Blog

Tips on what to do this Christmas with the family

As the shops begin to stock up on goodies for Christmas and the tv ads are awash with festive features, it might be time to start thinking of what you plan to do with the family over the Christmas break.

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How to tell if registering your child for the 11+ Exams is the right choice for your child.

The 11+ exam season is here again, and you might be thinking of registering your child for the 11+ exams at some point, but are not sure of whether to do so. It is quite easy to get caught up

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Tips on how to help your child master their motor skills

Fine motor skills involve the use of the small muscles in our hands, wrists, fingers, feet and toes. The movement of these small muscles requires the brain to coordinate between the action and what they can see. This is quite

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Tips on how to instill the habit of writing in your child

We live in times where the art of writing as we used to know it, could be said to be dying. It is, however, still a very crucial part of education and certainly an integral part of communicating with others.

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Importance of Learning Independently

Independent learning involves independent thinking and thinking skills, which form a base for the development of great leadership skills. Harnessing these skills from a fairly young age can help children make good sense of the world they live in, from

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Recommended Reading books for 7-9 year olds

Now Open Everyday!

At Leaders are Readers, we are always looking for ways to help make things more convenient for our parents. As schedules on Saturdays become even tighter, we do not want you to miss out on having that opportunity for your

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What is the right age to start your child off with tuition?

This is a tricky one and will vary from household to household. Some parents will feel the earlier the better, while some might find it best to wait a while. It really is a matter of choice and when you

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Strategies to strengthen comprehension in your child

Comprehension adds meaning to what is read. Reading comprehension happens when words on a page are not just words but thoughts and ideas. Comprehension makes for a better experience when reading, it is fun and informative. Comprehension is needed to

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Everything you need to know about us in a nutshell

Although the backbone of the organisation is the programmes we run at our Saturday schools and summer schools; Leaders are Readers also provide one-to-one tuition, recognising the value and place of both within supplementary education. We believe that the way

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How you can help your child to stop making silly mistakes

This has been a very common experience amongst parents, with each a very baffling story to tell. Though the stories might vary, the concluding question remains the same - “How could they not know the answer to that question…? We

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Why you need to read this before looking for a maths tutor

Before you begin looking for a maths tutor, you would need to consider which qualities in a tutor are important to you as well as , which areas of Maths you feel your child needs help with the most. Would

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A tip to encourage creative writing in your child

Not only do we feel very strongly about this topic, but it is also one that is very close to our hearts. Creative writing is a form of self-expression and a trait that forms a very crucial part of our

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Create consistency as a recipe for success in your child

Most of our lives consist of a series of routines we perform almost every day: Getting up at the same time, taking the same route to work, etc. The same can be said for our youngsters too. Through what we

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6 ways that you can begin promoting a positive mindset in your child today.

How many times have we heard the following statements: “It’s too long! “I can’t do it” “I’ll never be able to do it” “It’s too hard!” And the list goes on… They may come across as acts of defiance (which

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Here’s why our Language Sense Programme works

Help with English for children is available on our literacy course: the Language Sense Programme. English tutoring is aimed at helping children become skilful and effective verbal and written communicators. Students develop a deeper understanding and sense of the written

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Sizzling suggestions to help your child savour the summer season

Summer may not officially be here just yet, but the weather is definitely picking up! With that in mind, along with the longer days and the generally happier mood that the wonderfully warm weather usually brings along, it is time

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5 great ideas on what to do with the kids outdoors

As the weather becomes warmer and the outlook on the current situation becomes less bleak, we begin to consider the idea of being able to venture outside with our children and have fun. However, in as much as that is

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How mental is your child's maths?

Mental maths is the practice of doing maths calculations in your head. Children who practice mental maths are able to carry out calculations in their heads without the use of any calculating aid. It is possible for every child to

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Reasons to sign up for our Summer School

Of the many reasons to sign your child up for summer school over the long break, we can condense them into the main reasons why you should consider this: > The extra study hours will help reinforce your child's knowledge

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5 things you might be doing to put your child off reading

Do you have a reluctant reader at home? Are you wondering why your child hates reading? We’ve listed 5 possible reasons why that might be. Your child is probably just learning how to read and you are doing your part

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Paying attention to your Child

Communicating with our children can be tricky at times, especially with the hectic way of life these days. For parenting to be successful, good listening and communications skills are crucial. You should value your child's feelings, views, and opinions. In

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Leaders are Readers Summer Programme

As our Spring term comes to an end, we would like to thank all of our parents for entrusting us with their children. It has been a pleasure helping them achieve and succeed this term. We also look forward to

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Benefits of Peer Tutoring and Peer Assistance

Peer tutors are not reading teachers, so they do not teach new reading skills. However, peer tutors are ideal for the role of reading helpers who motivate and encourage struggling readers to practice reading skills that were previously taught. The

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Reasons to promote teamwork in your child

A task is done with collaboration and cooperation, yields better chances of good results and success. Cooperative learning is considered one of the best methods of enhancing students learning in which groups of pupils carry out activities together. In most

