Managing ‘Big’ Behaviour as Parents and Teachers – Putting out the fires

January 24, 2023.Reading time 8 minutes.

A question I am often asked by both our parents and teachers is how best to respond to children’s ‘big’ behaviour, such as anxiety, anger, aggression, acting up or confrontation. And, although there is no one-size-fits all answer, and I am not an expert in each and every child, I certainly concur with Australian psychologist […]

Thoughts on Martin Luther King Day

January 24, 2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

Last week marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the USA. Building on our broader school PSHEE theme of Dreams and Goals, Friday’s Whole School Assembly focused on the work of Dr King, and his “I have a dream” speech in particular. Martin Luther King Jr Day takes place on the third Monday in January. […]

Pondering some of the thorniest questions that have occupied philosophers for thousands of years…

January 19, 2022.Reading time 4 minutes.

This term, we are going to be pondering some of the thorniest questions that have occupied philosophers for thousands of years in a very child–friendly way. What are the unique qualities or characteristics that make a human being? What defines a person? What makes people distinctive from other species? Is it our ability to think […]

Metacognition…. thinking about thinking

October 11, 2021.Reading time 4 minutes.

As a school this week we have been focusing on our metacognition, which one of our Year 2 children described crisply as, “Thinking about thinking”. Although many writers struggle to define this key intellectual characteristic, essentially metacognition is a type of thinking in which children reflect on their learning and on their own cognitive process. […]