School life articles

Fancy a quick game of cards? Studies show cognitive benefits to play and card games teach children new strategies for using mathematical information, categorising patterns, sequencing and sorting. Last but not least, this is numeracy practice the whole family will enjoy (though things might get a bit competitive... beware!). Kate Yelland asked maths teachers and experts why sitting down with a pack of cards and a primary-school child is definitely playing your cards right.

No time to put a World Book Day costume together? Buy one of these fantastic, budget-fitting outfits that your child will want to wear again after World Book Day for fancy dress parties, Halloween or just playing at home.

Only one three-letter word matters when looking for a great sports club for your child. No, not ‘win’, but ‘fun’. Andrew Shields explains.

Managing asthma at school can be a challenge, but new legislation will ensure that children with long-term health needs receive extra support. Jo Willacy reports.

If your child has diabetes, which is a condition when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, you want to know that they’ll be as healthy and safe as possible at school. We share tips about drawing up a care plan, communicating effectively with school and raising awareness of diabetes with teachers and carers.

Rhymes, acrostics and other mnemonics could all help your child to remember important facts, from tricky spellings to grammar rules. We asked the experts why they work so well – and for their top 10 memory aids.

What do tiny four- and five-year-olds really need to know before they start Reception? We asked experts, teachers and mums what you can do at home to prepare them – and what is best left to the professionals!

Your child will be having so much fun playing these games they won't even realise they're practising their times tables, improving their vocabulary, boosting mental maths skills and revising geography facts. Hands-on fun is guaranteed with every learning activity, from writing in hieroglyphics to dissecting a body and observing the night sky.

These games and toys consolidate early reading skills, help with simple maths calculations, boost strategic thinking and even introduce your KS1 child to engineering and geology! For literacy and numeracy fun in toy form, these are the games to try.

Parents faced with their child being excluded from school are often very upset and confused. Moira Holden looks at the regulations that surround the exclusion process.

Not everything your child needs to get on in life can be learned in the classroom. From typing and DIY skills to cooking and lifesaving, here are seven vital skills that will stand them in good stead in the primary-school years and beyond. By Lucy Dimbylow

We explain what triangular numbers are and how able children in Year 5 or 6 might be taught to use algebraic formula to calculate a triangular number.

How much homework should your child get in primary school, how often is it set, and what should you do if he’s getting too much – or none at all? We asked teachers for their insights on how to manage the home-school learning most effectively.

Engineering underpins almost every aspect of modern life. So what will your child learn about engineering and technology at school, and how can you encourage their enthusiasm? Lucy Dimbylow finds out.

Find out what success criteria (also known as the 'WILF') are and how your child's teacher will use success criteria to boost learning focus.

Find out what a DUMTUM is and how this technique will help your child to set out their work correctly.

Find out what 'scaffolding' learning means and how teachers use this technique in the classroom to help children master different skills.

Find out what mini-whiteboards are and how they enhance learning in the classroom.

If your child has a special educational need, the school’s SENCO is likely to play a big part in his day-to-day life and learning. Lucy Dimbylow highlights nine ways in which she can help make your child’s school journey easier.