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EEF Covid 19 Support Resources for Schools and Parents

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EEF Covid 19 Support Resources for Schools and Parents

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PKC Guidance for Learning at Home (Nov 2020)

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PKC Guidance for Learning at Home (Nov 2020)

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PKC Summary Guidance for Learning at Home for January 2021

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PKC Summary Guidance for Learning at Home for January 2021

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Primary Literacy and English Support- Education Scotland Wakelet

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Primary Literacy and English Support- Education Scotland Wakelet

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We built Wakelet using the latest technologies to make it faster and easier to use. Unfortunately, your browser doesn't support those technologies.

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PKC Teacher Resource Library (First Level) Padlet for Literacy and English

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PKC Teacher Resource Library (First Level) Padlet for Literacy and English

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This resource supports teachers in PKC when planning blocks of work for learning at home. It is organised using the First Level Es and Os. It includes links to videos, lesson plans and worksheets/activities.

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We appreciate that many of your are trying to support children as writers while they are at home. We have created the following home resource to help and it's been produced using the findings from our own Writing For Pleasure research ( Young 2019).

Please share this resource widely. Send it to friends, family, parents, teachers and anyone else you think could benefit. Let's help families to be together, write together and share together!

You may also want to read:

Activities to get everyone writing at home. [LINK]

Talk and write about the good old days

Find your spark with a spark line

Do some dabbling while you watch the tele

Nature poems on the pavement

Interview someone over the phone

How parent-teacher Billy Bean is teaching is three, six and seven year old around his kitchen table using our resource. [LINK]

How writer-teacher Tobias Hayden is teaching Writing For Pleasure during lockdown. [LINK]

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We appreciate that many of your are trying to support children as writers while they are at home. We have created the following home resource to help and it's been produced using the findings from our own Writing For Pleasure research (Young 2019). download Please share this resource widely.

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Research rich pedagogies

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Reading Together in families counts!

Children need support to develop the habit and love of reading. Three core strategies support readers, as our OU research indicates:

*Reading aloud *Time to read as a family *Book chat

So 'just relax and read'. Time and space to hear stories and to read and talk informally about what you're reading makes a difference to children's pleasure in reading.

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Children need support to develop the habit and love of reading. Three core strategies support readers, as our OU research indicates: *Reading aloud *Time to read as a family *Book chat So 'just relax and read'. Time and space to hear stories and to read and talk informally about what you're reading makes a difference to children's pleasure in reading.

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PKC Teacher Resource Library (Second Level) Padlet for Literacy and English

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PKC Teacher Resource Library (Second Level) Padlet for Literacy and English

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This resource supports teachers in PKC when planning blocks of work for learning at home. It is organised using the Second Level Es and Os. It includes links to videos, lesson plans and worksheets/activities.

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Blog: Help with home learning - Talk with TRUST

The world is much quieter at the moment and this is most obvious in our schools. The deafening silence of classrooms, playgrounds, canteens and playing fields has become an eerie reality.

The need for children to interact has never been more important. Communication and language provide the foundations for learning and thinking and underpin the development of literacy skills.

TRUST aims to support adult and child interactions happening in every home

Whilst online lessons can deliver lots of important content to our children, they can never replace the skilful ways in which teachers engage children in high-quality interactions. Teachers certainly make it look easy, but we know it's harder than it looks!

To support our families to talk to children and young people is to provide them with hugely powerful tools for home learning.

The TRUST framework has been taken from the 10 techniques adults might use when engaging children in sustained shared thinking, outlined in the EEF's Preparing for Literacy guidance report. The message within these prompts is that families can turn anything into a learning experience for their child.

TRUST aims to support adult and child interactions happening in every home to make them as beneficial as possible for our children and young people.

Share TRUST to encourage families to:

Take turns to make plans and predictions before starting a task

Recap to check ideas and understanding as your child is helping

Use encouragement and praise to keep children engaged in learning

Share prior knowledge & past experiences that link to what you are doing

Tune-in and listen to your child - be curious about their interests

An example of the TRUST framework is available as a cartoon strip ( pictured) to help families see the learning opportunities when cooking, gardening, or doing any jobs together. You can also give lots of ideas for shared reading from reading with TRUST.

In our suggestions for communicating effectively with parents we have included text and email ideas you could send to families to support all your hard work in encouraging high-quality interactions at home.

We know that some families will be finding this time of home schooling particularly difficult. Perhaps we can make it simpler and more accessible by emphasising the hugely important contribution that parents make when they listen and talk to their children...even when they're sorting the laundry out!

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Blog: Help with home learning - Talk with TRUST | News

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The world is much quieter at the moment and this is most obvious in our schools. The deafening silence of classrooms, playgrounds, canteens and playing fields has become an eerie reality. The need for children to interact has never been more important.

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Book Talk - Supporting Parents

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Blog: Supporting parents to undertake brilliant book talk

Every teacher and parent knows that reading matters. It matters to our pupils' language development along with their academic success, whilst mattering because of its tremendous power to offer us pleasure and comfort in what are immensely challenging times.

As most school pupils are now at home, schoolteachers and leaders are busy planning for effective home learning. We know that most schools already encourage parents to read with their children in some way, but additional tips, support, and resources can make a significant difference to making it more effective. ¹ Positively, research evidence indicates that promoting the development of reading habits with parents is worth our effort. ²

We of course recognise that our reading focus will be different for pupils in different age groups. Broadly, it may match the following pattern:

In early primary, activities that target reading with an attention to letter sounds and word reading;

In later primary, activities that support reading comprehension through shared book reading; and

In secondary school, independent reading and strategies that support independent learning.

We know that owning books at home is important, but busy parents could easily miss those seemingly small, but vital opportunities for high-quality interactions. Indeed, it is the to-and-fro of conversational turn-taking when we talk about a book which proves a key ingredient for successful learning.

How can schools then offer parents accessible tips to engage in sustained book talk more effectively?

The EEF guidance report Preparing for Literacy suggests a powerful framework to support sustained shared thinking around all interactions with children, and certainly when sharing a book. Providing parents with a simple recipe for reading together could be the tool which helps them gain confidence in the home learning they are rapidly engaging more with to support their children to learn from home.

The features for sustained shared reading can be distilled and shared with parents:

T ake turns to make plans and predictions before reading:'I wonder if... what do you think?' 'You think... Oh, I thought...'

R ecap to check ideas and understanding as your child is reading: 'So, you think that...' 'Did you expect...to happen?' 'Why do you think that happened?'

U se encouragement and praise to keep children engaged in reading:'What brilliant ideas...let's see what happens.' 'You thought so carefully about... What might happen now?'

S hare prior knowledge and past experiences that link to what is being read:'Have you learnt about...at school?' 'Do you remember when we watched...and found out about...'

T une-in and listen to your child - be curious about their interests:'I didn't know you knew so much about...' 'I love reading stories about...with you.'

Of course, we should aim to convey a love of reading too!

This TRUST framework is applicable to anything a child would like to read. It should support parents to understand that with the to-and-fro discussion about a book comes a wealth of opportunities for learning.

Now just isn't the time to be too anxious about what children are reading. Reading instructions, recipes, and even old baby books, are all valuable. We should try to support parents to not worry about the level or perceived challenge of a book. If they consider that a book isn't 'hard' enough, remind them that sustained talk around picture books for younger children is certainly valuable reading.

Children should be encouraged to return to their favourite stories, given the likely emotional benefits during this tricky time. Indeed, in such uncertain times, children may gain comfort from reading a book they enjoyed as a very young child. Encourage families to borrow ideas from TRUST framework to open the door to lots of healthy discussion, and of course, a love of reading.

See EEF guidance on Preparing for Literacy

Support resources to share with parents

Resources to share with parents on how to support home routines.

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Blog: Supporting parents to undertake brilliant book talk | News

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Every teacher and parent knows that reading matters. It matters to our pupils' language development along with their academic success, whilst mattering because of its tremendous power to offer us pleasure and comfort in what are immensely challenging times. As most school pupils are now at home, schoolteachers and leaders are busy planning for effective home learning.

