May 31, 2022 / Ben / 0 Comments
Many parents will have to get new
school shoes for their children at some point in the year but often this
coincides with the start of the autumn term but as some parents have discovered
leaving this until a week or two before school starts means lack of choice in
the shoes and possibly limited availability in certain sizes.
As children have growth spurts at
different times of the year there is nothing more frustrating than buying a
pair of shoes only for the child to have outgrown them in a couple of months
however this is a risk that will need to be taken. The dilemma about whether to
choose cheaper shoes and replace them more often or pay more in the hope that
the shoes will last longer is one that should be kept in mind if your child has
been the same size for a while because the chances are they are going to have a
growth spurt soon. Choosing a style of shoe that will fit your child now but
allow for some growth is a good idea and generally lace up, buckle or Velcro
fastenings are better for younger children rather than slip on varieties.
As soon as school ends in July it
is sensible to start the school shoes search so that you do not get caught out
in late August when demand is high.
April 25, 2022 / Ben / 0 Comments
If you are an avid book reader you
may find that the increasing price of new books is costing you a small fortune
however there are a few handy hints for keeping your reading collection up to
date without breaking the bank.
Always look out for multi-buy
offers – many of the large high street book retailers will often have discount
offers on if you buy more than one book so its often worth stocking up when the
offers are on.
Buy pre-loved books – this could
be from a charity shop. Charity shops get loads of books donated everyday and
tend to sell them on very cheap. You can find all sorts of books from fiction
to non-fiction and even recipe books.
Make use of your local library –
these hidden gems are often forgotten about but you can usually join your local
library for free and have access to thousands of texts on various subjects. You
can either read them at the library or rent the book out for a period of time
to take home with you. To avoid any late fees ensure your book is returned on
time and in good condition.
In some towns they also offer a
free book exchange, have a look online to find your nearest drop off point and
get rid of your old books to borrow new ones.
February 24, 2022 / Ben / 0 Comments
There are many qualified teachers
who are going down the supply teacher route as they are unwilling to sacrifice
the amount of time full time teaching requires. Supply teaching allows the
teacher to choose their own days of work and although not paid during the
school holidays the rate of pay when working is good.
Most schools have an expectation that
a supply teacher will be well organised, punctual and conscientious and will
follow the school’s policy and procedures and so it is important that any
supply teacher should be aware of these especially concerning rewards and
disciplines.
Some teachers will leave work for
the children to do and expect this to be conducted according to their instructions.
This is especially the case with older children who often have a fixed curriculum
to cover in a given timeframe. If this is the case it is important to follow
the teacher’s instructions as much as possible. A brief note to the teacher
outlining how the day went is an important way to communicate but should focus
on the positive aspects of the day.
Occasionally a supply teacher is
needed to cover for an unexpected absence in which case work may not have been
allocated so it is a good idea to have generic lessons prepared that can be easily
adapted to the age group you are required to teach.
January 13, 2022 / Ben / 0 Comments
With so many students missing out
on valuable time at school, it should come as no surprise that many have fallen
behind where they need to be. Although this is nothing to worry about as all
students are in the same position, it does mean that by the time they come to
leave school they may not have learnt what they needed to. It also means that
if they have exams coming up they may not do as well as they normally would. As
a parent you may want your child to do as well as possible and if you feel they
have fallen behind or are struggling to catch up then you may consider paying
for extra tuition for them. Sometimes the school may offer catch up classes
that are either free or very low cost but if you want something a little more then
you want to look at hiring a professional tutor.
Private tutors often charge
between £30 and £60 per hour depending on their experience. They may be able to
reduce their fees slightly if they are doing the lessons remotely but you need
to access whether this is the best thing for your child. Often one on one
tutoring is the best way to help your child catch up as they tutor can tailor
the lessons to suit their way of learning rather than having to do it for a
whole group.
December 16, 2021 / Ben / 0 Comments
Reading is one of the most important
things your child can learn to do. Reading books helps with not only their
reading ability but also spelling, writing and emotions and understanding.
Lots of primary schools have cut
down on the amount of homework they give to children and have instead asked
them to read ideally every night. Your child may be given a book from school
that they need to read but it may not be one that they would normally choose.
This is good as it makes them try new genres of books but they may also want
other books to read at home.
Finding books that are suitable
for your child’s reading ability can be tricky but there are a number of places
that sell books that are split into levels based on ability or age. New books
can be costly, but you don’t always have to buy new. You can often grab
yourself a bargain by buying second hand books either online or in a charity
shop. Even some pound shops sell level
based reading books and many of them as based on well-known children’s tv shows
or characters. Finding an author your child likes will help you find other
books they may be interested in.