school

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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School: Inspiring Teachers

  The power of inpsiring teachers I’m posting this image because I’m hugely self-indulgent. I’m indulging myself because this short piece of work came home with J this week as she signed off from Year 5, and I confess it caused a small tear. It caused a tear because though I’ve always known she was capable of good writing, it’s only this year that she has found within herself the motivation to actually prove it to herself. This was written by the girl who, aged 6, in Year 2, scribbled all over her work in frustration when asked to improve …

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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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Wot so Funee? Proud moments for parents

Over Christmas my mother spent some time in my room. I’m not usually fond of this experience, because she tidies things. I take after my Dad – I can’t find my stuff if it’s tidy! Seriously mother, stay out of my room! Another ill-effect of the process is that she comes across random bits of paper and old schoolwork I have ‘filed.’ What? There is nothing wrong with my homework sharing a living space with my tights. It’s perfectly logical. To me. Proud moments for parents Anyway, she found these. Number one is the speech I prepared last year to …

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When I grow up: Wot so Funee?

By the Bug I’ve discovered a new passion at school, and so I have decided what I’m going to be when I grow up. We’ve been learning about science, watching cheese, and bread and acorns fester and go mouldy in our classroom. I’ve seen films about scientists, and I like the look of what they do in their labs. So when I grow up I’m going to be a scientist. I announced this fact to my family just the other day: “I’m learning to be a good scientist, so I might be a bit busy sometimes when I come home …

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Bullies: Wot so Funee?

Short and sweet for us this week, but here’s one from The Bug: I’m delighted to confirm that I have moved up 3 book levels in my first half term of Year 2 at school. I’m particularly taken with a book series about Big Barry Baker. I’m less keen on my mother’s attempts to focus me on the wider issues in the text I’m reading. We recently read Big Barry Baker and the Bullies. Two chapters, and I read them very well, thank you. Then begins the inquisition: “Why do you think children become bullies?“ She begins to quiz me. “They’re …

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Children’s Book Week: Born to Read

GG loves to read. She loves to read so much that it has frequently got her into trouble; sneaking illicitly indoors at break time to hide in the library; disappearing on play-dates to raid her companion’s bookshelf; and countless fairy-light reading episodes where she has been threatened with blindness to make her consent to sleeping. I took these video clips over the course of 24 hours last week: Born to read It is fair to say that life would be miserable for my daughter if she couldn’t read. Life would be a lot less pleasant for her family too, as …

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What Age is Skulduggery Pleasant for? Children’s Book Review

What is the best age to read the Skulduggery Pleasant series of children's books?

Children’s book week review: Skulduggery Pleasant – Last Stand of Dead Men (Review) by Derek Landy. Recommended age 11+ Today sees the start of Children’s Book Week in the UK, and we are celebrating by posting a children’s book review each day between now and Friday. Today we are reviewing the latest in the children’s book series Skulduggery Pleasant, by Derek Landy. Last Stand of Dead Men is number 8 in the series, and the sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked. GG has always been a prolific reader. She almost literally consumes books, maxing out her library card and finishing …

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Taking a bet: Wot so Funee?

Conversations in the back of the car: GG: Talking of bets (were we?) Jodie owes me £3.20 The Bug: Why? GG: Because I bet her that she couldn’t do 7 sums in 5 minutes, and she did, and I was going to pay her, but when they came back corrected, she’d got 3 wrong, so she lost. Mummy: Why £3.20? That’s an odd amount. GG: *sighs* Because I already owed her £2.20 from when she bet me I couldn’t go all day without touching my face, and I nearly did it but forgot at the last minute. So then we …

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Losing gracefully – a life lesson

Dear GG, some time ago you had to prepare for a big event at school. To coincide with the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s momentous speech, the entire school would deliver individual speeches to their peers, on a subject of their own choice. You would be judged by your class, and a winner selected to go through to the school final. You prepared for this speech day after day after day. You really took on the challenge, researching your chosen theme – the marshmallow – and writing up your notes. You put together 2 minutes of facts and opinion, some …

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Freakishly weird: Wot so Funee?