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Top Tips for Parents from Early Years Scotland

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Top Tips for Parents from Early Years Scotland

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Mark making, reading, listening and talking (Top Tips)

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https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/blog-help-with-home-learning-talk-with-trust/?mc_cid=932932a66b&mc_eid=48c88a172d

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Resources to help parents with reading at home. Includes a really useful TRUST framework.

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Support resources for schools and parents

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Tools for schools to help support home learning and maximise the impact of work set.

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National Literacy Trust Reading During Lockdown Report

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National Literacy Trust Reading During Lockdown Report

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National Literacy Trust Writing During Lockdown Report

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National Literacy Trust Writing During Lockdown Report

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This report outlines findings from our tenth Annual Literacy Survey relating to children and young people's writing in 2020, in addition to findings from our survey of children and young people's writing during the COVID-19 lockdown.

58,346 children and young people aged 9 to 18 in the UK took part in our Annual Literacy Survey between January and March 2020, while 4,141 children and young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK took part in our survey during lockdown between May and early June 2020.

Key findings
Writing enjoyment

2 in 5 (39.8%) children and young people said at the beginning of 2020 that they enjoy writing; this is an increase on the number of children and young people from the year before (35.8%)

1 in 6 (17.5%) children and young people said they enjoyed writing more during lockdown than they had before

Writing frequency

After recording the lowest daily writing rate in 2019 since we started asking the question in 2010, the percentage of children and young people who say that they write outside class on a daily basis has recovered over the past year, increasing from 16.5% in 2019 to 21.5% in 2020

Additionally, 1 in 5 (21.4%) children said that they had been writing more in their free time during lockdown compared with before

Creative writing during lockdown

More children and young people are expressing themselves through creative writing during lockdown:

2 in 5 have written more short stories or fiction (39.7%) and letters (39.3%)

1 in 4 (27.1%) have written more in a diary or journal

1 in 5 (20.8%) have written more poetry

Lockdown has given many children the inspiration and conditions to write more creatively. Children and young people told us that lockdown has:

Given them more time and space to think and generate ideas

Inspired their writing

Made more digital writing formats available to them

Writing and wellbeing during lockdown

2 in 5 (41.3%) children said writing makes them feel better

1 in 4 (24.8%) children said writing helps when they feel sad that they can't see friends and family

The link between writing and mental wellbeing was further strengthened when children engaged in creative forms of writing

Children who said that writing makes them feel better were:

5 times more likely to write poems (66.5% vs. 13.4%) during lockdown than their peers

4 times more likely to write in a diary or journal (61.9% vs. 14.8%) or to write a short story or fiction (61.1% vs. 15.1%) during lockdown than their peers

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Children and young people's writing during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 | National Literacy Trust

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This report outlines findings from our tenth Annual Literacy Survey relating to children and young people's writing in 2020, in addition to findings from our survey of children and young people's writing during the COVID-19 lockdown.

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Useful collation of links to various free online books, comics etc, including fiction and non-fiction.

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Alison Leach, founder of BooksForTopics

With hours ticking by and many children at home looking for new kinds of entertainment, lockdown seems like the perfect time to get more children reading for pleasure. And yet, with the partial closure of classrooms and libraries, hundreds of thousands of children and families have limited access to books at home. Research by the National Literacy Trust revealed in 2015 that a staggering three-quarters of a million (770,129) UK school children didn't own a book. Of these children, those who receive free school meals, boys of all ages and teenagers are the most likely to say they have no books of their own at home - and all this before lockdown began.

It's a surprisingly high figure, and during this current period when teachers and librarians are less able to provide and renew physical reading material, schools may expect to see a drop off with reading engagement during the lockdown without their intervention. But some will also see an opportunity for renewed engagement here too - just as thousands of members of our population are discovering new passions for yoga, interval training, ukulele playing or crochet through the wealth of free online material, there's also a bank of reading material to tap into that may spark a newfound enjoyment of reading for those without books at home, so long as there is access to a computer.

Best-selling author and illustrator Cressida Cowell says, " Not only do books enable children to discover new worlds, meet new people and learn about the past, but they also have the power to transform lives....Yet far too many children [in the UK] are missing out on the chance to reach their potential for one simple reason - they don't have a single book of their own at home." With time to spare and a wealth of free online resources, this is undoubtedly the time for schools to signpost families to a choice of free, high-quality stories to listen to and engaging materials to read. We've put together a list of the best places to access children's reading materials and stories during lockdown, from phonic readers and online comics to read-alongs and full length chapter books. All of these resources are free to access, although some may require an account to be created by an adult first.

1. Online Reading Book Libraries

A number of publishers have made high quality ebook libraries temporarily free to access. For children working through school reading schemes, Oxford Owl is our top recommendation. Once parents have created a free account (teachers can do this on behalf of their class), readers can access a host of books that may look familiar to children used to seeing the Oxford Reading Tree or Read, Write Inc. schemes at school. The books are available to filter by age group, text type, book band, phonics phase or reading level. A similar resource is Collins Connect, which offers free access to 330+ Collins Big Cat ebooks from pink to lime level, including worksheets and quizzes to use at home.

Outside of the reading schemes, the US ebook library offers parents a free 30-day trial. The site offers online browsing and reading of a library of fiction and non-fiction, with themed collections based on interest and a few popular favourites like Wimpy Kid, Rebel Girls and Big Nate too. also has a section of interactive picture books to read along with online, with much-loved favourites including Owl Babies, Hairy Maclary and Rumble in the Jungle.

Families can also get a free 30-day trial of Kindl Unlimited, offering unlimited access to over 1 Million eBooks during the trial period. With unlimited choice of what to read, you may wish to use our free Year Group reading lists to guide pupils towards a range of age-appropriate reading for pleasure choices.

Also worth exploring if you wish to point your pupils to particular handpicked books or relevant collections are the US sites and , also offering free trials. With these sites, we recommend that teachers or parents browse first and pick out the most suitable titles or collections, as the choice can feel overwhelming without guidance and not all of the books are familiar to a UK audience. Finally, is a brilliant source of information about books, and once you have signed up for an account you can read short extracts of most books for free.

Encourage children to sit back and listen to stories being read aloud. With access to libraries, classrooms and bookshops limited for many, HQ has been busy finding some of the best online storytimes for children to access freely at home and you can find our recommendation sheets for different age groups in our . The QR codes and links in the document link to story readings on Youtube and all of the books we've chosen are read aloud by their fabulous authors and illustrators.

If you are looking for more online storytimes, tap into the brilliant resources available from Cbeebies Bedtime Stories, Puffin Storytime, Chicken House CoupedUpKids and Booktrust HomeTime. There's also a growing multitude of authors and illustrators to follow on social media who provide regular, live storytime or illustrating slots, like Julia Donaldson (4pm on Thursdays via ), David Walliams (11am daily, via ) and, Rob Biddulph (10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays via ).

3. Don't forget about other reading formats

When families think of Reading for Pleasure, it's easy to jump straight to fiction recommendations and in particular story books, but it's important not to overlook the other reading formats that are often favourites with young readers. Research into children's reading preferences undertaken by the National Literacy Trust has shown that a great deal of what children choose to read in their leisure time outside of school is not 'book based', with comics, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers and on-screen texts all rating highly.

For young readers who love comics or graphic novels, Marvel Comics have made 12 of their greatest graphic novels completely free to read, including Avengers, Captain America and Fantastic Four. To access these, parents need to download the Marvel Comics app and set up a free account. Another brilliant choice for comic book fans is The Pheonix Comic, which offers a few free digital sample issues online.

Non-fiction fans might enjoy Cicada Publishing's - an appealing non-fiction book about natural disasters, which has been recently made available as a free PDF book for children to read during lockdown. Publisher DK has also created an excellent , which includes free access to full colour spreads from a number of their popular non-fiction titles. Another good source for non-fiction is BookLife's selection of free non-fiction titles made available as PDF books (a popular starting point is this fact book about space ), which parents can access by creating a free account. For poetry fans, we recommend Children's Poetry Archive as the best place to listen to or read along with an incredible bank of children's poetry, searchable by theme or poet.

