Happy Diwali to everyone who is celebrating it today - have fun 💥

Who can spot the punctuation error in this advert? 😱

A little frivolity for this bright, blue-skyed, sunny Thursday morning (is there such a word as "blue-skyed"?!!)

Whilst I know that many are away at the moment and the last thing on your mind is your child's studies (!) I think that now, more than ever, you should be using the opportunity as you relax around the pool or on the beach, to practise some mental arithmetic skills! Calculators are not allowed in 11+ maths tests, so your child must have confidence performing simple calculations at speed and from memory. It is essential that your child can rapidly recall times tables and number facts because so of the tests have such tight time constraints, there isn't time to spend pondering the calculation! Many problems are presented in a real-life settings and these questions often look trickier than they actually are because the calculations are hidden in the story. The first task, therefore, is to break the text down into simple facts. Once your child has separated the information, they must then work out which calculations they are being asked to do and use their maths skills to solve the problem. Practise on the beach and the pool, in the bazars and shopping malls, cafes and restaurants. It will be more fun for your child and very good for your own mental skills, too!

A very good tip - the five "W"s are the basis for all questions in comprehension 👍🏻

Absolutely agree 100% - I've always taken the carrot approach not the stick approach as both a parent and, particularly, as a teacher.

I highly recommend First News. It's a superb way of introducing your child to current affairs in a sensitive, but in no way patronising, fashion. It's also great for when your child goes to an interview - it shows they are aware of events outside their immediate social circle which is very important!

Amen!!

Fidget Spinners: is it really what your child needs?

This is NOT what the children need - a money-spinner for its creators but pointless from a child's point of view! We need someone to invent a way to engage children in reading - THAT will stimulate their brains!

Good luck to all my pupils taking their KS2 Sats

Something to think about as schools break up for Easter! When your child is faced with a choice of essay titles when sitting their 11+ exams, what option should they choose? The short answer is the option that they are most comfortable writing! Many pupils find it easier to create a story from scratch based on a set title. But others prefer to continue the story they have read in the comprehension section of the exam. Continuing the story can be an "easy" option in that the basic storyline has already been mapped out and the characters introduced. But the pupil will be expected to follow the writing style as closely as possible (for example, if the story is written in the first person, the pupil's story must be in the first person). And there has to be a very close link between the original storyline and the pupil's own story. The pupil cannot wander off point! Writing from scratch allows the pupil free reign to let their imagination soar. The storyline can be anything they want it to be so long as it is relevant to the story. For example, it could be a scary story or something dramatic or even funny! Either options still require pupils to think about their opening and ending. They should keep a simple storyline with only two, or maybe three, characters. There should be some dialogue and description; but it is the narrative that is the most important. A couple of words of warning: avoid clichés like aliens, witches or animals which come alive (unless it is appropriate to the title!) And do NOT “learn” set pieces - phrases and vocabulary - as the examining school will spot this and penalise the pupil.

‪So my "half term" officially started at 18:00 tonight - I love ALL my kids but woohoo! I'm on my holidays ✈️ See you all in a week's time 👍🏻