Worldschooling: Education Beyond Borders

Imagine replacing the traditional classroom with knowledge and learning that went beyond a textbook or a standard exam. Imagine learning through experience, the open road, ancient ruins, bustling cities, and tranquil coastlines, sounds amazing right? Well, for many families worldwide, this isn’t just a dream – it’s their way of life. Welcome to the world of worldschooling, an approach to education that redefines how, where, and why we learn.

If you are intrigued and want to find out more, keep reading below - 

How Parental Involvement Boosts Academic Success and Personal Growth: Key Tips for Parents

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As parents, we all want our children to thrive—both academically and socially. Whether it's making friends, excelling in school, or having fun, our involvement in their education plays a pivotal role. Studies consistently show that parental involvement contributes significantly to a child's academic success, boosts their self-esteem, and fosters a lifelong love for learning. In today’s busy world, where juggling responsibilities is common, understanding the impact of parental engagement can make all the difference in a child’s academic journey.

This pre-school in Harrow highlights the importance of involving parents in their child's learning from a young age and shares actionable tips for fostering success at home and at school.

How to Support Your Child Through A-Level Revision: Tips for Parents

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The A-level exams are a critical milestone in your child's academic journey, and as a parent, you play a pivotal role in supporting them through this challenging period. Effective A-level revision is key to boosting their performance and maintaining their overall well-being. Striking a balance between study and relaxation is essential, ensuring your child doesn’t become overwhelmed or stressed. This guide offers practical strategies and tips on how to revise for A-Levels effectively, while also maintaining a healthy mindset.

Collingham College, a Private Sixth Form College in London, shares the most effective ways to support your child through A-Level revision:

Why Private Education is a Smart Investment for Your Childs Future

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When it comes to your child’s education we all want the best for our children and that includes choosing a school they will love and thrive at. Of course every decision you make for your child matters, and choosing the right school can have a significant impact on their future. One of the most important choices parents face is whether to opt for a private education and will it provide their child with more opportunities?. While this can be a considerable financial commitment, the benefits are often worth the investment. 

Below, we explore why private education is a smart investment for your child's future.

Helping Your Child Tackle Homework and Stay Focused: A Guide for Parents

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Homework can often be a challenging part of the day for both children and parents, especially as children get older and the homework load increases. After a full day of school, your child may find it difficult to muster the focus and motivation needed to complete their assignments. You may find it difficult to get them started or get them to deliver something that's acceptable to hand in! As a parent, you might wonder how to help your child stay focused and make homework a more manageable task. 

Here we are sharing some effective strategies that can turn homework time into a more positive and productive experience for your child which will hopefully mean less stress for both parents and children too. 

What Can You Do If Your Child Begins To Hate School?

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It's not uncommon for children to go through phases where they dislike school. Whether it's due to academic pressure, social challenges, or personal preferences, these feelings can cause concern for parents. Understanding the reasons behind your child's aversion to school and taking proactive steps can help turn things around. 

Here’s what you can do if your child begins to hate school.

The Benefits Of Attending A Single Sex School

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Education is a crucial part of a child's development, and choosing the right school environment can significantly impact their academic and personal growth. Single-sex schools, where students are educated in an all-boys or all-girls environment, offer unique benefits that can shape students' experiences in positive ways. 

Taking inspiration from the practices of this independent school in North London, below are some of the key advantages of attending a single-sex school.

Supporting Your Child Against School Bullies

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Bullying is an issue that, unfortunately, many children encounter during their school years and sometimes even as adults. As a parent, it can be distressing to discover that your child is being bullied, and it can actually be one of a parents biggest worries when children start school or start a new school year. However whilst we can't stop bullies all together, with your support and proactive steps can make a significant difference in their life. 

Here are some ways which might help with how you can help your child navigate and overcome this

What to Ask at Your Child's Parents' Evening

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If you have a child in school you will likely have attended a Parent-teacher conference or parents' evenings. These are often invaluable opportunities to gain insight into your child's academic progress, behaviour, and overall well-being in school. They are also an opportunity for you to discuss any worries or concerns you may have and get feedback on ways you might be able to help your child too. However, knowing what to ask can be daunting, especially as time is often limited with each teacher. 