There are also some brilliant children's magazines available, and most offer sample issues to read online. Why not try the free digital issues of Scoop Magazine, , Whizz Pop Bang, The Week Junior or National Geographic Kids?

If you've never learned to appreciate the brilliance of audiobooks, there's no time like the present! Audible Stories has made a bank of children's stories in a number of languages available to listen to for free, including Harry Potter, , Winnie the Pooh and The Tales of Beatrix Potter. And for more choice, signing up to the Audible free gives you access to another free e-book of your choice from their extensive catalogue. With so much choice of what to listen to, children may plunge straight away for their favourite stories or you may wish to use our free Year Group reading lists to guide listeners towards a range of age-appropriate reading for pleasure choices.

Another favourite resource for free audio stories is World Book Day's World of Stories, with full length audio books freely available to stream online. Highlights include The Nothing to See Here Hotel, Rumblestar and A Pinch of Magic.

If you work in a school setting, why not consider uploading recordings of staff story readings on your school website too? Many of the usual copyright rules have been amended during school closures, but most publishers still have various rules to follow if you are reading their books online, and you can find all the information and requirements you need here.

5. Make the most of books especially written for this time

There's no doubt that we find ourselves in the most unusual of times and in response, a small number of specially produced books have been created during this time for free reading online.

'Coronavirus: A Book for Children' - To help children to understand more about the coronavirus, the publishers at Nosy Crow have made a new picture book available to download for free, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler .

'Everybody Worries' by Jon Burgerman - The publishers at Oxford Owl have made this picture book available to read online for FREE to help children understand feelings of anxiety about Coronavirus. Click here to read the book online.

'Staying Home' by Sally Nicholls & Viviane Schwarz - Free from Andersen Press, this is a picture book featuring a family of energetic raccoons going through a day in lockdown with no school, nursery or work - and explaining to the youngest members of the family how they're doing their part to save lives just by staying at home.

'Winnie and Wilbur Stay at Home' by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul - Popular duo Winnie and Wilbur are back in a new, free ebook about staying at home. At first they find it difficult. Wilbur likes to lick his paws to wash his face and Winnie's attempts to join in with an online exercise class end in a tangle. But in the end, they discover staying at home can be just as magical as long as you have each other. Read the ebook for free here.

The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain Children in Lockdown - Completely free for all children and families and best suited for KS2 readers, the extraordinary collection of short stories, poems, essays and pictures has contributions from more than 110 children's writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon and Jacqueline Wilson. The collection, published by Bloomsbury, is dedicated to the doctors, nurses, carers, porters, cleaners and everyone currently working in hospitals. Read it for free here.

You're likely to find a wealth of free reading material once you start looking - but the key is to select wisely and recommend an appropriate and appealing taster menu to young readers.

For those with a budget to purchase books, we recommend starting with our Year Group Booklists or our Home Learning Book Guides for inspiration.

> View our printable year group booklists.

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Blog: Five ways to give children access to stories and reading material during lockdown

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Five ways to give children access to stories and reading material during lockdown Alison Leach, founder of BooksForTopics With hours ticking by and many children at home looking for new kinds of entertainment, lockdown seems like the perfect time to get more children reading for pleasure.

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January 2021 Update Blog by Library Lady

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January 2021 Update Blog by Library Lady

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As the new term starts teachers, support staff and parents have been faced with a last minute turn around regarding the opening of schools and once again on-line learning is to be adopted for the majority of the children across England.

When the first lockdown took place in March 2020 I compiled a list of online resources linked to children's books and reading for pleasure in the hope that it would be helpful to teachers, school librarians and parents. As new resources were produced I updated the lists and over the following weeks these various resources were shared many times. They are going to be needed again. I have spent some time checking and updating links and have also added some more. The presentation has been adjusted slightly so that they are organised into a more readily searchable structure. I hope they are useful to you and help ease the stress of the situation a little.

In March 2020 I wrote this and it still applies. Thank you to all the generous people who rose to the challenge then and are doing so again,
Today all over the country teachers and parents are preparing for schools to be closed for an indefinite period. Teachers are faced with creating ways that children can access education online and parents are wondering how they can home educate or occupy their children. Thankfully organisations, charities, authors, illustrators, school librarians and teachers have been sharing resources for several days. This is extremely generous but at times the vast quantity available can feel bewildering. Therefore I have selected some book related resources that I think primary school children will enjoy and parents will find useful. I hope to update these on a regular basis without making the list too long and overwhelming. Organisations, Charities and Literacy Websites
Words for Life - a brilliant place for parents to start, this is a comprehensive web portal for parents created by The Literacy Trust. Split up by age group, you will find ideas and guidance for simple activities that will engage children at home, while also benefiting their reading, writing and language development. You'll be able to access free reading and writing resources, audiobooks, videos, competitions and reading challenges. Their new Virtual School Library site also offers author videos, free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads.

School Library Association Support for Out of School Learning - this fabulous resource has just been updated and is full of helpful links for school librarians and teachers and parents too. They are divided into helpful categories and include links to resources, ideas and advice. The most comprehensive selection I have found.

Love My Books - another free website providing resources, activity ideas and book suggestions for children aged 0-11. Pages of great ideas for parents and children sharing books together.

World Book Day - Browse their booklists for children and young people at all ages and stages - for ideas and inspiration. There are stacks of links to book related resources and videos too. They have just added the Book Ideas Hub to the website which looks fabulous.

Authorfy - this is a great website. Full of free resources, activity packs, writing prompts, author videos and brilliant book recommendations this is a good way to entertain and educate children as it is so engaging.

The British Library Discovering Children's Books - this new website has a wide range of information and resources available from how to draw a Gruffalo to how to make a mini book. Since last year new activities have been added and this a great website to browse for ideas and articles.

The Reading Realm - there are now some free learning packs available on this website based on animals and nature, fairy tales and creative writing prompts. The creators of this website are continually updating and adding to this helpful site so it is well worth revisiting to keep up with updates.

Audible Stories - Audible have launched a free service that offers educational and entertaining audiobook content for kids, teens, and families.

Book Trust Stories and Games - lots of lovely interactive books to read online or watch with signing plus stacks of games and activities to share. They have now added a Home Time page with links to lots of fabulous activities. This is definitely worth a look.

Hay Festival Programme for Schools Free Events Online - Watch authors from Hay Festival Programme for Schools filmed over the last 3 years. There are 55 fun filled and inspiring events to choose from including Ade Adepitan, Gemma Cairney, Emma Carroll, Eoin Colfer, Julian Clary, Abi Elphinstone and Andy Stanton.

#LibrariesFromHome brought to you by Libraries Connected - amongst the range of digital resources available are the excellent online rhyme times, story times and lego clubs that keep children engaged and support early literacy and creative thinking.

Open University: Supporting Reading at Home - this website, such a fabulous resource for educators, now has new section on the site in response to the pandemic and it is updated regularly. Highlights include 'Book Chat: Reading with your child' and a reading treasure hunt.

Toppsta Books with linked activities - this popular website offers book recommendations, reviews and much more. The link above takes you to a selection of books with activities suitable for a wide age group.
Authors, Illustrators and Publishers

Free Resources from Barrington Stoke - From reading guides to colouring in sheets, their Young Editors Scheme to author videos, there's something for every age of reader linked to some of this publisher's wonderful books.

Rob Biddulph Draw Along Videos - these are great. Each Tuesday and Thursday at 10am during the March lockdown Rob Biddulph posted a video of him drawing a character for children to copy. These are stored on his website for you to watch at any time. He is also doing new live videos each Saturday at 10am.

Peter Bunzl Cogheart and Moonlocket School Resources - these include some great creative projects such as design your own mechanical robot and making a flip book animation.

Emma Carroll Online Writing Workshops - this is so tempting as I love Emma's books. Emma is in the early stage of writing a new book and she is going to share the early stages of her writing journey, twice a week until half term in February. 2021 You can join in by writing your own story. It starts on 12th January and you can find out how to join in via the link.

Chicken House Books Education Hub - Here you'll find educational resources that work alongside this publisher's most popular books books. Although designed for use in schools the videos and PDF downloads etc. could be enjoyed at home too.

