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As new findings come to light there is even more reason to get the children outside for play and learning. We are bombarded with advertisements about cleanliness. Adverts which prey on our sensitivities about being good parents and emotionally blackmail us into feeling that we are less of a parent should we fail to micro-sterile […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Children’s lives are usually micro managed. Particularly if they are learning in school. For home educated children, this is less so. Most of them have some input into the decision making, planning and execution of their education. Home schooled youngsters also have considerably more unplanned time where they can initiate and take charge of their […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
You will have no doubt noticed the massive craze for colouring books. Maybe even bought some for yourself or your children as a creative and therapeutic activity to help with mindfulness and switching off from the stressful world – as many a sales pitch tells us. I suspect many practising artists would question how truly […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Most reports about food in connection with children recently have been about overeating, the obesity epidemic in the UK, and how this is affecting health. But there is also a problem with the opposite, with children not eating enough of the right foods, going hungry or nutritionally deficient, and the impact that food can have […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It is easy to dismiss the effects of bullying if you or your children haven’t directly experienced it. But the fact remains that it is likely to be present wherever there are groups of people and schools are no exception. Some children end up leaving school because of it. According to the Bullying UK website, […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
There are many issues about schooling and the education system which parents are concerned about. The intense focus on statistics and results, consequently the narrowing of curriculum and squeezing out of arts and sports, unhealthy relationships and bullying, and stressed out kids along with the rise in mental health issues, to name a few. Not […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
National Poetry Day takes place in October every year to celebrate and raise awareness of poetry. Most of us were probably unaware of it, poetry tending to be bypassed in our busy lives. However, we should perhaps pay more attention to it, and to including it in children’s education, as poetry can be good for […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
There have been many fascinating studies over the years into the subject of twins. Anyone who’s had a personal connection with raising twins couldn’t help but notice their unique relationship, they way they sometimes appear to communicate and empathise with each other in an exclusive way. How they bounce ideas off each other. And gain […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Children’s mental health has been in the headlines once again. Statistics are showing that the numbers of referrals from schools asking for mental health support for the children in their classes has risen by more than a third. And the ages of those children are getting younger, many of them at the Primary stage. So […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Following the worrying news recently that obesity is another risk factor in contracting cancer, its seriousness second only to the risk of smoking, it’s perhaps time for parents to take another look at their diet and exercise habits. For it is family habits, developed when the children are young and continued throughout childhood as a […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It is the season of stress for many youngsters right now. The SATs are over but many young people are immersed in general school exams, GCSEs, A Levels, end-of-year exams at Uni and Finals. There won’t be a parent who doesn’t want their youngster to do well and achieve. But perhaps in the light of […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
The general picture people have of homeschooled children is that their learning is cloistered at home with their parents. The reality is very different from this. They learn much of the time out in their community using small trips to stimulate learning development wherever they are and this is an opportunity that all parents can […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
As parents we have many difficult issues to face and decisions to make about our children’s welfare. Like many other worries, one we hope we’ll never have to deal with is our child self harming. However, self harm amongst young people is on the increase. And what’s even more worrying is the age at which […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
There have been many articles over the last few years about the benefits of getting children outside. Being outside has an impact on their physical, mental and emotional health, it brings a contrast to the sedentary and indoor pursuits that can become addictive like gaming for example, and it brings them into contact with the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
In a culture where staring at your mobile has become a way of life, conversations are in danger of becoming a dying art. We’d rarely converse with anyone at a bus stop any more, or someone seated next to us. (An interesting view on the subject here which although a few years old is still […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
We can easily spot the signs of ill health in our children; things like coughing, listlessness or runny noses are pretty simple examples. What are more difficult to spot are the signs of diminishing mental health. Yet mental health issues still seem to be on the rise. And as was reported recenly, charities like Childline […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Gaming and social networking are an integral part of family life now. It’s normal and acceptable for the kids to be spending a lot of their time at home online and messaging etc. However, in order for that to remain healthily in proportion to other pursuits we perhaps need some input into steering their attention […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
