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SQA - NQ - Past papers and marking instructions

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Every lesson at Forrester follows the same structure allowing consistency, routine and pupil's knowing what to expect during each learning episode.

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Due for launch Oct 24

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National e-Learning Offer | Education Scotland

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The school relies on three key people for success to occur:

·       The Pupil

·       The Teacher

·       The Parent/carer

The attached document outlines how parents can support learning out with the school and our shared expectations of how we can make all learners successful.

Almost all Home Learning will be sent on Teams, and should be completed online via the ipad.

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Downloads - National Parent Forum of Scotland

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Copyright © 2021 National Parent Forum of Scotland

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Use BBC Bitesize to help with your homework, revision and learning from KS1 to GCSE. Find free videos, step-by-step guides, activities and quizzes.

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Exam Stress | How To Deal with Exam Stress

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It's normal to feel a bit worried about exams, but sometimes they can make you feel anxious or depressed. Find out how you can deal with exam stress.

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What children bring to the classroom matters every bit as much and in some ways more than what they are taught at school. We live in a world of high expectations. A world where five good GCSEs are a minimum requirement and giving your child the edge is key.

The good news is that your child's potential can be easily developed and success can stem from simple everyday attitudes and examples. Don't worry, we are not suggesting you brush up on your Advanced Algebra just yet. The learning attitude that your child arrives at the school gates with each day can directly improve performance.

Nature can be nurtured. These common traits are either already naturally at your disposal or a small shift in awareness can quickly put them in reach.

1. Teach your child that failure is a stepping-stone to success

Any skill requires a period of incompetence in order to get competent. In short: to get good at something you have to start out being bad.

What's more, encouraging your child to increase their failure rate ('If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...') is the best way to increase their learning and develop their success in any field.

To do this children need to have two key traits: little fear of failure and the resilience to push through when they fail the first few times and get to the point where they become skilful.

What can you do to develop these key traits in your child?

Teach them Chess
Chess has often been described as the perfect teaching tool because of all the positive effects it has on children's logic, problem solving and strategic planning. It also requires discipline and concentration and these are excellent transferable skills in the classroom. Many board games involve a level of chance; not chess. It's completely dependent on the skill and patience of the player.

The innovativeYes 2 Chess campaign is a free online schools' chess community that has seen fantastic results in improving children's educational and social development through connecting junior players and international tournaments. Memory, maths, imagination and creatvity all get a boost during a game of chess and any school can sign up via a short application form to take part. Find out more about how to access free chess resources and support here.

The benefits of teaching chess to children are well documented in this summary of research papers:The benefits of chess study.

Tell them of your own failures and how you overcame them
We may take it for granted that success requires hard work and overcoming of obstacles but this is not necessarily obvious to children. If you take time to explain your experience of a learning curve it will help them connect hard work with future rewards.

Don't over praise
Explain early on in life that everyone has different talents and that not everyone can get a trophy. Modern parents tend to over praise, which can lead to problems when children realise that they are not as 'brilliant' or 'amazing' as they thought they were. We like these Ten Top Tips straight-talking tips from All Pro Dad on the power of setting positive but realistic expectations:10 things to teach your kids about failure.

2. Make learning an activity your child loves

Learning is a hundred times harder if it is seen as a chore. Many of us had a mental block about maths at school and much of this was down to the fact that we told ourselves we didn't like maths.

Research psychologists have proven time and time again that a good mood makes you smarter, more engaged, more creative and more willing to persist at a difficult task. So if you
can encourage a child to enjoy learning, then the rest is easy... or easier. The key is to set out with a positive mind-set that is pre-programmed to succeed.

3. Allow your child to follow their passion

In a world of hyper specialisation it isn't important - or even possible - to be good at everything. It's more important to be excellent at a few things. So, if your child shows specific interest and takes a lot of joy in a certain topic at school, they will find it a lot easier to excel.

As parents there is a natural tendency to worry about the things our children are less good at and allow them to get on quietly with the things they love. If English is their passion, don't be afraid to encourage and go OTT on its positive impact. Spending time with them as they connect and enjoy a subject will also give insight into ways we can help transfer that joy to a less loved topic.

The Reading World Cup, a joint project between the Literacy Trust and the Football Foundation and the Professional Footballers' Association, has helped thousands of sports-mad boys unlock a love of reading. Making reading a challenge and introducing a competitive element with specific goals is key.

