Better Tuition

Science at the Better Tuition Centre, Urmston

…and to get into that scientific groove we are posing a Staggering Science True or False question every day on our Facebook page. 

So far we have learned that the oceans of the earth contain enough salt to cover all the continents to a depth of 500 feet and that hot water freezes faster than cold!

We are offering science tuition from October and are running a waiting list until then.  Why not book a FREE assessment to start your scientific journey with us?

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Clocks: the scourge of parents!

September has crept up on stealthily this year and before you can say ‘Bonfire Night’ it will be Christmas. 

Children may complain about the big return to school but secretly they are glad to see their friends and settle into a new classroom.

The Autumn term is prime learning time for young people; their minds are fresh after a long summer of school-free sunshine, and ready to start soaking up all the knowledge that will see them hitting their academic targets at the end of the year. 

Now is the time to instill a good learning routine, if your child doesn’t already have one.  A productive school day begins the night before with a restful night of sleep, so firm bedtimes are a must.  In the morning, everything your child needs (uniform, schoolbag, pe kit, lunch) should be ready – how much responsibility you give them for this depends on their age and level of maturity, but do check it is all there the night before.  Being organised in the morning cuts out that hideous panic as you all rush around searching for lost shoes or school books.

Breakfast is hugely important: your child should not, not, NOT be eating sugar in the morning.  Eating sugar for breakfast will wreak havoc with your child’s concentration levels in school and set up a vicious cycle that demands regular sugar top-ups throughout the day.  Read the ingredients on your child’s breakfast cereal: even cereals to which we normally add sugar often contain the brain-robbing substance in the first place. 

A good breakfast will provide sustained energy and nutrients to build a healthy child.  Try porridge and banana, wholegrain toast and peanut butter or a freshly made smoothie of various fruits with rice milk and maybe a handful of oats.  If your child is resistant to eating breakfast you need to pull out all the stops to persuade them; watch out for our blog post on this later this week.

Walking is by far the best way to get to school as the exercise oxidises the brain and the sights and sounds you will experience on the way (a ladybird, a funny shaped cloud, a bin lorry) will engage your child’s brain and focus their mind, ready to learn.  Sometimes this is not possible because of all our commitments, so if you’re driving, try to set off in plenty of time so that you can secure an elusive (and safe) parking space.

After school, the homework routine should always be the same: designate an area at home where your child can concentrate; allocate a time period; provide hydration in the form of water or fruit juice and decide whether your child will need a break before starting work. 

Routines are habit-forming and it is a good idea to instill good study habits at a young age, so that by the time your child is preparing for GCSEs these are ingrained and come as second nature.  Don’t think of these suggestions as rigid or restricting; it is up to you to design a steady routine that suits your family and tweak it as necessary.

The last weekend before our autumn term begins.  Bring on the mellow fruitfulness!  The three things we recommend this weekend are:

1.  Label all inanimate objects you can lay hands on, whether they are going to school or not.  Just because labelling is very, very satisfying.

2.  Buy wellies: the school run forecast is GRIM!

3.  Get to the Northern Quarter for an amazing two-day street party showing the rioters what our streets are for.  We’ll see you there!

The tears are, of course, more likely to be yours than theirs!  For most Year 7 children the next couple of weeks are full of excitement as they move up to secondary school.  For many parents, it’s an anxious time.

This is especially the case if your child is not going to be going to the same school as many of their friends.  In Trafford we have a fairly harsh system whereby some children go off to grammar school, others attend faith schools such as St Antony’s and most of the rest of them enter into single sex education at Wellacre or Flixton Girls’ (Stretford and Lostock High being the exceptions).  This does mean that many children are separated from their friends at a time of transition.

How can you make the situation easier?  Firstly, you can reassure your child that they will be able to keep in touch with their friends, whichever school they go to.  You can facilitate this by arranging to have their friends round at the weekends. 

Secondly, remember that they are unlikely to be the only Year 7 student who has been separated from their friends.  Speak to your child’s form tutor or Head of Year and let them know your concerns.  They can keep a special eye on your child and if they don’t make friends quickly (although most of them do), they can give other members of the class a discreet nudge in their direction.

You are probably wondering whether your child will cope with the work in Year 7.  With so many new subjects the homework can really mount up.  Add to this the tiring effects of finding your way around a large, unfamiliar building and getting used to lots of new teachers (who often seem rather severe at first!) and you may find your Year 7 child can get rather stressed.  It is vital to keep on top of this because there is  a pronounced dip in attainment in Year 7.

Make it easier on your child by helping them organise their homework schedule.  They will often have a full week in which to complete individual pieces of homework, so help them spread it out over a few nights. 

Bear in mind, though, that your Year 7 child should be growing more independent, so aim to have them organise their own homework schedule (under your watchful eye) by Christmas or thereabouts.

In every Year 7 class there’s always one or two unfortunates who insist on carrying around half their bodyweight in books and PE kit on their back.  These are the children who don’t have the organisational skills to work out what they need each day.  They spend half their lessons sifting through mountains of murky bag-stuff, hunting hopefully for a homework sheet that generally turns out to have been annihilated by a forgotten banana.  DON’T LET YOUR CHILD BE THAT CHILD! 

Get them into the habit of emptying their bag each night and checking their planner for books and equipment needed the following day.

Finally, if your child needs a little boost, in confidence, maths science and/ or English, contact Better Tuition to book a FREE assessment and some lessons in our professionally equipped tuition centre.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net