As soon as the internet started there was the opportunity to comment anonymously. At first this seemed to be a good thing, giving voice to those who may otherwise not have the opportunity to express concerns that were real and valid, and which could have a useful impact on making change. However, like with everything, […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It is easy to think that if parents and teachers want children to achieve higher scores in basic subjects, like English and Maths for example, then spending more time doing English and Maths would be the answer. And to accomplish better scores in tests, drilling in test subjects will achieve that. But according to head […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Anyone with, or working with, children and young people has probably heard about the Prevent strategy. The Prevent strategy is a programme of training and awareness put in place by the government to raise the consciousness of those connected to children of the way in which children can be drawn into radicalisation, extremism or terrorism. […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
023 There has been much media coverage about children not getting enough exercise. This is both at home as they enjoy more sedentary and housebound pursuits that technology provides, and at school where time for physical education and sport is constantly eroded by a demanding academic curriculum. Exercise is one of those things we all […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
The transition between from school and colleges onto Uni can be filled with emotions and anxieties for all involved. As most articles deal with the practicalities of this event for the students, this one takes the parent’s view. Parents generally feel positive about the youngsters going to Uni, proud and excited too, but can also […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
You may have seen reports in the media recently about how the way we respond to our boys and girls, with reference to their gender, can hold them back. An investigation conducted by Dr Javid Abelmoneim, has been looking into the issue. He devised some activities and experiments for a class of seven year olds […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Whether our family has direct personal experiences of being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) or not it is important that we understand people’s differences so we can talk openly with our youngsters and give them the knowledge they need to remain tolerant and accepting. For it is through education and awareness that we can […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
The recent terrorist event in London and Manchester has been utterly shocking. With the deepest respect for the grief of those who’ve lost, even those of us who haven’t feel the sense of collected shock and empathy for those who have. We are all affected in different ways. And so are our children. They will […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
With all political emphasis back on another forthcoming election there’s a danger once again of our children’s education being used for political leverage. Education always features high in any election campaign and clearly should be important in any politician’s agenda. However it’s often the case when elections are imminent that their promises are more for […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
How would you feel about school term and holiday dates being staggered so they don’t all occur at the same time as they do now? Do you think this would make it easier and fairer – and cheaper – for families to holiday together, or make it more difficult for everyone in general? It’s an […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
You’ve probably seen more news recently about the new funding strategy by the government for our schools. The new approach to funding for education is based on an amount per child per head, rather than a different amount for different schools. Whereas some feel that this approach is a step towards fairer funding for all […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It can be a heavy time of year for those teenagers involved with exams. Teens tend to get a lot of bad press. They’re notoriously accused of being difficult, resistant, moody, and in particular lazy – often with regard to their study and sleeping habits! But I wonder how many parents and teachers understand that […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Most parents have some concern about how much time their children spend in front of screens. From devices for the tiniest child, right through all ages, to the lure of adult Games and increasingly appealing technology, the challenge to keep a balance between screen time and other activities is ever present for parents. Reports like […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
History remains a very popular subject at GCSE – over a third of students took it in 2013, some 260,000 of them. It stays in the top ten of chosen subjects, perhaps because it is one of the compulsory national curriculum subjects at Key Stage 3, and so it’s a logical progression to take it […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Concern has been raised again over the effect of school pressures on young children’s mental wellbeing, with particular reference to testing. Exam stress and self harm is something we would normally associate with teenagers not young children. But teaching staff are reporting that children as young as six are feeling the pressure and exhibiting stress and […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
We took part in the Big Garden Bird watch in January, as no doubt many other parents and schools did. This is a national survey run by the RSPB to help count and understand bird life better; both the good and bad news, and consequently how to support the perpetuation of species. As well as […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Studies consistently show that parental involvement in children’s education has a significant positive impact on their educational achievement, both in early years and on into adolescence and adulthood. Most children have two main sets of educators in their lives – their parents and their teachers. Parental education dominates during early years and gradually becomes less […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