Further reading
Education.com: Hacking education how kids love learning by Dale Stephens.
PowerToChange: Helping your child love learning by Dr Dave Currie.
SchoolFamily: Instill a love of learning in your child by June Allan Corrigan.
Parents: Raising kids who love to learn by Ginny Graves.

4. Make academic subjects feel relevant to your child

Often it is hard for a child to focus and truly enjoy a subject because they cannot see how has any relevance for their life or will help them in the future. Specific subjects are branded in their heads as something they need to do to keep the adults around them happy.

In her book 'How to do Maths so Your Children Can Too: The essential parents' guide', leading maths teacher and author Naomi Sani encourages mums and dads to live maths as a family, counting coins for bus fares and dividing slices of cake to bring division alive. Lego bricks can be a colourful and playful way to explore fractions. Everyday objects are mathematically sorted.

When travelling, involve your child with map reading (geography), ask them to help with finding the translation of a word on your iPad (French, Spanish... even Mandarin)! Ever tried making homemade modelling clay or slime? This is science in the real world. Tell them it is chemistry. Or dip in to biology when they bump and bruise their knee.

You can also tell your children how maths has been useful in your jobs. ('When I was a student I worked in a bar and I had to learn to do mental arithmetic very quickly. Drinks were 99p back then and I was I glad I knew my 9 times tables.')

Further reading
How to do maths: Maths problems winning heart and minds by Naomi Sani.
Edutopia: Science Shows Making Lessons Relevant Really Matters by Sara Bernard.
American Psychological Association: Helping students find relevance by Robin Roberson.

5. Involve games in learning as much as possible

If you can turn learning into a game, children, who are hard-wired to play, will respond and learn much more quickly. An entire area of psychology has developed to study this field. It's called gameification, and the term is used to describe the action of turning something into a game in order to improve engagement.

My own son sees a tutor to help him with his English. Some weeks he turns up, tired and disconnected, and the idea of completing a comprehension exercise is clearly a no-no. The tutor, who is also a trained child psychotherapist, regularly pushes aside the workbooks and suggests they play Hangman or Scrabble. His love of words has come on in leaps and bounds.

Indeed, Scrabble is widely recognised as having benefits for literacy rates. Watch this clip from CBS News in the US. The benefits of scrabble.

But it's not all about board games and old school parlour play. Over the last decade, there has been an explosion of computer games designed to make you more intelligent. Brain training games are popular but there has been little evidence to prove that the games in themselves had any actual positive effect on the player.

One exception is Dual N Back, a video game based on a proven cognitive neuroscientific test, the N-Back Test, which is similar to a visual and electronic version of the classic memory game of Concentration. This game, dubbed the brain training that works, has been shown to improve working memory (short term memory), fluid intelligence (general problem solving) and even IQ.

6. Motivate children by consequence rather than punishment

We've all done it. Used the threat of taking away something our child loves in order to try and motivate them. 'If you don't start doing your homework in the next ten minutes, there will be no iPad after dinner.'

The problem is that this does not mimic life as a grown up. Adult life is determined by a cause and effect, and if a child starts to learn that the outcomes are determined by their actions, you can nurture a strong sense of motivation which they can take with them right through their education and beyond.

Motivation by consequences

Helps the child learn self-control

Can be used with teenagers, who might otherwise find ways around a ban

Builds the child's self-esteem

Sets a good example of effective ways to solve problems

Motivation by punishment

May teach children to deceive parents

Rarely helps teenagers to learn valuable lessons

Can reduce self-esteem

Teaches children that threats are an acceptable way to solve problems

This is a good example based on a real experiment designed to explore cause and effect in child psychology:

" A Mother told her daughter, in a firm and friendly voice, that in the future she would only wash clothes that were placed in the laundry bag. After five days, the girl had no clean clothes to wear to school and was unhappy to have to wear dirty, crumpled clothes. After that, she remembered to place her clothes in the bag."
Valya Telep, Child Development Specialist, Virginia State University

7. Improve your child's depth of processing

Researchers at Sheffield University found that trying to remember something has been shown to have almost no effect on whether we actually remember it. Look at notes with your child and help them reorganise the information in some way so they process and understand it. This approach, called depth of processing, is one of the best ways to ensure material gets lodged in your memory.

This article from The Guardian cites depth of processing as one of the five secrets of successful revision and was based on an acclaimed study from Professor Tom Stafford, Department of Psychcology at the University of Sheffield. Five secrets of successful revising.

The implication for revision is clear: just looking at your notes won't help you learn them. Instead, you need to reorganise the information in some way - whether by making your own notes or practising writing answers. This will help to ensure that material gets lodged in your child's memory.

