National Storytelling Tour 2017I want to tell you a story… The Stratford Festival of Salon Arts http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/ Our Primary Schools National Storytelling Tour runs from Monday 30th January through to Easter. Bards in the true sense, Celtic Yarn-Spinners entertain and enrich all ages with interactive stories, poems and songs. Should your school be interested in having our Celtic Yarn-Spinner come to visit, please telephone me, Joy Atkins, on 020 8688 6951, or you may prefer to email: celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk for more information. Dates of Interest National Storytelling Week runs from Mon. 30th Jan. to Sat. 6th Feb. 2017. Joy Atkins Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6YW |
Monthly Archives: January 2017
Talk – The Gobi Desert/Chinese Nuclear Test Area/Boko Haram
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I give talks and have spoken to over 120 schools in the United Kingdom both at primary and secondary levels. In the course of my expeditions into the Chinese former nuclear test area to establish a Nature Reserve to protect the critically endangered wild camel (a new and separate species of camel), I had numerous adventures. The area in the Gobi Desert is one of the remotest in the world and no foreigner had previously been there for 45 years.
I also worked in the area where Boko Haram have been operating and I give another talk on the historical background to Boko Haram. This is illustrated with photos unique to the area including the tribe from which the schoolgirls were abducted
Finally I crossed the Sahara on a camel which took me a hundred days from Lake Chad in Nigeria to Tripoli in Libya. Please see below synopses of five of my talks. I hope they may be of interest, as I should like to present one of them to your school. My fee is £220 plus travel.
I can send you testimonials from other schools if you wish.
Yours sincerely, John Hare FRGS
Lecture 1: Three wild camel surveys in the Gobi desert undertaken in 1999, 2005 and 2011 illustrated with 60 colour slides/CD – 50 minutes
The first survey traversed some hitherto unexplored sand dunes near the northern Tibet escarpment that led John Hare into two undiscovered valleys and a fresh water spring that held pockets of wildlife that had no fear of man. In addition to observing 169 critically endangered wild camels, the expedition also observed the Tibetan ass, Argali wild sheep, wolves and bears at extraordinarily close quarters. On a return visit six years later, John Hare discovered that illegal miners had entered the area and in their search for gold had poisoned the spring and the vegetation with potassium cyanide and shot the wildlife. The third and most recent trek highlights what has happened since then The talk concludes with an illustration of the highly successful captive wild camel breeding programme which the charity that John Hare founded, the Wild Camel Protection Foundation, initiated in Mongolia.
Lecture 2: The Mysteries of Lop Nur 50 colour slides/CD – 50 minutes
In 1905 the Swedish explorer Sven Hedin discovered intriguing mummified figures dating from 1500 BC near the ancient city of Lou Lan on the middle Silk Road. John Hare reached Lou Lan from the east in 1996, after a hazardous adventure and became the first person in recorded history to do so. He discovered an outpost of Lou Lan called Tu-Ying where cloth and felt dating from 1000 BC was preserved in remarkable condition. The weave of this cloth, similar to that used to wrap up the Hedin mummies, points to a similarity to the weave of ancient cloth found in Salzburg, Germany. It is possible that the mummified figures, with their striking Caucasian features might be Celts who came to western China during successive waves of migration. Slides show the city, the mummies and the cloth and John Hare speculates on what is for the Chinese, a highly political subject.
Lecture 3: Across the Sahara. Travels on a camel from Lake Chad to Tripoli 50 colour slides/CD – 50 minutes.
In the winter months of 2001/2002, John Hare made a journey with camels from Lake Chad in Nigeria to Tripoli in Libya. A Chinese Professor and a Kenyan farmer accompanied him. The journey took three and a half months and covered 1462 miles. There were many adventures and discoveries en route, including rock art over 2500 years old that had not previously been discovered. The journey was made along an ancient camel route and it was the first time in 100 years that the journey had been made in its entirety. The lecture shows pictures of the Libyan desert that had been out-of-bounds to foreigners for over 50 years.
Lecture 4: The Historical Background to BOKO HARAM 35 black and white photos – 50 minutes
John Hare was the last man to be recruited in Northern Nigeria by the British Government before Nigerian independence and worked in this remote north-eastern area of Borno and Adamawa for almost seven years before and after independence. The area where he worked covered the village where the 220 girls were recently kidnapped by Boko Haram and he knows the Mandara mountain range and the villages and towns located in those hills intimately. He had access to historical records and witnessed the deteriorating relationships between the Muslims and these animists, many of whom had by this time been converted to Christianity by Roman Catholic and Protestant missionaries. Hare explains from personal knowledge, how Boko Haram and the clash between Islam and Christianity in Northern Nigeria started and how it has developed into a bloody conflict in 2014.
Lecture 5: Tracks on the Desert’s Dusty Face – 60 colour photos – 50 minutes
An account of two releases into the Gobi Desert of young bull wild camels which were bred at the Wild Camel Protection Foundation’s Wild Camel Breeding Centre in Mongolia. Both were successful and involved 8 wild camels in total. There were, however, many incidents and difficulties involved in their release and the overall story is interlaced with adventure, a death, danger and humour. This is a record of the first time EVER that wild camels have been released into the Gobi – producing startling results.
‘no levels’ assessment
After a year, working with the new ‘no levels’ regime, are you developing your own assessment policy?
Most schools have spent the past year, trying to get to grips with the new Primary assessment system.
It hasn’t been easy and the numerous changes imposed by the Government haven’t helped.
Perhaps the biggest problem for schools has been grasping the idea that there are almost no rules. After years when the government prescribed in detail how schools must assess their pupils, it’s been quite a wrench to realise that how you assess is largely up to you.
For instance, you can import your own curriculum. If you want to use the National Curriculum Programme of Study statements, you can edit them, deleting some and re-wording others. You can give statements different weightings or set some as KPIs or non-negotiables.
With no levels to rely on, you can work out your own set of assessment grades, allowing less able pupils to show progress while letting the ablest shine.
You may want the flexibility to assess pupils at either Statement or Subject level; enter assessments at any time but set your own reporting dates.
You will most likely want to be able to filter results by groups such as boys/girls, pupil premium, SEN, first language, ethnicity or create your own groups and filter results by these.
Now that you realise how much flexibility you can have under the new regime, won’t you need a tracking system which is equally flexible and will fully support your assessment policy?
Our Online Primary Progress toolkit, we believe, can support almost any assessment policy.
We have designed it with one simple aim – to create a tracker which is easy to use but can be customised to a school’s precise needs.
So, if you aren´t 100% satisfied with your current tracker, why not check out our Online Primary Progress toolkit (www.primaryprogresstoolkit.
If you need more information, or would like to discuss your specific needs, email me at statsed@gmail.com or ring me on 01279 652183.
We can also give you free access to a demo site where you can try out the toolkit for yourself.
Roger Watson
Statistics for Education, 5 Bridge Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, CM23 2JU
Tel: 01279 652183; Email: statsed@gmail.com
Promote Internet Safety through Game Based Learning Dear Colleague,
Computers and consoles are becoming a central part of pupils lives, and so game based learning – the integration of gaming into learning – has never been more popular in schools.
Our platform features 85 educational games, each featuring a range of puzzles and questions that have been designed based on criteria from the National Curriculum.
Our content covers a range of core and non-core subjects, including:
English – covering spelling, grammar and sentence structure.
Maths – including topics such as addition, subtraction, time tables, shapes and angles.
Science – explaining the basics of the solar system, speed, time and elements.
Internet Safety – internet security, viruses and staying safe online.
Game based learning encourages active engagement from pupils through interactive learning and instant gratification. The large selection of games allows pupils to learn at their own pace and in their own way.
We can help your establishment in promoting and supporting learning through our platform by enabling:
- Instant tracking of pupils’ answers, understanding and progress, allowing you to easily identify their strengths and weaknesses and plan lessons accordingly.
- Customisable multiple choice questions, giving you the ability to quiz individuals on specific topics, match our content with your lesson plans, or edit a game’s difficulty levels based on pupils’ needs.
- Social elements to encourage interaction between pupils and creating an incentive for learning to beat the class’s high score.
For more information about how EDArcade can help pupils through game based learning, please contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at mail@edarcade.com with the subject “Arcade17”.
Which two factors lead to improved attainment in literacy?
The first and perhaps the most important step in inmproving your pupils’ performance in literacy is to build their confidence and self-esteem up to a point where they are comfortable with making mistakes (so that they can learn from them).
The second step is to create a whole-school programme so that everyone knows what has gone before and what comes next, making it easier to respond to the English Programmes of Study.
Furthermore, a whole-school approach offers unified tracking of your pupils’ progress.
With this in mind, Brilliant Publications has produced Daily Sentence Structures – a practical guide which provides a straightforward way of teaching pupils to use a range of sentence structures in their own writing, whatever their age and ability.