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Parental Involvement in a child’s learning

Parents play a very important part in the holistic development of the child. Parents are the first teachers of the child and the teacher is the second. Both of them have a vital role and importance in determining a child’s

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Leaders are Readers Online Homework Assistance Service (OHAS) Reloaded

In addition to the many reasons to join us, we also offer our ever-growing Online Homework Assistance Service. This for our students to take full advantage of during the week. This helps them to gain further clarification on concepts taught

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Leaders are Readers Afterschool Classes

Is your or your child’s schedule so hectic on Saturdays…? Is this getting in the way of you being able to get your child that all important help needed to boost your child’s efforts in school…? Our ever-growing afterschool classes

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Watching out for your Child's Emotional Well-Being

Balancing a very full and hectic life with our families and our jobs could mean that we may have been neglecting that all-important part of our child's life: their emotional well-being. It is crucial that parents and all involved adults

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Inspiring your Child to Feel Important

A feeling of self-worthiness and importance is quite crucial for a child's healthy development. A good dose of healthy self-esteem can serve as a protective shield for a child against the challenges of the world. If a child feels good

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Are you controlling or in control of your child?

Granted, you are the parent and have the right to be in control - but do you go overboard with the control. There are moments during parenting when there can (perhaps) seem to be a fine line between the two,

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4 Ideas to Supercharge Your child’s learning habits this year

Are you in a situation where your child really likes school, enjoys their classes and everything about it, but just feels the opposite when it comes to studying…? Perhaps it isn’t for lack of trying, as they do their homework

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New Year Resolutions for your Child

Setting goals is an integral part of any child’s development. Why is this so….? Because through goal setting, children learn how to make and follow through with commitments. An example of such a commitment would be making a resolution in

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Virtual Christmas Ideas this year

Yes, the Christmas festivities will not be like any other in the past, due to the current situation. We will have to spend the festive period at home and not with as many people as we may have usually had.

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Getting to grips with your gifted child

For some parents, learning that their child is gifted, is like learning they have just hit the jackpot. This, to them might mean, a great shortcut in their child’s learning journey However, this is not as clear cut as it

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4 Ways your child can benefit from Creative Writing

Studies have proven that reading helps facilitate the development of your writing skills, but writing, on the other hand, helps develop your cognitive growth and organizational abilities. Writing in a nutshell, powers the brain. Children who practice creative writing more

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Exciting News!!

In response to a number of requests we have had regarding organising classes during the week, we are excited to announce the introduction of our Afterschool Classes during the week. These classes will cater to our parents with busy schedules

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The four things you should be doing to help your child succeed in school

Your support as a parent is crucial in helping your child succeed academically in school. And fret not - this does not mean you have to go back to school too! But the mental disposition your child shows up at

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To Trick or Treat, or Not this year….?

As we can all agree, this year has been anything but normal. And as has been with many things this year, our usual Halloween traditions will need to be thought through, bearing the current situation in mind. Families will need

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Tips for October half term 2020

As the half term break gently makes its way around the corner, we realise it is that time of the year again, when we need to start thinking of what to do with the kids and as a family. This

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Phonics Screening Test Explained

What is Phonics? Phonics is a way of teaching children to read quickly and skillfully. Children are taught how to recognise the sounds each individual letter makes and to identify the sounds that different contributions of letters make such as

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Leaders are Readers Update

Dear Parents It has been challenging to complete on the hiring of new school premises as schools began to put a hold on lettings due to the rise in daily COVID-19 infections. Our team has been fortunate, however, to secure

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Enhancing Fine Motor Skills in your Child

Improving hand strength and also finger mastery can help your child have more control over the pencil, which can lead to an improvement in their handwriting. Strengthening fine motor abilities need to also help boost their endurance while composing text.Motivate

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Going back to school after the lockdown

After having been away from school for so long, and under the current circumstances, it is only natural that many young people might be worried about going back to school. These are very uncertain times and your child might either

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Ideas for the family over the Bank Holiday weekend – August 2020

As the last bank holiday of the year whizzes round, many of us will be eagerly looking forward the long weekend. Whether it’s to spend time with family and friends, enjoy a few days away or just catch up on

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Promoting Positive Discipline without Hurting your Child

Children will always find a way to 'try it on', which can really test our patience at times. It's at these times like this that our parenting skills are really put to the test. It is also in times like

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How to kickstart a love of learning in your child

Children are born with a natural curiosity and love of learning, so technically, we can't instill a love of learning in our children. A child starts to learn from the moment it is born. Those early years are a time

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How computer games can complement your child’s creative genius

As we can all appreciate, the computer and the other devices in that family, have been a blessing and a curse at times. Much as we may enjoy spending a good portion of our time on them ourselves, many of

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Tackling your toddler’s temper tantrums

Even the sweetest toddler has an occasional temper tantrum every now and then. This can be anything from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath-holding. This usually occurs in both boys and girls generally from age 1 to