To make the most of this time, it's crucial to come prepared with thoughtful questions. Here's a comprehensive guide on what to ask at your child's parents' evening.

A Parent’s Guide to the School Curriculum

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#AD As we prepare to start a new school year, you and your children are probably full of questions and maybe even worry about what to expect for the year ahead. As a parent, one thing it is important to understand your child’s school curriculum, as it can be used as a means to support their academic journey effectively. However, given that the outlook of education is constantly evolving, it can sometimes feel quite overwhelming to keep up with the terminology, methods used, and goals of the overall curriculum. That is why we have put together this handy post to hopefully ease some of those nerves ahead of the start of school. 

Below is a parent's guide to the school curriculum, as advised by this Independent School in Devon.

Why im taking my child on a term time holiday.

Not many of you will have missed the whole term time holiday saga that has been plastered across the press lately, what with the Jon Platt case coming to a conclusion recently. However amongst a lot of parents, teachers and non parents this is still a huge debate.

Is it right to take your child out school for a holiday during term time?

For me there are a number of factors to consider, and there should be no cut and paste rule for all. Previous attendance should be a big part of that decision and how each child is coping at school and whether they are reaching expected levels at the time another.
I feel that head teachers should be given back some of that power to be able to assess each child as a individual and then decide themselves as to whether holiday should be granted. Not a government or council systems with fining parents at the front of their minds making the decisions.

This year I will be taking James out of school for a term time holiday and do I feel guilty... nope not one bit. I'm prepared for a fine if that does happen (and quite frankly a £60 fine doesn't seem half as bad as some of the holiday company price hikes for school holiday breaks!) but that's another rant all together!.

We will be going on a holiday that quite frankly I couldn't afford to do in school holidays, we will be doing it as a family and spending some quality family time together away from work, school and everything else that comes with our hectic daily routines. We will be exploring, learning and going on adventures. We will see things we can't see in our home town and learn things he can't find sat behind a desk. James will spend time learning about nature, climbing, swimming and being in a new environment where the opportunity to learn about things not taught in school will be plenty. At the end of our holiday I will be the parent there to help him catch up and I have already asked for work sheets which the school have happily provided so he won't be behind when he gets back!

Learning comes in all different forms any teacher can tell you that, some children thrive working in a  notebook whilst others need a more hands on experience. Of course I don't expect my child's teacher to be able to offer so many experiences and cater to ever childs individual needs. She works her very best to keep a class of 30 (very different) children happy, learning and educated within the school setting. However I also don't expect to be told no when I am able to offer these things for my own child!

James has a perfect attendance record, he is learning above the expected standard for all subjects and a super confident reader. Of course I have school to thank for that but (without blowing my own trumpet) I would like to think that some of that also came from me, his parent. The person who reads with him every night, the person who practises his spelling with him every week, the person who helps him complete homework sheets and times tables. The person who makes decisions based on the well being and the best choices for my son since the day he was born!

I'm the parent who taught him to count, to draw, to speak and even walk before he even bag school. I would like to think the government might want to give me a little credit that I am able to make the best choices for my child when it comes to taking him on holiday. This system in my mind is flawed it is stopping families from going on holiday, spending time together to bond away from day to day worries. It is forcing families in to a situation where they have to stress over a decision that should ultimately be theirs to make anyway.

I would just like to point out that in no way am I saying that we should just be able to pull our children out of school when we fancy all year round. I can see how disruptive this would be and how this could begin to effect a child's work. As I mentioned above there are several factors that need to be considered but the power definitely need to be shifted back to teachers, head teachers and parents the people who are teaching these children, parenting these children and want the best for them!

How do you feel about term time holidays? Would you ever take your child out of school for a holiday during term time?

xXx

Our top tips for learning at home.

Since starting school James has always shown a passion for learning. He thrives in the school environment and has a thirst for learning more and more even once school has finished. 

I decided that since this probably won't last and we will soon be hitting the years where I can barely drag him from bed that'll own get him doing homework willingly that we would go with it and provide him with some things he could do at home. 