The sentence structures in the resources vary from short, dramatic sentences to complex, compound sentences. Each has been broken down into a series of 15-minute sessions that build on each other. By completing the daily sessions, pupils will have at their fingertips a system for creating imaginative and interesting writing in as little as six weeks.
Daily Sentence Structures covers many of the writing requirements of the 2014 National Curriculum, including: using grammatical structures, making meaning clear and creating effect, using a range of sentence starters to create specific effects, using commas to mark phrases and clauses, sustaining and developing ideas logically, varying sentence structures and using semi-colons and dashes.
Pupils’ confidence and self-esteem will increase, leading to better results across all subjects, and the systematic approach appeals especially to boys who will enjoy applying logic to their writing and being able to create ‘instant paragraphs’.
The price of the book is £17.99. You can find more information about Daily Sentence Structures by visiting www.brilliantpublications.co.uk/book/daily-sentence-structures-667.
And, as always, you can order Daily Sentence Structures in a variety of ways, such as:
- by visiting the website
- by phone on 01449 766629
- by fax on 01449 768047
- by email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
- or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.
The solution to everything
What is the most effective way of enhancing children’s reading, problem solving, and writing abilities without it costing a penny?
There are two oddities in that headline, I know. The notion that one activity can boost children’s performance in all those areas mentioned, and that this can be done at no cost at all.
But there is no catch, no trick and there are no hidden charges. There is a method and it is free to use. Indeed the benefits actually go beyond those mentioned in the headline – I didn’t mention them all because I didn’t want you to think this was far too good to be true.
The answer to the question in the headline is to be found within the imagination. Our imaginations allow us to hypothesise, to hold the concept of number, to solve problems without actually doing them, and to think what might be as well as what actually is.
Children whose imaginations are stretched tend to achieve far more than might otherwise be expected.
For example, when children listen to a story, they can become enthralled not just by the words but by what their imaginations do to the story. The imagination provides extra details to make their own personal vision of story.
Put simply: when children have many opportunities to make what we may call this “imaginative investment”, they become more rounded people. They enhance their intelligence and become more able to engage in the world around them.
Which only leaves one question: how can we develop this skill?
The answer turns out to be quite simple – a two part activity in which children learn to tell stories to each other in small groups, and which then also encourages those parents who wish to, to take part in the activity at home.
We have set out the whole project in a free report which we’d be delighted to send you. It sets out how the project can work, step by step, without any need to spend anything on equipment or other resources.
For a free copy of the report, “Enhancing reading, problem solving and writing through storytelling at school and at home” please email stories@snailtales.org. If you could write “Enhancing reading report” in the subject line that would be helpful.
If you would like to know more about what we do, there are details on our website or you can call us on 020 328 76245.
Free fun MFL cartoon and games resources to download!
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Download from our website free samples of fun motivating resources using appealing cartoons and games to practise grammar, vocabulary, communication and speaking skills, and use of pupil classroom language for real purposes.
For KS2 – KS5 – French, German and Spanish. |
Research: students who use web-based testing progress at a faster rate
Students who regularly test their literacy and numeracy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects
According to recent research, carried out by Andrew Gallacher (an education coordinator at the University of Glasgow), students who regularly test their numeracy and literacy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects.
Which is exactly why Education Quizzes exists – and why we are offering free sign up for schools to Education Quizzes for a whole year.
Our library of KS3 Music quizzes covers an extensive range of topic areas, making them ideal for revising what your students are being taught in their Music lessons, past and present.
Education Quizzes is also ideal to set as homework tasks as it involves little to no PPA time – giving you more time to focus on planning and preparing future lessons and assessing the work of your students from lessons which have gone before.
To see the KS3 Music quizzes that we have produced thus far, toggle through the topic area links below. Alternatively, you can email admin@educationquizzes.com to request more information.
If you would like to sign up free to Education Quizzes for a year, simply visit our schools’ registration page – www.educationquizzes.com/schools-uk-registrations/.
Topic area
Academic Summer Schools 2017 for students aged 11-14
>The Debate Chamber Summer Schools offer students the opportunity to find out more about some fascinating subjects, take the first steps towards some fascinating and rewarding career paths and options for further study, meet like-minded peers and get to grips with some serious intellectual challenges.
The material is designed to stretch academically able students, but a relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of discussion, debate, and opportunities for students to shape the direction of classes creates the perfect environment for getting to grips with new ideas. Working in small groups (usually around 14 students per group) over several days means a real chance to get to know tutors and fellow students and to explore the topics or questions that particularly interest each individual.
Highlights of Summer 2017:
The Young Lawyers Summer School – an opportunity for students aged 11-14 to learn more about the legal world, and to have a go at arguing a legal case for themselves. The four-day course will include seminars and activities looking at diverse areas of law, from family to contract law, as well as games, practical exercises, lively debates and a full mock crown court trial.
The Young Writers Summer School – taking in a wide range of forms across prose, poetry and journalism, we will develop individual and group compositions within a friendly and supportive environment. An intensive four days of enjoyable exploration, discussion, practice and feedback will leave participants with a strong grasp of creative techniques, plentiful stimulating examples, and a sense of direction and possibility for their future writing.
The Young Thinkers Summer School – a chance to discover and debate some of the really big questions posed by philosophers over the centuries. From ethics to metaphysics, this course offers two days of mind-expanding and argument-sharpening discussion, thought experiments and exercises. Particularly helpful in building confidence and encouraging students to structure their arguments in a logical and consistent form.
The Young Doctors Summer School – an introduction to the world of medicine for younger students. Each part of the Summer School is structured so that more academic sessions are interspersed with fun and enjoyable exercises which are designed to test and apply the theoretical knowledge gained. Students will take part in practical activities, like learning how to suture a wound, and in role-play and case study scenarios where they take the role of practitioners and consultants – diagnosing and recommending treatment options. There will also be experiments, group work and quizzes on each day
Practical Details:
All the Summer School events will be held at Student Central, University of London, Bloomsbury Campus, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.
You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at http://www.debatechamber.com/
To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/
What is the secret resource that brings pure joy into the MFL classroom?
Well, just before we get on to the ‘secret’ resource, it is worth mentioning that the MFL resource market has been transformed over the past ten years. Hundreds if not thousands of excellent and imaginative resources are available to MFL teachers using songs, games and interactive online software. MFL teachers everywhere are now fully aware of the positive impact that these resources have on engagement and attainment.
But not everyone knows about this extra resource (the secret one) which is available in every classroom free of charge whenever required. And this is the resource that adds pure joy!
The secret resource harnesses one of the most powerful resources in human society. It is not restricted to any specific MFL topic and yet can be applied to all of them.
It works brilliantly in MFL classes because spoken language connects people on an emotional level.
After all, we never speak to each other in sterile sentences such as ‘the cat sat on the mat’!
We gossip, we complain, we rejoice, we reflect, we inform, we collaborate, we recount, we congratulate, we sympathise, we encourage, we accuse, we defend, we tell jokes, we brag, we tell stories…..
And when we speak we expect a reaction.
In particular, we expect a reaction from our peers. And the younger we are, the more importance we attach to the opinion of our peers.
And there you have it! The power of peer pressure is the FREE resource available to all MFL teachers everywhere, at any time!
Do you dare to unleash its legendary potent force?
Have a go! Spice up your usual role plays with some of these ideas!
An angry customer with a frustrated travel agent; a stressed out doctor dealing with a hysterical patient; an excited tourist completely misunderstanding directions; an absent minded mad professor in a shop; bank robbers who cannot agree on which is the getaway car; a dentist trying to calm a nervous patient who escapes when he turns his back.
Watch faces light up as pupils experiment with entertaining and being entertained by, their peers – in a foreign language! See them enthusiastically research material for their own sketches. Watch confidence levels grow and peer relationships improve!
It is pure joy!
And it is free!
Marie – Director of www.singinfrench.com – Fresh ideas for MFL teachers
Ps You can see what pure joy looks like in this Pinot The Musical workshop
Pps demand will be high for the 16 performance of our popular ‘sing along in French’ show Pinot! The Musical – playing at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre in May and June 2017. See www.singinfrench.com for details. Email info@singinfrench.com if you have any questions!
Why not experience learning in the Great Outdoors with Ford Castle Adventure?
The Northumberland countryside is the perfect setting for exploring. We offer a range of specialised activity sessions such as ‘Den Building’, ‘Photo Trails’, ‘Minibeast Hunts,’ ‘Search and Rescue’ and Falconry. These activities are the perfect foundation for exploring the local area, discovering natural materials, sharing awareness for the environment and its habitats, developing map reading skills and team work.
A real medieval castle, surrounded by vast grounds that encompass a range of challenging on-site activities, Ford Castle is also the perfect setting for educational local excursions; with options to try canoeing, crag climbing, or nature walks, visiting Bamburgh Beach or even spending a day in Edinburgh City and many more.
Ford Castle and the Great Outdoors are ready for you and your school to explore and enjoy! Bring your class closer to nature with March dates starting from as little as £119 + VAT per student.
