Who Supports the Supporters?

Early years managers are often the figureheads of their settings, quietly keeping everything running – organising admin, leading practice, and ensuring the environment is the best it can be. They are the steady anchor for their teams, grounding, guiding, and nurturing practitioners, support staff, parents and carers, and, of course, the children who deserve the…

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The North Tyneside Schools Dance Festival: The Living World 2026

This month we saw dance take over 65 North Tyneside schools. They joined our PE, School Sport and Physical Activity (PESSPA) team for our annual dance festival, to celebrate movement and expression of “The Living World” (this year’s theme).    Seven packed shows  Pupils and staff presented their pieces which they had been preparing since the start of the academic year. The PESSPA team hosted seven shows and three dress rehearsal days at The Parks Sports Centre in North Shields and the Whitley Bay Playhouse. …

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A focus on fluency

Three shelves full of books to promote reading fluency.

What is Reading Fluency? There is often a misconception amongst pupils (and sometimes adults) that being a fluent reader means being a fast reader. Fluency involves the ability to read smoothly, accurately, and with expression. This will mean that the reader takes note of punctuation, phrases and clauses, along with how text is presented, to…

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Using poetry in teaching: A Tool for the Classroom

Poetry is a little like Marmite – you either love it or hate it! This may be based on your own experiences when you were younger, or it is not a genre you have ventured to explore. Poetry is not just about rhymes and verses; it is a powerful tool that can transform the learning…

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Rhymes with a message

Father Holding A Book Beside His Child

Next week is World Nursery Rhyme Week – an annual event founded since 2013. The initiative highlights the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development, focusing on benefits like language, literacy, and motor skills. This year’s event takes place over five days from the 10th to the 14th November. Our fifth and final article…

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Maths with Nursery Rhymes: A Guide for Early Years

Girl in Yellow and White Dress Learning To Count With Her Fingers

Next week is World Nursery Rhyme Week – an annual event founded since 2013. The initiative highlights the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development, focusing on benefits like language, literacy, and motor skills. This year’s event takes place over five days from the 10th to the 14th November. Our fourth article in this series…

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Melody, Memory and Prosody: Tuning in to Nursery Rhymes

AI generated image showing a range of characters from nursery rhymes dancing in front of a page of musical notes.

Next week is World Nursery Rhyme Week – an annual event founded since 2013. The initiative highlights the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development, focusing on benefits like language, literacy, and motor skills. This year’s event takes place over five days from the 10th to the 14th November. This second in our series…

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The Power of Nursery Rhymes

Children and a teacher playing simple instruments and signing

Next week is World Nursery Rhyme Week – an annual event founded since 2013. The initiative highlights the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development, focusing on benefits like language, literacy, and motor skills. This year’s event takes place over five days from the 10th to the 14th November. This first in our series…

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The Importance of Music Education in Primary Schools

The importance of music education in primary schools cannot be overstated. It plays a vital role in children’s development, bringing joy while shaping cognitive, emotional, and social skills. The UK’s National Plan for Music Education (NPME) emphasizes the need for every child to access high-quality music education from an early age, highlighting its essential role…

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FIRST LEGO League 2025/26 – Unearthed

We are delighted to be launching another FIRST LEGO League season across the North East, as we dig deep into the new ‘Unearthed’ season. Students will explore this year’s archeological theme as they take on the biggest STEM programmes in the world! Around 1000 young people will put their team work, problem solving, coding and…

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