There are plans afoot for super sized secondary schools to cater for the growing need for places. These are planned for both urban and rural areas and will cater for upwards of two thousand pupils. This is to address the sudden rise in numbers of primary children who will graduate to secondary in the next […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Oh dear. You’ve nurtured your child as best you can through their exams. Now, after a couple of months of uncertainty (but during which time you all agreed there’s nothing any of you can do about it so you might as well try to relax) it’s time for the results. Even for the least talented of […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Getting the children reading is something close to every parent’s heart whether their children go to school or are home educated. And with plenty of time over the holidays, and maybe some long journeys to undertake, now is perhaps a good time to encourage it. Not forgetting that whilst you’re lying on the beach, on […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
As the school holidays begin, life for home educators goes on much the same! This is because many follow an approach to life where learning happens all the time whatever they are doing. For those families not home educating it’s an opportunity to dip into that kind of learning lifestyle by engaging in the types […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Parents are always looking for opportunities to broaden the minds of their children by introducing them to new and stimulating ideas and skills. One particularly amazing source of knowledge, ideas and learning, where your children can pick up new skills and hone their existing strengths, is… The internet. However broad and impenetrable it may appear for its novice users, the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Privacy? What privacy? As many of you know, we live in a country where our government is rather… “Surveillance-happy” (the UK and US both), and its power to spy on us is ever increasing. Trends of increasing surveillance is worrisome, especially if you have children who are active online. So, what can we do to retain […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
As you and I are both interested in education, and as you’re reading this article on an online education website, you may reasonably expect a natural bias towards the benefits of private tutoring for children. I know that it has its advocates and detractors, which is why it was interesting for me (and hopefully for you) […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
Don’t mention the E-word (exam). Don’t mention the R- word (revision). Don’t ever, ever mention the J-word (job), the U-word (university) and definitely not the C-word (comparison with siblings or friends). In fact, dear parents, it’s probably wise you stick simply to “What would you like for your tea today?” and “Can I get you […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
I’d like to share with you some ideas for embracing modern technology… Parents and teachers alike may sometimes become frustrated by school children’s seeming addiction to modern technology: kids glued to their mobile phones, even in class; sons and daughters locked in their bedrooms during the evenings and weekends, endlessly chatting online to friends who […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Thirteen percent of pupils miss out on their first choice of primary school, says The Guardian gloomily. Read it another way, and 87 percent of pupils did get in to the school their parents wanted them to attend in the recent admissions round. This figure has hardly changed since last year, which is extraordinary, given […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
There are many influences in a child’s life which help make education successful. Ironically these are not always to do with study, teaching, curriculum, or the things we associate with learning itself. And, having been involved with both teaching and home educating, I’ve noticed that these influences cross over both communities. For the important things […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
We no doubt all agree that technology is incredible. We love it. Kids love it. Life is evolving around it. But there are claims that too much use of it as a sedentary pastime, especially gaming, is contributing to the problem of obesity among children. Concern over children’s weight was raised in the news again […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s an age-old problem, the significance and emotions of which tend to stay with us for many years (and often, for the rest of our life): what should we do when we fall out with a friend? Apologise? Hide? Defend? Pretend? It’s agonising enough to go through this experience yourself – but when it’s your child […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
Although most parents will have probably heard of Parent Teacher Associations, not everyone may be aware of what exactly they are and what they do. PTAs are non-profit organisations who work with schools and the wider community to provide support and ‘a voice for all parents’. In this blog post I will outline what precisely […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s inevitable isn’t it? Schools, councils and the nation in general are woefully unprepared for bad weather in the UK. At some point we’ll have a bit of snow on the ground and every local authority running for the hills, giving us visions of impending doom, schools three feet under snow, an apocalypse. You know, that […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
As a sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) I’m very aware of the changes in the season, the lack of natural daylight at this time of the year and how this affects my motivation and output. I was also aware of how much this also affected the children during winter months. As a home educating […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
How’s your spelling? How would you get on with ‘accommodate’, ‘rhythm’, ‘conscience’ or ‘occurrence’ if I asked you to spell them without looking at them? If you find it difficult, you’re not alone – over half of adults in a recent survey had trouble spelling commonly used words. In one of my roles I’m an […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
As a parent, I often wonder why my children behave the way that they do. I am particularly curious about why boys and girls behave differently. This blog post lifts the covers on child behaviour and gives some insight into the world of childhood and for educators, when working with the different sexes. Defining clear […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