All our prices are fully inclusive, covering: comfortable accommodation, three delicious meals a day, and plenty of stimulating on-site activities – with additional options of excursions and off-site activities available.
If you would like to find out more, or to request a call-back, then please email us at Holidays@ford-castle.co.uk. Alternatively, you can visit our website: www.ford-castle.co.uk for more information, reviews and useful downloads.
We look forward to hearing from you,
With kind regards,
Annette Best
Ford Castle Adventure Ltd.
Tel: 01388 741 354
Email: Holidays@ford-castle.co.uk
Website: www.ford-castle.co.uk
KS4 problem solving videos from Doddle Maths!
Get your KS4 students solving problems with ease thanks to tablet-friendly video content from Doddle Maths.
Test their algebra, geometry, and number skills with videos on unknown powers, the area of shapes, sharing out money, and much more.
These audio-narrated, step-by-step videos talk through the process of approaching and solving a problem in an engaging real-life context. Students are shown exactly the sorts of workings-out that should be visible on their own page.
Book a visit
Find out more about Doddle’s interactive resources, self-marking homework quizzes, and automatic online markbook by booking a free in-school visit with one of our Education Consultants:
www.doddlelearn.co.uk/bookavisit
Philippa
Doddle
A proven way to reach and engage your students with mental issues
Every teacher has their own methods for connecting with a class, however it can be difficult when it comes to those hard-to-reach students struggling with mental health issues.
We launched EDVirtual (our virtual classroom) in 2016 so that your establishments can target these students and support them and their learning needs.
The virtual classrooms and all of their features can be accessed from any location with an internet connection, allowing you to effectively teach students who struggle to make it into the classroom at a distance.
Our unique safeguarding tools have been developed with distant learners in mind to give educators the best opportunity to deliver lessons to off-site students whilst also monitoring their behaviour and safety.
This facility will enable further support for students and the needs of those involved with these individuals in furthering their education by giving you the ability to:
- allocate timetabled pathways that are customisable to suit students’ learning ability and needs.
- mentor students in real-time through a written chat, verbal chat or face-to-face video link
- monitor student’ wellbeing through our attendance trackers, safety questionnaires and alert system.
- create bespoke learning plans and catch up programmes for your students to prevent them falling behind their classmates whilst off-site
We provide a safe and secure learning environment for hard to reach students, ensuring each student reaches their full potential in a controlled and safe environment.
For more information about EDVirtual, a two week free trial or a live online demo of the functionality of the online learning platform, contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at mail@edlounge.com with the subject ‘Virtual17’.
FREE resource to connect maths to the real world
Help your pupils understand the exciting applications of Maths in life after school
We’ve all heard it: “What’s the point of learning algebra? We’re never going to use it after we leave school!” Too many young people fail to see the purpose of learning Maths and subsequently become disengaged with the subject. We’ve built Panjango to give learning context and purpose by demonstrating the many exciting applications of Maths (and English and Science) in the world of work.
Panjango connects learning to life by linking curriculum topics to real, work-related challenges. For example, the following challenge demonstrates how, as a Computer Games Designer, young people may be required to recognise and generate terms in a sequence:
You are tasked with designing a ‘level up’ system for a new computer game. The system should be based on experience points. You decide that each level’s required experience points can be worked out by doubling the previous level’s experience points and then subtracting 100 times the level the user is currently on. The first level requires 400 experience points before the user can progress to the second level. How many experience points is the fifth level going to require?
Or this challenge puts students into the role of an Armed Forces Officer and requires them to apply their geometry skills:
You are planning an aid drop. Each air freight pallet has a length of 2.1m and a width of 1.6m. Items can be safely stacked to a height of 0.8m on the pallet. The aid drop is delivering first aid kits on the first flight. These kits each measure 35cm by 40cm by 10cm. In order to plan how many flights will be required to deliver the necessary aid, you need to know how many first aid kits can fit on each pallet. How many first aid kits can fit on one air freight pallet?
Panjango, which is free to use, features more than 1000 contextualised challenges across 120 different occupations (covering curriculum levels 3 to 7).
Our new filtering system allows you to tailor your lessons and present the challenges most relevant to your class. For example, you could display challenges set at one curriculum level e.g. all Maths topic at Level 7 to broadly explore the context and purpose of Maths; or you could display challenges relating to a specific topic such as algebra, geometry, or probability to help bring a specific topic to life for your students.
To help give your learning context and purpose, register now for FREE at panjango.online.
Thank you for joining us on our journey to connect learning to life!
Jon & Joseph
Founders of Panjango
“Panjango is a powerful, immersive experience which helps young people understand why their learning is important and how it is used in practical settings in the world of work. The resource has the potential to significantly enhance the learning outcomes of young people by bringing learning to life, making if fun, interactive and meaningful.”
Dr Richard Gerver, Education speaker, author and Head Teacher of the Year
Best-selling children’s book premieres on stage
The UK’s best-selling children’s paperback of 2016 comes to a theatre near you in 2017/18Perfect for all KS2 pupils (and teachers will have a good time too!)The Birmingham Stage Company will be touring their world premiere of David Walliams’ Awful Auntie, from this September and throughout 2018. It follows their record-breaking production of Gangsta Granny, which is back on tour from 15 February before it transfers to the West End for a summer season at the Garrick. A list of tour venues for both shows can be found on www.birminghamstage.com David Walliams said: Awful Auntie was published in September 2014 and won the National Children’s Book Award. Last year the paperback sold 212,000 copies, making it the best-selling children’s paperback of the year. Awful Auntie tells the story of Stella, who when she sets off to visit London with her parents has no idea her life is in danger. Waking up from a coma three months later, only her Aunt Alberta can tell Stella what has happened. But not everything Aunt Alberta tells her turns out to be true and Stella quickly discovers she’s in for the fight of her life against her very own awful Auntie. David Williams’ amazing tale of frights, fights and friendship features a very old car, a very large owl and a very small ghost! Awful Auntie will mark the Birmingham Stage Company’s 25th anniversary, during which times they have produced all of the Horrible Histories stage shows, plus Roald Dahl adaptations including most recently Georges Marvellous Medicine WHAT THE TEACHERS SAID ABOUT GANGSTA GRANNY! It was an excellent show and very entertaining! It was very clever and much funnier than the book. The children loved it! Absolutely brilliant – it kept very close to the book and was even better in parts. A truly excellent show. You brought the West End to Nottingham! An amazing show. The props and scenery were fabulous. Our students said they got lost in it all as it was so good. See more information at www.birminghamstage.com |
An opportunity to trial Play Therapy at very little cost
About 1700 primary schools are using Play Therapy UK therapists to support pupils with emotional, behaviour and mental health issues. Between 75% and 84% show a positive change.
This reduces stress on teaching staff caused by disruptive or ‘difficult’ pupils.
You can find a fully qualified therapist on www.playtherapyregister.org.uk , accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
If you have a limited budget or are not sure if play therapy would work in your school you can have up to 100 hours of therapy for your pupils at virtually no cost by using our trainee placement scheme. They will carry out assessments, parent interviews and provide measured outcomes as part of their service, as well as the therapy.
We have about 300 trainees from 13 training centres in all parts of the UK so hopefully one will be available for your school.
Email me personally at jefferyht@majemail.com for details.
More information on play therapy at: www.playtherapy.org.uk
Kind regards
Jeff Thomas – Registrar Play Therapy UK
Organising work experience for students with SEN
Information and activities to support your SEN students to demonstrate good work etiquette during their work experience placement
Organising work experience for SEN students can be something of a challenge, for not only must it be tailored to the needs of a young person, but it must also be tailored to the needs of a young person with a SpLD or who may view the world in a wholly different way.
So, to help your SEN students to succeed during their work experience placement (and to make organising their work experience placement easier for you) SEN Press has devised the Work Experience Value Pack.
The Work Experience Value Pack contains a wealth of information, support, and resources about what your students can expect when undertaking work experience and how to demonstrate good work etiquette in the array of situations they’re likely to find themselves in.
Not only has the value pack’s content been specifically designed to respond to the way in which students with autism typically view the world, but it will also respond to their learning needs – it has been designed for older students with a reading age of around seven.
The Work Experience Value Pack uses an approach that we have adopted through a series of six student reading books each focussed on a particular work setting, ranging from an animal charity to a fast-food restaurant, from a garage to a supermarket.
The six reading books, each of which builds upon the themes of the series (time-keeping, showing respect, and so on) are accompanied by a set of copiable worksheets and teachers’ resources, supplied in spiral-bound format for easy use.
The teachers’ resources also include around 100 A4 pages of additional resources including keyword flashcards, word searches, and spot the difference pictures.
Finally the pack also includes a CD rom which has a set of eBooks and whiteboard resources. These include real voice audio tracks of the eBook versions of the readers and a wide range of interactive activities so that the students can practise various life skills.