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Leaders are Readers Dartford, Essex and Southgate Centres

Lara Okpor is no longer associated in any way with the brand ‘Leaders are Readers’ or ‘LaR Dartford’, ‘LaR Southgate’, ‘LaR Essex’, whether in those three areas, online or elsewhere. Summer School (3rd August to 21st August) continues online directly

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Great Tips for Teaching Children Science

With the everchanging and fast-paced times that we live in, it has become even more important than ever to get our children interested in science at an early age. The concept of science might seem like a daunting subject area

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Configuring the parent community at school

Our main concern is for the benefit and welfare of our children in whichever environment they are placed. This becomes even more of a priority at school. This will be one of the main reasons why we take so much

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The Hype about Home-schooling

Have you been toying with the idea of pulling your child out of school and schooling him/her at home instead…? Has it been one of those decisions that have never actually taken off because of the many question marks surrounding

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How physical activity can boost learning

With the lockdown greatly eased and the prospect of going back to school very much a reality, how do we prepare our kids for the new school year? Yes, some have had remote learning sessions organised by their schools, and

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Black Lives Matter

In the wake of the horrendous act that took place on May 25th, 2020, where an American citizen, George Floyd, died in the hands of some police officers whose job it was to protect and serve but chose to do

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Tackling that tricky class topic

In as much as we would like our children to do well overall and, in every subject, there will always likely to be that subject (or topic within it) that your child will come to loathe and therefore not want

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Leaders are Readers Saturday Online Classes

We have now extended our physical school to our online teaching format and so we are able to accept new pupils from anywhere in the UK and, indeed, the rest of the world!Our online school is not only helping us

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Helping your child retain information

Children of school age have a greater need with regards to memory demands than adults. This may be because as adults, we already have most of the knowledge needed to get us through our daily activities. Whereas with children, they

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Victory over Vocabulary

As parents, we want our children to succeed in school. We’d like them to be able to read, comprehend, and compose text with great fluency. All three of the above have one common denominator - words. Words are important because

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Great ideas to reward your child

Rewards are one of those things we all love and look forward to. Rewards go a long way in motivating and inspiring us. It’s something we look forward to – that light at the end of that dark tunnel. They

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Learning Online with Leaders are Readers

In a bid to continue our service amidst the current lockdown situation, we have launched our online tuition and support programmes. These will enable your child to continue to benefit from our unparalleled service, whilst at home. Via our state

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Promoting self-expression in your child

Self-expression is one of the most important aspects of child development. It is important that a child is able to express what he/she wants or how he/she feels. This normally stems from them growing up in an environment of respect

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Update from our CEO

Dear Parent, As a result of the current situation in our nation, we have been working hard behind the scenes, preparing to move our classes online. We will be conducting our live, face-to-face interactive classes online until further notice. Sessions

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Locked down with the kids at home

It has been a good two weeks since the Government – mandated lockdown. And while for some (the kids…cough) it has been a welcomed decision, the same can’t completely be said for the parents. Now don’t get us wrong –

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Best Benefits of Playtime

While play is something that comes quite natural to children, it is an essential part of their lives and is quite crucial for the enjoyment of their childhood as well as their social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. Playtime will

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Letter from our CEO

Dear Parents, My name is Janet Sherlock, the CEO and founder of Leaders are Readers. School Closures in England Earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced that, to slow the spread of the coronavirus, all schools in England are to

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Chatting to your child about COVID-19

You don’t have to look too far or strain your ears too much before you hear or see someone talking about or something written about the coronavirus COVID-19. In fact, we have been getting daily updates in the news as

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World Book Day 2020

World Book Day is a day organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing and copyright. In the UK, the day is recognised on the first Thursday in March, i.e. 6th of March.To

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Three tips on how to untwist yourself from your child’s finger

Are you that doting parent that simply can’t bear to see a teardrop from your child’s eye, or that lovely smile dissipate into a frown or sad face? And you’ll do anything to keep that beaming smile on your child’s

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The 5 successful traits of an intelligent child

You may be surprised to know what actually makes children smart. Contrary to what most think, a child’s IQ mustn’t always escort them out of their mother’s womb at birth, nor must it always be about getting them to do

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6 great tips to Teach Your Children about gratitude

Most parents will have started quite early, to teach their children about the importance of simple gratitude. This would most likely have been in the way of teaching them to say things like “thank you” after a good deed has

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8 Reasons why you should read to your child

Learning to read is quite important as we know, but as parents, what do we do to nurture this important skill? Reading to your child has a great many benefits one of which is simply having that bonding time together.

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5 Great Tips to Help Your Child Get More Exercise

Are your children getting enough exercise? As a parent in this day and age, one can only dream about the idea of letting one’s child run freely through their local neighbourhood, thereby allowing their bodies to be naturally challenged with

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Three brilliant activities to stimulate story telling in your child

As we know, there is no way we can go through English sessions in school without touching on story-writing. In addition to this, we tell stories all the time - be it consciously or subconsciously. This we do to our

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Bring a Guest Day -You are invited!