The end of term – for us students anyway – means the odd Christmas party, the mad rush to hand in assignments before the deadlines set… And to get that library book returned before the due date to avoid a draconian fine. It also brings a sense of cheer to halls of residence up and […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
What would you pay to get your child into the best state school? £20,000? £100,000? £500,000? We’re not talking bribery, here, we’re talking house prices. If you lived in Buckinghamshire, you might have to add an average of an extra £483,000 to the price of buying a house in the catchment area of Beaconsfield High […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Have you been introduced to a teenager recently? Did they grunt, look at the floor and seem not to know what to say to this grown-up who they didn’t know well? Or did they shake your hand and smile and make an fair attempt to look interested? Chances are – prepare for massive, outrageous and […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
For perfectly understandable reasons we hear a lot about teachers suffering from higher stress and how it affects them. Indeed, several of the bigger teacher’s unions have expressed concerns over time that teachers are finding it more and more difficult to cope with this ridiculous exam-based system that always strives to just hit the next […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Being a parent isn’t easy – we are regularly bombarded with headlines about obesity. The latest figures suggesting a third of the population is overweight. It’s wise to be sceptical of statistics and how they can lead us to believe something that within a wider picture may not be as true as it seems as […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
If you live in a rural area, you may not have much choice about the school you choose for your child to attend, and even in better-served urban areas, nearly all schools use proximity in their admissions policy so competition for places may depend on your exact home location. Where there is an element of […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Like them or loath them, 11 Plus exams have been with us for a long time. There are only a few regions in England now that still support the 11 Plus selection process as part of their educational provision. Most counties got rid of this kind of streaming decades ago. But there has been some […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
We sometimes assume that it’s only schools and teachers that can influence our children’s educational achievements. But that’s not true – our time with them as parents has just as big an impact. That impact comes from what we do and how we engage with our kids. Simple things like spending time or conversation influences […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
There must be many parents with an eye on the sunshine and another on late holiday deals, thinking how bad can it be if I take my child out of class for a couple of weeks in July – don’t they sit around doing nothing anyway? Seriously how bad can it be? Attending school is […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Parents want the best for their children, but there are times when most children encounter problems at School. The reasons vary but often include: not getting on with their teacher, classroom disruption and being away through sickness. The problem is once they start to fall behind, catching up becomes increasingly difficult. When I was at School, I […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
As someone who works in the digital industry, I come across coding every day in many ways. It’s the building blocks of websites and applications, the things that touch us every day. In countries like Estonia, children have been learning coding as part of their national curriculum for several years. In the UK we have made significant […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
I know there are teenage boys in the house because they belong to me and aren’t old enough to move out yet. But, even if you didn’t, the clues are everywhere. The kitchen explosion. It will appear as if there has been a minor armed uprising in the kitchen. It doesn’t matter how recently order […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Education used to focus on honing skills in reading, writing and arithmetic (the “three Rs”) but these days, a fourth crucial skill is proving to be a source of worry for parents across the globe: internet safety. Latest research indicates that 91 per cent of children aged five to fifteen have access to Internet in […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
This year my middle son is making the leap up from primary to join his big brother in secondary school – he’s gregarious boy and I hadn’t really given a thought to the move. Certainly, when his more cautious brother moved up three years ago, we worked very hard at making feel confident and easing […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
From the outside, this is a perfectly normal semi-detached family home. There are bikes on their way to the shed, boots in the hall and far more lights on than necessary. However, something very strange has happened to the occupants. Or one of them. He has become teenagers. Do you remember that Kevin The Teenager […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
If you remember back in February, I wrote about some parents trying desperately to get their own way with taking family holidays during term times. It was the latest in a few posts we’ve done on the subject as we sit here, bashing our heads against the wall, wondering where priorities lie in the heads […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Perhaps at first you can’t quite believe it. You catch the unmistakable whiff off your teenager and convince yourself that you are wrong. But then you smell it again – they are definitely smoking. It’s almost inconceivable that someone would start smoking – given the huge body of evidence about the harm smoking does, given the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Looking for a challenge and an opportunity to learn and have fun? There’s no denying that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme is a great opportunity to do this and get recognised for your achievements. In the organisation’s own words it gives young people, aged from 14 to 24 “the chance to develop skills for […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
