How to support your child learning at home
- Learning Resources Posted On Jul 26, 2021 | Seasonal Fun
Children across the UK will soon be starting the new school year. After the long summer holiday, here are some practical ways to support your child’s learning journey at home. Family life creates so many learning opportunities, and by actively taking part in the education process, parents will develop a deeper understanding of what children are doing and learning every day, and why. Here are simple, parent-approved ways for how to support your child’s learning at home.
How to support your child’s learning at home
Get to know the curriculum
Head to the UK Government’s site where you can access the National Curriculum by Key Stages. This will give you a deeper understanding of what your child will be learning at each age and stage. You can access information by subject and see the attainment targets your child’s school will be working towards achieving. This will help you to ask relevant questions, plan learning trips, and invest in age-appropriate educational resources to extend the learning at home.
Plan trips for real world learning
The world is full of learning opportunities. Connecting what your child learns at school with real world examples makes subjects come to life. Trips can be as exciting as an excursion to the museum, or as simple as a walk in the words.
Turn a nature walk into a science lesson on ‘living things and their habitats’. Print out our free 50 Things to Find on a Nature Walk Activity Sheet and see what you spot! By creating these fun experiences your young learner will develop a positive attitude towards learning and will be able to share their experiences with their class.
Build your child’s confidence
Monitor progress and give praise when your child does well both in and outside of school by using achievement badges or charts. Special achievements can also be celebrated by an event such as a trip to the park or a favourite activity that they enjoy. Recognising achievements can increase confidence, raise aspirations, and improve their motivation for learning, all of which will help to keep your child engaged in their education.
Read, read, read!
Teachers consistently agree that one of the most important things you can do as a parent to support your child’s learning is to read to them or with them daily. Insights from the National Literacy Trust show that children love reading.
Reading is a vital part of primary education and by making it a fun activity at home your child will be excited to develop this skill in the classroom.
Keep youngsters engaged by reading ‘little and often’ at a regular time each day, such as before they go to bed. Ask questions about the characters and the plot, this will help to further their understanding and keep them interested in the story. Find time to read with our top tips for reading at home which offers easy, practical ideas for even the busiest of families.
Home learning help
Homework is an extension of the activities that your child has been undertaking in the classroom and a is great way for you to become more involved in their learning experience. You can help your child by being available when they ask for help with their homework and by finding a time to complete it that doesn’t coincide with their time to relax.
From reception to year 2, children’s homework is likely to be reading and they will have to fill in a reading record. This helps to set up a routine and create a desire and interest in reading. By making home learning a fun activity it is less likely to feel like a chore and can become a time that you both look forward to.
Stay in contact
Staying connected is so much easier these days. Most schools use an app to communicate to parents, and this will be supported with regular email communication. The school website is a good source of information and will often have a calendar of all upcoming events.
Your child’s school will issue reports that have advice from their teacher; this feedback is a good starting point to discussing progress and achievements at parent’s evening. It is also helpful to share information about what your child enjoys doing outside of school so that their teacher is aware of their hobbies and interests.
Understanding modern teaching methods
Teaching methods are constantly changing and improving. This can mean that how you were taught back in the day is different to how your child is being taught, especially on subjects like maths and reading. It’s worth finding out about how your child is being taught and using the same terminology, so your child has a more consistent experience between school and home learning.
For example, children are taught the Maths Mastery approach, and you can find out more about that by reading what is maths mastery by primary school teacher and regular contributor, Joanne Moore. Learning is an ongoing process and there are so many ways parents and caregivers can support children on this exciting journey as you help build amazing kids!
Getting ready to start primary school
Getting ready to start primary school is a big step! A teacher tells you how you can help your child prepare for this exciting step on their learning journey.
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What to expect from your child’s first week at ‘big’ school
The first day
The day of the week your child begins school depends on how the school year falls, but in the UK is usually somewhere around the 5th of September. Your child is likely to be broken into the school routine gradually, beginning with attending mornings only, however this varies from school to school.Many schools will allow children to settle and build up to mixing the reception class with other year groups. This is particularly true of lunchtimes, where a busy environment with children from other year groups can be overwhelming.Dropping off your child at school for the first time can be an emotional experience but it is important that you don’t convey negative emotions to your child. In this situation, positivity is key and it is better not to linger once your child is safely inside as this can be unsettling. It can be tough to walk away when your child is upset but from experience I can say that within the first five minutes they will become distracted by a toy or join in with a game – teachers and school staff are well prepared for such situations.If your child has been upset in the morning you will likely receive a phone call to let you know that they have settled. If you don’t, then don’t hesitate to call the school yourself, they will not mind one bit.The first activity of the day will be the register. The whole class will gather on the carpet with crossed legs, which can be a new concept for some children. The register will help children become familiar with the other names in the class and the process of answering to their name in a class setting.After the register has been completed, this is usually followed by a circle time activity. One that I used in my classroom was the name game. Children would roll a ball to another child and say “I’m rolling the ball to Harryâ€, Harry would then say “thank you Rosie, I’m rolling the ball to Peterâ€. This helps children get to know everyone’s names and begin working on their social skills. The Learning Resources Circle Time Activity Set is perfect for this.
- Reading
- Writing
- Maths
- Messy Play
- Sand/Water
- Construction
- Role Play
The first week
The first week at school is an opportunity for the class teacher to understand what children already know by observing play and asking questions. This helps them to know what style of activities to plan and where to take them in their next steps. The week will consist of class and group activities and purposeful play as children become familiar with their new surroundings and peers. At this age, making friends is easy for children and they are very open to new relationships. It is often the case that some children in the class have come from the same catchment nursery, but do not worry if your child didn’t attend a preschool or nursery as they’ll soon adapt and make friends very quickly.A topic that children will likely be focusing on during their first weeks at school is ‘All About Me’. This topic focuses on every day things that they’re used to such as:- Going to the shops
- Familiar stories
- Places – doctors surgery, dentist etc.
- Emotions
- Their appearance
All About Me Double Sided Mirror BoardsWhat differences will you notice in your child?
In the first few weeks children will be extremely tired. They are not used to being so busy and having to concentrate for long periods of time. Â If your child is tired when they get home allow some down time or a short nap to re-energise them. A good bedtime routine is very important at this chapter in their lives and will help them keep their energy levels up throughout the day.They may also be hungry as they will be using up a lot of energy at school. Most schools have the free fruit scheme where the children are offered a fruit or vegetable mid-morning. Make sure your child has breakfast before starting school so that they are refuelled and able to take part in physical activities.ÂHow can you prepare?
Daily Schedule Pocket Chart          Good Job Reward Chart When your child starts school they will need to complete self-care tasks independently that they may have had help with at home. These include things like going to the toilet, getting dressed, washing their hands, feeding themselves and tidying up. Over the summer break it would benefit your child if you begin to encourage them to complete these tasks on their own. There will be somebody available to help if your child is struggling but with 30 children in a class they may not get the attention they are used to. A star chart is a great way to introduce these tasks and provide an incentive for them to succeed.It may also help your child to familiarise them with sitting cross legged. In nurseries and pre-schools children often sit on chairs and are not used to sitting on the floor. In their first week at school they will be sat on carpet for long periods of time, so if they are used to sitting that way it will be a lot easier for them.You can create a positive outlook towards beginning school by having enthusiastic conversations about their journey to school, things they might do at school and the topics they will be learning about. Finding out their teacher’s name means you can mention them in conversations building up a familiarity. Visiting the school with your child for an informal event before they start such as a fete or open day will help you both to visualise it when you are talking about it.Children are like sponges when they begin school and are ready to take in a lot of information. The reception teacher will support your child in developing new skills ready for Key Stage 1. Social and communication skills are important in reception as the ability to communicate thoughts and feelings will allow your child to form relationships and express themselves. Try teaching your child phrases such as “can I join in?â€, “can I play with you?†and “do you want to share?†Lastly, a few practical tips from teacher to parent:- Make sure you know what equipment will be needed, a list will be circulated at the new parents evening so make sure to request one if you haven’t received it yet. It will be made up of items such as sweatshirts, t-shirts, socks, PE kit, PE bag, school shoes, book bag, coat.
- Put name labels on absolutely everything! When children start school they all bring in a book bag with a name tag but may not be able to read their name confidently. Attach a recognisable key ring to your child’s book bag, this way they will be able to find it with ease.
- Make sure to provide your child with a water bottle, as it is most schools policy that children can only drink water at school. If your child isn’t used to drinking water try to reduce the amount of squash within their drinks during the summer so that water eventually becomes a familiar concept to them.
- Practise using pencils and scissors over the summer break, this will aid their fine motor skills and help them to improve their grip before beginning school.
- Try not worry, the early years is all about having fun and learning through purposeful play!
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