--- title: "The DfE's £7m EdTech Testbed Is Here — and It's Built Around What XTables Champions Already Does | XTables Champions" description: "The DfE and EEF's 2026 EdTech Testbed focuses on SEND and maths fluency. Here's what UK primary schools need to know — and how to act on it now." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "name": "XTables Champions", "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "url": "https://xtableschampions.com" }, { "name": "XTables Champions", "logo": "https://qtrypzzcjebvfcihiynt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/base44-prod/public/68cac2c61c34894625d63273/cae3abbca_logo.png", "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "url": "https://xtableschampions.com" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://math-magicians-academy-25d63273.base44.app/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "dfe edtech testbed 2026 send maths fluency primary schools", "item": "https://math-magicians-academy-25d63273.base44.app/dfe-edtech-testbed-2026-send-maths-fluency-primary-schools" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the EEF EdTech Testbed 2026?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The EEF EdTech Testbed is a government-backed programme launched in 2026 by the Department for Education and the Education Endowment Foundation. It funds rigorous evaluations of EdTech tools in real school settings, with a focus on maths fluency, reducing teacher workload, and supporting SEND pupils. Tools that demonstrate strong evidence of impact are earmarked for national rollout by 2027." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why is the EEF EdTech Testbed focusing on SEND and maths together?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Research consistently shows that children with SEND — including those with dyscalculia, dyslexia, ADHD, and anxiety-related presentations — are disproportionately likely to struggle with maths fluency. The Testbed recognises that effective maths EdTech must be designed with neurodivergent learners in mind from the outset, not adapted for them as an afterthought." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best SEND maths software for UK primary schools?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The best SEND maths software is one that was built specifically for neurodivergent and anxious learners — not retrofitted. Key features to look for include low-stakes practice environments, familiar and engaging game formats, multiplayer options that build motivation without public pressure, and accessibility across devices. XTables Champions was designed with exactly these principles at its core." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How does multiplayer gaming help reduce maths anxiety in primary school pupils?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Multiplayer game-based learning reduces maths anxiety by placing practice within a familiar, enjoyable context. Children who freeze in timed classroom tests often engage readily in game environments where the social dynamics feel safer and the stakes feel lower. Regular, low-pressure repetition in a format children already enjoy is one of the most effective ways to build fluency over time." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How can UK primary schools align their EdTech with DfE priorities?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "School leaders and SENCOs can align with DfE priorities by evaluating whether their current maths and SEND EdTech was designed with neurodivergent learners in mind, has a credible evidence base, and genuinely reduces teacher workload while improving pupil outcomes. Tools that meet these criteria are well-positioned within the national framework set out by the EEF EdTech Testbed." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does XTables Champions support the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) for Year 4 pupils?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. XTables Champions helps children build the times-tables fluency needed for the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check, with a particular focus on pupils who find the MTC stressful or who have SEND needs that make traditional drilling approaches counterproductive. The game-based approach builds genuine recall rather than test-specific anxiety." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I get started with XTables Champions for my school?