An article in the TES recently outlined new plans to start testing four year olds by the year 2016. The idea is to test children as soon as they come into school in the hope of then showing progress achieved between the ages of four and eleven. Obviously, we as parents all want to know […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
No education is complete without an understanding of our earth. But children are increasingly shut indoors away from it and consequently their understanding of how it is relevant to them and the way they live is sometimes lacking. What is also lacking is an understanding of what happens to their waste, which is also conveniently […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Football, rugby, cross-country, cricket (if you were unlucky enough), hockey, netball, athletics, dodge ball… Yeah, I remember all those. Why do I remember them? Simple: PE lessons. PE and sport is probably the overriding memory people have when they think of their school life. It broke the year group down socially. From day one, you […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Whether a big exam is looming ahead or you need to improve your memory to keep abreast of a large body of information, brain training is a unique way to maximise your chances of success. Brain training involves the use of games or activities targeted at exercising a brain-based capacity which is useful to real-life situations and outcomes. Different […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Rapper Plan B recently hit out at schools and business for letting youngsters down. He believes there’s not enough support for kids that fail at education, leaving them to fend for themselves. In some respects he was lucky. After being excluded from mainstream school he wound up in a pupil referral unit where he changed […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Whether you are a parent seeking to help your child improve their marks, or you’re an adult student wishing to stand out at college or university, a home tutor is one of the convenient ways there is to achieve your goals. You will probably find that there are lots of home tutors available, so how do you […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
I’ve never forgotten my very first day at university. The car was packed with all my stuff and we made the long journey from the family home near Bristol to Lincoln where I’d be a nervous yet excited Fresher. I can remember unpacking my room and closing my bedroom door behind me and realising one thing “Ah. […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
As a kid I hated homework. I’d woken up at 7am, got to school for 8:45 and then was there until 3:30pm. I had had enough of school and school work for one day. I’d get in the door, put my bag down… And then immediately pick it up again. Why? I’ve got homework that needs to […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
It doesn’t seem five minutes since you were aww-ing at your precious little one holding hands with another tot at nursery. Now, though, they’re in secondary school and they’re holding hands again, but this time it’s serious. Despite knowing that almost every teenager will fall in love at some point, when it happens parents can […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Research indicates that many children in the UK are suffering from severe sleep deprivation, which has a knock-on effect on their concentration and performance at school. According to studies carried out by The Sleep Council, the statistics are staggering: one in three children aged between 12 and 16 sleeps between four and seven hours a […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
So it would seem that education is still rooting itself in the gaps between social groups. Hardly surprising, we’ve long accepted that the richer you are, the more access to a better education you appear to get. Is it any wonder that Oxford and Cambridge, despite attempts to the contrary, still admit far more public […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
When the New Year begins it’s a good time to consider our objectives for our children’s education as we would make resolutions. Normally, objectives for education are based in a very long-term future, focus on things outside the child, and are generalised. They often go something like this: test passes, good grades, qualifications, university, well-paid […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
I don’t know about you, but my bookshelves are full of ‘improving’ volumes, many of which have taught be valuable lessons and which I still refer to. I enjoy having so much wisdom at my fingertips – even if I don’t follow the advice all the time – but what’s available for teenagers? As it […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
For most parents, the time they get to enjoy their children flashes in the blink of an eye. Who can’t recall when they were babies – the seemingly endless, sleepless nights, their first words, milestones and memories? Throughout their childhood most of us have struggled between the conflicting demands of balancing work and family life, […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
The past decade has seen a real boom in the home tutoring trade; despite the worldwide recession, parents are spending more on personalised tuition. Education charity, the Sutton Trust, reveal that while some 18 per cent of children in the UK received private tuition in 2005, that number had risen to 23 per cent by 2011-2012. If […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
There are many ways to educate a child. This the second in a series of articles in which we will be exploring alternative ways of learning outside the traditional state education system, and explaining what makes them different, and unique. Following our look at a Montessori education, this article puts Steiner Waldorf Schools under the microscope. If you’re interested in […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