We purchased a small table and set about filling it with things for him to do outside of school as he pleases and he loves it! We don't push him to do it but its just there when he wants it. Now he has homework from school he especially loves his little at home learning corner to do all his homework in. 

So today I though I would share with you some of the items that have been a big hit for James when learning at home. 

Work books

We picked these up really cheap from places such as Poundland and The Works. They provide a range of question tailored to a certain age or level and most of them have a page of stickers, which the child can stick on each page as they complete it. 

Whiteboards

James loves his whiteboard and its been a great tool for practicing things like spellings and times tables without wasting paper. We picked up this one from Tesco in the sale for around £2.50 so they are a really inexpensive way to make learning a bit different and decreasing waste. 

The Basics

One of the first things I stocked up on when we decided to create this space for James was the basics. Things like plain paper, lined paper, pens, pencils, colouring penils, stamps etc. Sometimes some of James best work or the pieces he has been most proud of have come straight from his imagination. When he has just sat down let him imagination run wild are the special moments and I wanted to make sure he had everything he needed to do this. 

Question and Answer books

These Miles Kelly Question and Answer books have been one James favourite. He always has so many questions and these give him lots of answers in a child friendly way and often illustrated way too. These make a great reference point for homework or just to answer a curious little mind!

Do you have any top tips for making learning at home or homework fun? I would love to hear them in the comments! 

xXx

Back to School with the Disney Store.

As September looms I am sure lots of us have been thinking about our children heading back to school or evening starting school for the very first time!

So today I am sharing my top tips for getting back to school and I would love to hear yours in the comments too!

Over the summer holidays we all tend to be a little more relaxed on bedtime and a routine which is great over the holidays but can be difficult to adapt back when school starts. Whilst it can be tempting to stick with the late nights and lie ins (if your lucky enough to get them!) try and get back in to routine the week before school starts. We try and set our alarms a week before school starts and setting a more sensible bed time so we can all adjust before school starts. Its makes it much easier if everyone is in that routine when school comes around.

- Let your child get involved in picking some of the items for going back to school, whether that's stationary and back packs or even their water bottles and lunch box. Having items they have picked will make your child feel involved and gives them a little responsibility. Also if they are like James excited to go and show their friends their new things.

- Try and arrange some play dates for your child with their school friends over the summer holidays. It can be quite daunting heading back to school if they haven't seen their friends for over 6 weeks so having that time to just chill and play outside of school can be really good. Even if its just arranging a trip to the park/a picnic with other parents and their children its a good chance for children to catch up outside of the school environment.

- If you don't already have one purchase a family calendar. It can be a great space for everyone to write things including events at school, school trips and record any important school dates that may affect everyone such as in service days. Put this somewhere everyone can see so that the kids can get involved in checking each day too.

- Start labeling EVERYTHING as soon as you can. I always underestimate how long this will take and end up rushing it. I get James involved in helping me pick name labels and let him choose a funky design so that he can easily recognize his own items from his name label.

If you are still looking for some back to school essentials why not check out the Disney Store, James has these super cool Marvel goodies to head back to school with and he is very excited to take them.

Do you have any top tips for those children heading back to school?

xXx

**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item and we used the item to produce this honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Tips For Children Starting School!

I can't believe its been almost 2 years since James started at Primary school! In September he will be heading in to Year 2 and has settled in to school so well he is happy, settled and doing really well which I am of course incredibly proud of.

(Here is James on his very first say of Primary School!)

I wanted to put together a post about a few of the things we did with James before he started school in the hope they would help him settle better and whilst im no expert I wanted to share those with you.


Talk to them about school - As soon as we started applying for schools for James we started talking to him about going to school which meant it became familiar. We kept it lighthearted and kept the conversation open for him to ask questions etc if he felt he needed to. Talking about it made it seem less daunting and more a part of every day conversation for James.

Let them help purchase school uniform - More than likely going to school will be the first time your child will have to wear a full uniform which can be a confusing for a child who is used to wearing and selecting their own clothes. I took James along with me to pick up his uniform letting him try it on both in the shop and at home. He felt grown up helping pick his own school clothes and he was so excited to wear them for his first day at school.

