A school’s environment will have much to offer your child. This blog discusses the positive benefits you can expect from the school.

Here are six great ideas that parents can use to build their child's interest in learning.

This blog aims to help busy parents foster a strong connection with their child's school and education.

Here are six different ways to promote deeper learning.

For some children, school can be challenging on many different levels. This blog aims to provide emotional support and practical strategies for parents to navigate the ups and downs of their children's school lives.

A classroom is a happy place where learning happens. Here are some ways to help your child with feeling happier and settled at school.

Here are some reflections to help your child if they feel they are underachieving:

Here are 9 parenting ideas that can help kick the term off to a good start.

As a parent, it is crucial to be involved in your child’s schooling and learning. Here are some outcomes when you show interest in your child’s schooling.

The question of what age to start school has always been tough and debatable. Here are some thoughts about the suitability of school for your child.

Here's 10 tips on how to listen and encourage your child through the normal processes of the school year.

The school year can be challenging. Here are some suggestions for parents to positively support their child throughout the school year.

Motivating your child to learn can be quite challenging, here’s a few parenting tips on how to keep your child motivated to learn inside and outside of the classroom.

It makes sense that as a parent you feel confident and that you are in a solid relationship with your child’s teacher. It is important to your teacher, and child also. There are many factors that go into running a school and teaching. Parents are naturally emotional when it comes to their children, so if you have any concerns, you’ll have a better chance of being heard when you are calm and responsibly talk about concerns with your child’s teacher.

It is well known that success breeds success and the more a child feels capable and experiences success they quickly build their confidence which feeds into more success. A child’s daily experiences can help build confidence and encourage further achievement if they are more likely to try new things.

It can be a fine line between pushing the child to read and gently setting the scene to help them. Reading is vital in a child’s development and learning. Here’s some tips to encourage reading at home.

Read here for 11 ways to help your child become settled and have the best opportunities at school.

‘It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognise, accept and celebrate those differences.’ -Audre Lorde

There is much to be learnt when a child starts school. Their emotional and social growth is all the richer for embracing the wonderfully rich tapestry of different families across the years.

Here are 6 simple tips on easing back into school.

It has occurred to me recently that some families are feeling some delayed anxiety over what formal schooling the children have missed for yet another year. Understandably, this can play on your mind. Perhaps you should be compensating for missed contact hours at school? Below are some thoughts to set your mind at ease.

It has been a level playing field for all schools. Therefore, teachers in the new year will adjust in their teaching to accommodate the previously dishevelled year. Teachers will plan with this in mind in the new year and allow time for children to catch up. Their job is to work from where the child is at in their learning.
The best way to support your child during the holidays is to keep up with reading. For younger children you will be more involved and for the independent readers just plan time in the family when reading is part of the daily routine.
Keep conversations alive in the family and invite your child to talk as much as possible. This helps develop oral language and also feeds into auditory learning where listening is important. Therefore, ask your child questions and allow them time to respond. We need to keep all aspects of learning and developing literacy as high as possible.
Play games together. Jigsaw puzzles are wonderful for developing the brain. Reduce activities that are solo based. The more group activities involving coordination, conversation, negotiation and team efforts are excellent for further developing intuitive thought.
Schools teach through the Inquiry approach which is all about questioning. When you see something worth discussing have robust discussions and invite opinions and questions by your child. This means giving less answers and being less opinionated or correct as the adult. Nothing stops a child more from talking than an opiniated adult or one that has all the answers.
Affirm your child when they show initiatives in different directions. Creativity is so important to nurture in our children. This is all about a child developing a curious and uninhibited attitude to life. Remember, whatever they try is a success and not a failure. They will be more inclined to keep showing initiative when encouraged.
During the holidays keep the variety of activities going throughout the break. This invites a child to use their brain in different ways. Of course, we all know how long hours on the computer is sole destroying for enlivening the brain. It deadens the spirit an destroys healthy conversation.
Even though formal school time was down in 2021, a child’s summer break is incredibly important for revival, sunshine, fresh air and childhood joy. If we deprive them of this, they will not have the recovery needed to begin another school year well. They will start 2022 with some residual unhappy feelings of the previous, interrupted school year. A refreshing holiday revives their spirit and enthusiasm to begin again with hope. I refer here to mental health which will have a direct impact on next year’s success if not handled well. Preparation is everything.
If you have a child that likes to write, give them a journal for Christmas and invite them to record their holiday experiences in it. Less reluctant writers could write out shopping lists, etc.

Finally, worry less about what this year had to offer for your child as they will quickly reflect on your attitude and this can put doubt in their mind about moving forward positively and successfully. You cannot change what has happened this year but you can influence a developing perception of next year. Children learn best when free of anxiety and self doubt.

‘We are what we believe we are.’
-C S Lewis

Be excited for your child as they attend school each day

Six great ideas that parents can use to build their child's interest in learning:

Tips for busy parents who need to keep in touch with the school

Six ideas to help children focus on learning rather than just completing work

Navigating the Emotional Roller coaster: Supporting Parents with Children at School

A happy classroom is a healthy place in which to learn

What about our so-called underachievers?

9 ideas to get the term off to a good start

Parent involvement reaps all the benefits

At what age should a child start at school?

10 strategies to get the best from school as the year begins

A few thoughts about what your child wants from school this year

How to motivate your child to learn

How to get the best from your child’s teacher

Set small goals to set success.

Strengthening a child’s interest and endurance with reading

11 ways to help your child become settled and have the best opportunities at school

Differences in families

6 simple tips on easing back into school

A few thoughts as school closes for the year