A popular online tool called memrise can also help with improving depth of processing. It's basically a quiz that is designed to help you memorise anything.

It's a double whammy too: just by building the test you are improving your depth of processing then, after you have finished, you can run through the test again to improve your recall and understanding.

Further reading:
Psychological Science: Tracing the Trajectory of Skill Learning With a Very Large Sample of Online Game Players by Tom Stafford.
EdLabs: Memrise - A Green-thumbed Approach to Language Learning by Stephen Pratt.
MIT Technology review: Plant a New Language in Your Mind by Kristina Bjoran.

8. Equip your child with switching off and relaxation techniques

Focus and concentration can be one of the biggest barriers to success in school. Teaching your child to shut down can be vital in improving their ability to switch on at the right times. Active relaxation, simple breathing exercises or even basic meditation can have a powerful impact on the ability to learn. Switching off in front of TV may feel relaxing for your child but it is far better to learn the skill to calm your mind on its own. Charlotta Martinus of Teen Yoga, the UK's specialist yoga training centre accredited with the Yoga Alliance UK, says developing pro-active relaxation tecnhiques helps combat stress and improves learning. She has taken yoga courses in to hundreds of UK schools to great educational effect. Watch a short video about Teen Yoga. This is also a useful link to find out more about teaching children to meditate and the benefits on their ability to learn: Introducing your children to meditation.

9. Allow your child (safe) access to the internet

Historically, academic success has been founded on an ability to remember and regurgitate facts and figures. This is changing in our hyper-connected modern world where the answer to pretty much any question can be found at the click of a mouse.

The ability to research and find answers to questions is as important as ever, if not more. The internet can be a powerful tool in learning this key skill.

As parents there is a tendency to try to limit screen time as we often use iPads and PCs as virtual babysitters, something our children can switch on and give us a little space. This shouldn't stop pro-actively scheduling computer time for educational purposes: so-called 'tech for good time' can be highly beneficial. Children with regular, education-focused internet access are at an advantage when it comes to exams according to this article: Children with internet access at home gain exam advantage.

Follow these two easy steps:

1. Keep the computer in the living room
By having the computer in a public room of the house you can monitor what your children are doing and also more easily manage time limits.

2. Install a protection tool
It's vital that you have child security settings installed to enable you to relax and let your child research to their heart's content without fear of them coming across inappropriate material. Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Sky or BT, provide controls to help you filter or restrict content. You can install software packages, some are available for free, that can help you filter, restrict or monitor what your child can see online.

10. Allow them the space to learn empathy

"Unstructured play is that set of activities that children create on their own without adult guidance. Children naturally, when left to their own devices, will take initiative and create activities and stories in the world around them."
Avril Swan, Parenting Expert

Children with better empathy tend to relate and do better in the world. Can you directly teach empathy? The short answer is no. The more you try to actively encourage empathy, the more you get in the way. The presence of a parent often goes hand-in-hand with a set of instructions (i.e. we tell them the right way to behave) but a hands-off approach to encouraging empathy can be very effective.

There are two key ways that are you can encourage empathy:

1. Allow time for unstructed play
Empathy is often learnt when authority is removed and a child without a structure or parental guidance needs to make decision by themselves. In a structured team sports game, children are organised to play with each other. However, during unstructured play, the child has to take in to consideration the actions and feeling of the other children. If they don't, they will quickly find themselves playing on their own. Giving your child this space will mean they need to quickly learn to consider others' opinion and learn to negotiate.

2. Facilitate children of different ages to play together
Children spend a great deal of time with their peers at school as they are taught in year groups and often socialise with other children from their common Key Stage groups at playtimes. Outside of school, our extended families often live far away so social time with cousins of different ages can be limited too. A lot is gained, however, if we facilitate children of different ages play together. This benefits both children: the older child get the opportunity to learn leadership and nurturing skills whilst the younger child is given an effective role model to emulate and extra source of care and support.

"Unfortunately, many children in our society today have little opportunity for age-mixed play. More and more, free neighbourhood play - which was usually age-mixed - has been replaced by adult-directed, age-segregated activities for children and by indoor solitary play. Before we move even further in this direction or give up on the idea of reversing this trend, we would do well to have a firm understanding of the evolutionary functions of age-mixed play and how those functions are still relevant to children's development today."
Peter Gray, Leading Research Psychology Professor

Cubs, Brownies, Girl Guides and Scouts can be an excellent way for your child to mix with a range of ages of children locally.