We have now introduced ‘Bring a Guest’ day. This means your child can now bring in his/her best friend or family relative to come along and enjoy the day with them. They get to experience all the wonderful things we

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New Year’s Resolution tips for your child

Setting goals is a crucial part of your child’s development. This is because it teaches them how to be responsible. Your child will also learn how to make commitments and as well as follow through with them. A great example

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New Year’s Resolution for your child

As soon as the clock strikes midnight, and all the New Year wishes have been conveyed, the next task on the list is always what we’d like to do in the New Year. What will we resolve to do better,

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8 Ideal Maths learning resources to help your child

An ideal way for children to grasp many of the concepts in maths is for them to be able to have that physical interaction with it. This will include making sure problems have that real-world application as well as using

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Has time timed you out?

The biggest challenge as a busy parent could be finding the time to spend doing the things that matter with your child. This might be because you have a 9-5 job; you are out of the house very early and

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Boosting Your Child’s Immune System

While it is normal for your little kids to get a little under the weather with a fever, cough, or cold every now and then, what we don’t want is for the virus or bacteria to disrupt their development. When

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Starting with numbers

Understanding numbers is a crucial skill that toddlers need to learn. Children will experience and observe varied concepts of maths from infancy. Examples of this would be quantity comparison and pattern recognition. Children can be taught numbers in a fun

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Six Sizzling ideas to Make Learning More Fun For your child.

We can all relate to that all too familiar conversation with our child when they complain about a particular subject being ‘boring’ and how they have no interest in it. We, on the other hand, sympathise with our child and

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5 Tips to instilling Optimism in your Child

First of all, there are so many reasons why you would want your child to be an optimist. Any child who has plenty of enjoyable and positive experiences while growing up is more likely to grow up to become an

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Night of Fireworks Fun for the Family

As 5th November (Bonfire Night) descends upon us, we are geared up to have the night of our lives – the one night when we can go (literally) ballistic, and create the most dynamic and colourful scenes in the night

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6 effective tips to aid your child's listening skills

In order to properly comprehend, one should be able to: Absorb the given information Respond to the instructions that are given Feedback and share their thoughts, ideas and opinions Generally speaking, in order to comprehend well, one should be able

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October Half Term Activities

Yes, the October half-term break is literally upon us and we are in that position again where we need to think of what to do to keep the kids entertained and us sane at the same time. With so much

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Exam Preparations at Winter School

The Leaders are Readers Winter School is now in its 6th successful year. We value you as a parent and know the investment you make in your child will contribute towards their success in the January or February assessments for

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Helping your child become a Super Reader

We know that there are many benefits to reading. Reading can improve your vocabulary, command of the language as well as your communication skills. Reading is also the foundation for learning other subjects in school and in life! As your

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Structuring a good story

The most challenging aspect of story writing is coming up with the idea or inspiration as well as the structure. This can be the case for children and adults alike, but once these have been established, writing a story can

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What your response to WHY should be

If one was to ask parents what the most common word in their growing child’s vocabulary was, the answer would probably be a resounding – ‘WHY’…and why would that be do you think? It is because as humans, we like

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Telling tall tales

Charity we know, begins at home. This is the case with most traits and habits we have. We model our behaviour most times, on what we have seen in the home; how our parents and siblings react to each other

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How much time should your child spend on homework?

This is the question most parents would like to know – in the same way, we would also like to know how much time to allocate to extracurricular activities, socialising with other children, outdoor activities and so on. In as

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Advantage of a regular routine for your child

As humans, we all could do with some structure in our lives, which is what a regular schedule could provide for us. This is just as important in a child’s world as well and should ideally begin from day one.

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Back to school Prep

With a week or two left before the start of school and the days starting to get shorter, we need no second bidding, to get our kids prepped for the start of school. But how does that feel for your

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Leaders are Readers opens in Essex

LEADERS ARE READERS OPENS NEW CENTRE IN ROMFORD, ESSEX The award-winning Saturday school, Leaders are Readers, will be opening a new centre in Romford, Essex. The centre specialises in Reading, Maths and English tuition courses and equips young learners from

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Managing the Fussy Eater

Picking and choosing food is quite a common practice amongst children – especially toddlers . They just don’t trust themselves to try new types of food, which can drive some parents round the bend! Eating healthily is quite vital in

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Our aims and values

The pupils at Leaders are Readers are curious, independent learners, have a CAN-DO attitude, good manners, respect for others and are resilient. It is these values that provide a strong foundation as we support parents in their children’s academic success.

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Get a grip

Get a grip As parents, we do our best to look out for all the important elements in our children, on their learning journey, but one thing that tends to slip beneath the radar is the pencil grip. This is

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The importance of eating together as a family

In today’s ever fast-moving society, we are always in a hurry to get to where we need to be, which makes simple (and what used to be) normal activities such as eating together as a family, a special occasion nowadays.