14 Stories in 14 days from Egmont Publishers - a website, inspired by the recommended 14 days of self-isolation, offering 14 days of free content to provide entertainment and educational support for parents, carers and children across the UK.

Our Corona Diary - founded by Kathryn Evans this initiative hopes to document the experience through the eyes of young diarists and inspire a creative response to the crisis. Suitable for all ages from early years to young adult there are stacks of creative ideas plus information for parents, teachers and carers.

Elise Gravel Free Comic - Illustrator Elise Gravel has created a free to download comic which explains the Covid19 situation to children.

Abi Elphinstone Jungle Drop - author Abi Elphinstone has shared 7 videos of her chatting about her latest book due out in May. You can have a sneaky peep at the opening chapters here too.

Draw with Jim Field - learn to draw alongside illustrator Jim Field with these great videos of him drawing Oi Frog and more on his website.

Caryl Hart Author Events Online - This is an excellent resource. Authors and illustrators are creating loads of resources that children, teachers and families can access from home. These include videos, live broadcasts on Instagram and Facebook, and printables and these have been collated and shared on this site by author Caryl Hart.

The Bookwanderers Club - a live book club hosted by children's author Anna James last year every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2pm while schools are closed due to COVID-19 and the videos of these interviews are still available to watch. A great selection of authors in these enjoyable interviews. It feels like eavesdropping on friends!

Stay at Home Story Time with Oliver Jeffers - watch author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers reading one of his books every weekday on Instagram and talking about some of the things that went into making it. This link takes you to his website where all the videos have been collated.

Steve Lenton's Draw-Along-A-Lenton - Children's Illustrator Steve Lenton's YouTube channel is full of great videos showing children that everyone can draw and is being updated frequently.

StoryTime4HomeTime with James Mayhew - last March author and illustrator James Mayhew started posting videos on Youtube each day and they are still available to watch. Whether you're in school or at home you can listen to a story and watch James draw upside down! A lovely, soothing end to the day. Highly recommended.

Elle McNicoll Lockdown Writing Class - the author of A Kind of Spark and Show Us Who You Are, both published by Knights Of is generously sharing these free sessions every Monday and Friday and will be assigning tasks at the end of each. These are suitable for young readers aged 9+.

Staying Home Picture Book Free e-book by Sally Nicholls and Viviane Schwarz - this lovely picture books is still available to everyone as a free download from the Andersen Press website as part of their continued effort to entertain and occupy children and their parents during lockdown.

Nosy Crow Free Resources - these publishers have put together lots of activities, resources, free Nosy Crow books and other content which they hope will help keep families happy. There are lots of links to fabulous stuff here.

Tom Palmer Literacy Resources - in addition to a range of great resources linked to Tom's books he has also provided Free Reads and a daily video of him reading aloud from his books.

Kids Poems and Stories With Michael Rosen - This is the official Michael Rosen video channel. All videos and playlists on this channel have been approved by Michael Rosen and are safe to watch.

SF Said: Virtual Author Visits - a helpful blogpost by SF Said, author of Varjak Paw, describing how his virtual visits have worked during the pandemic. This will inspire and reassure authors and schools in equal measure. In addition, to replace school visits during lockdown, SF Said will be doing a live Twitter chat on Tuesdays from 2-3pm, answering questions about his books, & chatting about reading, writing & books in general. PARENTS & TEACHERS: please tweet SF Said questions from your children. Use the hashtag #whatSFSaid

Gaspard and the Quiet Day - If you are a parent, carer or teacher trying to find a comforting way of explaining the current situation to young children this is wonderful. A video of a special story written by Zeb Soanes and illustrated by James Mayhew, it is both thoughtful and reassuring. Perfectly done.

Nick Sharratt's Drawing Tips - Lots of videos with drawing activities based on his well known books such as the Daisy series by Kes Gray plus the characters for Jacqueline Wilson's books and more.

Robin Stevens The Detective Society's Top- Secret Files - loads of activities linked to Robin's books plus 'How to Have the Perfect Midnight Feast' and other such delights.

Fly With Tiny Owl Learning Resources - the publishers of some of my favourite picture books have created some lovely resources linked to their books. These include: Author readings/ bedtime stories, Activity packs, Crafts and Teacher resources.

Piers Torday Storytime - Piers Torday will be reading The Dark Wild* at 2.30pm every weekday from Weds 6th Jan, a chapter a day, live on Instagram, or catch up later on YouTube.

Art with Clara Vulliamy - Author and illustrator Clara Vulliamy has started sharing entertaining art and drawing activities on her YouTube channel based on the characters from her much loved books.

Walkers Picture Book Party - ACTIVITY SHEETS: drawing, spot-the-difference or escape some mazes, there's something for everyone!

Coronavirus: A Book for Children - Publishers Nosy Crow have produced a free information book explaining the coronavirus to children, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler, with expert input. This is excellent & can be downloaded via the link above.

That's all for now, I will add others as and when I find them. Don't forget if you are a member of your local library they will provide a range of online resources that are included in your membership.

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Reading for Pleasure - Resources to Help Children Enjoy Books at Home

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Update January 2021 As the new term starts teachers, support staff and parents have been faced with a last minute turn around regarding the opening of schools and once again on-line learning is to be adopted for the majority of the children across England. When the first lockdown took place in March 2020 I compiled...

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Access anytime.

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We promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. Our Impact 2023 reveals the effect World Book Day can have on the lives of children across the UK.

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National Literacy Trust Virtual School Library

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National Literacy Trust Virtual School Library

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National Literacy Trust Virtual School Library

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Visit our Virtual School Library for free book and author content every week.

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S1 - S3 BGE literacy and English - Wakelet

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Senior Phase - Education Scotland Wakelet

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Senior Phase - Education Scotland Wakelet

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Senior Phase literacy and English - Wakelet

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Early Years Support - Education Scotland Wakelet

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Early Years Support - Education Scotland Wakelet

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Early Years literacy and English - Wakelet

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General Literacy and English Support - Education Scotland Wakelet

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General Literacy and English Support - Education Scotland Wakelet

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General Support in literacy and English - Wakelet

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Secondary Homework Help | Online subjects - BBC Bitesize

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Learn with Bitesize's Secondary School homework help. Sign in to save your favourite subjects, topics and revision guides.

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Primary resources, homework help and online games - BBC Bitesize

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Learn with Bitesize’s primary resources. Explore English and maths games and get homework help. Discover activities for all KS1 and KS2 topics.

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EAL Support - Education Scotland Wakelet

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EAL Support - Education Scotland Wakelet

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English as an Additional Language (EAL) - Wakelet

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PKC Literacy Leader Reading for Pleasure Wakelet

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PKC Literacy Leader Reading for Pleasure Wakelet

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This collection signposts school leaders and practitioners to helpful links and resources to assist in planning, creating, embedding and sustaining a reading culture.

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Reading for pleasure has social benefits and can make people feel more connected to the wider community. Reading increases a person's understanding of their own identity, improves empathy and gives them an insight into the world view of others. (The Reading Agency 2015) We know how important teachers and school staff are in helping pupils to develop a love of reading, which in turn helps to close the attainment gap and boost pupil wellbeing. This collection signposts school leaders and practitioners to helpful links and resources to assist in planning, creating, embedding and sustaining a reading culture.

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Reading for pleasure has social benefits and can make people feel more connected to the wider community. Reading increases a person's understanding of their own identity, improves empathy and gives them an insight into the world view of others.

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Supporting Learners with Dyslexia during Covid-19

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Supporting Learners with Dyslexia during Covid-19

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Supporting children and young people at Home: COVID-19

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The increasing volume of information on the internet about how to support all children, young people and their families during the Covid 19 outbreak may feel overwhelming at times. This page aims to provide a small selection of helpful resources and links recommended by the Toolkit for practitioners and families who are supporting children and young people at home during the school closures.

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Suitable for all ages

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Sharing books and reading is a great way to make the most of time spent at home. Browse our Home Activities Hub to find resources for your home classroom, entertaining author events to watch online, and stories to share together.
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Early years

Ideas, activities and films to keep little ones calm and happy at home.

