Here are education expert James Clements’ favourite ways to teach your child on the sly, supporting their learning while having fun!
Blog posts for: James Clements
Choosing a primary school
Education expert James Clements gives his advice on how to choose the right school for your child.
Working with school (in strange times)
James Clements shares his advice on how we can work together with teachers to help our children be happy and confident at school, and gives his tips on getting the most out of parents’ evening.
Looking forward to the summer term: tips to help boost your child’s learning
What can we do to help our children to make progress over the term ahead? James Clements shares his tips to help boost skills and knowledge.
Learning at home during lockdown: Almost over the finish line
If, like us, finding the enthusiasm to keep going with home learning is tricky, here are a few ideas for making it over the finish line.
Teaching number bonds (without any screens)
Lots of schoolwork is being set online at the moment. Here is one example from education expert James Clements of teaching maths skills without a screen.
Learning at home: Reading to learn
Education expert James Clements talks about how children who are already confident readers can get the most out of their reading.
Learning at home: The tricky business of screen time
Keeping your child’s screen time manageable can be tricky, especially at the moment. Education expert James Clements gives us his top tips.
Not your typical books for boys
An alternative list of recommended books for boys. Perfect for boys who are looking to read about something other than football or jokes about bottoms!
Learning at home: What can we learn from teachers?
Education expert James Clements talks about the lessons we can learn from teachers about helping your child to learn at home.
Learning at home: Learning to read
Education expert James Clements runs through everything you need to keep your child’s reading skills developing during the school lockdown.
Learning at home: Buying yourself some time
Education expert James Clements shares his ideas for keeping the children busy – in a constructive way – when you need to be getting on with something.
Learning at home: How to prioritise sharing a book
Education expert and writer James Clements talks about the importance of reading to your child to boost their educational success in all sorts of ways.
Learning at home: What would they be learning at school?
Education expert and writer James Clements explains what your child would be learning at school, and how we can use (or not use) the curriculum at home.
Learning at home: Things to get ready for next week
Education expert and writer James Clements suggests 6 practical things you get get ready over the weekend for next week’s learning at home.
Learning at home: Organising the day
Education expert and writer James Clements offers up 4 different approaches to structuring your child’s day learning at home.
Learning at home: Making a start
Educational expert and writer James Clements gives his 3 top tips of how to get started with teaching your child at home.
Carry on reading aloud: the benefits of sharing books with older children
Few things are more important than reading aloud to our children. James Clements gives his advice on how to keep your child reading aloud, even after they are reading independently.
What do the KS2 SATs scores mean?
Education expert James Clements explains what the KS2 SATs are, how scaled scores work, and what you can expect to hear from your child’s school.
A case for non-fiction:
five reasons to read non-fiction with your child
Education expert James Clements outlines five benefits of reading non-fiction, and gives us his top non-fiction reads for ages 5–11.
The wonder of words: How learning new words can help your child
A rich vocabulary allows a child to enjoy their reading, to express themselves and to learn about the world. James Clements offers tips on how to help your child’s vocabulary develop.
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week four
James Clements offers some last-minute advice for the KS2 SATs, as well as tips on how you can best support your child during exam week and beyond.
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week three
James Clements takes us through how you can help make your child’s KS2 SATs revision fun (yes, really).
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week two
Advice from James Clements on how your child can best prepare for KS2 SATs, including lots of revision tips and ideas.
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week one
Advice from James Clements about how you can help your child to do their very best in the KS2 national tests, and how the assessments can be approached so that they’re a positive experience for everyone involved.
Picture books for older readers
Who says we have to leave picture books behind in KS1? These wonderful books use spellbinding illustrations to introduce children to big ideas. Includes FArTHER and The Man Who Walked Between Towers.
Supporting spelling at home
Mark Twain once observed, ‘anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word lacks imagination’. The government disagrees, so here are our top spelling tips.
How to help your child do well at school
Being involved with your child’s education can make a huge difference to their success. Here are some helpful ideas for you to support your child’s learning.

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