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Why LaR Summer Camp?

Still in two minds about where to send your child this year? How about giving Leaders are Readers Summer Camp a try. And why us…you might ask. Well, there are quite a number of reasons why we should be the

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Interrupting the interruption

I’m sure we all have an example to share, of when we’ve either been on the phone, at the shops, speaking to people in person, with your child also wanting your attention at the same time; “Mum, can I get

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Celebrating the uniqueness in your child

In the same way that no two snowflakes or fingerprints are the same, every child is unique in their own special way. Every child has a unique way of feeling, thinking, and interacting with others. Some children maybe shy, while

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Reading the Papers

To discuss the overall benefits of reading would be to belabour the topic on this occasion, in our view. Why is this? Because we never pass up an opportunity to promote the endless benefits of reading; how important it is

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Managing Maths at Home

Maths is an essential skill that will be used throughout your child’s entire life and there is no getting away from it. Without maths, we could end up with a very challenging future. This is because it is interwoven into

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SATs Attack

It’s May and that spring feel is in the air, the flowers have started blooming and the weather is becoming more favourable.....such a lovely feeling. Just calls for a nice leisurely lounge in the garden, listening to the birds tweeting,

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Mind your Child

Leaving your child with someone else, even if it is a parent, a minder or a lifelong friend, is one of the hardest parts of becoming a parent. For many, however, that is the reality of life, after the birth of

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Is no rhyme time a crime?

Twinkle, Twinkle little star......how I wonder what you are. The first set of fun words for many, while growing up as toddlers. We sang along to the different types of nursery rhymes and also learned to exhibit the different types

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Help with Homework

At Leaders are Readers, we are always looking for the best ways to help us to help you and your child. These are done through reviews and feedback we receive from our parents as well as direct conversations we have

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Parent - Teacher Involvement. The key to your child's success

“Tell me I forget; teach me I remember and involve me I learn” -Ben Franklin- Parents play a very important part of the holistic development of the child. Parents are the first teachers of the child and the teacher

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Easter Break

Yep, the Easter break is here again and the question is; what do we do, especially with the kids...? Well fret not, we have compiled a list of tips to help out (you can thank us later!). Whether you are

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How to Motivate Your Child to Perform Better

A child is always very eager to learn about the things around them. They feel happy and contented upon fulfilling little fun-making tasks, but it would be up to you as their parent to make their activities more beneficial for

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How to Find Your Child’s Hidden Talent

To be a successful person in life, almost every person should dig-out his/her hidden talent to further prepare him/her for future accomplishments. Being parents, it is also very important to find out the area of interest and talent hidden in

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5 Tips to Enhance Your Child’s Communication Skills

The success of a child from a very early age depends on his/her better communication skills i.e. listening, hearing and speaking. We can help them utilize the most important skills used in everyday life to express themselves successfully in any

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Reading as a Stress Reliever

As humans, we all experience or go through stressful phases in our lives – no matter our age, and this includes children as well. There are different triggers in all of us, be that at work, play or otherwise. In

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World Book Day

Yes...World Book day is around the corner – Thursday 7th March to be exact and you have probably already received the notification from your child’s school about it being a non-uniform day and all that. The big question is.....what character

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Managing your child's anger

As a parent, you must be familiar with that situation when your child gets angry either because he/she didn’t get that snack they wanted, or because of that toy, the playmate refused to share. And do you remember your reaction

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Half Term is here!

Yes, half term has begun, so why not take advantage of the unusually mild weather and get the kids out and about over the next couple of days. We have compiled a few links to get you started: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on?f%5B0%5D=field_audience%3A2764 https://www.timeout.com/london/kids/

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Homeschooling anyone...?

Sometimes, parents opt to keep their children out of the formal school environment and have them taught at home instead. This was something that many people couldn’t fathom a while back, but in recent times, the idea has taken its

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Encouraging your child's development through play

We've all heard the term, "Oh, that's child's play." It implies something is easy, frivolous and unimportant in the overall scheme of things. But to a child, child's play is essential to their mental, social, emotional, and physical development. We

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Ready to Write...?

So your child is ready to get stuck into their creative writing piece and produce that written work of art. If your child is raring to go, this is great news In as much as you may now know what

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Top 5 ways to get the best out classroom sessions

As parents, when you drop our child off to school, your hope is for them to have a good day and you do so by wishing them one. Part of that wish is for them to be able to have

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The 4-step process for great creative writing

Creative writing can be so much fun when you know what to write about and how to set about writing. But if you don’t have a clue as to what you want to write about or don’t know how to

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Resolute Readiness for the New Year

For most of us, New Year means a time to look back and reflect on the last 12 months and make a conscious decision to do better in certain areas. This might be work, diet, relationship, getting up earlier etc

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Great winter warming meals for the family this season

Yep....it’s winter and as we feel the clutching claws of the cold gradually taking hold of the weather, our lust for going out and hanging about declines with each passing day that gets shorter and darker. As we turn to

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Top tips to keep your child warm this winter

With this year’s winter set to be one coldest in the last 10 years, and with arctic conditions being forecast, according to predictions from the weather forecasters, there is a picture of cold bleakness being painted. Having said that, a

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And the Winners Are...

