TT Rockstars to switch on daily time limits for every school
The times tables app will turn on curfews and daily limits by default from 24 November. An MP had raised concerns about how long pupils spend on it. A minister said gamification in learning apps is profit driven.
TT Rockstars, a times tables app used by many primary schools, will switch on daily time limits for every school from 24 November 2026.
Bruno Reddy, founder of the company behind it, told BBC News on 4 November that every school will have a curfew and a daily limit turned on by default. Leaderboards will be off by default. The company says the app and a sister program, Numbots, are used in 17,000 schools.
Gamification isn't the way to learn.
The change follows a hearing of the Commons Science and Technology Committee on 3 November. The committee is looking at how screens affect children's brain development. Emily Darlington, Labour MP for Milton Keynes Central, said the app rewards pupils for how long they play rather than how well. Pupils earn virtual coins and rock star outfits.
Paul Waugh, the minister for early education, answered her at the hearing. He said the claim that gamification helps learning is "propaganda" from edtech firms and that it is about driving screen use. Tes reported that he warned of a "Wild West" of edtech products for schools. He said the government is testing products with teachers.
Reddy told the BBC he shared concerns about screen time. He said the company advises schools on about three minutes a session, four or five times a week. A typical child played on three days in September, for about six minutes each time, he said.
For schools that use the app, the new defaults start on 24 November. The TT Rockstars website says a 20-minute daily limit is already on by default for play outside school hours. Schools can also set a curfew, a time when pupils cannot use the app. The BBC reported that the government is writing screen time guidelines for schools and parents.
It is not clear whether the new school default will use the same 20-minute limit. The government has not said when its screen time guidelines will be published.
Sources
- BBC News Children spending too long on maths app TT Rockstars, MP warns
- Tes Danger of edtech 'Wild West' for schools, warns minister
- Times Tables Rock Stars Home page