Resources: Education and Learning
Staffordshire County Council is committed to providing learning opportunities to the local community for residents of all ages.
Staffordshire Family Learning
The Staffordshire Community Family Learning Service offers a wide range of free, fun and creative ways of learning with your children and supporting their education.
They also give you a chance to share ideas with other parents and develop your own skills. You also benefit by understanding how children learn and how best to support them.
All family learning courses are delivered online or in community venues and are fully funded and available to Staffordshire residents aged 19+ and their children free of charge. You can browse and search all of the current family learning courses on the community learning course directory.
Early Years, birth to three years
Talking to young children helps them become good communicators, which is essential if they are to do well at school and lead happy, fulfilled and successful lives. The talk to your baby website includes a wide range of free downloadable resources as well as many useful links to help develop babies communication skills.
Reggio Emilia - Approach to learning
The 'Reggio' approach was developed for municipal child-care and education programs serving children below six. The approach requires children to be seen as competent, resourceful, curious, imaginative, inventive and possess a desire to interact and communicate with others
Handwriting
There are many handwriting resources available to help develop your writing style, improve your spelling or improve your handwriting in general.
KBER is a website run by Kath Balcombe who has written and published a number of books and other resources including software, which she has developed from her time teaching, with many ideas and initiatives coming from the pupils themselves. These resources are available to view and purchase from her website.
Writing Competition - 247tales holds an online writing competition for 10 - 16-year-olds which challenges them to write short stories using 247 words or fewer
Reading
The Schools Library Association provides the Riveting Reading Series of books which are aimed at young people in Key Stages 2 or 3. There are many books in the series which cover a wide variety of topics.
Chatterbooks is a reading group programme for children aged four to twelve which is all about encouraging a love and enjoyment of reading. Chatterbooks also run offers, promotions and competitions throughout the year.
Myths & Legends offer support and encouragement to children and provide teachers with classroom resources.
The Well-Trained Mind is a guide to classical education at home and offers a step-by-step guide to the classical pattern of education called the trivium. Thousands of parents have used the curricula, books lists, and methods of The Well-Trained Mind to teach their children successfully at home-either full-time or as a supplement to classroom education.
Communication
Communication is a vital skill that all children need to learn. Talking Point provides parents and carers the information they need to help their children develop these skills. If your child has difficulties with speech, language and communication, there are lots of resources available to help aid their development.
Learning another language is a useful skill and one which will greatly improve your communication skills. Language Guide is a collaborative project to develop an interactive, sound-integrated language learning resources which includes European & Asian Languages.
Mathematics
Weblinks - Pre-school, Maths Games for Early Years on the abc website, (an Australian site). 'Fish Alive, Count with Lecky' and 'Compare and Order' are all on the crickweb website. Primary & Secondary Free Maths Resources at Mathskit
Carol Vordeman - Mathematics online - private purchased service.
Nrich, University of Cambridge
A good understanding of mathematics is an important part of scientific and technological thinking. Online Problem Solving challenges and more.
InterHigh
An independent virtual school on the internet! This website will introduce you to a new type of school. Founded in September 2005, Inter High School offers a complete secondary school education on the internet. Lessons are delivered by teachers and the pupils logging into virtual classrooms. How does this work?
Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills
A Framework of Skills: Independent Enquirers, Creative Thinkers, Reflective Learners, Team Workers, Self Managers, Effective Participators. For each of the six groups of skills there is a focus statement accompanied by a set of outcome statements. When used with a young person these can be "traffic lighted" - Green (embedded), Orange, (emerging), Red (not yet in place).
Study Skills - Education Corner
Khan Academy - Learn almost anything for free
Think! Education road safety - helpful guidance, activities and resources.
SEN : Parent Partnership - This service is for parents and carers of children, aged 0 to 19, with special educational needs. Guidance for parents on Dyslexia.
AbilityNet - is a national charity helping disabled adults and children use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their technology. For more information on AbilityNet.
Autism
National Autistic Society (NAS) is the leading charity providing guidance, support and campaigns for a better world for people with autism.
Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people (CYP) with autism. They provide services, raise awareness and understanding, and influence policy. They exist to enable children with autism to learn, thrive and achieve. Through TreeHouse School they provide specialist education.
Dyslexia in Staffordshire
"Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and / or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the "word level" and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities."
(British Psychological Society (1999).
Dyslexia can also cause unexpected and persistent difficulties in acquiring numeracy skills and spoken language. There may be accompanying weaknesses in the skills that support personal organisation, for example, speed of processing, short term memory sequences and possible weaknesses in auditory and/ or visual perception
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) estimates that 10% of the population are dyslexic- 6% demonstrating mild dyslexic tendencies, but 4% of these are severely dyslexic
Psychologists Anywhere Anytime
An online resource helping each visitor to grow both emotionally and intellectually and, thus, help you to understand more, feel better, be more satisfied and productive, and improve the depth and quality of your life.
The William Salt Library
This has a huge collection of printed books, pamphlets, manuscripts, drawings, watercolours, and transcripts. The Library's collections represent an outstanding resource for the study of local and family history in Staffordshire and are available for consultation by the public in their reading rooms free of charge.
For more information regarding The William Salt Library see our public website pages.
Staffordshire Library Service
Music Resources
If you are looking for music resources then take a look at teaching resources for music.
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
Find out what's on now!
"It's a lovely theatre... there's always a warm welcome"
- BBC Radio Stoke
The Albrighton Trust
This charity provides educational, recreational and leisure facilities for mentally, physically and sensory disabled users.
RAF Cosford
The RAF Museum Cosford aims to preserve an important part of Britain's national aviation heritage and to display it for future generations. The Cosford Aircraft Collection includes British, German, American, Japanese and Argentinian airplanes, all with an important place in the development of military aviation history. Cosford also hosts an extensive missile collection, including unique, early German experimental missiles, a Transport and Training airplane collection as well as a Research and Development collection.
Located in Shropshire just 40 minutes from Stafford the Cosford site also houses the National Cold War Exhibition which details the history of the Cold War from 1945 to 1991. This National Collection is FREE and offers those that are home educating an essential experience at any level of need. Highly recommended.
Galore Park
Galore Park provides a refreshing change from the National Curriculum based textbooks available on the High Street.
Catholic Heritage Curricula - CHC
It is Catholic Heritage Curricula's belief that, when solid academics are offered in a gentle, flexible manner, the vast majority of children will blossom spiritually, emotionally, and academically. CHC's educational approach lays a joyful foundation, resulting in children who achieve at and above grade level, do not 'burn out,' and instead 'learn how to learn'.
Parents in Touch
Guidance for Home Educators. 4,000 Worksheets to choose from. A year's subscription for just £9.95.
Little Arthur Education service supporting Home Educators
Little Arthur Independent School in the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, is geared exclusively to the needs of home-educated children, offering a personalized educational service for 11 - 16-year-olds.
Structured Home Learning
Established in 2005 Structured Home Learning has been working in the home education sector, designing and supplying home education materials.
GCSE & A Level qualifications - Oxford Home Schooling
Oxford Home Schooling can provide a private alternative if you are looking to purchase this?
International Correspondence School (ICS) - GCSE, A LEVEL and IGCSE
IGCSEs provide a robust academic qualification, a bit like the 'O' Levels of old. You don't have to complete lots of coursework during the course, but will be tested via written exams at the end. As a distance learning student, this will help you to manage your time and plan your studies....more IGCSE and home page.
The London Art College - opportunities for home educators.
The London Art College provide two courses designed especially for the young artist, whether being home schooled, wanting a little extra help outside school, or just for the child's sheer enjoyment. Our courses are suitable for ages 7 to 14 are hands-on courses that introduce the young student to an understanding of how to draw and use colour in an interesting and captivating way. Both courses are fully illustrated with easy to understand colour step-by-step guides and exercises.
Museums and Galleries
Worcester Medical Museum Teaching Resources.
