The latest in education from inside and outside the classroom
We hear from Tuition Extra – who provide flexible education opportunities
The Tuition Extra Group, led by celebrated CEO, Ruth Minhall, is an outstanding Kent-based education service offering aspirational learning programmes for children and young people aged 4 to 25 years. Many students have EHCPs and may have struggled to access mainstream schooling due to SEND or complex needs. The holistic approach understands the individual behind the presentation of behaviour – and the results speak for themselves!
Committed to creative teaching and removing barriers to learning, we believe that every child, has the potential to improve life chances and become a more successful learner.
The Group has three branches: Tuition Extra’s Kent wide tutoring service, Maypole Farm animal therapy and vocational site, and Haven Nook independent special school. These services work cohesively to support students, staff and associated families. Young people can access their education on-site, at home or online, depending on preference or requirement. As a child-centric organisation, Tuition Extra Group harnesses a triangular approach to student development focusing on a foundation of therapeutic intervention alongside targeted emotional development, using the celebrated Thrive Approach. These elements naturally enable academic progress and life changing outcomes. Tuition Extra is a trusted and preferred supplier to Local Authorities, schools, parents and carers. The organisation’s approach removes barriers to learning to achieve meaningful outcomes for its young people. By building trusted relationships and engaging students with their individual interests, the team facilitates outstanding academic results, even with youngsters who have historically struggled to engage, or experienced exclusion or previous failure. The organisation focuses on enabling students to achieve personal growth, wellbeing and academic success. With an outstanding GCSE pass rate of 74% (Levels 9 – 4), Tuition Extra’s results demonstrate life-changing and aspirational achievement for the amazing students in their care.
Find out more at tuition-extra.co.uk.
To join our incredible tutoring team, email your CV to
info@tuition-extra.co.uk
The Granville School’s Early Years team explain The Power of Pre-School
At this time of year, the media is awash with ‘Tips for Starting School’ and ‘Preparing Your Child for Reception’. But how about the vital and formative years before that or – The Power of Pre-School.
Although Reception is the start of compulsory formal schooling, here at The Granville, the Power of Pre-School is strong. Our 3 and 4 year-olds are superheroes in their classrooms, and their superpowers stem from our highly qualified Pre-School teachers who have detailed knowledge of child development and early years learning.
A fine balance is struck between structured learning of early phonics and maths, alongside learning through play both inside and outside of the classroom. Key tenets of independence, active learning, responsibility, teamwork and confidence are nurtured through carefully planned activities.
Communication with parents and families is a cornerstone of effective pre-school education. A parent consultation reveals that one 3-year-old wants to be a teacher – the next day, the role play corner has been transformed with a pretend register and teacher ID card. A Tapestry post (the online platform we use for home-school communication and assessment) shows a boy playing with dinosaurs and the next day, a tuff tray is full of mud and tools ready to excavate and develop motor skills.
All of these activities centre around the Characteristics of Effective Learning. By linking to children’s individual needs, they are able to become active learners, immersing themselves in an area of passion. Our Forest School and Woodland Playground allow the children to play and explore, to take risks and to build resilience as well as having lots of muddy fun and physical activity. Children are encouraged to lead their own learning and continuous provision allows them access to whatever they might need to create, explore, share and learn.
The Power of Pre-School in the end is not just academic preparedness for Reception, but so much more. Our pre-schoolers are inquisitive, confident and independent learners. They are collaborative, kind and inclusive. They are ready physically, socially and academically for the transition into Reception, which is just in the classroom next door (and might have been sneakily visited a few times in the run-up to September).
The Power of Pre-School cannot be underestimated – with our combination of super-learners and super-teachers, we’re ready to take on the world!
You may also like
When to Step In
A Head for 25 years, Mike Piercy is now an educational consultant and governor at two schools. Here, he looks at assessing when parents should intervene How was your day, darling?’ the routine words on collecting from school as he...
Home on the Grange
Sophie Owen, Head of Admissions at Hilden Grange, gives us an insight into the school Located in the middle of Tonbridge, Hilden Grange School is a co-educational school for children from Nursery to Year 8.Spread over 22 acres of grounds,...
No Substitute for the Real Thing
A Head for 25 years, Mike Piercy is now an educational consultant and governor at two schools, here he looks at ‘artificial’ intelligence Can there be anything revolutionary about teaching as we hurtle towards the second quarter of the twenty-first...