For ages 6-11

Learning resources, activities and author event broadcasts to keep kids busy and entertained.

For ages 12+

Get teens engaged with creative writing competitions and event broadcasts from their favourite authors and illustrators.

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Sharing books and reading is a great way to make the most of time spent at home. Browse our Home Activities Hub to find resources for your home classroom, entertaining author events to watch online, and stories to share together.

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Words for Life | National Literacy Trust

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Activities and support for parents, children and young people to improve language, literacy and communication skills from home.

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Live webcasts featuring some of the biggest names writing books for children today.

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Updated January 2021

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With further lockdowns and school closures announced across all four UK nations at the start of January, we will continue to update our list of key titles which are available to watch on BBC iPlayer and All4 on a daily basis. Each title has associated learning materials attached, in the form of film guides, blogs, interviews and resources for further study.

These films are available to access for anyone learning from home, provided they have a TV licence. If you are an educator showing these films in a school or classroom, your school will also require a TV licence. Into Film Club leaders can also order these films on DVD in the usual way. Parents or home learners seeking to access downloadable resources will need to sign up for a free account first - don't worry, it only takes a moment.

This list will be checked and updated on a daily basis with appropriate new titles added regularly throughout January and beyond, for as long as the national uncertainty remains, so do bookmark this page and check back for any changes. The films below are listed by which expires first - so if a film is at the top of the list, that means you don't have long to watch it!

Mary and the Witch's Flower

For any fans of animation and more specifically the films of Studio Ghibli, Mary and the Witch's Flower is a must-watch as it was created by many of those involved as part of a new animation studio. Based on British author Mary Stewart's children's book The Little Broomstick, this gentle and enchanting anime follows the magical adventures of a red-haired girl.

Note: Mary and the Witch's Flower was originally in Japanese, but All4 have the English dubbed version.

How to Train Your Dragon 2

This lively second film in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy re-introduces us to Hiccup and Toothless, a young Viking warrior and his incredibly friendly but fearless dragon. Faced with a new and fearsome enemy, the duo must come to understand how friendship and community can help foster peace and understanding.

This sweet and loveable animation about the friendship between an alien fugitive and a curious young girl searching for her mother is an accessible film for all kinds of youngsters. The appropriately titled Home explores themes around belonging, acceptance and the meaning behind what we decide to call home.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

This live-action remake of the Disney fairytale about the connection between a prince trapped in the body of a beast and his young hostage features its much-loved songs and charming characters. Emma Watson stars as Belle, a book-loving young woman who dreams of exploring outside of her small town, that is until she is captured by the Beast when searching for her lost father.

The Boss Baby

A baby in a suit is inherently funny and in fast-paced animated comedy The Boss Baby this is exactly what we get. However, as well as the slapstick of absurdity of the film's premise, there are also lessons to be learned about sibling rivalry, growing up and the difficulty of parenting.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The final instalment in this popular trilogy brings back all the recognisable characters from previous films whilst also introducing some new ones including a ruthless warlord named Drago. Noted for its powerful and emotional conclusion, The Hidden World is a visually stunning animation about the importance of friendship and the difficulty of growing up and moving on.

Into the Woods

For lovers of fairy tales and musicals, this star-studded adaptation of the Broadway hit centres the Witch as the primary character and also features the characters of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel, amongst others. Cheeky and dark but with a splash of good humour, Into the Woods is a unique way to delve into classic stories from every childhood.

After a tragic event, 14-year-old Hiro inherits one of his brother's many inventions. Large and cuddly, Baymax is an inflatable robot programmed to assist anyone who is hurt. Although he is clumsy and not the most subtle, he helps Hiro discover a dangerous threat faced by his city of Fransokyo. Hugely entertaining and with a poignant message, this is a must-see Disney animation.

Colm Tóibín's gorgeous novel was adapted for the big screen in 2015, with Saoirse Ronan putting in a typically stunning performance in the lead role as a young Irish immigrant who attempts to make a life for herself in 1950s New York City. Caught between two men - the relationship she has in the US and the romance which blossoms back home - this is a beautiful drama about identity, history, and finding your place in the world.

Pete's Dragon (2016)

This predominantly live-action (with a CGI dragon) follow-up to the fondly remembered Disney animation looks at themes around family, friendship and grief, as an 11-year-old boy who lives in the forest with his fiery companion is discovered by the authorities and must evade them in order to protect his furry friend.

The BFG (2016)

One of Roald Dahl's most well-known and beloved creations, The Big Friendly Giant is brought to life here by Steven Spielberg, with Mark Rylance providing the voice and look of the creature. Using a mixture of live-action and performance capture shooting techniques to tell the story, this magical fantasy adventure encompasses themes around anti-bullying and friendships.

From the talent behind the enormously fun Horrible Histories series (and film) comes this eccentric comedy about the "lost years" of William Shakespeare before he is a famous playwright. As it happens, there's actually a direct comparison to be made with the modern day: upon arriving in London, Shakespeare finds all the theatres closed due to the plague, and so perhaps there's no better time to watch this charming British film which blends history with escapism.

The Lady in the Van

This British comedy, based on a true story and adapted from a stage play, tells the tale of writer Alan Bennett's relationship with his neighbour-of-sorts in 1960s Camden. When he allows her to park her van - which she lives in - on his driveway, he certainly doesn't expect her to stay there for 15 years... but her eccentric ways do prove useful for the purposes of his writing.

Viceroy's House

There's been lots of discussion about The Crown recently, and fans of that show may be interested in Viceroy's House which also deals with historical events, international affairs and Britain's place in the world. Directed by Into Film favourite Gurinder Chadha - the filmmaker behind Bend It Like Beckham and Blinded by the Light, amongst others - it explores India's transition to independence in 1947, overseen by Lord Mountbatten.

Their Finest

A real gem of recent years, this British romantic comedy-drama is set during World War Two and focuses on those tasked with creating propaganda films as part of the war effort. Not only does it tell a different story in regards to the war, but it does so by focusing on women's contributions within this field (and is a triple F-Rated title as it is also written and directed by women). By turns funny, tragic and inspirational, Their Finest comes thoroughly recommended and has lots to say about filmmaking throughout history.

The King's Speech

Charming historical comedy-drama The King's Speech won four Academy Awards in 2011, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth as the eponymous stuttering monarch, King George VI. With a great supporting cast including Geoffrey Rush as his speech therapist and Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen, this is a quintessentially British period piece which explores friendships, changing technology, and the royal family.

Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)

Adapted from Thomas Hardy's celebrated novel (1874), this period drama stars Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene, a headstrong young woman who attempts to take over and run her uncle's farm while considering romantic approaches from three men. This film provides a good opportunity to consider women's roles throughout history as well as comparing and contrasting with the novel.

The Death of Stalin

Armando Iannucci's dark comedy follows Stalin's advisers after the Soviet Union's leader dies as they sense an opportunity to grab power. With excellent performances from the likes of Steve Buscemi and Jason Isaacs, this laugh-out-loud satire performs a delicate balancing act, exploring what it may have been like to live under this brutal regime while remaining enormously entertaining.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

While there are a host of Marvel titles set to arrive over the next few years, 2020 was the first year without one since 2009. Fortunately there are a host of Marvel Cinematic Universe titles which are available to re-watch (or catch up on), with Spider-Man: Homecoming - which saw Tom Holland's younger, cheeky interpretation of the character for the first time - one of the most enjoyable and acclaimed of the bunch.

Charlotte Bronte's timeless novel has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times. This acclaimed version, directed by Cary Fukunaga - who also helmed the upcoming, long-awaited Bond film, No Time to Die - is comprised of a predominantly British cast including Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench, Jamie Bell, Craig Roberts and Sally Hawkins, with Mia Wasikowska in the titular role of the brooding gothic romance.

Paddington 2

The oh-so-loveable marmalade-eating bear returns for a sequel which somehow surpasses the first film. Full of entertaining scenes and characters - from Hugh Grant's villain to the entire prison sequence - as well as genuinely heartwarming moments, exploring themes including family and identity, Paddington 2 is a winner for children of all ages.

From Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace and Gromit, comes this equally charming and quick-witted stop-motion adventure that goes all the way back to prehistoric times to tell a story of a caveman who sets out to preserve his land. Colourful and exceedingly British, with plenty of regional accents in the voice cast, Early Man touches upon ideas around perseverance, teamwork and class.

Singin' in the Rain

Adored as an all-time classic, feel-good musical comedy Singin' in the Rain not only has a number of spectacular song-and-dance sequences but it celebrates the history of cinema. When 'talkies' threaten to take over from the silent era and a new rival surfaces, one of the screen's biggest stars is in trouble... but she refuses to go down without a fight.

The success of films like The Greatest Showman and La La Land in recent years shows that audiences continue to crave the feel-good fantasy that only a showstopping musical can provide. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone play the aspiring Hollywood performers in Damien Chazelle's dazzling piece which, though it famously did not win Best Picture, did win six other Oscars® instead.

Shot entirely on a mobile phone, this colourful and hilarious tale follows two outsiders working on the streets of Hollywood. Sin-Dee is a transgender sex worker whose return from prison is met with the news her boyfriend has been cheating. While Razmik, an Armenian cab driver, has the misfortune of driving a series of unpleasant passengers. The film is an exciting example of new, unique storytelling and diverse characters.

Impressive in its scale, this powerful depiction of the Dunkirk evacuation at the height of World War Two follows the events as experienced by British Allied soldiers and ordinary people on land, sea and air. With sparse dialogue, and the narrative unfolding from the perspectives of its characters, the film is a startling depiction of the historic event.

Shaun the Sheep Movie

Though he was originally in a TV show and has since spawned a sci-fi sequel, this remains Shaun's finest hour. This slapstick-inspired, dialogue-free comedy is pure Aardman, using visual storytelling seen throughout cinema history - from Buster Keaton to Mr. Bean - to create a world, characters and a plot that can be easily followed, engaged with and thoroughly enjoyed by the youngest of children.

Animal Farm (1954)

When a mean farmer is kicked out of his farm by the animals, what could be an idyllic scenario turns into a struggle between the various creatures as they are forced to choose who should now rule. This adaptation of George Orwell's classic novel was the first British animated feature film and faithfully depicts its key themes surrounding power and equality.

North by Northwest

Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller is a great introduction to The Master of Suspense and his filmography, with superb set-pieces (including the much-referenced crop duster sequence), numerous twists and turns, and a typically charismatic performance from its lead, Cary Grant.

This strange but captivating film from the US follows an 11-year-old boxer who becomes fascinated with a dance troupe at her gym who call themselves 'the Lionesses'. Intriguing and with some stunning performances, The Fits explores alternative forms of femininity through dance and sport.

The Secret of Kells

Nominated for an Oscar® on release, this gorgeously hand-drawn film from Ireland is full of enchanting scenes as well as concerning itself with fascinating historical mythology. An adventure about a boy who stumbles upon a magical book who must then evade the encroaching Viking armies has never looked so unique and bewitching.

Note: There is also a Welsh language version available on BBC iPlayer here. This version expires on Saturday 23 January.

The Eagle Huntress

An evergreen Into Film favourite which has wowed audiences at Into Film Clubs and Festival screenings alike, The Eagle Huntress is an eye-opening documentary that can introduce younger students to a whole new culture. It also allows viewers to explore concepts such as gender equality from a young age, and to question what they want to do with their own lives.

Note: Presented on BBC iPlayer as part of their Storyville strand of documentary films.

One Man and His Shoes

A recent hit at the predominantly online London Film Festival, One Man and His Shoe s is quite simply an ideal documentary for secondary students interested in sport, business and/or the media. Not only does it tackle a fascinating topic that will no doubt appeal to these audiences, but is presented in a way that is stylish, accessible and entirely attuned to youth culture.

BBC iPlayer - Available until 2022

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has experienced an extraordinary rise to prominence in a short period of time after boycotting her education to get her message out to the masses. This intimate and personal documentary - only very recently released in cinemas - charts her ascension into the mainstream, as well as uncovering more about the person behind the crusade.

The Gruffalo

BBC iPlayer - Available until 2022

We don't make the rules, but we're pretty sure at least one of the screen adaptations of Julia Donaldson's much-loved children's books should be a festive essential. Donaldson's stories have been adapted frequently in recent years, but it was her initial big hit, The Gruffalo, which first received the screen treatment back in 2009. With an all-star British voice cast including Helena Bonham Carter, James Corden, John Hurt and Robbie Coltrane (as The Gruffalo), this is a lovely introduction to the author's stories.

Room on the Broom

The Gruffalo was written in 1999, with Room on the Broom following just a year later. This one made its way to the screen in 2012 and features the voice talents of Simon Pegg, Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, David Walliams and more, as a ragtag group of animals come together to fight off a dragon so that they can all ride on the witch's broom in safety.

The most recent of our three recommended Julia Donaldson adaptations was filmed in 2015, and even has a festive theme, following as it does the adventures of the title character as he attempts to navigate the dangers of his winter environment and make it home in time for Christmas. Martin Freeman voices Stick Man and is joined by the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Russell Tovey, Jennifer Saunders and Rob Brydon (who appears in all three of these stories).

Suggestion: Each of these Donaldson adaptations are short films that clock in at just under 30 minutes each, so why not watch them back-to-back in a feature length triple bill?

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Home Learning Films to Stream on BBC iPlayer and All4

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With further lockdowns and school closures announced across all four UK nations at the start of January, we will continue to update our list of key titles which are available to watch on BBC iPlayer and All4 on a daily basis.

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This area provides a single place to find out more about the range of resources and materials which make up the National e-Learning Offer. This focuses on support for practitioners to improve the online remote learning of children and young people.

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Remote Learning Resources - Literacy and English

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Welcome to the Literacy and English Wakelet. This Wakelet is a collection of links to materials stored online that can be used for this curriculum area. These links could take you to the National Improvement Hub, Glow, Websites or YouTube. This will make it easy to access materials from one place.

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Skip to main content

Here you will find a range of suggestions for learning at home activities in literacy and English. These are intended to complement the work you are already carrying out in schools, establishments and local authorities.

Keep up to date

Our newsletters provide the latest information on education news and events, as well as details of resources and activities to help you support your child's learning.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.If you continue to use this website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive these cookies. Accept & Close Find out more

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Skip to main content Here you will find a range of suggestions for learning at home activities in literacy and English. These are intended to complement the work you are already carrying out in schools, establishments and local authorities.

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Skip to main content

Keep up to date

Our newsletters provide the latest information on education news and events, as well as details of resources and activities to help you support your child's learning.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.If you continue to use this website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive these cookies. Accept & Close Find out more

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Skip to main content Our newsletters provide the latest information on education news and events, as well as details of resources and activities to help you support your child's learning. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.If you continue to use this website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive these cookies.

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Top Tips for Parents from Early Years Scotland

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Top Tips for Parents from Early Years Scotland

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Mark making, reading, listening and talking (Top Tips)

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A wide range of resources.

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Discover the benefits of sharing stories, songs and rhymes with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers to give them the best start in life.

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Taking Your Bookbug Session Online Webinar

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Taking Your Bookbug Session Online Webinar

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Looking for more in Learning resources?

This webinar gives an tips and advice for adapting your Bookbug Sessions for digital delivery with Myra Mains (Bookbug Hero), Kirstie Burns (Highly commended Bookbug Hero) and Paul Kane (Scottish Book Trust). It includes:

Key hints and tips about how to lead a Bookbug Session online

Advice around online platforms

Checking permission to share picture books online

How to promote your Bookbug Session

For more advice please use our Delivering Bookbug Sessions Online resource.

This is a recording of a webinar that took place on Thursday 28 May 2020. Please note that audience polls are mentioned, but not visible in the video.

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Watch now: Taking your Bookbug Session online

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Looking for more in Learning resources? This webinar gives an tips and advice for adapting your Bookbug Sessions for digital delivery with Myra Mains (Bookbug Hero), Kirstie Burns (Highly commended Bookbug Hero) and Paul Kane (Scottish Book Trust).

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Join in Little Learners and explore fun and free literacy games, activities and clips.

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Learning at Home activities for early years.