Theatre groups such as Curtain Up, whose motto is 'lifting the curtain on confidence', or the National Youth Theatre sees children of different ages and acting abilities work together week in, week out and also nurtures a good sense of camaraderie. Likewise, youth music groups and orchestras can enable the mixed age experience. Try Youth Music for groups and opportunities in your area of the UK.

Further reading
Kevin MD: Why children need more unstructured play by Avil San MD.
On Being: Play spirit and character by Stuart Brown.
Psychology Today: The Special Value of Children's Age-Mixed Play.

{Bonus tip} And finally... lead by example

The New York Times recently ran an article with the headline ' If Drivers Buckle Up, Children Do.' It was based on a US study looking in to the way children copy the behaviour of the adults around them.

So how can we expect our children to love reading if they don't see us pick up a book?

All of the areas in this article that we have highlighted as being able to help your child do well at school lead back to you. This isn't a statement to add pressure or guilt about our behaviour or habits. It's the opposite: we have all the tools in our educational armoury to show your children the way.

By doing the following, your children will follow you:

Love to learn - no matter what age

Show empathy

Learn to relax

Be bold and embrace failure

Make time to mix with family and different friends with an age range of children

Join them in their learning journey and share real-life and personal learning examples

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10 proven ways to help your child do well at school. Simple steps every parent can try at home | School Guide Blog

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What children bring to the classroom matters every bit as much and in some ways more than what they are taught at school. We live in a world of high expectations. A world where five good GCSEs are a minimum requirement and giving your child the edge is key.

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Art and Design Faculty

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Business Education Faculty

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Maths and Computing Faculty

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I'm an adult looking for a change | My World of Work

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Find out how My World of Work can support you at every stage of your career journey.

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My World of Work can support you! Whether you’re looking to make decisions, changes or just explore.

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Learn more about yourself, explore your options and find the career that's right for you.

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Craft Design & Technologies and Home Economics

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How To Reduce Stress & Prepare for Exams | headspace

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Exams stress is ever so common in many young people. Visit headspace to learn more about how to reduce stress & prepare for your exams to get the best possible outcome.

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | English and Media

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e-Sgoil is a national e-learning service with a focus on live, interactive, online learning using technology to remove barriers and improve outcomes for young people.

Pupils can sign up for online classes using their Glow login details: available from the school.

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Our 42 complete courses cover a wide range of subjects at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher, including English, Mathematics, Modern Languages, ESOL, Computing Science, Sciences, Business Management, Geography, Music and more.

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Learn about some of the possible reasons why your child might struggle with their homework and some strategies you can use to help your child finish their homework.

Why might your autistic child find homework hard?

Your child might be having difficulty because:

the homework does not meet their level of ability and need so they find it too difficult, become frustrated and then don't want to work at home

they don't understand why they have to do work for school when they're at home

it's not be clear to them what work needs to be done if they have difficulty with processing instructions or writing, and are not supervised when recording homework

they feel too tired after a long day at school or there may be too many distractions at home for them to concentrate

they have difficulty with organising, sequencing and prioritising tasks and may misjudge how long to spend doing homework

they feel that the work has to be perfect, and struggle to begin a task because of anxiety.

If your child has a demand avoidant profile their need to be in control may drive them to avoid the demands of homework. The PDA Society has further information, including strategies to try at home.

How to help your child with their homework

Make sure it's achievable

If your child is having difficulty with their homework, talk to their teacher. The teacher may not have much experience of teaching autistic children and may appreciate being given some information and resources about autism in education and how it particularly affects your child.

Ask about the topics that the group is studying and make sure the teacher is planning homework that suits your child. If you feel the homework is too easy or too hard, then discuss it with their teacher.

If the teacher will not adapt the homework, then discuss this with the SENCO, additional support for learning staff member or the most appropriate member of teaching or support staff. The school has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 in England, Wales and Scotland and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland to make reasonable adjustments for any pupil with a disability.

If your child has an education health and care plan (EHCP), a statement of special educational needs (statement of SEN) or a coordinated support plan (CSP) and it doesn't include difficulties that your child has with homework, then you could ask for an early annual review to have it included.

If you feel that your child's educational needs are not being adequately met you may wish to contact our Education Rights Service for specific advice.

Support your child with motivation

Your child may have difficulty transferring working at school to home. Visual supports can really help autistic children to be more focused, so ask at school if they could have a visual timetable that extends to your child completing homework. A teacher could talk your child through this on days when homework is set.

