education

Lucky Gecko: a subscription box that encourages children to think differently

You know when your child comes out of school every afternoon, and you ask him what he did that day, and he replies “Nothing much.”? Of course, you know he doesn’t mean it. You know he did the usual, literacy and maths, maybe some PE. He might even have done some science, and it will trickle out of him under your feet as you cook tea later. What’s really going on when he delivers his stock 3.15 answer is a need to switch off from the routine of the classroom. And if yours is one of those children who is switched off …

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How not to Worry about School

Starting school. Changing school. Changing classes. Applying for school. Starting secondary school. Starting to twitch yet? As parents, the process of getting your child through the education system can seem daunting, and that’s before you even start thinking about all the different stages. Will they make friends? Will their teacher be good? Will they be bullied? Will they get homework, and how much? What on earth are SATs and why is everyone so stressed about them? And don’t even get me started on the secondary school transfer process! Before our eldest started school, we were fortunate enough to be surrounded …

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Shoulda Woulda Could Of

How terrible grammar on social media makes it difficult to learn English

  If you’re anything like me, the title of this post makes your blood boil. It doesn’t? Read on… As my children get older, I am increasingly concerned about social media. Ah! my family (and that teacher I met once) exclaim. At last, she’s seen the light! All that grooming and online bullying, not to mention the the dangers of accidentally clicking on something no young eyes should ever see. Thank goodness. But it’s not that. I still firmly maintain that the earlier a child gains supervised access to social media, the more likely it is that he will learn …

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Ask GG: 7 reasons why I will move to another country if Gove gets his way

By Helen and GG.   What children think about longer school hours. Last week Michael Gove announced plans to lengthen the school day in a bid to bring state education closer to that delivered in private schools. We wrote about the proposals on BritMums, and people have asked what the children think, because after all, it is they who would be most directly affected. We asked GG to tell you what she thinks. Dear GG: Michael Gove wants children to spend 10 hours a day in school, and have fewer holidays. What do you think about longer school hours? From …

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What is Forest School?

As I take leave of my Year 2 teacher, and finish the Key Stage 1 section of my educational journey, we have reflected on the diverse learning curves I have experienced with my class over the last 11 months. From a writing crisis, to the creation of an electrical circuit, my 7 year old brain has been stretched, and Mummy has been impressed. Photo courtesy of The Mummy Whisperer But thinking back to last September, there was only one question on Mummy’s mind as I made the transition into Year 2: What is forest school? With this in mind, we …

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The Things They Teach in School These Days! Wot So Funee

I was having a chat with Mummy the other day about school in the olden days. She laughed when I asked her if they had school when she was young and if she went. I thought it was a pretty reasonable question given how little she knows about the things they teach in school. I am 7 and I already know more than her. This is a synopsis of several post-schoolday interactions we have had over the last few weeks: Mummy: What did you learn today? GG: Oh just Symbolism in Hindu worship…. GG: I was sad today because I …

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