Have them present during the home visit - Our primary school have a home visit for pupils who are joining reception class where a teachers / teaching assistant come to your home to meet you and the child and find out a little more info etc about them. I felt it was really important for James to be here for this so that he could meet his possible teacher but also so they could get a look at him at home rather than just hearing information from me. It enabled them to see how he interacted in an environment he was comfortable in too.

Go along to settling in/ stay and play sessions - Lots of primary schools will offer settling in sessions or stay at play sessions for all children starting school. These will be on certain dates and it will give your child a chance to have a look around the school and what will be their new classrooms. It will also give them a chance to meet teachers and other children who will be joining them in September so that when they start some faces will be familiar making it less daunting.

Get Everything prepared - The day/ evening before school begins talk to them about what is going to happen the follow morning. Let your child help set out school uniform etc and make packed lunch the evening before if needed. This way the morning can be relaxed and not frantic and stressful for your child. I found James wanted extra cuddles and had lots of questions the morning before so it helped that I had everything prepared before hand so that I could take my time with him and answer them all.

Practice the school run - Before James started school we did the school run several times it gave us a chance to see how long it would take but also a chance for James to see the school again. We did it several times when other children were in school too so he could see them happily playing outside which made him excited to go. I found practicing walking the school run got him familiar with our morning routine and the surroundings which made it less daunting on the morning of school.

So thats a few of my top tips that I found helped us! Do you have any to share for all those mums and dads with children about to start school? I would love it if you could share them in the comments below.

Good luck to all those parents and children who are going to be starting their exciting journey in school this September!

xXx

Starting Year 1!

Last week James went back to school after the 6 week summer holidays but this time he was heading into Year 1, no longer part of reception, in fact it was 1 year today that he started school for the very first time.

As we headed through the school gates we saw all of the new children who would be starting reception and they all looked so small! I can't believe that was my James just last year, I still remember the nerves and emotions running wild but this year was slightly different.

Knowing just how much James loves being in school made heading back for the start of Year 1 much easier. I didn't have that emotional feeling I had before because I knew he was going to be so happy to be back with his friends. Of course I still had some nerves for him, it is a new teacher, new classroom and lots more work but I hope that he will take that all in his stride just as he did with reception year.

Here he is in Reception (left) and Year 1 (right) one year apart exactly -


























James finished reception last year on such a high with an excellent report and excelling at lots of the criteria and subjects. He left with a flare for reading that certainly didn't leave during the summer holidays and a passion for learning.

My hopes for James this year are that he continues to enjoy school and makes lots of new friends. I hope that he continues his flare for reading and his passion for learning new things and always trying his hardest. When I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up he said he wants to be a policeman on a motorbike, it will be interesting to see how that changes through the years!

Did your little ones start school this week or head off in to a different school year?

xXx

Moving into Year 1!

It only seems like yesterday that I headed through the school gates with James for his first day at school with the nerves whirling in my stomach and the grin on James face so wide he couldn't contain his excitement!

(James on his first day at school in Reception class) 

However yesterday James moved into Year 1! Due to James' school rolling out a new plan where existing pupils move into their new year groups 1 month early James moved from his reception class into his new year 1 class on Wednesday.

I was a little undecided how I felt about it at first but seeing the excitement on James face sold it for me, he couldn't wait to explore his new class room and meet his new teacher. I am hoping that this early move will mean he will have chance to get used to the change and avoid any unnecessary worry over the summer holidays about the change. Of course Tuesday was a bit of an emotional day saying goodbye to his reception class teacher who has taught him so much and both myself and James had formed a bond with over the past year. James took in leaving gifts and had a photo with his teacher which he now has on his wall and we both said goodbye.

(James with his teacher on his last day in Reception!)

I still can't believe its been a year since he started school but he has learnt so much in that time, not just on the education side but he has grown so much as a person! James is so much more confident now and has a much better understanding of rules and boundaries that school has really helped him with. James started school last September not being able to read and after almost a year at school sat down with me yesterday and read The Gruffalo to be unaided! I really cannot thank the teachers enough for all the time and effort they have put in to giving James the best start to school.

