Early Learning (EYFS)

School's out! Top tips to get a head start in the next year in primary school...

Rachel

Jul 1911 min read

School's out! Top tips to get a head start in the next year in primary school...

School's almost out for summer in the UK. Parents have done the last pile of ironing and started throwing away the old shirts, t-shirts...

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Rachel

Feb 188 min read

The Power of Audiobooks for Children

If there's one small thing a parent or carer can do to help their baby's literacy in future years, it is to provide access to lots of...

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Handwriting hints for supporting young writers

Rachel

May 12, 20236 min read

Handwriting hints for supporting young writers

When I was at primary school, we spent a long time practising handwriting. When I was a new teacher, if children were writing sentences...

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It's never too early to start writing to Father Christmas!

Rachel

Nov 20, 20215 min read

It's never too early to start writing to Father Christmas!

It's that time of year again when the Christmas ads appear, lights begin to twinkle, and people we meet ask our children what they would...

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Rachel

Feb 20, 20213 min read

The power of reading real story books

"Mummy, Mummy! I read a real story book!" It's never too soon to 'read' real books. We play pirates, teachers, doctors, vets, but do...

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Can you tell I'm smiling? Are our masks impacting on children's language development?

Rachel

Dec 18, 20203 min read

Can you tell I'm smiling? Are our masks impacting on children's language development?

There's so much more to communicating than just the words we use. Our eyes, facial expressions, gestures, volume and tone all work...

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Quick and easy games to fill in five minutes to half an hour - some free, some handbag-sized!

Rachel

Jul 14, 20203 min read

Quick and easy games to fill in five minutes to half an hour - some free, some handbag-sized!

Whether you normally look forward to the long summer holidays or you dread them, this year is different in so many ways. We'll be...

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Do we need proper reading books at home?

Rachel

Jun 12, 20202 min read

Do we need proper reading books at home?

Many schools send home reading books from the start of reception and some start a little before. Some schools start later and some don't...

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Wilbur and Flops' essentials for home phonics for children in reception

Rachel

May 28, 20205 min read

Wilbur and Flops' essentials for home phonics for children in reception

It's very likely that, for at least the last half term, your child's teacher has been sending you 'home learning tasks' ranging from a...

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Five ways to sneak language play into your daily walk

Rachel

May 22, 20202 min read

Five ways to sneak language play into your daily walk

It's May 2020 and we've been at home for nine weeks or so. We have a dog and a daily walk is a must for us but, with or without a dog,...

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Rachel

Apr 11, 20203 min read

Developing pencil control at home

"Tommy Thumb, Tommy Thumb, where are you? Here I am, here I am, how do you do?" Peter Pointer, Toby Tall, Ruby Ring and Baby Small, too!...

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Rachel

Jan 30, 20203 min read

Letter names or letter sounds?

Is it 'w' for Will or 'W ("double you") for Will? Should we sing the alphabet song yet? I'm often asked by parents if they should teach...

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Rachel

Jan 9, 20202 min read

Repetition, repetition, repetition

Tonight, I was sent the most adorable video by a friend of mine. Her little girl is just over two years old and she was telling the...

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They've been really well looked after...

Rachel

Jul 7, 20193 min read

They've been really well looked after...

Today we took a walk to the local car boot sale. Once we got through the regulars - the garden tools, interspersed with china tea sets...

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Firm foundations for phonics - it all starts at home

Rachel

Feb 3, 20194 min read

Firm foundations for phonics - it all starts at home

Learning to read begins long before school. "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." — Emilie Buchwald. It's true -...

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