Deciding what is the best education for your child can be daunting. Our blog offers news, views and thought leadership articles to help you stay informed.
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How We Use Educational Technology to Support Learning26th April 2022At St. Margaret’s we are committed to inspiring our pupils every day, while ensuring our teachers are equipped with the very best learning tools and resources. To that end, we are delighted to have introduced artificial intelligence (AI)-powered learning platforms CENTURY and LbQ to our classrooms. -
Pupil Wellbeing and Mental Health8th October 2021At St. Margaret's we take the wellbeing and mental health of our pupils, families and staff very seriously, as our SENCO and Mental Health & Wellbeing Lead, Mrs Blackburne explains. Promoting good mental health is part of what we all do, as teachers, every day. Both in what we say and what we do. It runs through all our aims and is reflected in our -
Prioritising safety in a digital learning environment24th May 2021We’re so proud of the way our pupils have responded to being back in the classroom since we re-opened last term. There is clear enthusiasm for face-to-face collaboration, and we have witnessed a boost of renewed energy in lessons. The last period of home learning was undoubtedly a tough time for both children and parents yet the ways in which the St. Margaret’s pupils responded to that change was uplifting. Our 1-to-1 device programme means that all Prep children now have their own personal device for ongoing use and will continue to build their digital literacy and independence in learning. -
Impact of COVID on young children’s language & communication: Are you worried that your Reception child has fallen behind?10th May 2021A recent COVID impact study reports that children aged 4 and 5 years old (Reception) are struggling with language and communication development. The schools surveyed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) are also reporting their concerns around their pupils’ personal, social and emotional development. At St. Margaret’s our Reception children benefit from small class sizes, high staff-to-pupil ratios and specialist teaching. Following the first lockdown last Summer, our Nursery team assessed each child on their return to school in June and liaised closely with the Reception team over each child's learning journey. Children were then assessed again when they came into Reception in September, with the teaching then tailored to focus on key academic and developmental areas, at a suitable pace. The children that were new to the school were provided extra support where necessary to help them settle in and catch up. -
Now is the best time to invest in your child’s future: Are you thinking of moving from state to independent education?29th March 2021There has never been a trickier time to be a parent of a school age child. Lockdowns, online learning and being stuck at home 24/7 has been a very challenging time for both children and their parents. In this strange new educational landscape, you might be rethinking what to do about your child’s schooling. Perhaps their current school’s home learning programme has left you concerned, or you’re worried they have fallen behind and need a more personalised teaching approach. -
Choosing a School: A guide for first-time school parents26th November 2020Choosing your child’s first school can be a daunting time, and even more so during the current climate when it’s not possible to visit and see the school in action. To help, our Head of Early Years, Mrs Louise Laurie, suggests five things to look for. -
The best start in life: five things to look for when choosing a nursery20th October 2020Choosing a nursery is a huge decision. We know how difficult it is for parents to leave their children in somebody else’s care, especially during a global pandemic. Added to the abundance of information out there, it can all get a bit overwhelming! Mrs Louise Laurie, our Head of Early Years, suggests five things to look for to give your child the very best start in life. -
Private education: Is it right for your family?8th October 2020It can be a minefield when making decisions about your child’s education, with a whole host of options available including state school, private school, single sex school, boarding school, the list goes on. Ultimately, you need to review your options based on what is right for your individual child and your family. -
Creating a firm foundation: The benefits of starting education early3rd July 2020Here at St. Margaret’s Prep, the benefits of children starting education early are clear. Our educational journey is inspired by research into early education which suggests that children starting pre-school from as young as 2-3 years old may be better equipped with language acquisition and social skills. -
Virtually Open: Supporting our children in this new world of online teaching and learning15th April 2020These are uncertain times as a parent. As well as not being able to tell your child what is or is not going to happen in the coming weeks, you will also need to oversee their learning at home. It is natural that you may feel anxious about this. Children have infinite capacity to adapt and technology does not scare them. The staff are working extremely hard to continue to bring our children stimulating and stretching lessons through other means. They will very much still be developing the skills they need for the future. -
Starting 'big' school: A guide for parents6th April 2020School allocation day is always an anxious time for parents, but during the current school closures, you might be having doubts about your choices, about what happens next or you might just want someone to speak to. Head of Early Years, Louise Laurie has some advice for preparing your child for Reception. -
Accelerate your child’s learning: the benefits of learning modern languages at a young age16th July 2019The world is more connected than ever with advanced technology and travel options, the better the communication is, the stronger these connections become. Learning modern languages can be great preparation for the future in our young people amongst other academic and developmental reasons. In today’s modern world, people are much more mobile and they’re not necessarily staying in the same country that they were born in. The world is becoming multilingual and preparing younger generations for this is more important than ever. In this blog article, we will be explaining what some of these advantages are and how they can accelerate learning for younger children.
At St. Margaret’s we are committed to inspiring our pupils every day, while ensuring our teachers are equipped with the very best learning tools and resources. To that end, we are delighted to have introduced artificial intelligence (AI)-powered learning platforms CENTURY and LbQ to our classrooms.
LbQ (Learning by Questions) is a multi-award winning teaching and learning platform. It won the Teach Primary 5 Star Award and was finalist for the Bett Awards Primary and Secondary Content of 2021.
Developed by the edtech pioneers who first revolutionised classrooms by introducing the world to the Interactive White Board, they have spent more than a decade developing a unique platform that is not only engaging for children but can also help them get a term ahead in an academic year. Their research has been gathered from pedagogical studies, feedback surveys and hours upon hours of working alongside educators to distil what really moves the needle for children in the classroom.
What our pupils say:
“LbQ is an amazing online learning app. I love how the questions get harder as you go along because it challenges you. LbQ has a feature where you can get a whiteboard on the screen and I think that is really good because it is important to show your workings out. Probably for me though the best feature is if you get a question wrong, you get the chance to do it again and every time it gives you another clue to help you work the question out. I think this really helps, especially if you are stuck. It’s also really good for my learning because it tells you what mistakes you have made.”
“I really like LbQ because you can improve on your mistakes, if you get it wrong you have the choice for another try, it will also give you a hint. It’s also great because your teacher can see privately if you are struggling, so you don’t have to ask in front of the whole class and they can help. I really like that your teacher can easily see how many tries you took, and if you gave up or if you persevered!”
CENTURY is the tried and tested intelligent intervention tool that combines artificial intelligence with the latest research in learning science and neuroscience. This platform supports our personalised approach to learning and independent learning.
As pupils use CENTURY to study and answer questions, the AI constantly calculates their strengths and areas for improvements, creating a tailored, individual learning pathway for them. With automated questions, pupils receive instant feedback on CENTURY, and parents can be confident that their work will be pitched at the right level for them.
What our teachers say:
“I’m able to set individualised pathways for my pupils, both in lessons and for homework. It is reassuring to know that the platform is responsive to the pupil’s progress allowing me to closely monitor performance in real time.”
The move to these AI-powered platforms came from our Covid-related transformation programme in which all pupils in Year 3 and above are equipped with their own personal laptop for use in school and at home.
It has been helpful in developing skills that for us are just vital – the possibility of developing independence in our pupils, to own their learning, so that they know where they are and where they want to go. And also to reflect on how far they have come.
If you would like to find out more about our approach to teaching, including our digital strategy, to prepare our pupils for a bright future, please do contact us admissions@stmargaretsprep.com or 01787 273 050.