Leaders are Readers Streatham recently ran a poetry competition, to commemorate National Poetry Day, which was on 4th October 2018. We invited young, budding writers to create a poem about this year’s exciting theme - CHANGE. The Prize Selected writers

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Children and chores

Messy living/bedroom floors, dirty dishes etc. and the list goes on. The ongoing situation with the chore wars. The burning question in parents is – whether to give or not to give chores to my child, after all, isn’t it

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Our Transitioning role as we go through Parenthood

We watch our children grow right before our very eyes. It seems like not long ago, when they were a baby learning to crawl, walk, and feed themselves, and now they're in school, taking part in activities, making friends, and

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How much homework is too much?

The question that is asked time and time again; how much time should be spent on homework? Very troubling for parents as we try to strike that balance between the amount of time and the quality of the time spent

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Your Child and Money

The topic of money is always a sensitive one and never really openly discussed amongst adults. We seem to box it away with the other sensitive topics like politics, religion etc In an ever-increasing capitalistic world, one thing we can

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Halloween Craft Ideas for the family

With Halloween just around the corner, There is no better way to get into the Halloween spirit but to do some fun Halloweeny crafts with the kids. We have put together some of the best Ideas for you and your kids

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What's on for Half-term?

Another half term break is upon us and with it comes the ever looming question....what do we do with the kids? Yes, the kids might be on a break from school, but they still need to be kept engaged, minds

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Secondary School Selection

If your child is in year 6, you should currently be in the process of thinking about which secondary school your child will be going to, come the 2019/20 school year. For some parents, the process can seem a bit

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SATs

Is your child in year 2 or 6 at the moment; gearing up to take the SATs tests next year? Well, get your diaries out and save the following dates: For KS2, as in 2018, the first test will be

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Reluctant Reader

We know that reading is quite important and will help in every area of learning; It increases our (general) knowledge, it improves our speaking and writing skills. It sparks imagination and stimulates curiosity. Let’s also not forget that through reading,

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Best Tech-free Activities for your toddler.

With there being more and more pressure on parents these days to enroll their toddlers in different types of innovative learning programs, you can often find yourself constantly on the lookout for games and activities that will excite your

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Quality time with your child

School is back in session and the general household routine has kicked in. In today's busy world, work, household chores, and social activities all put a strain on your time with your child. But as you well know, it is

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Getting to know your child's teacher

So the new school year has begun and the routine is beginning to normalise. Your child is settling into its new class and has possibly started to make new friends. And speaking of new, your child will most likely have

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Back-to-school brain-boosting bites

In the last post, we gave you our ultimate ‘to-do’ list ahead of the start of the school year. So you now have that down to a ‘T’, the next concern would be to make sure your child copes with

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Back to School

As the countdown begins for your child to go back to school, the panic sets in all over again, as it did at the beginning of the break. Is your child going back to its old school, or is he/she

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Tech and your Child

Computers were first welcomed into our homes about 40 years ago and fast forwarding to today, I think it is safe to say that you’d have to look very hard, to find a home that doesn’t have one. The introduction

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When 7+ and 11+ are around the corner

Whenever the 7+ and 11+ entrance tests draw closer, anxiety levels normally near combustion point with most of it coming from the parents! The truth of the matter is, parents normally feel the pressure more than their children do.....not sure

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Healthy Tips To Teach Your Child

According to scientists, the first ten years of our lives is the window of opportunity. It is therefore crucial that everything done at this time is geared towards nurturing a healthy and positive development in your child. As a

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Ten tips to help your child enjoy writing

Writing creatively, expresses thoughts and ideas in ways that are creative. Therefore, entertainment (writing to entertain) should be the main focus when doing creative writing. So how do we get these creative juices flowing in our little ones, in order

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Homework Hysteria

It’s that dreaded time of the day, when the call of homework gets louder and louder. Your child doesn’t want to do it and you are not looking forward to the struggle, debate or battle of wills that will

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When is the best time to teach my child to read?

Reading ready, or not...? As we bask in the joys of raising our children; watching them grow and take on new skills, accompanied by that feeling of pride at achieving success at every stage, there is that one stage that

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Why a Practice of Reading Rocks ...

Reading from a surface approach involves gathering facts and information, such as reading a bus timetable, restaurant menu or DIY instructions. We may also read fiction to be entertained or for the purpose of learning, in which case a deeper

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Does All Work Make Jack and Jackie Dull?