A social story™ is another useful way to explain to a child about a school day and you can include a part about doing homework.

Try using a motivator, an item or activity that your child really likes, and include a picture/symbol of it on a visual timetable that your child can follow. For example, this could show 'homework first, then computer time' as this may encourage them to start homework.

Try to alternate the motivator, for example one day it might be 'homework then computer' and the next day it could be 'homework then watching a favourite video'. It also helps to use positive words of encouragement when your child is working well, especially if your child is anxious about the homework. Reward and encourage small steps by using targeting and specific praise.

If it does become extremely difficult for your child to work at home, ask school if they have a homework club, or speak to the headteacher to ask if they would considering setting one up.

Check your child is given clear instructions

It will help your child if the teacher uses clear and direct language to give precise instructions for homework, stating specifically what your child needs to do and when it needs to be done by.

If your child struggles with language processing, then they may need more time to note down homework. Written instructions breaking the homework down further can also be helpful. Flow charts, mind maps, spider diagrams or bullet points are more helpful than verbal explanations.

If your child has problems recording their homework in a homework diary, ask the teacher and/or teaching assistant if they can help them or adapt the way it's done. For example, if homework is written up on a white board for children to copy, could your child be supervised while doing this or could they have a printout of the homework?

Ask the teacher if they could simplify the way they present homework, by highlighting the important words on a homework sheet, using visual supports or bullet points. If the child has problems writing, could they use a computer to do their homework?

You could ask if your child can use a dictaphone, either to record the teacher's instructions about homework, or their own notes-to-self about the homework tasks, and listen to them at home.

Think about when and where to do homework

The best time to start homework will depend on your child. You may want to give them some time for a break after the school day, rather than going straight into starting homework. Or you could try starting straight after school.

You may wish to start homework before a preferred or fun activity, using a visual timetable to show your child what will be happening. It can help to do homework at the same time each day so it becomes part of a routine.

If possible, keep an area of your home free for your child to use to do their homework. It might help to set up a desk or table that they can work at. Ideally, it should be away from any distractions like the television. It helps if you ask other siblings not to interrupt them while they are working. Let your child know you are available if they need your help.

Help them with organisation and timing

If your child finds it difficult to concentrate on work for a long time, you may need to sit with them first to help keep them focused. You could start by getting them to work for just a short time and then build up gradually. It could help to use a timer to show how long they need to spend on the homework.

Communicate with your child's school

Keep the school up-to-date with how your child is progressing with homework. Ask the school if they can set up a home-school communication book or diary, so can you can keep in touch with them or keep in contact by talking to the class teacher, SENCO/additional support for learning staff member, headteacher or other appropriate member of staff about any homework issues you have.

There may be times when your child has more difficulties than usual and finds it particularly hard to concentrate, or behaves in a way that affects their ability to do homework. This might happen when there are significant changes in the family, or when your child is ill or anxious.

If doing homework causes extreme problems during this time, then see if it's possible for your child not to have homework for a while. You can always go back to trying to get your child to engage in it again by re-introducing it gradually.

Getting further help

You may find that you need to secure extra help for your child in school.

Our Education Rights Helpline provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support on education rights and entitlements for parents and carers of pre-school and school-age autistic children to help them get the educational support their child needs.

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Homework - a guide for parents and carers

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Learn about some of the possible reasons why your child might struggle with their homework and some strategies you can use to help your child finish their homework.

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A supportive guide to improving numeracy

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We aim for 95% attendance. 19 days missed school equates to a dropped grade across all subjects.

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Important guidance around phone use and how you can monitor activity.

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If your child only needs a phone for emergencies, keep it simple with a non-smartphone (also known as a dumb phone). They're significantly cheaper and with their long battery life, you won't need to charge it every night.

However, if your child needs to access the internet, apps or games, a smartphone is a better choice. While more expensive than the simpler mobile phones, they're far more capable of accessing information your child might need.

If you choose to buy a smartphone, it's worth considering insurance to protect it from theft, loss and damage.

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Mobile phones for kids 2023 | Internet Matters

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Mobile phones for kids | Internet Matters. A guide on what models should you consider for your child? Best phones for kids. Phone for kids

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Supporting Study Parent Session March 2024

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Drama and Music - Performing Arts

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Parental engagement

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Edinburgh Learns - Learning Together Framework

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10 Questions to ask your child after school?

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10 Questions to ask your child after school?

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Our A-Z guide gives you advice on how to help your child with their feelings and behaviour, as well as mental health conditions and life events. We'll also show you where you can get help.