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We are part of a wonderful, international community of Early Years practitioners who have a wealth of knowledge and a HUGE bank of ideas and activities, so let's share them!

This collection of activities/ideas is simply here to help parents and carers find fun things to do if they find themselves unexpectedly at home with younger children.

Most of the ideas have an educational slant but we believe that learning when you're little should be play based.

So much quality learning can come from activities like helping with the washing, doing some gardening, baking, watching films, colouring, playing board games, writing letters to friends and relatives, reading stories, talking and just spending time together!

I also wanted our bank of ideas to be simple enough for most people to do at home, with items they already have. I have tried to avoid using ideas that involve food and any that I have included, like playdough, are multi-use and can be made using produce that is out of date.

If you would like to contribute to this collection please email me your activity ideas to alistair@abcdoes.com

All you need to do is send the information and a photograph and I will do the rest.

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We are part of a wonderful, international community of Early Years practitioners who have a wealth of knowledge and a HUGE bank of ideas and activities, so let's share them! This collection of activities/ideas is simply here to help parents and carers find fun things to do if they find themselves unexpectedly at home with younger children.

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The most comprehensive phonics-based reading program available for early learners.

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Welcome to the Creative STAR website and blog - the digital gateway to outdoor learning and play

Inside these pages are lots of practical ideas about learning and playing outdoors that have been written and/or curated by myself, Juliet Robertson - a former education consultant who specialised in learning and play outside. Feel free to:

Read the 500+ blog posts - the tabs at the top will help guide you OR use the search button below my photo in the RH column

Explore the comprehensive collections of literacy and maths suggestions

Check out the grant info

Share the love - if you borrow an idea, backlink to the blog post, tell us and we'll celebrate too 🙂

Clink on the links on the RH column. The search button is handy too! Join millions of others who've browsed the site since 2008. All posts are dated so that you know if something is current or more historic.
Life has its ups and downs. I was diagnosed with having Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in late December 2020. If you want to know how I'm getting on, then have a look at my Caring Bridge website every now and then as that's where I post updates. The Cosy Foundation have now taken over this website and other aspects of Creative STAR Learning, for which I am very grateful. I am still curating this website and have editorial control.

If you would like to help me make a difference, then please consider making a donation to Flynne's Barn, a charity which enables young people living with cancer to come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings. For more information about why I'm supporting this charity, have a look at my Flynne's Barn page or visit their website. THANK YOU!

A positive approach to being outside

Within this website you will find lots of ideas and accompanying photos that contain elements of risk. It is important that you consider all the suggestions on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are appropriate for the developmental age and learning needs of your children. You also need to ensure that you are suitably competent and confident to ensure the routines, resources and environment are as safe as necessary. Remember to undertake a risk-benefit assessment for anything you feel needs it be this using tools and ropes, experiencing fire, climbing trees and other experiences involving heights, moving heavy objects, working off-site, near water and so-on. Creative STAR Learning is all about enabling great outdoor practice but every educator and establishment needs to undertake this within a framework of safety.

Likewise it is important that wherever you are working you follow the land access laws of your country. Being respectful of others, leaving no trace of your presence and considering the impact of your practice on the environment are all part of your responsibilities as educators.

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Creative STAR Learning Company works behind the scenes supporting and developing outdoor learning and play at a national, local and school level

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BBC Teach Secondary Literacy and English

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BBC Teach Secondary Literacy and English

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Secondary Teaching Resources for the classroom

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Videos and classroom resources for teaching Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and GCSE in England and Northern Ireland, Progression Steps 4 and 5 in Wales and at 3rd Level, 4th level, National 4 and 5 in Scotland. This page is organised by subject and age-group.

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BBC Teach First and Second Level Literacy and English 

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BBC Teach First and Second Level Literacy and English 

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Teaching resources for primary school teachers, arranged by subject and age-group.

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As well as many resources for teachers, there is a dedicated site for learning at home.

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With a library of activities and resources for every stage of the learning journey, curated by the team at Oxford University Press, we are here with inspiration to help your little ones learn, grow and flourish at home, in the classroom and beyond.

Just click on the sections in the menu to explore by subject, or use the options below to uncover content by age group.

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Oxford Owl for Home: help your child learn at home - Oxford Owl

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Oxford Owl is packed with expert advice, tips and activities to help parents support their child's education. Help your child with reading, phonics and maths.

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Includes downloadable booklet and additional ideas across all literacy organisers.

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Welcome to the Creative STAR website and blog - the digital gateway to outdoor learning and play

Inside these pages are lots of practical ideas about learning and playing outdoors that have been written and/or curated by myself, Juliet Robertson - a former education consultant who specialised in learning and play outside. Feel free to:

Read the 500+ blog posts - the tabs at the top will help guide you OR use the search button below my photo in the RH column

Explore the comprehensive collections of literacy and maths suggestions

Check out the grant info

Share the love - if you borrow an idea, backlink to the blog post, tell us and we'll celebrate too 🙂

Clink on the links on the RH column. The search button is handy too! Join millions of others who've browsed the site since 2008. All posts are dated so that you know if something is current or more historic.
Life has its ups and downs. I was diagnosed with having Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in late December 2020. If you want to know how I'm getting on, then have a look at my Caring Bridge website every now and then as that's where I post updates. The Cosy Foundation have now taken over this website and other aspects of Creative STAR Learning, for which I am very grateful. I am still curating this website and have editorial control.

If you would like to help me make a difference, then please consider making a donation to Flynne's Barn, a charity which enables young people living with cancer to come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings. For more information about why I'm supporting this charity, have a look at my Flynne's Barn page or visit their website. THANK YOU!

A positive approach to being outside

Within this website you will find lots of ideas and accompanying photos that contain elements of risk. It is important that you consider all the suggestions on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are appropriate for the developmental age and learning needs of your children. You also need to ensure that you are suitably competent and confident to ensure the routines, resources and environment are as safe as necessary. Remember to undertake a risk-benefit assessment for anything you feel needs it be this using tools and ropes, experiencing fire, climbing trees and other experiences involving heights, moving heavy objects, working off-site, near water and so-on. Creative STAR Learning is all about enabling great outdoor practice but every educator and establishment needs to undertake this within a framework of safety.

Likewise it is important that wherever you are working you follow the land access laws of your country. Being respectful of others, leaving no trace of your presence and considering the impact of your practice on the environment are all part of your responsibilities as educators.

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Creative STAR Learning Company works behind the scenes supporting and developing outdoor learning and play at a national, local and school level

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Downloadable Reading at Home Learning Pack (Primary)

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Wide range of lesson plans, home learning, activities and research.

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We help schools to teach literacy in the most effective way. Our training and resources are all based on credible research and on the principles of effective continuing professional development. Teachers and schools who learn from our work do so in order to raise the achievement and attainment of their children in literacy in an effective and sustainable way. As part of our charitable purpose, in order to enable all schools to benefit from our work we create a number of free resources.
We create and share hundreds of teaching resources for EYFS to Key Stage 3. Simply click on a box to explore...

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We help schools to teach literacy in the most effective way. Our training and resources are all based on credible research and on the principles of effective continuing professional development. Teachers and schools who learn from our work do so in order to raise the achievement and attainment of their children in literacy in an effective and sustainable way.

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Zone In - sutiable for age 13+

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Tips on boosting literacy for young adults.

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Free resources available to all schools during lockdown.

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Non screen activities for learning at home

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Non screen activities for learning at home

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Hi there! 👋🏽

This page has moved. You can find all six of our printable non-screen activity sheets here.

Pobble provides award-winning digital tools for teaching writing. Teachers, sign up now to receive exciting lessons full of writing activities to engage your children each day!

Sign up for Pobble here!

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Simple and fun non-screen activities that children can do at home

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What can teachers and parents do when there's no school? Online learning from home is great and offers children opportunities to develop...

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One picture. One Teaching Resource. Every day.

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Instead of groans at the beginning of a writing lesson, your class were excited to pick up their pencils and you were the teacher that sparked their imaginations!

Even your most reluctant writers are generating adventurous vocabulary, perfecting punctuation and filling the page with no signs of stopping!

