General
Taking back control of technology
Final thoughts: Taking back control of technology Whilst I embrace technology and appreciate its importance as a vital learning tool; I also think there are aspects of the traditional learning experience that is irreplaceable. One main one is day to day interaction with printed text – usually books, which I can touch, feel and smell.…
Read MoreIs technology the problem, or the user of it and how they use it?
Like any good thing in life, it is not usually the technology itself but how people choose to use it. I have about 5 smart phone and tablets – iPhones, iPad and Samsung for my personal use and I use about three to four of them every day. Does it mean that I spend a…
Read More7 Ways to Make the Most of your Summer Holidays
As the final few weeks of the school term pass by, and the exam period finishes for those in GCSE and A level, many students and parents are turning their thoughts to the summer break ahead. The summer holidays allow us time to rest and get some perspective on our progress in life, but they…
Read MoreThe Christmas break and the festive Period – making the best of it all
The school Christmas holiday period is a critical time for parents and their children – particular teenagers who are at a key stage of their education. Teenagers may not be as excited about Christmas as they were when they were younger children, but, nevertheless, there are still plenty of emotions flying around. Whilst it is…
Read MoreWill the new GCSE of grades 9 to 1 lead to new Elitism?
An article in the TES (The Times Educational Supplements – a magazine widely read by teachers) recently carried the headline “Why GCSE Reform may lead to a new ‘elitism’. The article raised concern felt in some quarters about the newly introduced numerical grading of 9-1 by OFQUAL (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation –…
Read MoreThe Internet – a distraction or a force of good for your teenager?
The Internet – a distraction or a force of good for your teenager? It is difficult to imagine doing much these days without a computer as it dominates every aspect of our lives. Young people even access the Internet more than we adults do. It is not good enough being busy on the Internet.…
Read MoreHow a good teacher inspired the author, Damian Thompson – 32 years later Peter Pegnall continues to deliver!
It is fascinating how much difference a good teacher can make in inspiring a young person. It is wonderful to experience that rare magic moment when it suddenly clicks’. Given the declining level of literacy in society, a time when employers are crying out that young people from Eastern Europe can write in better English…
Read MoreBack to the beginning of time! – All Saturday classes are now at Greenwich
It is a wonderful spectacle looking at the Thames from the foyer outside the Royal George in Queen Anne Court. When there isn’t a major box office film being shot on the lawns beside Trinity College of Music there are usually people enjoying a picnic. It is such a scene! For the last five years,…
Read MoreGCSE to AS level, the transition – the summer break, the freedom, the maturity and the challenges!
Last month it was reported that Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, was preparing to replace GCSEs for England from autumn 2014 and to bring in a simpler exam for less academic teenagers. This announcement comes amid the on-going debate about the “dumbing down of GCSE’s, the accusation being that they do not stretch the more…
Read MoreChoosing a good school is only the start!
Nurture or Nature – Choosing a good school is only the start! There are so many attributes that make for a good school, factors which go far beyond just the examination results. We must bear in mind that achieving a complete and well rounded education is very important, as well as the crucial exam results.…
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