The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT. Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.
For further information, please click here.
Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.
Janie Nicholas
The best resource for learning French is France.
Would you like to inspire your pupils with a French language trip?
At Château Beaumont, we offer an expertly crafted selection of language and cultural based excursions to ensure all our guests get the very best from their trip.
Experience the thrilling history of Normandy by exploring the magnificent castle of Fougères or beautiful beaches at St Malo. Enhance French language skills with a trip to Laval Market, interacting with our local stall holders. Combine these, and so much more, with our stimulating range of on-site adventure and team-building activities to create memories that stay with your pupils for a lifetime.
For more information please visit: www.chateau-beaumont.co.uk
We have been organising trips for schools to suit any budget for nearly 20 years; we are fully registered with the British Activity Providers Association (BAPA) and hold the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge.
I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have, and discuss your various options. You can contact me on 01388 741 370, or by emailing Lyndsay@chateau-beaumont.co.uk to request a call-back.
We look forward to hearing from you,
À bientôt
Lyndsay Creaser
Château Beaumont Ltd.
Tel: 01388 741 370
Email: Lyndsay@chateau-beaumont.co.uk
Website: www.chateau-beaumont.co.uk
Improving outcomes with Doddle at BETT
At BETT 2017 we will be showcasing our latest platform developments and you can speak with Doddle experts about the strategies that help school leaders to improve outcomes.
Visit us at stand A140 to see how Doddle’s powerful online system provides:
- Complete progress tracking,
- Timesaving homework solutions,
- Effective targeting and intervention,
- Insightful reporting for all stakeholders,
- Automatic parent communication.
You can also explore the 16,000 online resources Doddle contains, including our comprehensive presentations, self-marking homework quizzes and new specification materials.
Not attending BETT? Book a free in-school visit with one of our Education Consultants to see how Doddle can help your school.
Philippa
Doddle
Summer Schools 2017 – Booking Now Open
The Debate Chamber Summer Schools offer students age 11-18 the opportunity to find out more about some fascinating subjects, prepare for university applications, meet like-minded peers and get to grips with some tough intellectual challenges.
The material will be challenging (for the older age-group, about the level of difficulty one might expect in the first year at university), but the atmosphere will be relaxed, with plenty of discussion, debate, and opportunities for students to shape the direction of classes. It is an environment conducive to getting to grips with new ideas.
Working in small groups (usually around 14 students per class) over several days offers participants a real chance to get to know tutors and fellow students and to explore the topics or questions that particularly interest them.
Highlights of Summer 2017:
The Medicine Summer School for students aged 15-18 comprises a series of two-day events with specialist sessions on cardiology, paediatrics, oncology, emergency medicine and many other topics – enabling students to attend a wide-ranging introduction, or select the sessions most relevant to their interests.
The Summer Law School for 15-18s, now in three 5-day blocks to allow time for more cases, more analysis and more debate on some of the most intriguing legal questions. Students can choose to focus on Criminal, Civil or International Law, or attend all three Parts for a comprehensive introduction to legal study.
The International Relations Summer School for 15-18s offers a five-day whistlestop tour of international politics and the complex web of relationships between states, global institutions, multinational companies and citizens. With fascinating case studies, from China’s growing presence on the world stage to the prospects for resolution of the Syrian conflict, this event is ideal for students with an interest in current affairs.
For those interested in the Humanities, we have Summer Schools in Economics, History, and Politics, while Arts enthusiasts should check out the English Literature, Classical Civilisations, Art History, Critical and Cultural Theory or Philosophy Summer Schools (all for students aged 15-18).
For science students, our popular Physics Summer School has been expanded to include options open to students currently in their GCSE years.
Practical Details:
All the Summer School events will be held at University of London venues in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.
You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at http://www.debatechamber.com/
There is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.
To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/
Debate Chamber Summer Schools
Debate Chamber Summer Schools
Debate Chamber is excited to announce a series of academic summer schools aimed at aspirational 15-18 year-old students of Science and Mathematics. These programmes have been designed to challenge and inspire intellectually curious students and introduce them to modern ideas in Mathematics, Physics and Medicine.
Each course will offer a fun and stimulating educational experience in which students will be encouraged to develop their conceptual understanding and applied problem-solving skills. Each day will consist of a combination of lectures, practical activities, group discussions, team challenges and problem-sets with an emphasis on the real-world applications of the theoretical ideas.
All Debate Chamber tutors have completed, or are in the process of completing, postgraduate study in their respective field and are therefore perfectly placed to engage and inspire, as well as tailor sessions to cater for the interests and ability of each individual student. Small class sizes ensure an inclusive, university-style tutorial experience in which students feel comfortable asking questions to each other, as well as their tutors.
Physics Summer School
The Physics Summer School will introduce students to some of the major themes of 20th and 21st Century Physics. The Summer School is split into two parts, with each part comprising a structured five-day programme. Part 1 focuses on Classical Mechanics and Astronomy with an emphasis on modern applications of Newtonian Mechanics, and is relevant to both GCSE and A-Level students. Part 2 focuses on Quantum Mechanics and Relativity with an emphasis on the mathematical and conceptual foundations of these ideas, and requires that students have completed AS Mathematics.
‘Challenging, but great fun, the Physics course was a fantastic opportunity to gain a better insight into some of the fundamental principles that govern our world, giving me a better idea of what Physics at University might be like. From learning about the rather abstract world of Quantum Mechanics to discussing black holes and even teleportation, the course left me astounded by both the amount we already know, and how much we have yet to discover! I really enjoyed the five days, working with two talented tutors and meeting some other like-minded students. Overall, an incredible week.’
Mathematics Summer School
The Mathematics Summer School is a five-day programme that will introduce students to contemporary ideas in Pure and Applied Mathematics with an emphasis on developing problem-solving skills. The morning sessions will be used to introduce a range of theoretical ideas including Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Calculus, Proofs, Algorithms and Infinities. The application of these ideas will be explored in the afternoon session through a variety of problem-sets, group activities and discussions. Students attending this course must have completed AS Mathematics.
‘Attending the Maths Summer School allowed me to explore a variety of mathematical concepts not covered at school. I was given an opportunity to learn about multivariable calculus and differential equations from a physics graduate, predicate logic and Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem from a philosophy graduate, and linear algebra from a mathematics graduate. All of my tutors were very eloquent and clear, and I’ve learnt new branches of mathematics to give myself a slight head-start going into university.’
Medicine Summer School
The Medicine Summer School offers a fun and interactive insight into the world of medicine, allowing students the opportunity to develop the theoretical and applied skills required to be a doctor. Students will work in small groups alongside medical students to gain experience in identifying a patient’s primary symptoms, ordering tests, drawing conclusions and presenting their findings. The Summer School is split into five 2-day programmes, each covering a different area of medical practice.
‘I completely recommend this course! Whether you are totally convinced Medicine is for you, or if you just want a taster to see if it’s right, this course is perfect. The tutors are passionate and highly knowledgeable, and teach a great course covering a wide range of topics. Absolutely ten out of ten on all aspects – go and do it!’
Bursaries
Debate Chamber is committed to ensuring that financial circumstances do not prevent any student from attending our events. Students are able to apply for bursaries covering up to 100% of the course fee through our website.
How can my students attend?
All the Summer School events will be held at University of London venues in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.
You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at http://www.debatechamber.com/
To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/
How can the school organise a very special National Storytelling Week event in just ten minutes?
Between 28 January and 4 February thousands of schools across the UK will be organising events in support of National Storytelling Week – but even if you have not yet made arrangements for a specific activity that week (or indeed one of the weeks following NSW) it is still easy to set up a day that the children will remember for years and years to come.
Indeed it is generally the long term impact of just such a day that is the prime reason why the popularity of this annual event has grown year by year. For, as more and more research has shown, children who have the chance to experience live storytelling can make huge gains in all their subsequent school work.
As a result one of the most popular events this year is proving to be a half or full day visit to the school by a highly experienced storyteller.
The exact arrangements for the day will depend on your particular wishes and what you want the children to get out of the day. The most popular approach involves starting with an assembly followed by performances and/or workshops for smaller groups of children at a time. But we can adjust our approach to suit your requirements.
As an extra bonus a free optional after-school training session for teachers is also available, and the whole arrangement can last for half a day or a full day.
You will find a lot more about our storytelling programme on our website at www.snailtales.org/
Or, if you have an immediate question, please do either:
- call 020 328 SNAIL (020 328 76245)
- or visit our Contact Us page
I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Britain’s Best Storytelling Show
Britain’s Best Storytelling ShowI want to tell you a story… National Storytelling Week starts on Monday 30th January 2017 and our Key Stage 3 National Storytelling Tour runs from Monday 30th January through to Easter. Bards in the true sense, Celtic Yarn-Spinners entertain and enrich all ages with interactive stories, poems and songs. Should you be interested in having our Celtic Yarn-Spinner come to visit, please telephone me, Joy Atkins, on 020 8688 6951, or you may prefer to email: celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk for more information. The Stratford Festival of Salon Arts organises the National Tour of Traditional Celtic Storytellers running from Mon. 30th Jan. until Good Friday. 14th April 2017 http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/ Dates of Interest National Storytelling Week runs from Sat. 26th Jan. to Sat. 4th Feb. 2017. Joy Atkins Tel. 0208 688 6951 |
Children develop by design-a-classroom.
