed optional and use the reflection to choose a manageable next target.

🖍️

Steady Marker

The 12×12 grid includes commutative twin facts, and the page calls fact-colouring a self-check. A coloured box or best score is not an independent check of recall; keep timing optional and use the pupil’s reasoning to choose the next small set.