Tate Modern Kids
Tate Modern Kids resources.
Cornucopia, is an online database of information about more than 6,000 collections in the UK's museums, galleries, archives and libraries. Whether you are interested in painters or politicians, dinosaurs or space travel, the Romans or the Victorians, Cornucopia can tell you what is available and where to see it.
National Extension College (NEC)
NEC is the UK's leading provider of flexible home study courses leading to recognised qualifications. You can get ahead with more than 44 subjects to choose from - GCSEs, IGCSEs, and A levels.
College Atlas, USA
Study skills guides for colleges students were designed with college students in mind. Time management, note-taking, reading comprehension, essay writing, test taking, active listening, stress management, researching, and memorization are only a few of the topics addressed in the study skills guides for college students.
Noteworthy Composer!
Noteworthy Composer is a software music composition and notation processor for Windows. It allows you to create, record, edit, print and play back your own musical scores in pure music notation.
History Learning online
A good starting point for those interested in learning history online. The site includes a wide range of general and A-Level history resources covering Ancient Rome, Medieval England, Tudor England, Stuart England, World War One, World War Two, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany and inventions of the Twentieth Century.
The Great War Archive
The First World War Poetry Digital Archive from Oxford University, includes materials about Wilfred Owen, Isaac Rosenberg, Roland Leighton, Robert Graves, Edward Thomas and Vera Brittain and now (hooray!) David Jones. They are also developing resources and tools for learning and teaching.
The Great War Archive, sits alongside the poetry materials and brings together material about the First World War held by members of the public to help keep the memory alive of the sacrifices made during World War One. The full collection was made available free of charge via the Web on the 11th November 2008, the 90th anniversary of the Armistice.
Imperial War Museum
From the World Wars to the Cold War, Their Past Your Future from the Imperial War Museum gives history teachers and students in UK schools everything they need to explore the course, causes and consequences of conflict from the First World War to today.
Learning Resources
Booking a school visit to Parliament
Telephone lines are open to book a school trip to Parliament and access free educational resources. Phone 0207 219 4496 or find out more information at Houses of Parliament.
How do you make the news interesting, relevant and digestible for children?
As a parent or grandparent, do you worry that your children or grandchildren are growing up with very little interest or understanding of the important issues and events that affect us all?
How do you even begin to explain the complicated political, economic, environmental and technological issues we read and hear about every day?
The difference in the way that First News present the news is that they do not assume children know the background to a situation such as the issues in the Middle East. They put each news story in context and use graphics to make it exciting, impartial and engaging. First News introduces children to the news in a trusted environment with a newspaper written just for them.
Royal Shakespeare Company RSC
The Royal Shakespeare Company has just launched a Resource Bank on the RSC Education web pages to help you easily find all their educational content.
The Resource Bank has been developed in consultation with teachers and from their feedback they have created production photo galleries, video archives and extra written resources for teachers : this is a MUST for all aspiring thespians or just for those wishing to learn more about the Bard.
AccessArt
Visual arts learning resources for all ages, all abilities.
Join the brand new AccessArt Holiday Club! Aimed at children aged 6 to 12 who like making, the AccessArt Holiday Club delivers fun and engaging sculpture holiday activities straight to your email, throughout the year.
Access to the Holiday Club members area with online workshops, making tips, materials information, gallery, ask the artist and more.
Makes an ideal and creative gift: £28 per year.
Staffordshire STEMCentre
Staffordshire STEMCentre is a not for profit organisation providing enrichment and enhancement of the STEM curriculum. We design and deliver an evolving range of innovative activities for schools and colleges that are curriculum focussed.
These activities reflect changes in society and the future skills agenda. In supporting Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) across the 4-19 year age range we work closely with industrial partners. We also support and broker a wide range of national schemes developed to meet the needs and interests of young people.
Contact the centre
To register for all downloadable resources and gain access to the website or for further information:
Genes to Cognition (G2C) Online
This is about modern neuroscience. Very good 3D modelling for example see the brain section.