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| Enchanted Inspirational Classrooms are already gaining massive interest in themed classrooms with Harry Potter/ Hagrid’s Lodge & Hogs Meade buildings, Tom Sawyer and Tudor Styles, adding that extra dimension to the education environment. Enchanted exciting designs are anything but standard, styles away from the generic box shapes of classrooms, with classrooms that are just ‘out of the box’ which may inspire children into and within the learning environment. Perfect for the early years and tailored to the specific need of the class and function. |  |
Enchanted Inspirational Classrooms are already gaining massive interest in themed classrooms with Harry Potter/ Hagrid’s Lodge & Hogs Meade buildings, Tom Sawyer and Tudor Styles, adding that extra dimension to the education environment. Enchanted exciting designs are anything but standard, styles away from the generic box shapes of classrooms, with classrooms that are just ‘out of the box’ which may inspire children into and within the learning environment. Perfect for the early years and tailored to the specific need of the class and function.
| Typically, Enchanted design team will visit your site and design any possibility and style, carry out all the red tape, manufacture & install under one umbrella.
The price is competitive too, at about £700m2 for a regular classroom; the material choice making the difference, some cost less and some more than the rule of thumb, but gives a good representation. We design to agreed styles and to budgets so you’re in control all the way. |
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Enchanted history based on themed play equipment and themed playhouses which took a natural growth into themed buildings. What’s more, the GA designs are without cost so we can visit you and develop your area for you.
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Enchanted Creations & Enchanted Timber Structures Ltd Call 01844 343106 for more information or email brad@enchantedcreations.co.uk Take advantage of the Cad design, the GA is free so give us a call for a site visit. We have loads of very excited and happy Heads, a great fun journey. |
Ford Castle Adventure
Come and see our birds of prey at Ford Castle and enjoy adventurous activities, with March prices starting from only £124 + VAT per student!
A grade-1 listed building steeped in history, with majestic views of the Cheviot Hills, Ford Castle is far from just a beautiful setting. Surrounded by vast private grounds we encompass a wide range of challenging on-site and additional off-site activities, and are proud to call ourselves unique in every aspect.
The Northumberland countryside is the perfect setting to lead excursions exploring the local ecosystems, habitats and so much more. Bring your class closer to nature and couple educational excursions with stimulating crag climbing, canoeing or falconry sessions, with March dates starting from only £124 + VAT per student.
All our prices are fully inclusive, covering: comfortable accommodation, three delicious meals a day, and plenty of stimulating on-site activities – with additional options of excursions and off-site activities available.
Should you be interested I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have, and help piece together a sample itinerary and prices, uniquely tailored to your educational requirements. You can contact me on 01388 741 354, or by emailing Holidays@ford-castle.co.uk to request a call-back.
Allow us to plan your next Ford Castle adventure!
Annette Best
Ford Castle Adventure Ltd
Tel: 01388 741 354
Email: Holidays@ford-castle.co.uk
Website: www.ford-castle.co.uk
Supporting your SEN students to form healthy relationships
How can you support your Special Educational Needs students to form healthy relationships in all aspects of their life?
The ability to form a healthy relationship is something that we typically learn from trial and error and observation, but it may be that your SEN students require a bit more support if they are able to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout adolescence and adulthood.
Which is why we have devised The Relationships series. A comprehensive resource offering guidance to teenagers aged 14 to 19 with a reading age of around seven by being sympathetic to the way that autistic teenagers (for example) typically view the world.
The Relationships series consists of:
- Six story books, which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses, exploring a different situation where it is important that young people identify their emotions, as well as the emotions of others.
Titles include, “The Date: Rachel’s Story” and “The Date: Mike’s Story” (differing opinions and sides to the same story), “Mum’s New Boyfriend” (accepting a parent’s new partner), “My Teacher” (understanding teacher/pupil relationships), “Sisters at War” (managing sibling tension) and “Staying Out Late” (the issues it raises with parents).
- A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.
- An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Missing Words, Quizzes, Drag and Drop, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference and How Well Did You Read?.
- Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).
The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available as the Relationships Value Pack for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).
Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.
For further information, please click here. Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.
Janie Nicholas
FREE online platform aiming to reinvent careers education
Help your pupils develop the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to thrive in life after school
It’s now widely recognised that young people are not being adequately prepared for the world of work as too many fail to see the purpose of education, become disengaged with their learning and do not develop the skills needed in the modern workplace. That’s why we set out on a journey to makes careers education more fun, engaging and meaningful for young people – and to show young people how their learning will be applied in exciting ways in life after school.
So we’re delighted to launch a new and improved version of Panjango – our virtual world of work which gamifies learning, links the curriculum to the real world and equips young people with the skills they need to fulfil their potential.
Panjango, which is free to use, now features 120 occupations and more than 1500 contextualised challenges covering the Key Stage 3 Maths, English and Science curriculum. Our new filtering system allows you to tailor your lessons and present the challenges most relevant to your class.
The resource has already received praise from some prominent people in the careers world. For example, Dr. Deirdre Hughes, former Chair of the National Careers Council England said, “Panjango is pushing the boundaries of career learning. The resource is fun and lively with a strong theoretical base supporting an innovative approach to lifelong career development.”
What makes Panjango different from others careers resources is that it directly links the school curriculum to work-related challenges, helping to give learning context and purpose. The challenges also help to develop the key competences young people will need in the modern world of work – all while enabling them to learn more about possible career paths.
Students who have been inspired to explore careers possibilities at an early stage in their secondary education are typically more motivated and focused in their lessons. Panjango aims inspire and excite students about careers from an earlier age, making them eager to engage in further careers activities as they progress through school.
To check out Panjango, register now for free at panjango.online. Thank you for joining us on our journey to reinvent careers education!
Jon & Joseph
Founders of Panjango
“Every Classroom in the World should have one of these!” … Faye, Class Teacher – Merton, London – Jan 2017
What is Faye referring to? A Classroom SoundField system from Connevans.
Will you agree with Faye? There is a simple and free way to hear what Faye heard and find out for yourself. You can have a free SoundField trial in your school, a trial which gives you and your colleagues the opportunity to try the equipment for a few weeks have the same experience as Faye!
You will find that all the children become engaged immediately, the teacher will never have to raise or strain their voice, everyone (even the children with poorer hearing and attention) will hear perfectly, and the tendency of some children to make noise in the classroom will diminish.
Simply tell us when it is convenient to visit, and we will bring the SoundField system to you and show the relevant teacher how to use it. Set up in the classroom takes just 15 minutes and after that you can use it straight away.
There is more information about our most popular SoundField system, the Swift Digital, on our website here: www.connevans.co.uk/product/3109896/
The Swift Digital SoundField system is designed by Connevans, the UK’s leading manufacturer of Classroom SoundField systems used all over the UK.
To hear what Faye heard and arrange a free three-week trial simply call or email and leave the rest to us!
- Phone 01737 247571
- Email phil@connevans.com
As a special trial offer there is a 10% discount on the Swift Digital if you keep it after the trial, you only pay the invoice if you decide to keep the SoundField equipment.
If you would like us to have a look at your school hall or offer free advice regarding simple equipment to help ensure the school is complying with the Equalities Act for visitors who are hard of hearing, we will be pleased to help.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Phil Boswell
Director
As of 2016 we are very proud to be … by Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Manufacturer and Supplier of Audio Equipment https://www.royalwarrant.org/directory?query=connevans
Transform your 2017 with Doddle!
Happy New Year from everyone at Doddle! We hope you enjoyed a well-deserved break, and are excited to be starting a brand-new year.
Why not make 2017 the year you transform your teaching, homework, and assessment? Doddle is a comprehensive, online resource, providing in-depth coverage of KS3 and KS4 ICT and Computing.
Doddle’s engaging and interactive resources are mapped to all major exam boards, seamlessly supporting your teaching.
Self-marking, tablet-friendly quizzes give students instant feedback and automatically enter results into your online markbook. At a glance, you can identify the students needing more support, and diagnose exactly where it needs to be directed.
To find out more about how Doddle could transform your 2017, book a free in-school visit with one of our Education Consultants today.
www.doddlelearn.co.uk/bookavisit
Philippa
Doddle
What’s the easiest way of having immediately to hand all the maths and English resources you’ll ever need?
Of course you’ll already have a wide range of resources available in books, worksheets, downloads and the like.