So as we wave goodbye to the past year and James reception class we are saying hello to a new class, a new teacher and a new school year ahead of us. James is excited to learn and loves being in school which can only be a good thing and we can only hope the next year will be as successful as the last!

xXx

My Nametags **REVIEW**

I am sure every parent with a child at school or nursery will know the pain of having to label every item of clothing your child could possibly wear at school/ nursery.

When James started school in September I spent the evening before writing his name in all his jumpers, t-shirts, trousers etc in the hope that if they were to get lost they would be returned. However a 1 month or so down the line and several washes later the names had washed out of most items, and we had a lost jumper (and school jumpers really are not cheap!). 

So when I was asked if I would like to review some name labels from My Nametags I jumped at the chance hoping it would mean an end to my endless efforts of writing James name in everything!

The process of choosing your labels is really easy. You can choose a background pattern/colour, a name (and the colour of the name) and the font, You then pick a picture (if you wish) to go beside the name on your label, I let James choose the picture so that he could easily identify his items as his and he chose the bat (no surprise as he is a huge batman fan!). 

Here are our finished labels - 

They arrived really quickly in the post in a padded envelope to keep them safe. I was really impressed with the overall look of the labels the colours were vibrant, bright and the name large and clear perfect for James to spot. 

With the name stickers there is no stitching or ironing involved, you simply apply the sticker to the label of the clothing (it sticks better to the label) and then allow at least 24 hours before washing. I have to admit I was dubious that a sticker would stay put through the wash.... but it did!! No signs of lifting or movement in the label and the colours were still bright and clear. 

(the label after 3 washes)

The My Nametags labels have stayed put and have made it really easy for James to identify his items in school, especially as the weather is warming up and he is forever leaving his jumper laying around the classroom. The great thing about them being stickers is that you can use them on things other than clothing. I have even attached one to James water bottle for school and inside his shoes, both have stayed in place too! 

If your children are about to start school in September (or are already at school or nursery) I would highly recommend giving My Nametag stickers a go! These labels are priced at £11.95 and that gets you 56 stickers!! So plenty to label all uniform, PE kit and have spare. 

You can purchase My Nametag's HERE. 

What do you use to label your child's clothing? 

xXx

* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.

* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.

James Update!

Its been a while since I shared an update on my little boy James and so today I thought I would share a little with you.

James is growing, so quickly! He is very tall and taller than most of the children in his class at school. Coupled with this and his ever growing feet (size 13 already!) I think he may be tall when he grows up. Here is James dressed as Batman for a themed day at school. 

James is absolutely loving school. I must admit before he started school I was so nervous but seeing how happy he is there just made me so much happier. He has grown to be a very confident and often independent little man, waving me off in the school playground and taking himself in to school. His teachers say he is doing really well and is always happy. The last month or so he seems to have learnt so much and each day comes home filling us in with all the information he has learnt that day, yesterday he came home reciting vowels that he had learnt! James recently received a certificate in assembly for writing great sentences!

James also attends weekly swimming lessons as well as a once a month one to one swimming lesson at our local leisure centre. He loves swimming and you would never have guessed that just over a year ago he hated even splashing water on his face. Nowadays you can't get him above the water and I am pretty sure he's half fish! He recently received his alpha 3 badge and his 10m badge which he is so proud of as are we.

I am so proud of how well James has settled in to school and how well he is doing in his swimming lessons, he seems to just take it all in his stride. He is also a fantastic big brother and this can be seen every time he is with Evelyn. My heart just melts seeing them together!

xXx

School admissions!

Well today was the day!

It was the day we found out what primary school James had got into. 

I can't believe my little boy is going to be going to school in September! It's a time I've been dreading of I'm honest the thought of my little boy going out into the big wide world of school is enough to drive me to tears (probly not helped by being 32 weeks pregnant lol)

I did the open days and filled out the application forms online (then changed it and changed it back several times lol) and finally submitted it.

Then the wait... The form was submitted in January and I had to wait until today to find out what place we had got! 

Well..... WE GOT OUR FIRST CHOICE!

I was absolutely over the moon! 

I hope all the other parents who were waiting to find out were happy with the places offered! 

Although if you weren't happy here is a handy link which may help if you are planning on appealing the decision/ place offered... http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/help-and-advice/school-admissions/108/appealing-for-a-school-place

xXx