Name of tester: Tracy BakerEstablishment name: Little Bright Sparks fun phonics, literacy and numeracy classesAge range of children: 2-7 yearsProduct tested: Word Construction“Tracy teaches phonics, literacy and numeracy for 2-7 year olds at Little Bright Sparks. Helping children to prepare for school, classes show children and parents how to use the phonics system used in the classroom.â€Â Ratings:Â
What I like about this resource is that it helps to refine motor skills, improve hand-eye co-ordination and strengthen the little muscles in children’s hands. This will help them to hold a pencil correctly and for continued lengths of time.Â
Did the children enjoy using the product?
They loved using this product and didn’t realise that they were learning at the same time.  This is useful for special needs children and children that find it difficult to concentrate and sit still to learn. It allows them time to think about the next letter whilst screwing on the previous letter. Â
How would you rate the long term appeal of the resource?
I believe this is something I will be using for many years to come and that it will be a favourite for all of the children I teach (2-7 year olds).Â
Do you currently have any similar products within your setting?
This is completely unique and different from the current toys that I use.  I have phonics puzzles, kids bingo games and lots of homemade resources but nothing like this. Â
How cost effective do you feel the resource is in terms of the results it delivers?
Very cost effective and great value for money.Â
Is the product unique?
Yes, I haven’t seen anything like this on the market! To discover more about Little Bright Sparks visit their Website or Facebook page! Classes are held on Wednesdays in East Malling, Thursdays in West Kingsdown and Fridays in Eynsford. #LoveLearning
Tried and Tested: Alphabet Acorns Name of tester: Kerri HibberdTitle: Class TeacherSchool name: Woodside AcademyAge of child: Three years oldAge of school class: Reception; ages four and fiveProduct Testing: Alphabet Acorns Activity Set “Kerri has been a teacher for 11 years. She is currently the phonics co-ordinator at her school and works part time. The rest of the time she is at home with her 3 year old daughter.â€
Ratings:
What were your first thoughts when the product arrived?
I was impressed with how colourful it was. My daughter was very excited and she couldn’t wait to get it out of the box.
How did you use the product?
With my daughter at home, we first found all the matching objects for each letter. She enjoyed using the resource so much that we used it every day for the next week. To extend her learning we tried to use the resource in different ways. We matched upper and lowercase letters and then found all three matching parts, the uppercase letter, lowercase letter and object. I also used this resource for phonics teaching. I chose a letter and asked her to find the object beginning with the same sound and then did this the other way around by choosing an object and asking her to find the matching acorn parts. As she is young and doesn’t know all her sounds yet she needed a little support.
How did you use this product in the classroom?
Within the classroom I used this resource in two different ways, first as an exploration activity for independent learning. I set it up with other outside objects and allowed the children to explore. Some children used it as a matching activity and matched the upper and lowercase letters while others tried to find the matching objects. As a teacher focus I used it as a matching the initial sound and object activity and was also able to assess the children’s phonic and letter knowledge.
What are the educational benefits of the resource?
There are lots of benefits to this resource as it can be used in different ways such as letter and grapheme correspondence, initial letter sounds, matching upper and lowercase letters and even sorting colours. There’s even more ideas in the box!
What did you like/dislike about the resource?
To make this even more appealing for schools I think an alternative ‘qu’ should be added. This will enable the resource to be used for phonic activities as well as alphabet activities. I loved this resource and it was very appealing to my daughter and children at the school. I liked the bright colours used and that the letters on the front of the acorn, lid and object all matched in colour so younger children, like my daughter, or less able children, could be told to look for a blue object that matched or a red top etc.
What is the long term appeal of the resource?
Very good as it also fits in with different topics and stories so can be linked to learning in lots of different ways.
Is the product unique?
The acorn idea is unique and appealing but there are otherproducts on the market for matching objects and letters. #LoveLearning
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What to expect from your child’s first week at ‘big’ school Getting ready to start ‘big’ school is a brand new adventure for young learners and marks a new chapter in their life. It is an exciting time but can sometimes bring about feelings of uncertainty in both parents and children.Our in-house educational expert and early years teacher, Joanne Moore, has laid out a typical first week to help you and your family prepare for it over the summer break.Â
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.All AroundLearningâ„¢ Circle Time Activity Set The majority of the first day will be mostly child initiated play as children will be free to roam through all of the different classroom areas. These usually consist of areas allocated to:
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
Within this topic you can usually expect children to be doing activities such as role play, painting self portraits or reading familiar stories. Learning Resources All About Me Double Sided Mirror Boards are perfect for this as they feature a regular mirror on one side and a wipe-clean panel on the reverse. Children can study themselves and their emotions in the mirror before drawing the facial features on the reverse.All About Me Double Sided Mirror Boards
What 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.Â
How 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.
Tried & Tested: Word Construction Name of tester: Tracy BakerEstablishment name: Little Bright Sparks fun phonics, literacy and numeracy classesAge range of children: 2-7 yearsProduct tested: Word Construction“Tracy teaches phonics, literacy and numeracy for 2-7 year olds at Little Bright Sparks. Helping children to prepare for school, classes show children and parents how to use the phonics system used in the classroom.â€Â Ratings:Â
What I like about this resource is that it helps to refine motor skills, improve hand-eye co-ordination and strengthen the little muscles in children’s hands. This will help them to hold a pencil correctly and for continued lengths of time.Â
Did the children enjoy using the product?
They loved using this product and didn’t realise that they were learning at the same time.  This is useful for special needs children and children that find it difficult to concentrate and sit still to learn. It allows them time to think about the next letter whilst screwing on the previous letter. Â
How would you rate the long term appeal of the resource?
I believe this is something I will be using for many years to come and that it will be a favourite for all of the children I teach (2-7 year olds).Â
Do you currently have any similar products within your setting?
This is completely unique and different from the current toys that I use.  I have phonics puzzles, kids bingo games and lots of homemade resources but nothing like this. Â
How cost effective do you feel the resource is in terms of the results it delivers?
Very cost effective and great value for money.Â
Is the product unique?
Yes, I haven’t seen anything like this on the market! To discover more about Little Bright Sparks visit their Website or Facebook page! Classes are held on Wednesdays in East Malling, Thursdays in West Kingsdown and Fridays in Eynsford. #LoveLearning
READ MORE
All About Me Double Sided Mirror Boards
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:
