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Ks1 articles

Home education mum and daughter
Home education laws in Scotland
Are you a parent in Scotland considering home-educating your child? We explain the legal process you'll need to follow.
Home education painting
Home education and the law in Northern Ireland
In recent years there has been controversy around the right to home educate in Northern Ireland. We explain what the law says.
Home education child doing maths
Home education in England: the facts
What does the English law say about your right to home educate your child? We explain the legalities and practicalities of getting started with home education in England.
Mother and daughter hug
How to help your child with anxiety
Anxiety is on the rise amongst primary school children, but, with the right support, they can overcome it.
Child playing computer games
Positive screen time for children
Despairing of how much time your child spends glued to their laptop, tablet or phone? Here's how to help them get the most out of their screen time
Charles Dickens Museum © Siobhan Doran
Museums reviewed by parents: Dickens Museum
A brilliant way to make KS2 learning about life in Victorian times come to life for your primary-school child, the London home where Charles Dickens lived for two years is no Bleak House, rather an Old Curiosity Shop of memorabilia that all the family will love.
Playdates in primary school
33 things that always happen on after-school playdates
They're meant to be fun, but they can be anything but – especially if you're the host parent!
Best times tables games and tools
Best times tables learning tools
"Times tables practice"... words guaranteed to make any primary-school parent's heart sink. Make multiplication tables learning a little less painful and a little more effective with our pick of the best games, apps, songs and tools on the market.
Learning about plants in primary school
Learning about plants in primary school
From the parts of a plant to the seed cycle, water transportation and photosynthesis, children learn lots about the living things around us in primary school. Find out what is taught when in the primary classroom in our parents' guide.
Year 1 child learning numeracy
Moving from Reception to Year 1: how it affects your child
As the transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1 approaches, how can you help your child adjust to the new pace of Year 1?
Animals for primary-school children
Learning about animals in primary school
Carnivores, herbivores and omnivores; vertebrates and invertebrates. Your child will learn about animals and their classification in primary school. We explain what they will find out about amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles.
Anatomy for kids
Learning about the body in primary school
At primary school children learn about the senses, the human skeleton, teeth and their function, the digestive system, puberty, the circulatory system and more. Find out what they'll be discussing in the classroom when and how you can support their learning at home.
African elephants in a savannah habitat
What is a habitat?
Children are introduced to all kinds of habitats in primary school, from arid deserts to lush rainforests and vast oceans. Find out what your child will learn in primary-school science and how you can support your child's learning at home.
Primary grammar glossary
Primary grammar glossary for parents
Do you know the difference between the subject and the subjunctive? Can you identify a relative clause or find a phrase? From active voice to verb tense, TheSchoolRun's primary-school grammar glossary offers a complete guide to all the grammatical concepts children are taught in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 English. As well as basic definitions we offer more detailed explanations, teachers' tips and examples for each grammar term.
Creative child at the blackboard
What is a Steiner school?
Steiner schools place an emphasis on preserving childhood, music and arts with an internationally recognised curriculum, but what actually takes place in the classroom?
What are the present perfect and the past perfect?
What are the present perfect and the past perfect?
We use the present perfect and past perfect verb tenses when talking or writing about actions that are completed by the present or by a specific moment in the past or future. In our parents' guide to the perfect verb tenses we explain what children are taught in the primary-school classroom as part of the grammar curriculum.
Family science at Butlins
The best science days out for families
Looking for a great day out that's educational, too? Inspire your budding scientist with a trip to one of these brilliant, hands-on UK science centres.
Minecraft in school
Learning through Minecraft
You may think it’s just another video game – albeit a particularly addictive one – but Minecraft could have educational benefits too…
What is a conjunction?
What is a conjunction?
Conjunctions are joining words that link different parts of sentences. In our parents' guide we explain how children learn about conjunctions as part of the primary-school grammar curriculum.
What are the comparative and the superlative?
What are comparatives and superlatives?