For information and advice on the cost-of-living crisis, including where to find financial support for you and your family, read our guide to money and mental health.

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Parents' A-Z Mental Health Guide | Mental Health Advice

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Our A-Z guide to support has information and advice on how to help your child with specific mental health conditions, and difficult feelings & life events.

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Google family link app

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With Family Link, you decide what's best for your family. Easy to use tools allow you to understand how your child is spending time on their device, share location, manage privacy settings, and more.*

Establish digital ground rules

Set screen time limits

Find the screen time that works best for your child. Family Link lets you set downtime for their device and time limits for apps, so you can help your child find a healthy balance.

Guide them to age-appropriate content

Approve or block apps your child wants to download. Family Link also allows you to choose the right YouTube experience for your child: a supervised experience on YouTube, or YouTube Kids.

Establish digital ground rules

Set screen time limits

Find the screen time that works best for your child. Family Link lets you set downtime for their device and time limits for apps, so you can help your child find a healthy balance.

Guide them to age-appropriate content

Approve or block apps your child wants to download. Family Link also allows you to choose the right YouTube experience for your child: a supervised experience on YouTube, or YouTube Kids.

Manage and secure your child's account

Protect their privacy

Permissions management in Family Link allow you to make meaningful choices about your child's data. You can view and manage permissions for websites and extensions accessed through Chrome as well as apps downloaded on your child's device.

Secure their account

Family Link gives you access to manage your child's account and data settings. As a parent, you can help change or reset your child's password if they forget it, edit their personal information or even delete their account if you feel necessary.

Manage and secure your child's account

Protect their privacy

Permissions management in Family Link allow you to make meaningful choices about your child's data. You can view and manage permissions for websites and extensions accessed through Chrome as well as apps downloaded on your child's device.

Secure their account

Family Link gives you access to manage your child's account and data settings. As a parent, you can help change or reset your child's password if they forget it, edit their personal information or even delete their account if you feel necessary.

Stay connected on the go

See where they are

It's helpful to be able to find your family when they're on the go. With Family Link, you can locate your children on one map, as long as they're carrying their device.**

Get notifications and alerts

Family Link delivers critical notifications including when your child arrives or leaves a certain location. You can also ring devices and view the device's remaining battery life.

Stay connected on the go

See where they are

It's helpful to be able to find your family when they're on the go. With Family Link, you can locate your children on one map, as long as they're carrying their device.**

Get notifications and alerts

Family Link delivers critical notifications including when your child arrives or leaves a certain location. You can also ring devices and view the device's remaining battery life.

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Family Link from Google - Family Safety & Parental Control Tools

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With Family Link, you decide what's best for your family. Easy to use tools allow you to understand how your child is spending time on their device, share location, manage privacy settings, and more.* Find the screen time that works best for your child.

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Getting started: Creating a child account

Before using Google Family Link and making use of the parental controls, your family must all have Google accounts. This will automatically create a Family Group.

To create a child's account:

Step 1 - Sign into your Google account and go to your profile in the web browser. Click Add another account > Create account > For my child.

Step 2 - Read and follow the prompts that come up on screen. Then, fill out your child's details and create their email address. Click Next.

Step 3 - Enter your own email address (for any child under 13). Click Next. Read through and agree the provided information.

Step 4 - Enter your account password to confirm parental responsibilities. Then read through the provided information to fully understand what this means.

Step 5 - If you're ready to customise parental controls, choose Manual personalisation. If you want to do that later, select Express personalisation instead. Read through the information and follow the prompts. Click continue or close the window to finish.

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Google Family Link - Parental controls guide | Internet Matters

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Google Family Link - Parental controls guide | Internet Matters. Manage your child's device use to help them develop healthy online habits with our guide.

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Physical Education and Dance Faculty

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Senior Tracking One Page Guide - 23 8 24

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Career and Pathway Opportunities for Young People in Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian

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Forrester High School Edinburgh | Social Subjects Faculty

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Key dates for Reporting and Parents' Evenings

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Key dates for Reporting and Parents' Evenings

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8 Boost Your Learning Study Skills Infographic in Blue White Purple Simple Style 

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People with ADHD may find homework, assignments, and studying for exams challenging. Luckily, there are techniques you can use to make learning easier.

If you or your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may not know where to begin when it comes to studying.

No matter your age or grade, there are some tried-and-true methods and study skills that work well for people with ADHD. Doing them regularly can help you create good habits that will lead to improved grades and less overall stress.

