Description: Callie is a primary school teacher, turned Telios online tutor from Bedfordshire. With over 4 years teaching experience, she delivers learning focused and engaging sessions for KS1 and KS2 pupils. Here, she shares her top 5 Maths and English resources for parents to use at home.
During Covid, parents have faced the unprecedented task of becoming their child’s teacher, (as well as parent, nurse, friend, entertainer, this list goes on!). Whilst this has been manageable for some, for others it has been a monumental challenge. With the opening of schools for all pupils still uncertain, and a possible lapse in academic attainment from this period, many of you will still be fretting about how to continue helping your child to catch up.
Limited time and resources make finding quality educational material a challenge, which is why I have come up with a top 5 teacher recommended list of primary school resources. They are all currently
free to use and easy for children to do independently.
- Maths Mastery – Home learning packs
Maths Mastery is a program used by many schools with an aim of deepening pupils’ understanding of maths. Here, they provide a huge range of home learning packs that are designed to allow pupils to work independently, and parent packs which contain guidance for helping your child, and the answers! 
An example of a year 3 workbook
- Audible Books – Free to listen
This could be my very favourite resource for home learning out there! All of the children’s books on Amazon’s audible website are free to listen to, whilst schools are closed. Take advantage of this now! If you are not sure where to start, The Radio Times have made a top 30 recommendation list here.
Play the audio straight from your device
- Phonics – Read Write Inc
For parents of KS1 pupils, you may be worried about how to support them in learning to read. Read Write Inc are providing by far the most free resources I have seen when researching, and are a program taught by so many schools.
A screenshot of Callie using RWI phonics during an online tutoring session
- Literacy Counts – Home learning packs
Literacy Counts is an English consultancy company that provides training to schools. They are currently offering free downloadable packs for every year group, covering reading, writing and spelling activities. Another great resource that pupils can do independently.
An example of a year 4 workbook
- BBC Bitesize – Daily Lessons
Easy to use, simple explanations, no printing involved. If you haven’t used BBC Bitesize’s activities yet, get yourself acquainted now! Even if your child followed this program during lockdown, I highly recommend recapping these lessons to lock it into your child’s long term memory.
The year 5 Daily Lesson homepage
I believe structured and purposeful home learning is vital to go alongside school and tutoring, so I am always on the lookout for great resources that I can provide to the families I work with.
Here’s an example lesson on fractions I delivered for a Year 4 student performing at the national average.
Interested in working with Callie? Contact us today.