Past Blog Posts

How can I help my child transition to secondary school?

The summer holidays always go by faster than any of us would like, so we thought there was no time like the present to consider how you can help your child be both physically and mentally prepared for secondary school. No doubt they have already been thinking about going up to big school!

Induction days

Hopefully in the summer term Year 6 have been on an induction day (or two) to the secondary school they will be attending. This will have given them a 'day in the life' allowing them to experience the new timetable, longer days and meet lots of new friends and teachers. Schools put a lot of effort into these as they want pupils to get excited about their first day and know what to expect when they arrive.

Sit down for a chat

Secondary school can be a nerve-wracking time for both you and your... Read More »

How important are the Key Stage 2 SATs results?

With the KS2 SATs results being released to schools later this week, we thought there was no better time to look at how important they are to your child's future.

What do SATs assess?

SATs assess how well students have understood what they've learnt in three subjects: mathematics, reading, and spelling, grammar and punctuation. It's only the second year of the new, harder SATs so 2017 results will only be comparable with last year.

Not all schools offer SATs. Independent schools can choose whether to offer them, but they usually still do an equivalent at the end of primary/prep school to assess students ability.

Do the results really matter?

SATs are important to the future education of your child. Many secondary schools use the results to gauge student ability in order to organise th... Read More »

The Secret Life of 4 and 5 Year Olds

This Channel 4 Observational Documentary follows four and five year olds as they take their first steps towards independence and embark on the new challenges of going to school. The series follows their development from the moment they meet for the first time, through the forming of friendships to learning social rituals and friendly competition. The entire process is observed and monitored by leading scientists and child psychologists who will provide occasional comment on the children's stages of development.

Filming for the series will take place in North London over the Summer holidays and filming days are led by two highly trained teachers. The children are filmed for no more than 5 hours per day and they would be needed for one or two weeks filming over a 6 week period from July 24th.

... Read More »

FREE family days out for the summer holidays

Summer's coming and although it may feel as though the kids have only just gone back to school, they'll need entertaining once again this summer holiday. There's no need to break the bank though, we've found some FREE family days out available nationwide!

Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust offers free activities from bug hunting, crown making to pond dipping - there is an activity for children of all ages. Admission to the woods are free and their website has free printable activity sheets available to keep your children occupied in all weathers. To find your closest woodland, check out their website.

Free Swim-Safe Sessions

Children aged 7-14 can take part in open water 'Swim Safe' sessions running i... Read More »