AfterMaths: From Capybara Escapes to The MTC: Real World Maths

In this Aftermaths episode of The Primary Maths Podcast, Jon and Becky catch up after a short break and reflect on this week’s interview with Professor Lucy Cragg on multiplication and how children learn times tables.

The conversation turns to the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), exploring its origins, purpose and impact since its introduction. Jon shares a short history of the check, from its announcement in 2017 through to its first full national rollout in 2022, and discusses what the latest data and Teacher Tapp findings suggest about its influence on teaching and learning.

They consider the benefits of increased focus on multiplication fluency, alongside some of the tensions around assessment, accountability and the risk of prioritising speed over understanding. The discussion raises an important question: does rapid recall alone support deeper mathematical thinking, or are we missing something?

Becky then brings this week’s Maths of Life, inspired by a real-life capybara escape near her home. Using the scenario, she explores how maths can be used to model search areas, introducing ideas around radius, area and real-world problem solving. It’s a reminder of how powerful local and engaging contexts can be in the classroom.

The episode finishes with Research in 60 Seconds, focusing on Mary Budd Rowe’s work on wait time. Increasing thinking time from one second to three seconds can significantly improve the quality of pupil responses, increase participation and deepen reasoning. Jon and Becky reflect on how this simple shift can have a meaningful impact in everyday classroom practice.

As always, the episode blends practical insight, research and a few lighter moments along the way.

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Explore the free PlanIt Maths taster pack here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/free-planit-maths-taster-pack-t-m-1691485779

Register for upcoming free training on problem solving: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maths-problem-solving-the-power-of-pattern-spotting-tickets-1981746761912?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Explore research on multiplication from the SUM Project: https://thesumproject.wordpress.com/learning-multiplication-facts/

Browse Twinkl’s MTC hub and resources: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/ks2-maths/ks2-calculations-times-tables/year-4-multiplication-tables-check-times-tables-maths-key-stage-2-year-3-4-5-6?utm_source=promo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=emex.subject-leads-11-03-2026-maths&utm_content=link1

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