We use the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs to compare things, people, actions and states in our writing. Find out how your child is introduced to this concept, how they will learn to form the comparative and superlative and how they will practise using them in the primary-school classroom.
What is a phrase?
What is a phrase?
A phrase is a small group of words within a clause. We explain how children are taught about clauses as part of the primary-school grammar curriculum and what you need to know to support their learning at home.
KidZania London reviewed for parents
Museums reviewed by parents: KidZania
What does your child want to be when they grow up? London's new family attraction, KidZania, lets them try out prospective careers in a child-centred world.
What is a quadrilateral?
What is a quadrilateral?
Can you name the 2D shapes we classify as quadrilaterals? Find out how your child will learn about four-sided, 2D shapes in primary school and try some hands-on activities to reinforce their learning at home.
Cambridge Museum of Technology
Museums reviewed by parents: Cambridge Museum of Technology
The Cambridge Museum of Technology is a fascinating, hands-on look at how things work for all ages, within easy distance of the historic centre of Cambridge. Our review for parents explains what the museum has to offer for families.
How to volunteer in primary school
How to help out at your child's school
Helping out at your child’s school is a great way to find out what they’re getting up to. We explain how to get your foot in the door.
Early years creative writing
Early years writing
From learning to hold a pencil to getting their thoughts down on paper, learning to write is a tricky milestone for children. We explain how it happens, and how you can help.
Boys reading printed book and ebook
Books or e-books: which are best for your child?
Reading purists may look down on e-books, but they could have some surprising benefits for your primary school child.
The four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter
What are seasons?
Savour the seasons with your primary-school child by reinforcing what they learn about autumn, winter, summer and spring in KS1 with at-home activities.
What is a fair test?
What is a fair test?
Understand what is meant by 'fair test' in primary-school science and organise your own child-friendly investigations at home to help your child practise this concept.
Fish food chain
What are food chains and food webs?
A food chain is a diagram that shows us how animals are linked by what they eat; in food webs we represent the links between animals who eat or are eaten by more than one kind of animal. We explain how children learn about food chains in the primary-school classroom in our guide for parents.
Primary-school science glossary
Primary science glossary for parents
From condensation to the water cycle, TheSchoolRun's primary-school science glossary offers a complete guide to all the concepts children are taught in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 science. Brush up on your own science knowledge, clear up homework confusion and understand exactly what your child is learning at school by reading our basic definitions (with links to more detailed explanations, teachers' tips and examples).
What is light? Sunset image
What is light?
Light, reflection and shadows are all part of primary-school science. Find out how children learn about light and how you can support your child's science learning at home in primary-school teacher Catherine Casey's guide for parents.
Child colouring
Concentration exercises for primary school children
Getting your child to concentrate can be a tricky task, so try these fun tasks to help improve their attention and focus.
What is a free reader?
What is a free reader?
Every parent looks forward to their child graduating from reading scheme books, but how and when do they make the leap? We explain what a 'free reader' is and when your child is likely to graduate from reading schemes.
Parents' resolutions for 2017
Primary school parents' resolutions for the New Year
The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on what we could do differently in the 12 months ahead. Here are our resolutions for the year ahead...
Creative writing quest landscape
Teachers' tips for creative writing
How can children get to grips with creative writing? We asked teacher and author Jacqueline Harris for her insider advice.
Stressed mum with family
21 things that always happen on school mornings
The hour before you leave the house for school is always the most stressful of the day. Here's why...
Child scientist
Best science sets for children
Looking for ways to encourage your child's interest in the world around them? These learning-through-play sets are perfect for budding scientists, allowing them to get hands-on and experiment with simple physics, meteorology, geology, anatomy, mechanics and more.
Pupils in school library
What is an all-through school?
More and more schools are opening up that provide education for all children from age three to 19. We look at the pros and cons of this new model of schooling.
Tablet toys
Best tablet toys for children
Every child we know loves playing with a tablet computer – and now connected toys take learning to a new level by combining hands-on play with digital animations to teach the basics of story-telling, maths, spelling, reading and physics. Tablet toys are definitely not just for kids!