A free set of policies and briefing papers on engagement, play for all, wet playtimes, and behaviour.

3Children who engage positively with each other are the ones who are most likely to go through their lives being able to make the most of the social world.

As a result they are likely to be happier and more fulfilled, and more able to take up the opportunities that an ever-changing world offers, than those who don’t have this social aptitude.

Which is why my colleagues and I decided to call this week Positive Play Week – a Week when we can invite schools to focus on positive play, engagement, and behaviour.

As part of this we have created four free briefing papers and policy documents relating to positive play.  These, we believe, will be helpful to you and your colleagues in considering the range of potential that there is within positive play.

Specifically – the potential to enhance enjoyment and fun throughout one’s life, and to offer each child the chance of a greater level of personal fulfilment.

On our website you will find, freely available for download, policies and briefing documents for:

  • Engagement
  • Play for All
  • Wet Playtimes
  • Behaviour

There is no charge at all for these documents – we hope you will find them helpful.  If you do and you know of colleagues who might find these documents helpful, please do pass the details on.

The website contains a huge amount of information about positive play, including policies and briefing documents, ideas for activities, and a detailed review of why positive play is so beneficial for children.

Also on the website is information on how positive play transforms lives, ten things you can do to encourage positive play, and thoughts on how schools are making positive play a central part of the school day.

We also have information on how positive play stops bullying before it starts, plus a wide range of resources which are available from Edventure, who have kindly sponsored Positive Play Week.

I do hope you will have a moment to look at and explore the Positive Play Week website.

If you would like to send us photographs of your positive play activities that would be wonderful. And if you have any questions or thoughts you can get in touch with us:

Finally, I must return to our sponsor, Edventure, without whom Positive Play Week would never have come to be. You can find more details of the equipment they supply which supports positive play on their website www.edventure.co.uk. You can also request a copy of their catalogue by clicking here.

Jenny Burrows

Positive Play Week Coordinator

Stress free Primary Maths Assessment throughout 2016 & 2017

Since 2003 NSI Publishing has helped over 5000 Primary Schools with Maths Assessment. Our Assessments are designed to be totally flexible. They can be used to monitor pupil knowledge according to the teacher’s schedule.

All Assessments have graded scores and the option, if desired, to convert the scores to levels to give a clearer picture of performance.

Have a look at our website – www.nsip.co.uk or contact me at sales@nsip.co.uk

Best wishes

Nicholas Smith

NSI Publishing Ltd
4 South Western Business Park
Sherborne
Dorset
DT9 3PS

Tel: 01300 345515
Fax:  01300 345556

Exceptional English Teaching Resources

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MSL

Rhyming Spells – provides a wide selection of ingenious rhyming spells for improving spelling.

Dyslexia Games Manual – packed full with enjoyable games and activities for developing literacy skills, increasing visual and auditory recall, as well as strengthening sequencing and organisational ability.

Email: msl@schools.co.uk
Telephone:
01536 399017
Postal address:
Multi-Sensory Learning, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, NN17 4HH.

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Carel Press

‘Just Read!’ PDF Poster Set – motivational posters about the power of books.

‘Learn about your library’ Posters – explain library terms successfully.

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Dysgraphia Help

The Online Dysgraphia Test – consists of 50 questions. After completion of the test and submitting a handwriting sample you will receive a dysgraphia test report. If we believe dysgraphia to be present you will also receive supporting activity materials free of charge.

Overcoming dysgraphia workbook – contains 100+ A4 sides of activities, worksheets and games that aim to improve language processing, visual spacing, fine motor skills, pen/pencil grip, handwriting posture and memory retrieval.

Email: admin@dysgraphiahelp.co.uk
Postal address: Dysgraphia Help, 1 Oathill Close, Brixworth, Northamptonshire, NN6 9BE.

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SSS

Interactive English Software – 13 titles packed with hundreds of stunning curriculum 3D animations describing difficult to understand concepts for English. There are texts, voice-overs, quiz zones, drag and drops, multiple choice quizzes and more. Request your 14-day free trial of English Educational Software Solution.

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First and Best in Education

Plays into Shakespeare (KS3) – This book provides an active, dramatic launch pad for the study of Shakespeare, avoiding the distancing factors with which pupils struggle – the language, the history, the period costumes.

Higher Close Reading Examples and Activities – focussing on understanding the main concerns of the text, analysing the techniques the writer uses, and evaluating the effectiveness of the writing.  

Monologues with Duologue Activity (KS4) – covers the requirements for speaking monologues in Drama at KS4 and KS5 and provides useful material for pupils working towards entry into drama college. English teachers will also find it useful in respect of the speaking and listening requirements at KS4 and the study of Shakespeare.

Monologues/Duologues (KS3) – A book of short, self-contained and original monologues/duologues which will be an ideal introduction to drama within English or for use within a drama group.

