When playing in Garage and Arena games our data-informed algorithm issues each pupil with questions that are just right for them, every time. This will optimise every practice session and accelerate their progress to becoming a Rock Star!

To begin with, we have no data on a pupil. We'd say that their heatmap is blank.

So for their first Garage or Arena game, we'll assume they're starting at the beginning and kick off with six easy questions from the 10 times table.

To cement those six facts, they'll also get the six matching division questions. For example, if they're issued with 2×10, they'll also get 20÷10. (Further reading: our take on the importance of division when learning multiplication.)

As they carry on answering questions, the evidence we have of their recall gets richer and richer. Our algorithm uses that evidence before EVERY Garage and Arena game to update which questions to issue each pupil.

As their knowledge and recall continues to improve, new facts will be released into the question pool. So you'll see their heatmap not only turn from red to green but also start to fill out from the top left to the bottom right.

The result of this steady and adaptive approach is swifter progress towards excellent recall of all the facts in the selected tables.

What if parents ask: "my child has been set specific tables but they're only getting a few questions; what's happening?"

Suppose the child has been set the 2s, 5s and 10s You might think that they'll immediately get all the questions from those tables. However, that amounts to more than 90 different facts when you include all the various multiplication and division forms, which will slow progress and reduce confidence.

So instead of giving them a random assortment of 90+ questions, the TTRS smart algorithm works out the 6 highest priority facts from WITHIN the selected tables.

Example

This user has been set the 2s, 5s and 10s but they'll only get the six highlighted questions (and associated division questions) as they have been given highest priority by our system. The image demonstrates how questions have been picked from within the selected tables.