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Engage even your most reluctant writers with inspiring images, fun writing prompts and daily short burst writing activities that improve writing stamina.

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Includes listening and speaking activities and resources from age 4 to 20+

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How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?Draw a picture of yourself in the middle of the page, around the picture write down all of your strengths. For example, ' I listen to others without interrupting'.

After you have written your strengths, in a different colour write down anything you could improve on. For example, ' I listen to others and record important information as I do'.

Extension: Circle or underline the thing you most want to improve on.

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Helping parents and carers to build their child's essential skills at home. Access short lessons and challenges to help your child build real-world skills to help them succeed.

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Their website has a section dedicated to literacy learning during  lockdown.

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How Talk for Writing is supporting schools during Covid-19 - Talk for Writing

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Every weekday morning at 9.30am Pie presents on RadioBlogging.net This is a free internet literacy radio show aimed at KS2 that includes language games, creative writing and guest input from famous authors such as Frank Cottrell-Boyce. The programmes are interactive - the children write during the programme and afterwards.

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Collection of 60 one minute recordings to stimulate creative listening.

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In a world which is becoming increasingly visually loud, Minute of Listening helps pupils develop their creative listening skills.
This carefully curated collection of 60-second recordings introduces children to a range of music and sounds from Björk to Beethoven, folk music to field recordings. Accompanying resources help enrich all curriculum areas, and follow-up questions encourage children to discuss what they heard, thought and felt.

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In a world which is becoming increasingly visually loud, Minute of Listening helps pupils develop their creative listening skills. This carefully curated collection of 60-second recordings introduces children to a range of music and sounds from Björk to Beethoven, folk music to field recordings.

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Activities for school and learning at home- debate, discussion, dialogue, role play and enquiry.

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Earlier in the year we shared some great ideas for family board games that will #KeepKidsTalking. Here, we share some more games that are ideal..

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An app to boost vocabulary and word development

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Designed to rapidly develop vocabulary,
the ChatterStars app and website provides fun, personalised activities to build an empowered voice - crucial for academic success and future wellbeing

About FAQs Privacy Terms Contact

© 2020 ChatterStars

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Designed to rapidly develop vocabulary, the ChatterStars app and website provides fun, personalised activities to build an empowered voice - crucial for academic success and future wellbeing About FAQs Privacy Terms Contact © 2020 ChatterStars

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The PKC literacy Twitter feed- follow us to receive the most up-to-date posts.

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High quality non-fiction texts

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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Scotdec English and Global Learning Packs 

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Scotdec English and Global Learning Packs 

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Downloadable Packs for English and other departments.

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Twitter feed for literacy and English at Education Scotland.

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Nat 5 and Higher support for young people.  explainitagain.org

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The website has lots of ideas for promoting creative writing.

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What is National Writing Day?

Everyone has a unique voice, a story to tell, and a right to be heard. Now in its sixth year, National Writing Day is an annual day dedicated to celebrating and practising creative writing for pleasure and self-expression.

How can I take part?

Anyone can take part - at home, at work, in schools, online, or just about anywhere really! - with free resources available to help stimulate your creativity and inspire writing activities. Check out the range of great resources below.

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Everyone has a unique voice, a story to tell, and a right to be heard. Now in its sixth year, National Writing Day is an annual day dedicated to celebrating and practising creative writing for pleasure and self-expression. Anyone can take part - at home, at work, in schools, online, or just about anywhere really!

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The Scottish Book Trust Twitter Feed.

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Downloadable pack for secondary (includes subject areas beyond English)

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The word gap - or vocabulary gap as it is also known - is having an enormous impact on our students' futures.

What is the effect of the word gap?

Limited vocabulary prevents students from accessing their learning, developing self-esteem, and enjoying meaningful social interactions, severely affecting their future life chances. And over 60% of secondary teachers surveyed for the Oxford Language Report Why Closing the Word Gap Matters believe this vocabulary deficit is increasing.

How can we address the word gap?

In partnership with Oxford University Press, Closing the word gap: activities for the classroom - secondary aims to help schools address this issue. It is free to all, and provides strategies and practical ideas to develop a vocabulary-rich environment, build vocabulary, and foster a love of language in every secondary classroom, whatever the subject.

Starting with guidance for senior managers, SENDCos, or literacy leaders on developing a whole-school policy for closing the gap, Closing the word gap: activities for the classroom - secondary is divided into sections for English, maths, science, geography, and history teachers, each featuring two further sections: Vocabulary for your subject and Vocabulary to improve your students' writing.

Featuring advice on using word banks, making links between key terms, teaching etymology and morphology, and vocabulary for exams, the English section also includes strategies to promote reading for pleasure and reading aloud, ideas to encourage word play, and activities and resources to develop students' written vocabulary - both creative and academic.

Free and relevant to all

Whilst students with special educational needs or those with English as an additional language may be considered more likely to have a word gap, the Oxford Language Report shows that, in fact, this is an issue affecting all students. Therefore, the activities in Closing the word gap: activities for the classroom have been designed to take into account the needs of students from a variety of backgrounds - disadvantaged or otherwise - and can be adapted to suit different levels of attainment.

The issue isn't just relevant to the secondary phase;Closing the word gap: activities for the classroom - primary looks at strategies and ideas to address the word gap in primary schools - from those all-important early years (EYFS) through to the end of KS2.

With a foreword by Geoff Barton, Closing the word gap: activities for the classroom is free to all and a must for all secondary schools.

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Closing the word gap - practical activities for english teachers - Teachit English

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The word gap - or vocabulary gap as it is also known - is having an enormous impact on our students' futures. What is the effect of the word gap? Limited vocabulary prevents students from accessing their learning, developing self-esteem, and enjoying meaningful social interactions, severely affecting their future life chances.

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NEW RESOURCE

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This year, you've been on a great journey with reading and it's worth celebrating!

Although you're currently separated from the children you work with, there's lots you can do to celebrate books and reading! We've gathered a number of different creative activities around the theme places books take us which can be completed from home so that children across Scotland can continue to enjoy the magic of reading.

These include:

Writing postcard stories

Creating a reading space

Planning a trip around the world with their favourite character

Reading offers us an escape, a way to travel without leaving our homes, visit impossible places and live countless lives. We hope that the children you work with can travel far and wide inside their books, and that these activities will inspire them on their journey.

This resource is most suitable for primary school aged children - if you work with older children you can try the secondary resource.

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This year, you've been on a great journey with reading and it's worth celebrating! Although you're currently separated from the children you work with, there's lots you can do to celebrate books and reading!

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The First Minister's Reading Challenge Twitter Feed.

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NEW RESOURCE

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This year, you've been on a great journey with reading and it's worth celebrating!

Although you're currently separated from the young people you work with, there's lots you can do to celebrate books and reading! We've gathered a number of different creative activities around the theme places books take us which can be completed from home to help your young people continue to enjoy the magic of reading.

These include:

Zine making

Desert island books

Reading travel guide, with recommendations of books set in countries across the world

Reading offers us an escape, a way to travel without leaving our homes, visit impossible places and live countless lives. We hope that the young people you work with can travel far and wide inside their books, and that these activities will inspire them on their journey.

This resource is suitable for secondary school aged children. If you work with younger children you can try the primary resource.

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This year, you've been on a great journey with reading and it's worth celebrating! Although you're currently separated from the young people you work with, there's lots you can do to celebrate books and reading!

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The Education Scotland Digi Learn Team post regular updates to highlight recorded and upcoming literacy webinars and excerpts.

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The National Literacy Trust Twitter Feed.

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Run by secondary English teachers.

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Follow Voice 21 or sign up for their Talk on Tuesdays e-bulletins. You will find lots of examples from schools and links to resources.

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Daily Twitter posts- word of the day

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Lesson plans, activities, learner guides, videos with a focus on comprehension strategies.

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Check out ‘Into the Book,’ an elementary reading comprehension resource with student and teacher resources.

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Image prompts to use in the classroom or home that can be used to teach reading skills, prompt creative writing and more...

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Once Upon a Picture - Images to Inspire - Teaching Resources

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Once Upon a Picture - Images to Inspire - Teaching Resources