But having a huge array of indexed resources covering the whole of the maths syllabus at KS1 and 2, means that no matter what comes up, no matter what issue some members of the class are finding difficult, you’ll have resources ready at hand.
What’s more, because all these maths resources are available on line, you can simply download what you want and use it. And even better, the chances are that every time you go back and look again, you’ll find some new resources added.
In total we have over 9000 maths worksheets separated into year groups and categories as defined by the latest Primary Framework and placed in categories such as decimals, division, reasoning, problem solving etc.
We’re also increasing our range of “Teaching for Mastery” pages, and have a significant range of assessment papers and SAT Booster pages with a similar layout to the actual tests. And we’re updating all the time – all our money pages already feature the new £1 coin.
In English we once again have thousands of worksheets categorised by everything from nouns to prepositions, suffixes to punctuation.
There are also seasonal worksheets (from Shrove Tuesday to Halloween) and comprehension worksheets differentiated by the level of knowledge and ability required.
Of course you will want to see and try out these resources first, so we also offer a free trial that has absolutely no commitment at all.
The worksheets are ipad and tablet compatible, can be saved onto pen drives and can be displayed on whiteboards as well as printed out.
For your free No Obligation trial or indeed just to see what our materials look like please just click here.
Or if you have any questions please email jo@urbrainy.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jo
Lessons in financial literacy for students with SEN
Help your SEN students to make sense of money with the Making Sense of Money Set
It is pleasantly surprising when a new topic is added into the curriculum with very few teething problems, such as the introduction of financial literacy to the maths and citizenship curriculum in 2014.
However, there does seem to be a lack of resources that explore and explain finances in a way that students with SEN can easily understand.
Which is why SEN Press has devised the Making Sense of Money Set which contains a wealth of resources about dealing with money in everyday situations, including:
- Six story books which support the ASDAN CoPE Award. Titles include, “Money In, Money Out”, “Everyday Money”, “What’s it Worth?”, “Cash and Cakes”, “Keeping Money Safe” and “Making Ends Meet”.
- A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.
- An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, How Well Did You Read?, Missing Words, Quizzes, and Drag and Drop.
- Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).
The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).
You can see more details and sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack on our “Making Sense of Money” web page.
If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205. We’ll be delighted to hear from you.
Janie Nicholas
School Trip to France
Would you like your pupils to experience an educational language trip to rural Normandy at an affordable price?
For over 15 years we have provided language and activity holidays for UK schools, as we find that one of the best resources for learning French and experiencing French culture is France itself!
We hold the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge and are registered with both the British Activity Providers Association (BAPA) and the French Authorities.
Château Beaumont are currently offering a limited number of peak summer 2017 dates as well as some fantastic autumn deals. Our fully inclusive prices cover: executive door to door transport, full insurance, comfortable accommodation, allocated group leader, all on-site adventure activities, all local excursions including entrance fees, evening entertainments, French language practice and three delicious meals a day.
Should you be interested I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have and discuss your various options. You can contact me on 01388 741 370, or by emailing Lyndsay@chateau-beaumont.co.uk to request a call-back.
We look forward to hearing from you,
Lyndsay Creaser
Château Beaumont Ltd
Tel: 01388 741 370
Email: Lyndsay@chateau-beaumont.co.uk
Website: www.chateau-beaumont.co.uk
Superheroes save maths lessons
How can you encourage your pupils to adopt a positive attitude to learning Times Tables?
| Mighty Fun Activities for Practising Times Tables is a three-book series which uses superheroes to motivate children to practise the skills needed to solve multiplication, division, and word-based times table problems.
Superheroes appeal to even the most reluctant of learners and will instil a positive and competitive attitude towards learning. The aim is for children to become excited and motivated enough to want to learn and practise times tables. These enjoyable worksheets will help children to:
The books contain reproducible sheets of practical and written activities which are designed to be used as flexible teaching aids. You can dip in and out of the books in any order to support the learning of any times table. The activities work equally well as stand-alone 5 to 20 minute lesson reinforcements or as regular times table learning. For more information or to order the three-book series for just £40, visit Mighty Fun Activities for Practising Times Tables. |
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If you need your superhero now you can buy ebook versions for instant access on the links below:
Book 1 – 2, 5 and 10 times tables (£11.99)
Book 2 – 3, 4, 6 and 8 times tables (£11.99)
Book 3 – 7, 9, 11 and 12 times tables (£11.99)
Alternatively, you can order
• by phone on 01449 766629
• by fax on 01449 768047
• by email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
• or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.
FREE Meares-Irlen Syndrome screening software for schools
Read123 are providing our groundbreaking iPad based app for screening, diagnosing and managing Meares-Irlen Syndrome / Visual Stress (worth an annual £500 subscription) completely free of charge for a FULL year.
1 in 3 pupils suffer from this condition and therefore screening of all pupils is absolutely vital. Now you can screen ALL your pupils in a fraction of the time. No training needed!
Limited time offer.
Unique features include:
Reading speed improvement calculator
Speech recognition feature to detect reading mistakes
Customised tint calculator for glasses (customised tint glasses prices from just £54.99)
Data charts for the school
Unlimited access
Sort results by class and academic year
Sync feature to share results amongst tablets in the school.
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The Read123 Meares-Irlen Syndrome app has been designed and developed by specialist Opticians who have been working with pupils for over 10 years. We are members of The Association of Optometrists and are keen participants of their Schools Vision initiative.
You can take the free trial here. Simply contact us on 0800 6890292 or support@read123.co.uk after you have used up the 2 free attempts and we will provide you with a login code for your school. This will let you use the app free for a whole year.
More information on our website at www.read123.co.uk
Are your students on track?
Free school leaders meetings
Dear Colleagues,
Please join us in and other school leaders for one of our free meetings on ‘Life after Levels’ and effective whole school teaching, homework and assessment strategies from Doddle.
In these meetings you will hear from expert speakers who can help your school to excel and tackle the big questions on:
- how to adapt and bring together your assessment across different subjects;
- how to ensure buy-in from staff on new initiatives;
- how to demonstrate student progress, from KS3 through to KS4;
- how to cover the new GCSE specifications and thoughts on introducing a 5 year key stage;
- how and what to report to students, parents, and Ofsted.
Manchester
Malmaison Manchester, M1 3AQ
Date: Tuesday 24th January
Time: 9:30am to 12:00pm
Sign up for free
London
Central Hall Westminster, SW1H 9NH
Date: Thursday 26th January
Time: 9:30am to 12:00pm
Sign up for free
Leeds
Malmaison Leeds, LS1 4AG
Date: Tuesday 21st February
Time: 9:30am to 12:00pm
Sign up for free
We hope to see you there!
Philippa
Doddle
Transform your 2017 with Doddle!
Happy New Year from everyone at Doddle! We hope you enjoyed a well-deserved break, and are excited to be starting a brand-new year.
Why not make 2017 the year you transform your teaching, homework, and assessment? Doddle is a comprehensive, online resource, providing in-depth coverage of KS3, KS4, and A-Level Science.
Doddle’s engaging and interactive resources are mapped to all major exam boards, seamlessly supporting your teaching.
Self-marking, tablet-friendly quizzes give students instant feedback and automatically enter results into your online markbook. At a glance, you can identify the students needing more support, and diagnose exactly where it needs to be directed.
To find out more about how Doddle could transform your 2017, book a free in-school visit with one of our Education Consultants today.
www.doddlelearn.co.uk/bookavisit
Philippa
Doddle
What is the most effective way of teaching stage lighting within theatre studies courses?
From years of teaching stage lighting to students, a practical, “hands on” stage lighting workshop works best for the students. It is engaging and fun and they learn by doing it! Suitable for GCSE, A level, Btech students.
The students will learn: how to turn their stage lighting ideas into reality.They will start by building up a 2.5 metre tall fully working theatre, then they will find out about the different types of lights, which lights to use where, then rig and focus them.
They will learn how a lighting plan is created, and a cue list is drawn up. Then they can start “painting with light” and take turns to operate the lighting desk as if running the lights for a real show.
Students will: explore focusing techniques, the use of shutters, barn doors, and irises, then by using a front forest gauze, they will make Macbeth witches appear with their steaming cauldron, while the forest disappears!
Gobos are used in Profile spots to create large scale projected cityscapes, trees, church windows etc, which really can transform your performing space, from the “Forest of Arden” to a grand castle, or New York all in a twinkling of an eye.
Towards the end of the workshop, the visual interest increases yet more with the introduction of simple yet effective star cloths, fire and water projections as well as some famous remote controlled West End sets magically appearing out of a smoke screen.
This workshop will inspire the teachers and the students alike and give lots of ideas to try for themselves, and they will clearly experience how the backstage theatre crafts come together to make a performance work, and be able to write about in their course work.