Does All Work Make Jack and Jackie Dull? Making the Most of School Holidays... The work-life balance is a tricky question for parents not just seeking to find a healthy balance in their own lives but also for their children,

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When National Offers Day Yields Head and Heartache

There is so much pressure on parents to make the 'right' choice of school, but the truth is there is no such thing as a perfect school. There will be things you like and things you dislike about it -

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Extra Academic Support or Not is the Red Hot Question

Following the Trend The January edition of School Report has published a series of articles exploring the role of extra pupil support based on the premise that parents are increasingly seeking extra help for their children’s academic success. Below is

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4 Key Reasons Why Parents are Choosing Supplementary

Supplementary Education: What's all the Fuss? Saturday Schools and supplementary tuition is providing a bridge for many parents and pupils, to make possible their academic goals that are beyond existing mainstream provision. Below is a list of the main reasons

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All Roads Start with Reading

Reading is more than an academic skill available to learn for ALL children in the UK. It is a life skill! Imagine life without the ability to read. Imagine how poor and limiting life might be when reading is less

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3 Essential Reasons for Setting Parenting Goals

As parents we have a general idea of how we want our children to turn out as adults and it usually includes being happy, healthy and successful. Do we hope for the best? How do we know that what we are

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How to Decide if a Tutor is Right for Your Child

The Power of One to One We just recently posted a question about tutoring vs Saturday school on Facebook, the response toward tutoring was positive. Rightly so, tutoring can provide individual support either for: Children with specific learning needs Children

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5 At-a-Glance Essentials of Story-Writing

There are many aspects of story-writing to delve into, such as who’s perspective is the story being told; the use of language and imagery, how to show the reader what is going on so that they experience the action, how to flesh-out

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9 Compelling Reasons for Reading Early

Why Teach a Baby to Read? Babies learn and absorb all that they see around them: they are constantly working at understanding their world. As a baby is open to understanding all that s/he sees, teaching some phonemes (sounds) from the things

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The 5 Building Blocks of Reading

When Is a Good Age for Your Child to Start Reading? Skilled reading comprehension is critical to modern life; success in education, productivity in society, and almost all types of employment require fast and thorough understanding of information from text.

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When Parents Can't Get Children to One of Our Centres...

We understand that not everyone can get to our centres, yet still want to provide their children with additional support resources and materials. We have some course materials that are available for sale if parents live too far to travel to one

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Special Needs Children: Early Parental Acceptance is Key

When a child is NOT developing according to the stages commonly understood as appropriate for their age...parents immediately worry/panic that 'something is wrong'. Often these fears are fuelled by well-meaning family and friends. In many cases the child is developing

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What Future Jobs will be Relevant for Your Child?

The fastest emerging careers today relate to fields like forensic science, health care, national security, geriatric care management, genetics, and cyber security. Computer security is also an already emerging speciality. Improved computer graphics have led to a variety of animation

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6 Vital Factors for Planning Success

The quote, ‘Plan your work…then work your plan’ by Margaret Thatcher is a well-used strategy and sentiment that's shared by many. Effective planning involves other key factors that lead to success. If taught to your children, it can become second

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School Readiness (Part 1)

3 Fundamental Questions All Parents Must Consider Are your children entering school with the social and cognitive skills and competencies needed for school success? Are schools in your area equipped and ready to provide optimal learning environments for your children?

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13 Formidable Reasons to Choose Leaders are Readers

Do you have the advantages of living in a neighbourhood with good schools and highly engaged parents? Research shows that there’s a direct correlation between academic success and those children who live in more affluent areas: the average ability is

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School Readiness (Part 2)

The Must-Have Strategy A personal parent’s strategy for school readiness recommends (according to a United Nations report), that the starting point is antenatal care; ensuring mother and child have all the required health and developmental checks during pregnancy and when

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4 Pluses for Developing a Strong Maths Foundation

Mathematics is advancing at a spectacular rate. Mathematics is about pattern and structure. When patterns are found for example, in widely different areas of science and technology, the mathematics of these patterns can be used to explain and control natural happenings and

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5 Components of a World-Class Education System

3 Things Parents Can Do to Up the Ante According to an international report by education firm Pearson: Finland and South Korea, are top of the list of 40 developed countries with the best education systems. Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore

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Hothousing our Little Ones

Intent on giving our children a head start in an increasingly competitive world is commonly known as hothousing; attempting to accelerate the development of children lest they get “left behind”. It comes from a well-meaning desire of wanting the best

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The Glory of Grammar: From Musty to Must

Grammar is in every sentence you read or write, speak or hear. ‘Grammar’ is simply the word for the rules that people follow to communicate with each other. Be aware of grammar. Think about grammar as you listen to ‘English natives’

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Does Your Child Have A Personal Learning Style?

Why Does it Matter that You Know Your Child's Learning Style? Howard Gardner created a theory about the different ways in which humans think and learn. His work challenged the narrow traditional views that were previously held about human intelligence: he

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Give Children Back their Childhood …

The Other Side of Hothousing Sometimes we get very committed parents, voicing their disapproval about tutoring and supplementary education. Sometimes they let us know of their children’s academic success WITHOUT such services and go on to tell us that they

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Does a Learning Objective Guarantee Classroom Learning?

