Working in mainstream schools can provide a huge insight into the standards and expectations of teaching in the 21st century. However, with growing class sizes, emphasis on grammar and testing, I’ve often wondered how alternative schools approach education differently. It is true that many mainstream schools are increasingly considering the impact of their teaching on…

Thinking Questions What did you enjoy about the clip? What made the magician’s hat magical? How did the rabbit feel? Why was the rabbit frustrated? How did the rabbit behave when he/she didn’t get the carrot? What could the magician have done differently? What could the rabbit have done differently? What tricks did the rabbit…

Whether teaching takes place in the classroom or at home, delivering lessons and introducing new concepts to children can be an incredibly rewarding experience. By helping children along on their pathway to success, you can be that positive role model in their lives cheering them on. However, teaching also has its many challenges as you…

Thinking Questions Where do you think the pigeons are sitting? (place, city etc.) What did the pigeons spend their day doing? What did one of the pigeons notice? How did the pigeons try to get the cupcake? Can you think of a different way for the pigeons to reach the cupcake? How did the pigeons…

Coming up with new and engaging maths starters can sometimes become a struggle, especially with the additional resources that need to be created, printed and organised for each lesson. Maths starters can be a great way to get your children ready to engage with the main learning activity. However, for those days when you would…

For early years’ teachers, nothing is more rewarding than coaching children through their first steps towards reading fluency. Parents can equally experience the excitement and joy that comes from observing their children as they make greater progress with their reading abilities. For children aged between 4 – 5 years, it is also an important time…

Some children seem to naturally gravitate towards a love for writing. Creating stories in their heads, acting them out and writing them on paper is one of the joys of literacy for those children who love to share their literary gifts with their friends, teachers and parents. However, with a growing focus on exciting games,…

For free 11 + Challenge cards, click the picture below and it’ll take you to my TPT store where you’ll be able to download the cards for free. There are 54 challenge cards included in this pack. These flash cards have challenging words that regularly appear in the 11 + entrance exams and can be…

Getting maths off to a good start can have positive benefits in years to come. Early maths skills in young learners can set the foundations for their attitudes towards the subject later on down the line. Studies have shown time and again that children learn best through play, especially when starting out in school. Learning…