Before we list our top 10 study tips, we want to remind you that sleep is also a very important part of studying, especially if you have ADHD.

Research has found that the more sleep problems a person with ADHD has, the harder it is for them to remember things.

So, try to get good rest every night, and especially before a big test.

Moreover, if you follow these tips, a late-night cram session won't be as important.

Here are some effective methods people with ADHD can use to manage challenges at school.

1. Do a body check

"I always start with the body check," says ADHD coach and tutor Kit Savage. "You don't need to have a dedicated environment to study, like your bedroom or the kitchen table. It just needs to be an environment where you're comfortable and feel safe."

"Once you've found your spot, do a body scan," Savage suggests. "Literally go through your body and ask yourself: Am I hungry? Am I thirsty? Do I need to use the bathroom? What am I going to need for my body?"

You can't study well if your body isn't well nourished and comfortable.

2. Do a mind check

Next, do a mind check. That means check in on your feelings. Are you mad, angry, happy, or sad? If you're feeling strong emotions, address them.

"Write out your emotions or chat with someone like your parent or a tutor," Savage recommends. "Whatever is on your mind has to come out before you start your studying. Now is not the time to fix the problem. It's just time to get it out."

After you've expressed what's on your mind, consider doing a few minutes of deep breathing exercises to release the rest of your tension, Savage suggests.

Your mind and body check will probably take about 10 minutes.

3. Be honest about what scares you

Whether you're studying for a test, writing a paper, or going through your homework assignments, there's likely one thing about the work ahead that seems to be the scariest.

The best way to tackle that? Say it out loud.

"What's your worst fear right now?" Savage asks. "Are you afraid you're never going to finish that long-term project because you're so far behind? Are you afraid you're going to fail because you just don't understand the subject? Write it down."

That fear is preventing you from getting started. But, once you've expressed it out loud or in writing, you're no longer blocked by your fear, and you can get started.

4. Get organized

Make a plan. Start by looking at everything you have to do and make sure you have all the necessary materials.

Then, take out a piece of paper and make a chart with three columns:

1. In the first column, write down what you need to do.

2. In the second column, estimate how much time it will take you to do it. Consider allotting yourself a little more time than you might actually need for each task.

3. Leave the third column blank for now - it will be for the actual amount of time it takes.

Then, figure out the order of the tasks you want to do, writing numbers beside each task.

5. Do an easy task first

"If you're struggling to get started, you need to be successful right away because it'll motivate you," Savage says. "So, do any easy project at the beginning of your study session. I call it taking the win."

6. Reread your assignments

"You can't start unless you understand the expectations of the assignment. That's huge," Savage says. "Often, people with ADHD just dive in. But you need to know what's expected of you - what you need to know, what you need to write, etc."

"Then, once you know the expectations of the assignment, you can figure out how to achieve them," Savage adds.

Before you get started, consider making a list of all the criteria you need to meet, such as word count, number of pages, number of references required, and so on.

You can refer to this list as you're doing the assignment and check off these criteria as you complete them.

7. Begin as soon as you know about the assignment or test

Folks with ADHD may tend to wait until the last minute. But starting earlier can save you a lot of stress and improve your grades overall.

In fact, researchers have found that while cramming for a test can help you remember information in the short term, you'll quickly lose it.

Studying over time will help you remember the information in the long term. This is especially important for subjects like math or science, where your knowledge builds on what you've previously learned.

"Work backward," Savage recommends. "Look at when you'll have your test or when your assignment is due, and plan to do a little each day. Make sure you include time to review everything before an exam, or write and edit your paper."

8. Know yourself and what will work best for you

Everyone works differently, and it may take some time to get to know how you work best. Consider taking notes on what works for you and what doesn't.

You might find it helpful to ask yourself questions like:

Can you hyperfocus on anything you do, or does it have to be something you're interested in?

Do you work better if you begin as soon as you get home from school?

Do you need a 30-minute break to relax before you begin?

Does exercising help you focus?

Can you focus better after dinner or late at night?

Do you get easily distracted by your phone or other screens? If so, consider removing them while you study.

Do you need to get the thing you fear most out of the way after an easy win? That is, does it help you to do the easiest task first so you feel good about it, then tackle the task you're dreading?

Do you study better when you save it for last?

How have you overcome writer's block in the past?

For example, do you find it hard to start writing essays? Many people do! However, there's no rule saying you must write your introductory paragraph first - and that can be the hardest part.

In fact, many people write their intro and conclusion after they've written the rest of the essay.