To find out more go to http://creativelightingdesign.co.uk/worshops
Reviews: “In my 23 years of teaching drama I’ve yet to find a more interesting and creative way of introducing GCSE students to stage lighting.” Head of Drama, St Michael’s School, Lancashire
Thanks it was a great big help for the students! They had a fantastic time, were very engaged and have learnt a great deal so thank you! Kind regards,
Maria King Nov Archbishop Lanfranc Academy, Croydon.
To book Call John Watson on: 01773 712130 Mobile 07966 491 543
email; johnwatsoncreativelight@outlook.com
John Watson is a member of the Association of Lighting Designers
Macbeth
Macbeth
by William Shakespeare
Power. Ambition. Murder.
Fred Theatre is on the road this February with its exciting new production of Shakespeare’s classic tale of greed, lust, and betrayal: MACBETH.
Edited down to 90 minutes and performed by a cast of six actors, it will be fast-paced, contemporary, and relevant. Ideal for students studying the play at GCSE level and above.
Now is the perfect time to look again at MACBETH. We’re living in a world trendily described as the ‘post-truth age’, where ambition appears, at least, to be driving people to extreme behaviour the like of which we’ve not seen before. How more relevant can a play be than MACBETH which examines the nature of truth and equivocation, power and ambition?
In Fred’s production the witches are centre stage, controlling the action through stealthy manipulation of characters, media, and audience.
TWO WAYS TO SEE FRED’S MACBETH
1. In a theatre, near you
We have public performances coming up in London (12 February), Birmingham (14-15 February), Warwick (17-18 February) and Stratford-upon-Avon (6-7 February).
Full details of these, including booking information, can be found at www.fred-theatre.co.uk/whats-on
2. In your school
In addition, Fred can bring MACBETH to your school. All we need is a playing space of at least 4×4 metres and room for the audience.
The 90 minute production is competitively priced, and comes with the option of an additional workshop with members of the cast and creative team exploring themes in the play and our production. Dates are available for in-school performances throughout February.
To discuss your requirements, please contact our artistic director, Robert Ball on 07974 210265 or email: admin@fred-theatre.co.uk
Mathematics Summer School 2017 Booking Now Open
| On this five-day Maths Summer School students will be introduced to undergraduate topics in pure and applied maths, examining challenging mathematical problems using both calculus and algebra. The course content includes material that students are unlikely to encounter in detail while at school but that is frequently covered as part of first year university programs. As well as looking at maths in theory, we will also be covering key applications of mathematical tools in computing, economics, statistics and engineering.The 2017 course will include:
Linear Algebra * Hierachies and the Google algorithm * Differential Equations * Financial Markets and the Black-Scholes Model * Integration and 3D Spaces * Vector Calculus * Vectors & Matrices * Proofs and Algorithms * Sets and Infinities * Cryptography Classes are small, typically containing twelve to fifteen students, all of whom should have a passion for mathematics, a curiosity to build on their existing knowledge and be keen to embrace and exchange new ideas. An expert Tutor will lead each session in a seminar format, but learning will be largely student-led wherever practical. Classes will focus on discussion and on problem questions and exercises, creating a comfortable environment for students to share ideas amongst their peers and to progress from their existing knowledge toward more challenging material. The Mathematics Summer School is only suitable for students who have completed AS-Level Mathematics (or the equivalent in another qualification structure) at the time of the course. We welcome any student aged between 15-18 who meets this requirement. This Summer School is particularly appropriate for students who may be considering further study of mathematics at undergraduate level, or who are interested in related disciplines such as physics, computing or engineering. Practical Details: The cost of the five-day course is £475, and will be held at the University of London in Bloomsbury (please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required). The course will be held on the 17th-21st July and repeated 7th-11th August and 21st-25th August. There will be a limited number of bursary spaces available for those who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details. To book a place please visit http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/maths-summer-school/ call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
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What are the real everyday challenges in a primary school Post 2016 and post truth?
Two of the biggest challenges faced by all primary schools are budgets and meeting the needs of the curriculum. Anyone working in education knows that they are not new, and that all schools work extremely hard and creatively to overcome them.
The very real and modern challenge causing difficulties within primary schools as we begin 2017 is finding the time and new ways of helping pupils to develop emotionally in order to be happy, and therefore achieve in this rapidly changing world.
Many schools inform us that on a day-to-day basis in their classrooms and playgrounds it is aspects of technology, social media, cultural and societal pressure and stress that are having the most negative effects and that are their greatest challenges.
We at Tip of the Iceberg feel it is essential to work with schools to educate children about how they relate to the wider world in a nurturing and non stressful environment, helping them to embrace their knowledge and resilience.
Children learn these key life skills through imaginative and creative play – remember saying in the playground? “Let’s make up a game?” This helped to teach us strategies for developing relationships, understanding status and power, building independence and the ability to think and rationalise. It is reported that this type of play is happening less and the time and opportunity for fun and creative learning is decreasing too.
As the last term ended, thousands of schools were enjoying Christmas celebrations, watching a pantomime, having fun and enjoying a creative experience in their school. Is it possible to increase the benefits and justify the budget and funding by delivering even more educational benefits?
In audience research pantomimes can work on lots of different levels for all ages and abilities, which is why we believe it can also be an excellent format to cover aspects of the curriculum and PSHE topics.
“Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I’ll remember. Involve me, I’ll understand.”
Ancient proverb.
Over the last 10 years alongside pupils, schools and PSHE practitioners Tip of the Iceberg Theatre Company has developed its Pantomime Plays. A unique highly interactive pantomime format performance, designed for a whole school (reception to year 6) that supports the learning and hard work of teachers that goes on throughout the rest of the year.
The pupils experience all aspects of a classic pantomime, which are brilliantly involving, with recognisable characters and plots, however each individually written show has an educational twist and every scene includes a different key learning element. Topics that the plays cover include literacy, bullying and friendships, health and wellbeing, living in wider world.
The feedback from staff and pupils has been amazing and there is an extensive teaching resource pack that supports the project so that the experience can continue long after the theatre company have left.
“In twenty years at this school you are the best company we have ever worked with. The kids love it, they talk about it for ages and they learn so much. See you again next year.”
Camrose Primary School, Harrow.
If you would like to find out more about our unique educational experiences please take a look:
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like any further information on the Pantomime Plays or any other of our shows and workshops.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Lisa Schulberg
(Creative Director)
e. admin@tipoftheiceberg.biz
t. 07519 593711
Fact: we are more creative when we are unfocused
What is one of the most effective ways of getting the most out of your pupils in their creative writing lessons?
It is a fact that we are more creative when we are unfocused, because the brain is not only a lot less efficient at filtering out distractions, but it is also a lot less efficient at remembering connections between ideas or concepts – enabling us to make new connections, be open to new ideas, and think in new ways.
However, although this might be the best way to come up with creative ideas, it is not the best scenario when it comes to your pupils’ creative writing. For them, creating a consistent writing routine and idea habit will gain better results. Indeed, once a creative idea has been thought of, it must then, of course, be written in a way that will meet the requirements of the Programmes of Study for writing composition – which is possible when there is an embedded routine to follow.
One approach would be to use Brilliant Activities for Creative Writing – a series of photocopiable activity books for Year 1 to Year 6 pupils that provide a flexible but structured approach for developing writing skills, which both you and your pupils will enjoy.
The activities help children to develop writing skills for different genres, from narrative and poetry to recounts and persuasive writing. The sheets are self-explanatory and ready to use; the only additional resources needed are a pen or pencil and, sometimes, extra paper. Hint boxes provide extra support for the children in completing the task.
For more information about Brilliant Activities for Creative Writing, visit http://www.brilliantpublications.co.uk/book/brilliant-activities-for-creative-writing-series-pack-505
What’s more, you can order Brilliant Activities for Creative Writing in a variety of ways, including:
- by visiting the website
- by phone on 01449 766629
- by fax on 01449 768047
- by email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
- or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.
Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.
website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk
phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047
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Everything you need for a whole year of British Values activity!
| A year of class room British Values Key Stage 2 activity in one bundle! Two copies of each of our books – It’s The Law!, Looking After Britain, Our Country, Our World, Let’s Vote On It! and God Bless The Queen and two posters to display in class, one outlining the key British Values and the other to record progress and understanding with stickers supplied.
Just £50! Find out more here
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The School Improvement Conference
“We run our schools differently. Students want to attend them, teachers want to work in them and other schools want to learn from them.”
This year we are running our School Improvement Conferences on February 1 2017 and April 26 2017. We have already had an extremely successful event on November 30 2016, feedback from delegates who attended includes:
“Absolutely outstanding – most useful experience of my career to date”
“Excellent day with lots of discussion, good honesty”
“A thoroughly engaging, thought provoking day. All presenters and presentations were excellent and at times inspiring”
We would like to share with you the strategies we have developed that have helped our students across the Trust deliver Progress 8 scores up to 0.56. These strategies also formed the bedrock that transformed failing schools into good schools in a short period of time.
For more information, please take a look at our brochure and booking form by following the links below. We look forward to working with you.