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The best first step is to get in touch with the XTables Champions team directly. Whether you are a SENCO, a Year 4–6 teacher, or a senior leader, the team can walk you through how the software works, how it supports your specific pupil cohort, and how it aligns with your school's maths and SEND strategy. Visit xtableschampions.com to make contact." } } ] } ] --- [ XTables Champions Part of the ESSTA Kids family ](/Welcome) [About Us](/About)[Rewards ](/OurRewards) Tips & Tricks [Games](/Games)Login [ XTables Champions Part of the ESSTA Kids family ](/Welcome) [Learn](/levels-and-progression) [Games](/GamesOverview) [All Games](/GamesOverview)[Connect Four](/connect-four)[Guess Who?](/guess-who)[Times Tables Bingo](/times-tables-bingo)[Snap!](/snap)[Play with Friends](/games/play-with-friends)[Play against Champion](/games/play-against-champion) [Every Learner](/times-tables-for-every-learner) [Adaptive Learning](/adaptive-times-tables-learning) [Schools](/ForSchools) [Lunchtime Clubs](/LunchtimeClubs)[SENCO Support](/SchoolSencoInfo)[Homework Setting](/SchoolHomeworkSetting)[Whole-Class Games](/SchoolWholeClassGames)[Level Matching](/SchoolLevelMatching) [Wellbeing](/wellbeing-and-safeguarding) [Pricing](/pricing) Log In / Sign Up [Back to all articles](/Blog) # The DfE's £7m EdTech Testbed Is Here — and It's Built Around What XTables Champions Already Does 10 June 2026 In 2026, the Department for Education and the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) launched one of the most significant EdTech initiatives in recent memory: a Testbed programme with substantial government backing, a Pioneer Group of schools, and a clear mandate to identify technology that genuinely works for maths fluency, teacher workload, and — crucially — SEND pupils. Successful tools from the programme are earmarked for national rollout by 2027. For UK primary school leaders, SENCOs, and Year 4–6 teachers, this is not background noise. This is a signal about the direction of travel for EdTech procurement in England, and it is worth understanding what the programme is prioritising — and why it matters right now for the children sitting in your classrooms. ## What Is the EEF EdTech Testbed, and Why Does It Matter? The EEF EdTech Testbed is a government-backed evaluation programme designed to rigorously assess which digital tools actually improve outcomes for pupils — particularly in maths and for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Rather than relying on vendor claims or anecdotal evidence, the Testbed funds structured trials in real school settings, producing the kind of robust evidence that school leaders and SENCOs can trust when making decisions. The programme's priorities are telling. Maths fluency sits at the heart of it. SEND inclusion sits at the heart of it. Reducing teacher workload sits at the heart of it. These are not abstract policy goals — they are the everyday pressures that senior leaders and class teachers in English primary schools are navigating right now. If you have been searching for a credible, evidence-informed reason to evaluate your current EdTech provision for maths and SEND, this programme is precisely that reason. ## Why Maths and SEND Are Being Prioritised Together It is no accident that the Testbed links maths and SEND as twin priorities. Research consistently shows that children with SEND — including those with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and anxiety-related presentations — are disproportionately likely to struggle with maths fluency, particularly times tables and number recall. The issue is rarely ability. It is often anxiety, processing differences, working memory challenges, or a mismatch between how maths is taught and how a particular child learns. Standard approaches — rote drilling, timed tests, whole-class chanting — can actively worsen maths anxiety in neurodivergent pupils, making them less likely to engage and less likely to progress. The DfE and EEF are, in effect, acknowledging what SENCOs have known for years: that the tools we use for maths fluency need to be designed with neurodivergent learners in mind, not retrofitted for them as an afterthought. ## What "SEND-Friendly" EdTech for Maths Actually Looks Like For a tool to genuinely support SEND pupils with maths fluency, it needs to do more than display multiplication tables on a screen. Based on what we know about neurodivergent learning, effective SEND maths EdTech should: - Remove the pressure and performance anxiety associated with timed, competitive drills - Use familiar, engaging formats that reduce cognitive load and build intrinsic motivation - Allow pupils to practise at their own pace without public comparison to peers - Provide regular, low-stakes repetition rather than high-stakes assessment moments - Make progress feel achievable — celebrating small wins that compound over time - Be accessible across different devices and settings, including home use This is where multiplayer game-based approaches become particularly interesting. When children are already familiar with a game format — when they are playing something that feels fun rather than educational — the psychological barrier to engagement drops significantly. For a child with maths anxiety, that barrier can be the difference between switching off entirely and actually practising. ## How XTables Champions Aligns with the Testbed's Priorities XTables Champions was built specifically for children who struggle with maths anxiety, and for the neurodivergent and SEND pupils who are so often left behind by standard fluency programmes. That