Learning Objectives (LO) are commonly used in classes across the UK, but do they guarantee that learning has taken place in all cases? Are some pupils copying the LO and assuming that by writing it out learning will take place, whether they

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Why Summer School?

And why the Leaders are Readers Summer School? At the Leaders are Readers Summer School, teaching maths and English for two hours daily allows for intense focus on these subjects. This can be a big help when learning challenging topics which might have been tough

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Private Schools & Scholarships

Are Private Schools Only for Those That Can Pay? Despite the political pressure, independent schools have continued to dominate entry to the leading Russell Group universities and provide a lion's share of the candidates in shortage subjects, such as languages

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Non Verbal Reasoning - Why Bother?

Non-verbal reasoning questions appear in diagrammatic and pictorial form. Their function is to develop core cognitive skills, including logic and reasoning, visual memory, short/long term memory and processing speed of the brain. With developed cognitive skills, children can process new

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Sparking the Hearts & Minds of Our Young

How to Cultivate a Love of Poetry in Your child "The poet's aim is to blend in one the delightful and the useful" - Horace. Parents will want to give their child a positive experience. Short poems that get to

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What Parents Need to Know: to Get Their Child Into a Selective School

If you are hoping to get your child into a private, independent or selective school, then finding the right support is all-important. No matter how bright your child may be, learning how to pass entrance exams is the key to getting in. Competition for

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100 Must Read Books

Your Love Affair With Books... After a long day of tasks completed and ticked off or on the way or abandoned, how great is it to curl up in bed - with a good book, allowing yourself to be swept

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6 Must-Have Skills for Successful Studying

Successful students take time to step back from their studies and examine what they are doing and how they are doing it. They may not spend any more time or effort on study and assignments than do their less successful

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Leaders are Readers Blog

Tips on what to do this Christmas with the family

How to tell if registering your child for the 11+ Exams is the right choice for your child.

Tips on how to help your child master their motor skills

Tips on how to instill the habit of writing in your child

Importance of Learning Independently

Recommended Reading books for 7-9 year olds

Now Open Everyday!

What is the right age to start your child off with tuition?

Strategies to strengthen comprehension in your child

Everything you need to know about us in a nutshell

How you can help your child to stop making silly mistakes

Why you need to read this before looking for a maths tutor

A tip to encourage creative writing in your child

Create consistency as a recipe for success in your child

6 ways that you can begin promoting a positive mindset in your child today.

Here’s why our Language Sense Programme works

Sizzling suggestions to help your child savour the summer season

5 great ideas on what to do with the kids outdoors

How mental is your child's maths?

Reasons to sign up for our Summer School

5 things you might be doing to put your child off reading

Paying attention to your Child

Leaders are Readers Summer Programme

Benefits of Peer Tutoring and Peer Assistance

Reasons to promote teamwork in your child

Parental Involvement in a child’s learning

Leaders are Readers Online Homework Assistance Service (OHAS) Reloaded

Leaders are Readers Afterschool Classes

Watching out for your Child's Emotional Well-Being

Inspiring your Child to Feel Important

Are you controlling or in control of your child?

4 Ideas to Supercharge Your child’s learning habits this year

New Year Resolutions for your Child

Virtual Christmas Ideas this year

Getting to grips with your gifted child

4 Ways your child can benefit from Creative Writing

Exciting News!!

The four things you should be doing to help your child succeed in school

To Trick or Treat, or Not this year….?

Tips for October half term 2020

Phonics Screening Test Explained

Leaders are Readers Update

Enhancing Fine Motor Skills in your Child

Going back to school after the lockdown

Ideas for the family over the Bank Holiday weekend – August 2020

Promoting Positive Discipline without Hurting your Child

How to kickstart a love of learning in your child

How computer games can complement your child’s creative genius

Tackling your toddler’s temper tantrums

Leaders are Readers Dartford, Essex and Southgate Centres

Great Tips for Teaching Children Science

Configuring the parent community at school

The Hype about Home-schooling

How physical activity can boost learning

Black Lives Matter

Tackling that tricky class topic

Leaders are Readers Saturday Online Classes

Helping your child retain information

Victory over Vocabulary

Great ideas to reward your child

Learning Online with Leaders are Readers

Promoting self-expression in your child

Update from our CEO

Locked down with the kids at home

Best Benefits of Playtime

Letter from our CEO

Chatting to your child about COVID-19

World Book Day 2020

Three tips on how to untwist yourself from your child’s finger

The 5 successful traits of an intelligent child

6 great tips to Teach Your Children about gratitude

8 Reasons why you should read to your child

5 Great Tips to Help Your Child Get More Exercise

Three brilliant activities to stimulate story telling in your child

Bring a Guest Day -You are invited!

New Year’s Resolution tips for your child

New Year’s Resolution for your child

8 Ideal Maths learning resources to help your child

Has time timed you out?