Education – choosing a primary school for your child

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It is compulsory for all children in the UK to attend full time education by the time they reach their fourth birthday and this for most children means attending a mainstream primary school unless you decide to home-school them or they are going to attend a private school.

The school admissions process in the UK is to apply to your local council and state in order of preference the three primary schools that are in your area that you would consider as a suitable school for your child to attend.

But how do you choose these three schools?

Firstly it’s important to realise that the admissions process is not first come first served so there are criteria that a child must meet in order to attend their chosen school, the latest criteria can be found on the government website.

When you are looking for a suitable school the first thing to look at is their Ofsted report, this can give you a lot of information about the school in general. Then it’s a good idea to look at the local school league tables as this gives an impression of how the school compares to others in the area.

Before making any decisions ensure that you visit the school to get a real feel for what it’s like.

Is it worth hiring a personal tutor before an exam?

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If you struggle with exams and find it hard to get the discipline to revise in your own time then hiring a personal tutor could be the way forward.

It’s not necessary to have extra tuition for all subjects as what you learn at school should be enough to get you through your exams, however if you have a certain subject that you’ve always struggled with then a little extra help could really go a long way.

A tutor can help to get your revision on track and can give you the one on one attention that it can take to break down and explain any difficult aspects of a subject that you are struggling with.

Good tutors don’t come cheap however if you need to pass a particular exam to further your career it could be money well spent.

Always keep in mind that usually it’s more cost effective to have group study sessions so it may be a cheaper option to get together a group of friends and employ a tutor rather than have one on one sessions.

Strategies for the Best Supply Teacher Jobs

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If a full-time teaching role is not for you, you might find being a supply teacher advantageous. Your work will be flexible and you will get a chance to work in a wide variety of schools, which will really improve your teaching skills. You’ll spend more time actually in the classroom teaching and less on the admin and meetings aspect of the job. You can also use the opportunity to work part time and pursue another career or interests.

There are many supply teacher jobs in Bletchley and all over the UK, it’s simply a matter of gaining an advantage over the other teachers who will be competing for the same opportunities. Here are some tips for getting the best supply teacher jobs. Continue reading →

  • Categorized in Jobs

Struggling with your education? Don’t stay schtum

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The way that our education system is set out in the UK has a very formal style that quite simply does not suit the learning needs of all students, as such some will struggle to cope with the demands of school life, particularly at secondary school around exam times.
It’s easy for children to become disheartened and embarrassed if they are struggling with a subject and this results in them often trying to cover up the fact that they are struggling with disruptive behaviour and poor attendance.
However if picked up early a child that is finding education a struggle can be greatly helped by the teacher adopting a variety of different teaching methods to re-engage the child and stop their education suffering.
As a parent it’s important that you try to discuss your child’s education with them and be involved with things like homework and projects that they are doing so that you can ensure that they are not just going along with work that they don’t understand properly. If you suspect that they are struggling then speaking to their teacher is the best course of action to nip it in the bud early.

Keep Calm and Ace Your Exam

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It’s natural to feel stressed at exam time, particularly if they are very important. But high levels of anxiety may have a negative effect on your performance in the exam room. If your mind is swirling with worries about what could go wrong and what you’ve got to lose, you’re much more likely to make a mistake and your hard revised knowledge will be tough to recall.Being well rested is important. Don’t assume one early night before the big day will suffice. Establish a regular sleep pattern. Peoples sleep needs vary, but we all need a regular routine of sleep.

Think positively about the exam. Visualise yourself succeeding and imagine the good things that will come from success in the exam. Visualisation is also a good technique for cementing facts in your mind.

Arm yourself with some well practiced breathing techniques. Find one that works for you. If you start to feel over stressed in the exam, take a moment to breath and calm down.