Working with Will – a scheme of work for English teachers and works as an introduction to text analysis in English literature lessons for key stages 3 and 4.

Write Well – a book of writing skills aimed at helping students acquire the necessary skills for each situation.

Email: sales@firstandbest.co.uk
Telephone:
01536 399007
Postal address:
Hamilton House Mailings Ltd, Earlstrees Ct, Earlstrees Rd, Corby, Northants, NN17 4HH

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You can find more Exceptional Teaching resources at exceptionalteaching.org.uk.

“Gengis Khan” returns to schools in east London……..

The word on the street is that a group of east London teachers are taking the law into their own hands in an effort to deal with pupils who turn up to their lessons without a pen, pencil or ruler etc.

According to “The Walthamstow and Leytonstone Guardian” (established in 1897) a group of teachers dressed in black cloaks and carrying mock Gengis Khan swords has been threatening to put certain pupils in makeshift stocks on Leytonstone High road.

Indeed, so effective were their efforts that the incidence of pupils failing to bring pens, pencils etc to their lessons has fallen dramatically.

There is an easier way…………

The “Students Essentials set” contains three quality ballpens (black ink), two full length HB pencils, 15 cm ruler, eraser, metal sharpener, all contained in a convenient “exam friendly” clear PVC wallet with a zip slider.

Designed for students who tend to turn up for lessons and exams without the basics, “Student Essentials sets” are a simple, effective and low cost solution. From only 75p each, ex vat. Whether you sell them or give them away they should make life easier for both pupils and teachers… and reduce wasted time and hassle at the start of lessons or exams.

More details at: www.signposteducational.co.uk or call 020 7515 1797 or email: signpost@talk21.com.  If you’d like more information give Martin Evans a call on 020 7515 1797 and he’d be pleased to assist.

PS.  You can order by phone, email, fax or post.  Delivery is usually within two working days….sometimes sooner.

Phew! It’s taken us a while, but we’ve finally put the finishing touches to our brand new end-of-year and leavers shows – yippee!

We hope you’ll agree that they were worth the wait – a review in Teach Primary Magazine has given them a standing ovation, hailing them as “fun, easy to use, hugely entertaining, and excellent value.” (You can read the full review here.)

Easy Peasy Plays provide songs and musical plays for children of all ages. We make our resources as easy to use as possible, even if you’re not musical! The review in Teach Primary agrees: “The easy-to-learn songs are written with children’s vocal ranges in mind… I can think of few better resources for staging a special show, and you needn’t be a music specialist or a drama queen to pull them off!”

Isn’t that nice?! So, to celebrate, we’re offering you a special discount of £5.00 off any play! All you need to do is enter the magic code save1 at checkout by 30 June. Hurrah!

“I like resources that KISS – ‘keeping it simple and straightforward’” says the Teach Primary review. “The aptly named Easy Peasy Plays makes a very lemon-squeezy job of producing professional productions.”

So, can’t wait to get started? Click right here!

With our very best wishes for an easy peasy day!Simon and the team at

Easy Peasy

PS: Read the full Teach Primary review here. And don’t forget to use the code save1 for your special discount!

For, and on behalf of, Popcorn School Ltd.
Registered address: 9 Yelverton Close, Walsall, WS3 3XE.
Company number: 08534985.

Special Needs – Considering the Parents

Play Therapy UK (PTUK)’s 800+ registrants have 15 years’ experience of working in 1500+ primary schools with pupils who have a variety of special needs.  They recognise that parents are a major agent of change and that most of them are very concerned about the emotional well-being of their children and the impact that this has on their educational attainments.

Our registrants relieve the school staff of some of their work relating to parents.  If the teaching staff are concerned about a pupil’s behaviour, absences or emotional well-being the Play Therapist is available to discuss how these issues might be improved through Play Therapy.  The therapist will also inform the parent of their child’s progress and the outcome at the end of the therapy.

Parents may also be offered the opportunity of coaching on how to use non-directive play at home to provide further support at home after the therapy has finished.

What do the parents think? Based on a study of 10,130 cases, parents observed that in 77% there was a positive change following therapy delivered to PTUK standards. This is the same percentage as that of Teachers’ observations.

School staff can be trained as Certified Practitioners in Therapeutic Play as well as Filial Play Coaching. This enables parents to be actively involved in alleviating their child’s special needs using the principles of non-directive play.

These services help to enhance relationships with parents, the image of the school and add positive points to an Ofsted inspection.

More information:

The register: www.playtherapyregister.org.uk

Training:  http://www.playtherapy.org.uk/TrainingCourses/TrainResourcesAccCourses1.htm

SENCO Week special consultation on introducing play therapy services into primary schools: email mokijep@aol.com