Accessibility statement for the multiplication tables check service

This statement applies to content published on the multiplication tables check (MTC) service. This includes the school administration application accessed via DfE Sign-in and the pupil try it out and official check application.

We are committed to making the MTC service accessible and user-friendly for school staff and pupils, regardless of any physical, cognitive or emotional impairment.

You can read a blog about accessibility on GOV.UK.

Our commitment to accessibility

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is committed to making websites accessible, in accordance with The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No.2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Conformance status

We seek to ensure that most of the service meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. The MTC is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA.

Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard.

Pupil site

The MTC pupil application does not support third-party screen readers due to compatibility issues with the timed element of the check.

To address this and other accessibility needs, a number of access arrangements can be applied to the pupil check. The following table shows access arrangement compatibility with browsers and devices.

Access arrangement Browser and device compatibility
Audible time alert Not compatible with any version of Internet Explorer and below version 14 for Microsoft Edge
Colour contrast Any browser/device
Font size Any browser/device
Input assistance Any browser/device
Pause ‘next’ button between questions Any browser/device
Audio version Not recommended for iOS and Safari below version 13, not compatible with any version of Internet Explorer and below version 14 of Microsoft Edge
Remove on-screen number pad Any browser/device (external keyboard required for tablets)

School administration website

The school administration website does not currently have any built-in access arrangements.

The school administration website has been designed to be compatible with current versions (as of April 2024) of the following screen readers:

  • job access with speech (JAWS)
  • non-visual desktop access (NVDA)
  • voiceover

The site has also been designed to be compatible with:

  • basic operating system screen magnifiers, such as ZoomText magnifier
  • speech recognition software, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking
  • operating system speech packages

Get help for the school administration website

AbilityNet provides guidance about how to:

How accessible this website is

Parts of the MTC website are not fully accessible for example:

  • some feedback messages are not clearly associated with form fields, instead all feedback is presented at the top of the page.
  • focus indicators and tab order for keyboard users may be inconsistent with the layout.
  • some elements and images are missing descriptive alternative text, their function should, however, be evident by their location.
  • the “loading wheel” animation continues for longer than 3 seconds and cannot be paused.
  • users are not warned of the idle 5-minute time-out function on pages until notified by a notification box. There is no option to extend or turn off this 5-minute time-out function.
  • the "skip to main content" function does not always move the cursor to the main content.
  • the search function and filter controls automatically update the content presented as input is given.
  • some tables in the service are not presented as tables or are missing headers. The layout is, however, consistent.
  • the structure, formatting, and use of headings may not be consistent or defined across the service.
  • with some presented information some elements do not have unique IDs for assistive technologies. Their content is, however, sufficiently unique to ascertain their purpose.
  • some elements such as filters and controls will not be accessible by keyboard. Please use the search box where possible to navigate the site and manual operation may be required.
  • screen reader users may have a different experience to content provided on screen.

These parts of the MTC service will be reviewed as part of our annual review of the service.

How to request content in an accessible format

All content on the MTC service is in an accessible format.

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

If you find any problems that are not listed on this page or you think we are not meeting the accessibility requirements, please contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or email assessments@education.gov.uk.

Enforcement procedure

If you contact us with a complaint and you are not happy with our response, please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

How we tested this website

We have tested this website for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines V2.1 level A and level AA, and these tests have been carried out internally.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We audit our content annually and update the service according to report findings.

This statement was prepared based on an independent accessibility audit of the full MTC service carried out in July 2019. It was last updated on 08 April 2024 following an annual accessibility assurance audit.

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