Research: students who use web-based testing progress at a faster rate
Students who regularly test their literacy and numeracy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects
According to recent research, carried out by Andrew Gallacher (an education coordinator at the University of Glasgow), students who regularly test their numeracy and literacy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects.
Which is exactly why Education Quizzes exists – and why we are offering free sign up for schools to Education Quizzes for a whole year.
Our library of GCSE Chemistry quizzes cover an extensive range of topic areas, making them ideal for revising what your students are being taught in their Chemistry lessons, past and present.
Education Quizzes is also ideal to set as homework tasks as it involves little to no PPA time – giving you more time to focus on planning and preparing future lessons and assessing the work of your students from lessons which have gone before.
To see the GCSE Chemistry education quizzes that we have produced thus far, toggle through the topic area links below. Alternatively, you can email admin@educationquizzes.com to request more information.
If you would like to sign up free to Education Quizzes for a year, simply visit our schools’ registration page – www.educationquizzes.com/schools-uk-registrations/.
Topic area
Periodic Table – Transition Elements
How do parents of prospective students know that your school is a good school?
Good schools tend to leave the advertising of their school to word-of-mouth, but this method isn’t very effective when it comes to attracting parents of prospective students who are new to the area or when there is more than one good school in the same catchment area.
Which is what makes it so important that schools should be proactive in trumpeting their achievements and not just rely on word-of-mouth recommendations.
Of course, there are several obvious ways in which you can broadcast the achievements of your school, but mounting an honours board onto a wall of the school for all visitors to see, including parents of prospective students, is one method which often gets overlooked.
This method is particularly effective for not only does it help to persuade parents of prospective students to choose your school but it is something that will impress the likes of Ofsted.
To see our full range of honours boards, please do visit our website. Alternatively, you can call us on 01280 701093 and we’ll be pleased to discuss our boards, send you a brochure, and give any advice and guidance that you may require.
New year’s resolution – tackle key issues in a week
What can you really achieve in a week?
Teachers want to keep developing and updating their professional knowledge, but it is often hard to fit this in alongside teaching, planning, marking and, ideally, enjoying some well-deserved down-time.
Some issues such as behaviour management can seem insurmountable whilst others, such as mentoring, you want to do but they never seem to reach the top of the priority list.
As busy professionals, when faced with a difficult problem, most teachers also prefer useful advice in the form of workable strategies they can try, rather than lengthy theoretical analyses of the issues.
A solution that fits with the way teachers work and helps them to keep up to date in a manageable way is needed. And if the teacher is able to make progress in seven short days, so much the better!
We are delighted to announce a brand new series, Getting it Right in a Week, aimed at teachers in the classroom, and designed to help you and your colleagues to master key topics in 7 days.
These books are concise and accessible but still take a critical approach. They provide a straightforward, practical collection of suggestions and strategies that can be quickly studied, tried out and evaluated for their usefulness. Each book is grounded in evidence but understands how teaching works in reality. The first titles in the series cover behaviour management, lesson planning and mentoring and are published this month.
Just go to our website http://www.criticalpublishing.com/getting-it-right-in-a-week to download free sample chapters and to see details of our special pre-publication offer.
If you have any questions or queries about Getting it Right in a Week please do call 01727 851 462 or email di@criticalpublishing.com
Di Page
Critical Publishing
Critical Publishing
Balanced talks on the Middle East
Middle East Education (London Ltd)
www.middleeastedu.co.uk
Charity Number 1165495
Upheaval in the Middle East
Balanced talks given jointly by a Muslim and a Jew
To book or for further information: meedu@talktalk.net
The Middle East is in upheaval, with wars, terrorism, uprisings, violence, external countries jockeying for power and influence in the region, as well as the over-100-year old Arab-Israeli conflict.
Our experienced knowledgeable speakers give talks which address these events, and they would be happy to give a talk at your school on any aspect you choose or, for example:
- What could stop the war in Syria?
- Why are so many of the regional countries concerned about the rising power of Iran?
- What effect do the events in the Middle East have on the UK?
- Why are the Palestinians planning to sue the UK for the Balfour Declaration which was issued 100 years ago, in November 1917?
- Why is the international community trying to undo the 50-year-old re-unification of Jerusalem?
- ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas. What are their goals?
- Christians and other minorities in the Middle East.
- The Arab-Israeli conflict: religious, historical and legal claims of both sides. Can they be reconciled?
- What is the way forward?
For more topics, see our web site: www.middleeastedu.co.uk
Talks can be tailored to your requirements as to length, content, age of audience, date, time.
Cost. Travel costs plus a voluntary contribution to other expenses
We still have some dates left in the Spring and Summer terms, and look forward to hearing from you.
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What is the simplest way of ensuring that school pupils and students keep their property secure and safe?
Curiously, security is not just an issue of having an environment that is secure. It is also a question of looks.
For if young people are offered a location in which to store their books, equipment, and personal property, and that location itself looks rather worn and old, they will not be inclined to use it, no matter how secure it really is.
This of course applies to school lockers as much as to any other secure area. But it raises a problem. How can the school justify paying for a new set of lockers for pupils, students, and indeed staff when there are so many other demands on the school’s finances?
The answer, as many schools have now found, is simple. One makes a completely new, modern, and thoroughly secure set of lockers available to parents and their children for a modest termly rental charge. This provides safe storage for everyone, and the rental income from the parents pays for the lockers.
To give an example of the costs, a set of 200 lockers complete with personal tamper-proof locks will cost the school £10000, and can be rented to parents for £0.40 per week, thus covering the cost of purchasing the lockers in just two to five years dependent on the terms of the lease. Once paid for the lockers provide a valuable source of income.
All lockers come with a ten year guarantee excluding the locks. A maintenance contract can also be built into the purchase plan.
For the locks you have the choice of key lock, padlock or combination code lock.
Now, of course, some will say that youngsters will simply lose their keys or forget their codes, but if this is your concern, the combination locks can be opened by a master key and then be reset.
Pupils and students who forget their code more than once can be charged a small fee for looking the code up thus recovering the cost of the administrator’s time.
To take a look at our lockers visit http://www.staylock.co.uk
To see the prices for typical locker installations. Please request a quote by clicking here davidknight@staylock.co.uk
To discuss installation at a time and date convenient to you, please call 01253 733 049 or 07899 911 302.
Or email us at sales@staylock.co.uk
We can do the job you hate – the asset inventory
IS THE SCHOOL INVENTORY ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE JOBS YOU KEEP AVOIDING?
Just like defrosting the freezer, the school inventory is time consuming, messy and one of those jobs everybody hates.
But not if you’re an SG World customer because we make it easy.
AudIT takes the pain out of asset management so you don’t have to worry about finding the time and resource to stay on top of your inventory. Whether it’s security tagging your assets, keeping tabs on equipment maintenance schedules or simply getting up to date information you can trust, AudIT does the hard work for you. Have all your asset data at your fingertips so you can make informed investment decisions and deploy school funding more effectively.
AudIT is the UK’s leading school asset management software solution. It tracks over 3 million assets; that’s over £250 million worth of educational resources.
Find out why schools choose AudIT
SG World
Arnold Haase House
Duchy Rd
Crewe
CW1 6ND
Company number 3451910
Closing the literacy gap; guaranteed
The guaranteed way of raising literacy levels among students who are struggling
In an ideal world, pupils and students who struggle with literacy would have a tutor working with them on an individual basis, several days a week.
The teacher could note the student’s particular problems each step of the way, and as problems became apparent provide remedial reading and writing activities, which are also monitored.
Every misunderstanding and every concept not understood would result in taking the pupil or student back a step for remedial work, after which progress and advancement would resume.
It is a wonderful and utterly effective approach, but normally quite impossible to implement. This is not only because of the cost of having a teacher working on a one-to-one basis with children, but also because the system needs the teacher to have remedial activities to hand for every eventuality.
Now, however, this approach is available through a program that rapidly locates each individual’s literacy needs, directing the student to an engaging set of activities which will remedy any deficits, before advancing through to the next set of skills.
Because the level of instruction is so accurately reflective of the individual’s current abilities, the student then gets a feeling of success and progress, rather than what can become a regular and familiar feeling of failure.
At the same time your colleagues are now free to work with others in the group. Indeed, they can rotate the individual students, with some receiving directed help online while others engage with offline paper-based activities which are generated automatically by the system.
The program in question is Strategies for Older Students from Lexia – a program already in use in hundreds of schools across the UK.
You can try the program for yourself immediately and then if you wish, opt for a 30 day free trial in your school by clicking here
Of course, you may like to talk first – if so, please do call 0191 482 1939 or email info@lexiauk.co.uk
I do hope you will find this approach interesting and consider joining the many other schools now using Strategies for Older Students as their prime method of raising literacy levels for those who require much-needed support. If used as recommended the program achieves accelerated gains at typically twice the rate of non-Lexia users; guaranteed!
Rob Kay
LexiaUK Software Consultant.