is not a marketing claim added after the DfE announcement — it is the founding principle of the software. The approach centres on something genuinely different: using popular game formats that children already love. Rather than asking a child with SEND to engage with yet another worksheet-style drill dressed up in cartoon colours, XTables Champions meets them in a space they already find safe and enjoyable — the world of games they already play. The multiplayer element is particularly significant. Structured multiplayer games create positive social motivation without the public shame of getting an answer wrong in front of the class. A child who freezes during a times-tables test in a classroom setting can thrive in a game environment where the stakes feel manageable and the experience feels fair. For Year 4, 5, and 6 teachers preparing pupils for the Multiplication Tables Check — and for SENCOs supporting children who find that milestone genuinely distressing — this matters enormously. ## What This Means for School Leaders and SENCOs Right Now The EEF EdTech Testbed is not just an academic exercise. It is shaping the landscape of what DfE-aligned EdTech looks like in English primary schools. Schools that proactively evaluate their maths and SEND EdTech provision now will be better positioned to: - Demonstrate alignment with national priorities to Ofsted and governors - Support their SENCOs with tools that have a credible evidence base - Reduce teacher workload by using software that genuinely engages pupils independently - Build a stronger case for continued EdTech investment within their school If you are a SENCO or senior leader, this is the moment to ask a direct question of every maths EdTech tool you are considering: was it designed with SEND pupils in mind from the outset, or was it designed for neurotypical learners and adapted later? ## Talk to XTables Champions About Supporting Your SEND Pupils If the DfE and EEF's focus on SEND maths fluency has prompted you to review what your school is currently using — or if you are looking for a tool that was genuinely built for children with maths anxiety and neurodivergent needs — we would love to talk. XTables Champions works with primary schools across the UK. Whether you are a Year 4–6 teacher, a SENCO, or a senior leader thinking about your whole-school maths strategy, we are happy to walk you through exactly how the software supports your pupils and fits your context. Get in touch with the XTables Champions team today to find out how we can help your school support every child with maths fluency — including those who need it most. ## Frequently Asked Questions What is the EEF EdTech Testbed 2026? Why is the EEF EdTech Testbed focusing on SEND and maths together? What is the best SEND maths software for UK primary schools? How does multiplayer gaming help reduce maths anxiety in primary school pupils? How can UK primary schools align their EdTech with DfE priorities? Does XTables Champions support the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) for Year 4 pupils? How do I get started with XTables Champions for my school? ## Ready to help your child? Join thousands of families using XTables Champions to make multiplication click. Get Started Free XTables Champions Game-based times tables for children aged 6 to 11. No timers, no tears. For parents, schools and tutors. Part of ESSTA Kids. #### Platform - [Schools](/ForSchools) - [Levels & Progression](/levels-and-progression) - [Our Programme](/Programme) - [Rewards](/OurRewards) - [Pricing](/pricing) - [About Us](/About) - [Learning Philosophy](/LearningPhilosophy) - [Contact](/Contact) #### Community - [Insights](/Insights) - [For Parents Blog](/Blog) - [Tips & Tricks](/TipsTricks) - [Success Stories](/SuccessStories) - [Events & Competitions](/Events) - [Live Results](/Results) - [Lunchtime Clubs](/LunchtimeClubs) #### ESSTA Kids Expert learning programmes for children who need extra support. [Visit esstakids.com →](https://esstakids.com) © 2026 XTables Champions, An ESSTA Kids Programme. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](/PrivacyPolicy)• [Terms & Conditions](/TermsConditions)• [Sitemap](/sitemap.xml) XTables Champions Game-based times tables for children aged 6 to 11. No timers, no tears. For parents, schools and tutors. Part of ESSTA Kids. #### Platform - [Schools](/ForSchools) - [Levels & Progression](/levels-and-progression) - [Our Programme](/Programme) - [Rewards](/OurRewards) - [Pricing](/pricing) - [About Us](/About) - [Learning Philosophy](/LearningPhilosophy) - [Contact](/Contact) #### Community - [Insights](/Insights) - [For Parents Blog](/Blog) - [Tips & Tricks](/TipsTricks) - [Success Stories](/SuccessStories) - [Events & Competitions](/Events) - [Live Results](/Results) - [Lunchtime Clubs](/LunchtimeClubs) #### ESSTA Kids Expert learning programmes for children who need extra support. [Visit esstakids.com →](https://esstakids.com) © 2026 XTables Champions, An ESSTA Kids Programme. All rights reserved. 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