A leading headteacher recently claimed Miley Cyrus’ raunchy image was damaging to teenage girls. She claims young women are “manipulated and confused” by the mixed messages from the controversial star. Talking about Miley’s transformation from clean-cut Hannah Montana to raunchy “twerking” singer, Jo Heywood, head of Heathfield School in Ascot, said: “Worryingly, Miley has apparently […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s safe to say that A Level students are put under some pressure in their time. Exam results translate into university places – these in turn become (apparently) the premier route into good jobs and secure careers. Failure, it seems, is not an option. We have a culture where schools are graded incessantly based on […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Is you might find your computer-savvy youngster is more than a step ahead of you. The modern world with instant global communication and web-enabled devices is increasingly difficult for parents to navigate. Of course, we want to protect our children from danger – both at the hands of the malicious and by their own naivety […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
When we find out that we’re about to become parents for the first time, the last thing that is probably on our minds, is exactly how much our new bundle of joy is going to set us back. Having a child in the new millennium is a far cry from earlier days, with the cost […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
It is estimated that there are over 1 million tutors in the UK, that’s quite a surprising number as it’s more than twice as many as the number of teachers in British schools. Given the large number of tutors out there, I was left wondering what sets out the best tutors from the crowd. How […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
My son has long announced his intention to create computer games when he grows up. And for a while I treated it the same way as his little brother’s desire to be a cowboy or a rocket driver… nice idea, but it’ll be something different next week. However, the weeks have passed and he’s still […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
The end of a marriage can turn our entire life plan on its head. It can be hard enough to go through the normal grieving process when we are alone, but when children are involved, the ordeal can be twice as gruelling. It isn’t difficult to set out a few simple guidelines to follow if […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Defining a ‘disabled parent’ can be a difficult task indeed. Many impairments change in nature, their impact can vary depending on an individual’s circumstances and some impairments come and go. A person with a chronic illness may be unable to carry out certain actions yet not be legally classified as ‘disabled’, while another recognised as […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
You’d think a horrific natural disaster had swept howling through the nation. One leaving devastation, shock and exhaustion in its wake… Or at least if you read the social media feeds of the country’s mums and dads that’s the conclusion you might arrive at. Everywhere they’re talking about how awful things are, how tiring, how […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
‘Pocket money discourages kids from saving’. ‘Don’t give your kids pocket money’. ‘Kids should work, not receive an allowance’. It seems that everywhere you look these days, headlines are recommending that we forego the thoroughly British tradition of giving kids a set allowance each week. All the fuss can be attributed to a recent study […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
I had been so sure that my son’s time on the internet was entirely taken up in blogging, playing Minecraft and making exceptionally dull YouTube videos. But on a whim the other day, I logged on to his PC when he was at school. There’s always been the understanding that I could check what he […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
It is generally accepted that parents always want the best for their child, isn’t it? It’s a simple fact of parenting – that you’re going to need to support your child. In the UK, parental responsibilities are governed by the same pieces of legislation which define their and their children’s rights: namely, the Children and Young […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Despite how difficult long, sleepless nights and toddler taming can seem, for many parents, one of the most challenging times in terms of family relationships, is when children enter into their teen years. Suddenly, issues that never seemed to arise in the past, such as independence, boundaries and a newfound quest for freedom, can throw […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
There’s so much you have to consider whilst parenting and raising a child, right from birth all the way up until they turn into a fully-fledged adult. We therefore could forgive you if there are one or two things that you occasionally forget. However, you’ll be happy to know, that not only are you legally […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
The thought of becoming a parent for the first time can fill us with insecurities, which is why one of the first things expecting mums and dads usually do when they discover the good news, is to surf the Internet for the world’s best-selling parenting skills books. All families have their philosophies, beliefs and issues […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
As a parent, it is almost certain that you will want to engage with your children as best as you can. However, it can be difficult to see how best to approach daily life with your kids – some people respond to different levels of interaction better than others. You child might be suited to […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
When it comes to parenting, we can sometimes feel at a loss as how to raise, discipline, feed and establish routines for our children, let alone cope with seemingly insurmountable obstacles like baby colic, tantrums and fighting. The good news is that no parent and no child is perfect; we know it can sometimes seem […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
The headmaster of a leading Battersea prep school recently described private tutoring as a “hideous concept” that can undermine education. In the Times article, headmaster Ben Thomas bemoans the amount of tutoring in London, arguing there is far too much. I can see his point of view. According to the Sutton Trust 18% of UK children […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
They say that magic is a child and indeed, many of us would give the world to be able to return to our ‘wonder years’ for a few fleeting moments; for others, however, childhood was a difficult time, characterised by the absence of love, or even neglect and abuse. When we become parents, we can […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