So, if it's easier for you to write the supporting paragraphs and then write the introduction, do it that way.

You might also find it easier to start by freewriting with no expectations at all. You might be surprised by what comes out.

9. Repetition, repetition, repetition

"Studying is about performance, so repetition is key," Savage says. "Many people with ADHD [may have issues with] working memory, which means you can't easily retain what you've learned. So, take notes in class, read the chapter more than once, and review everything over and over again."

"I like the three times rule: Make sure you go over everything at least three times, even if it's a subject you're good at," Savage says.

10. Request appropriate accommodations

In this context, "accommodations" means any methods your teachers or school use to accommodate your needs, such as setting you up in a private room for an exam or providing more time.

For example, if you have trouble remembering math formulas, consider asking your teacher to provide them for you during the test, suggests Savage.

"Accommodations aren't giving you an advantage - it's leveling the playing field," Savage explains. "Tests should measure your ability, not your disability."

"If you don't have those accommodations, then all you're testing is your disability," Savage says.

11. Reward yourself

Each time you check a task off your list, write down how long it took, and then reward yourself.

"I like immediate rewards and long-term reinforcement," Savage says. "The immediate reward can be a quick dance party, a walk around the block, texting a friend - whatever you'd like. But it should be a short break, just a few minutes."

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Study Tips for ADHD: 11 Learning Strategies and How to Use Them

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Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face special challenges at school. Luckily there are methods you can use to help you succeed.

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ADHD Study Strategies: Enhance Test Prep for Greater Academic Success

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Discover effective research-backed ADHD study tips to elevate your academic success. Incorporate active learning, exercise, and smart note-taking to maximize test preparation.

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10 Tips to Help You Stay Focused: For Students with Autism and Learning Differences

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Tips on maintaining your focus and stay on the path to success if you’re a student with autism or learning differences.

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Exam Tips for Neurodivergent and Disabled Students

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After taking exams with ADHD and ASD, Rachel shares tips for neurodivergent and Disabled students, from revision plans and exams to asking for adjustments.

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A guide for parents and carers on how they can help their autistic child with preparing for and taking exams.

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How to Study with Dyslexia (Tips on Reading, Memorizing and More)

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If you have dyslexia, you probably find studying a bit more difficult than other students. This might get you down, but don’t worry! It’s important to know that this isn’t your fault at all, and it’s a problem that you can overcome with…

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Tips for studying with working memory difficulties

Working memory is used when small amounts of information are held temporarily in the mind and manipulated or used to perform a task. To understand and retain information, it must be moved from working- to long-term-memory store. However, as the working-memory systems of many learners with dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD/ADD are relatively fragile (i.e. being relatively limited in capacity and duration) the process of learning and retaining information is less efficient. To support working-memory, a good approach to take is to make learning structured, cumulative & frequent and multisensory.

The following strategies have been adapted from Brain HE (2006) and Reid and Green (2011).

Create a framework for learning new material by making connections with related, existing knowledge. However, as some students with SpLD's may find this difficult, connections between existing and new information can be made more explicit by jotting down what you already know about a topic on a piece of paper. The new information to be learned can then be noted on the same piece of paper and comparisons made between the two. This makes it easier to understand the new material.

Another way to create structure is to summarise information using headings, subheadings, key words and phrases. This helps to create categories which can help make sense of material to be learned

Long-term memory is thought to be a store of infinite capacity, making information retrieval potentially difficult. Making multiple associations between new material and knowledge already in long-term memory store, facilitates information retrieval and recall.

Make learning cumulative and frequent

Over-learning is an important approach for students with SpLD's. It involves revisiting material, which you have already learned at frequent intervals. This makes remembering and retrieving information more automatic. Leaving it to the last minute, to 'cram' new information is unlikely to be a successful strategy for students with weak working memories.

Another way to overlearn information is to adopt a 'cumulative' approach. This involves extended practice of the same skill to consolidate learning. For example, to understand a passage of text, you might first write a summary, then identifying its three most important points, and finally modifying it to suit different audiences.

It is thought that learning may be facilitated when new information is in-put via a variety of sensory channels. Although based only on anecdotal evidence, people are said to remember:

The table below provides examples of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic ways of presenting information. Try converting the material you are learning to visual, auditory or kinaesthetic formats. This will make learning more active and engaging and consequently more memorable.

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LibGuides: Studying with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties: Tips for studying with dyslexia, dyspraxia and AD(H)D

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Expert guidance from Study Advice at the University of Reading