Oh brother of mine, you are freakishly weird but I love you. This, on our way home from school last week caused some bemused looks from my mother. Was this a compliment or a slur? Was it designed to make the Bug happy, or as a put-down of the most withering variety? Who knows? It’s just something I say. I was asked to elaborate: He is freakishly weird because he loves Skylanders so much. That, no-one can argue over – he is, and he does. You, Mummy, are freakishly weird because you’re just too organised. Daddy is freakishly weird because …

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10 tips for kids to help with times tables: Wot so Funee?

Image credit I’m doing ok with my times tables. Mummy comes in to test my class on their progress, so she knows that compared to the rest of my class I’m doing well. I know my 2/3/4/5/9/10/11 tables by rote, by random question, and by division question, so it’s all good. However, my best friend has completed every single one of her times tables challenges, and received 25 house points to boot. I find this unacceptable, and so I’m adamant that my goal on return to school in a week’s time is to nail those pesky stragglers 6/7/8 and 12. …

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Tips for dealing with mean girls

Are you a bully? Some types of bullying are less obvious than others

  My darling girl, the time has come for me to tell you about girls. Girls are complicated creatures – I know you’ve got that nailed, you are complicated yourself! Girls can be wonderful, loyal, warm, supportive, nurturing, caring, and funny. They can share everything with you and make you feel like the best person in the world. But they can bring you down with a word – no, a look – and they can destroy your confidence. If you let them. Mean girls: they can be total bitches. I want you to be better than that. You are already better than …

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Inventions by children: Wot so Funee?

School’s out, and so is all my schoolwork. Out of the classroom, and into my schoolbag, to be dumped unceremoniously on the hall floor, where it will stay for the next six weeks. If I have my way, which I never do, obviously! *Huffs.* So Mummy rummaged through all my stuff, and emerged clutching this: I call it the Water Extreme 200017. So called because parts of the world are extremely short on water, and I’m pretty sure that at least 200,017 people are affected. So I have invented this for them. As you can see, it collects rainwater, filters it clean, …

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My dream: a Wot so Funee? post

The end of the school year signals the arrival of the school report and an invitation for the grown-ups to enter the previously mysterious arena of the classroom. We’re super proud of GG’s report this year, so in we went, expecting to be impressed. In Key Stage 2 there is less contact between teachers and parents, and less finished work comes home in book bags for random viewing. Instead it gets logged, and displayed (this is one of the Ofsted key measurements). Creative writing has been one of GG’s major focus areas this year, and she’s really improved. So we …

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Observational drawing: Wot so Funee?

Is it just me who finds this funny? I’ve been away to BritMums Live this weekend, and when I came home with the irascible Mammasaurus, who was staying the night at ours, this “observational drawing” was awaiting me, courtesy of my daughter. Normally I would find it nothing short of charming, an example of the work she is currently immersed in at school. But it appears to be a blogging congratulations 😕 I am further confused by the fact that I am only the second named recipient of this award, Annie herself looking like the more important winner. I think …

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Homework: Wot so Funee?

My daughter is a funny writer. When she puts her mind to it, she can write witty commentary filled with wonderful adjectives and characterisation. But she’s easily bored, and – if I’m going to be more honest than a loving mother ought to be – a tad lazy. Her teachers, enjoying what she writes when inspired, have always seen fit to encourage her into increased written productivity. It hasn’t always worked. Creative writing: This year she has a lovely teacher who has ventured into the dangerous waters of loosening the reins on her creativity. For our recent holiday to Florida, …

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Mums Show Live (or what the hell do you do with them once they’re school-age?)

If you’re anything like me you went to the Baby Show when you were pregnant with your first child. In fact, if you’re anything like me you did everything it was possible to do when pregnant with your first child. Yoga, massage, nesting, final flings, made-up excuses for another emergency scan… “Hello? Is that John Lewis? Can I book an appointment to consider my buggy options with you? And do you sell those newborn baby baths-that-are-really-just-a-bucket in an array of colours depending on the outcome of my child? What? You don’t recommend visiting before I’m actually pregnant? Oh. Oh, well I’ll …

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