There was a time when most of us aimed to be Supermum and Superdad but lately, just getting up, getting the kids dressed, making it to work on time and surviving a working day that can often stretch on endlessly, can seem like an almost impossible hurdle to overcome. Parenting is a pursuit that is […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
When it comes to embarking on a new project or career move, we often count on vital skills derived from specialised education and experience; yet it is funny how when it comes to one of life’s most daunting challenges – parenting – we often feel like we have neither the experience or the knowledge we […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
A new study published in the journal of Child Abuse and Neglect has suggested that children who have overprotective parents are more likely to be bullied by their peers. After a thorough review of 70 studies looking at some 200,000 children, Prof Dieter Wolke of the University of Warwick also found children who have harsh or […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Only recently Ed Miliband’s wife Justine was outed as a school rebel. Apparently in those days she’d have been far too cool to be have been seen dead with Ed. Now, of course, she’s a successful barrister who is married to the labour leader. Were the signs of future achievement there from early on or did […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Reading is one of the most important influences a child can have, helping to develop their understanding and outlook on the world. We all read for different reasons and in different ways; some for pleasure, others for escapism, many for learning and more for all of the above. Start ’em young I say In this […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
The shadow of competition is hot on our heels day-to-day in the cut and thrust of modern life. Competition for that job; that bank loan and even that parking space – it’s all on the rise. In the field of education, as places at the best schools and universities continue to fetch a premium, competition […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Teenagers, yeah. We all know the jokes. Suddenly your pleasant communicative child turns into a grunting, disagreeable teen who spends most of their time sleeping and eating. Parents roll their eyes and groan in solidarity at having a young adult in the house. And it’s true. Puberty seems to steal your sweet son or daughter […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
The school reports have arrived home. There’s always a hushed moment while the child watches as you scanning the thing. Is it good or bad news? Yet, it’s never easy to get the big picture from a quick glance at a report. Here in Scotland, under the new Curriculum for Excellence, you have to know […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
It’s a constant battle – adults v kids. From the moment they are born, we are playing catch-up. The moment we figure out what to do, the little blighters change the rules and we are back to square 1. Those with long memories will recall ‘Supernanny’ on Channel 4, which shone a torch at the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Education secretary Michael Gove has been recalled to appear before MPs sitting on The Education Select Committee to face a further grilling over what he knew about allegations of bullying by his key advisers. Mr. Gove had previously told the MPs that he had been unaware of any such claims – an account now thought […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Choosing the right school for our children has never been more important. While the life options available to our kids seem increasingly narrow, what with ever shrinking catchment areas and the list of puzzling lexicons in our education system stack up – Academy, Free School, Community, Foundation – it’s understandable that many parents are losing […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
It is agonising to watch your child’s lack of confidence holding them back. You can see that they clam up, hang back and generally miss out. Certainly you can persuade (or push even) your reluctant child into social situations and have them join groups to bring them out of their shells, but it doesn’t always […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Incredible insight into the world of high-end tutoring in this week’s Times, which claims some wealthy families from overseas are offering the best-qualified British tutors up to £80,000 a year (including housing) to prepare their kids for the Common Entrance exam, as well as provide GCSEs and A-level help. Wow. In Korea, spending on after-class […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
In a characteristically cutting piece for this week’s Telegraph the anonymous Very Private Tutor reminds us of the power of praise and reward when it comes to encouraging our kids with school work, through a cautionary tale of perceived neglect. Not all of us put work so far ahead of our kids as the character […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Last week it was interesting to see this video clip from the BBC highlighting the tech-savvy story of The Essa Academy in Bolton, a place that’s taken a huge step towards creating a ‘bookless school’. Every student and member of staff has been issued an iPad and all school work is carried out the little […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s perfectly natural that at some point or another, most kids will go through a problematic period at school. As they hit secondary level, the impact of moving into the more challenging, both academically and socially, can generate problems, worries, and anxieties that manifest themselves in a variety of ways. It could well be just […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
The cost of private education is now at such a level that some parents, particularly those with more than one child, are beginning to consider how and when it is best to invest and when it might make sense to consider state school options instead. Combining private and state education at different ages is becoming […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
