Promoting Teacher Wellbeing Through Eye Palming

Promoting Teacher Wellbeing Through Eye Palming 1

Eye-Palming For Improving Teacher Wellbeing If you see a teacher with their head in their hands at their desk all may not be as bad as it seems they may be palming! Teaching is widely recognised as a demanding, high-stress profession. Heavy workloads, time pressures, all contribute to teacher stress and burnout. This not only … Read more

A Guide To Using Classroom Anchor Charts

A Guide To Using Classroom Anchor Charts 2

What is an Anchor Chart? A classroom anchor chart is a visual teaching tool that is used to support learning in the classroom. It is a large piece of paper or chart that is displayed in the classroom and used to record and display important information about a lesson or topic. We have written before … Read more

15 Halloween Play Dough Activity Ideas

15 Halloween Play Dough Activity Ideas for 2023

15 Halloween Play Dough Activity Ideas for 2023 Fall is here and that means Halloween is just around the corner. It’s the perfect time to engage the little ones in exciting and spooky crafts. One of the most versatile and child-friendly materials you can use for these activities is play dough. Not only does it … Read more

Executive Functioning: A Guide for Teachers

Executive Functioning: A Guide for Teachers 3

What is Executive Functioning? Executive functioning refers to the cognitive processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. It includes skills like working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. Students rely on these skills to regulate their behaviour, organise their thoughts, and problem-solve.  Executive functioning skills start developing in … Read more

STEM Provocation: The Three Little Pigs Play-Based Learning

STEM Provocation: The Three Little Pigs Play-Based Learning 4

STEM-based provocations for early years settings A provocation in the classroom is something that stimulates a response or action. It is based on children’s interests and curiosity. We love play based learning and storytelling on this site and STEAM based provocations seemed like a fantastic next step. A Sensory lesson plan for exploring The Three … Read more

Attention Autism: A Comprehensive Guide for Teachers

Attention Autism: A Comprehensive Guide for Teachers 5

What is Attention Autism? Attention Autism is an intervention approach designed by speech-language pathologist Gina Davies to support the development of communication, social, and cognitive skills in children with autism (ASD). The program uses a progression of visually based and highly motivating activities to teach children how to pay attention, imitate, and engage socially. The … Read more

Independent Play: The Cornerstone of Child Development

Independent Play: The Cornerstone of Child Development 10

What is Independent Play? Independent play refers to the time when children play alone without the direct involvement of others. This doesn’t mean they’re isolated or neglected; instead, they’re learning how to entertain themselves, explore their environment, and develop their creativity and imagination. It’s a crucial part of a child’s development, fostering resilience, independence, and … Read more

Water Play in EYFS: Educational Benefits and Age-Appropriate Activities

Water Play in EYFS: Educational Benefits and Age-Appropriate Activities 11

The Educational Benefits of Water Play at School Water play is not just a splashing good time—it’s a crucial element in early childhood education that supports holistic development. According to a study published in the Journal of Early Childhood Research, children engaged in regular water play activities showed a 32% improvement in problem-solving skills compared … Read more

Christmas Word Wall Vocabulary List

Christmas Word Wall Vocabulary List 12

Jingle All the Way to a Christmas Word Wall List The holiday season provides a fun opportunity for young learners to build their vocabulary through exposure to a festive new words list. There are so many joyful activities centring around the sights, sounds, tastes and traditions of Christmas time. Why not capitalise on this natural … Read more

Outdoor Learning In Primary School

Outdoor Learning In Primary School 13

The Benefits of Learning Outdoors in Primary School Ever felt like your lessons are simply not engaging enough for your students? We understand how frustrating this can be, having gone through the same thing ourselves. Fact is, research shows that outdoor learning can significantly boost student engagement and concentration. This article provides you with practical … Read more

19 Child Approved Windy Day Activities

19 Child Approved Windy Day Activities 14

What to do on a Windy Day Activities For EYFS and SEN Don’t let the wind keep your children inside. If you are wondering what to do on a windy day turn it into an opportunity for outdoor learning fun with these 19 windy day activities. These projects will have all your students laughing and … Read more

30 Engaging Primary Games For Learning

30 Engaging Primary Games For Learning 15

The Best Classroom Primary Games When looking for engaging games for primary school, it’s important to find activities that entertain young learners while providing educational value. This article outlines quick and easy classroom games to try. In the ideas for games and activities, I have tried to link them to learning intentions. We also have … Read more

AR – Augmented Reality Storytelling To Engage Children

Augmented Reality Storytelling for Children: Engagement and Learning

Engaging Children In Literacy Through AR Storytelling. In the digital age, technology’s intersection with education has transformed the way we approach learning and engagement. One technology that has shown significant promise in this realm is Augmented Reality (AR). AR, by overlaying digital information onto the real world, offers a unique blend of interactive and immersive … Read more

16 SENCO Interview Questions and Answers

16 SENCO Interview Questions and Answers 16

Things To Know About the Role of a SENCO What is a SENCO? A SENCo, which stands for Special Educational Needs Coordinator, is the key leader in supporting students with special educational needs and/or disabilities at their primary or secondary school. The SENCo works to ensure these students receive the right teaching and learning support … Read more

The Importance of Saying No To Your Child

The Importance of Saying No To Your Child 17

Saying No To Your Child: Validating Feelings While Setting Boundaries One of the most critical aspects of a child’s emotional development is learning to set boundaries. Saying “no” to your child is an essential part of this process. In this article, we will discuss the importance of saying no, how it can validate a child’s … Read more

Classroom Design, Sensory Processing & Autism

Classroom Design, Sensory Processing & Autism 18

Sensory Processing Differences and Classroom Design ‘Sensory processing’ refers to how a person’s nervous system responds to sensory information and how they react to it. autistic individuals often find it challenging to prioritise the stimuli to process in their environment, making it difficult to focus on a single stimulus. Atypical sensory processing in autism involves … Read more

Unlocking the Potential of EYFS Children: Encouraging Exploration

Unlocking the Potential of EYFS Children: Encouraging Exploration 19

Did you know that 90% of a child’s brain development happens before the age of 5? This striking fact highlights the importance of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) in shaping young minds. It’s time to revolutionise your approach to EYFS teaching, with evidence-based strategies that maximise your young explorers potential. Imagine a classroom where … Read more

The Power of Retrieval Practice for SEN Pupils

The Power of Retrieval Practice for SEN Pupils 20

What is Retrieval Practice? Retrieval practice, or recalling what you have learned, can be a powerful learning strategy for students with special educational needs. Retrieval practice is a learning strategy in which a person actively attempts to recall information that they have previously studied from memory. This is effective because it helps to strengthen the … Read more

Teaching Turn Taking to Your Child

Teaching Turn Taking to Your Child 21

Turn-Taking and sharing Activities for Toddlers Turn taking is a pivotal social skill that children must acquire early in life. It’s an essential component of social interaction, allowing them to effectively, and positively, engage with others. Turn taking is a behaviour for learning that helps in activities where the child needs to share attention, participate … Read more

15 Deputy Head Interview Questions

15 Deputy Head Interview Questions 22

Deputy Head Interview Questions and Tips for Success in 2023 This article on Deputy Head Interview Questions has been written for aspiring Deputy Headteachers in the UK. These possible questions cover most of the key leadership areas. Often deputy head roles include a significant safeguarding or DSL role. Click the link for interview questions linked … Read more