The Sutton Trust estimate that nearly a quarter (23%) of UK schoolchildren aged 11-16 in England and Wales have received some private or home tuition, with the proportion of students receiving tuition has increasing from 18% in 2005 to 23% in 2011. It is clearly a growth industry, but it would only be natural to […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Does your school have a lot of extra-curricular activities on offer? Most do. My son’s school has a huge list of sports alone. And for kids who don’t like getting sweaty, there is music, drama, science, films, debating and, even, cake decorating. Plenty to choose from. When the new term’s list came home, I urged […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
In the dim and distant past, or as my kids put it, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was taking A-levels, it was relatively unheard of for parents to offer money in return for good exam performance. You know the thing, “so much for an A*, so much for an A”, all the way […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
It all seemed so exciting back at the end of primary school, with open days, visits and talks of wearing safety glasses in the science labs. However, the big day has come and gone and we’re a week or so into the new term and the shine has definitely gone off the experience. The step […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
North of the Border our kids are already back at the interactive-white-board face and life is settling back down into a term time rhythm again. Stress levels have just about returned to normal. The general level of anxiety and upheaval caused by the start of term takes me by surprise every time. It’s not as […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Up and down the country now there are thousands of teenagers preparing for their school prom. Parents are being obliged to shell out for frocks, beauty treatments and limo hire. Excitement is reaching fever pitch and the outbreak of a new crop of acne could be devastating. The end result – to the bystander – […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
For kids, exams are a fact of life at this time of year. Some breeze through, even enjoying the challenge, but for others the story is very different. The amount or quality of study doesn’t have much bearing on how children cope with the pressure of the big day. Some report stress and anxiety levels […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s only Easter – a two-week break – but already dread is mounting about the long summer holiday, yet several months away. And it’s not just me. A great many parents find the long holiday difficult, expensive and the source of huge stress. We like nothing better than spending time at play with our kids. […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
The first window of the advent calendar has barely been opened and I’m already feeling that my festive spirit is somewhat jaded. You see, from mid November it starts. At first it just looks like anticipation of lots of fun-packed seasonal spectaculars – parties, pantos and the like. However, a couple of weeks in, and […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
I had a coffee and a catch up with a fellow tutor a couple of weeks ago and he was sharing with me that he felt that one of the major problems that he encounters is that students and parents simply do not know enough about the education process to help themselves effectively. We were […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Students from high attaining comprehensive schools are far less likely to attend top universities than those from independent schools. So say the Sutton Trust in their report ‘Degree of Success’. Just focusing on Oxbridge entrants, they found that: “2,000 schools and colleges had two or fewer Oxbridge entrants over the three years… just under two thirds of all […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
“Exams are easier today than they were when I was younger”, we have all heard it. If enough people say it, that makes it true – right? As a father of a teenage boy mid-way through his GCSE’s I can tell you that he is working much harder than I did when I was at […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Jamila Uddin screamed “I played ping pong with Barack Obama! I can’t believe it!”. Ayo Osisami yelled back “He winked at me!”. His visit to the Globe Academy in South London, with David Cameron really went down well. Apart from an hour out of the school day, what did his visit bring to the kids […]
8 June 2020 ∙ read in 1 minute
I was interested to read today that a study by Durham University and published by the Sutton Trust, has found that quality feedback from teachers is more effective in raising grades than homework, uniforms and smaller classes. Giving pupils clear and effective feedback was considered “very high impact for low cost” in the study. Teachers […]
8 June 2020 ∙ read in 1 minute
There was a time when Easter holidays meant lounging around the house and sleeping in. For thousands of teenagers, the fun ends when you start the short run-in to your GCSE and A level exams. Continuous assessment means that you will have taken a number of exams already, but no matter how much revision you […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
I don’t know about you, learning doesn’t always come easy to me. I recall taking my mock GCSE exams and staring at my revision, wondering why some kids do really well seemingly without trying, whereas for me it was a battle. There is a great debate about nature versus nurture. Is academic success due to […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Getting quite animated today as I read through an old Mike Baker article about a topic that has been in the mind of every parent at some time or another. It’s a controversial issue; do genes determine how well children perform in the classroom? In other words, are our children’s academic successes pre-determined; more or less set in […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Research carried out by The National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations has shown that low-level disruption and bullying are top of the class when it comes to parents’ worries about their kids education. Distraction, there's an App for that... The exclusive research is a couple of years old now, and we want to know if parents today […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Cast your mind back to that time when you’re sat there, struggling with a concept you just don’t get. It could have been percentages, or it could have been reflection/refraction. You’ve reached the point where your brain has started to fog and frustration is creeping in. Just at that moment, a teacher, a parent or […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
