2020-06-17 09:11
Hello, my name is Jennie and I am a home educating teacher mummy based in Kent.
I am incredibly excited to be collaborating with PlanBee over the coming year and would like to introduce myse… Read More
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The Planbee Blog
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UK education blog by a team of former primary school teachers. Teaching advice, classroom tips, education news and the results of our teacher surveys.
2020-05-19 08:48
According to our recent survey, most parents are spending fewer than 3 hours a day on directed teaching time. That leaves a lot of extra time to fill in the day. Many parents are understan… Read More
2020-05-11 10:52
Playing is fun and everyone does it, probably more than they realise. We play to find out how something works, we play to unwind, we play to build connections with others.
… Read More
2020-05-05 13:38
Keeping children engaged during lockdown is the greatest challenge for parents, according to a new home school UK survey.
Aside from juggling work commitments with home learning, UK parents'… Read More
2020-05-04 11:49
World Mental Health Week starts on 18th of May 2020. The theme for this year is kindness. While we are all socially distancing, acts of kindness now are maybe more important than ever. Think… Read More
2020-04-24 08:07
These Olympic Facts for KS2 Children and Teachers are great for helping your class learn about the Olympics for themselves...and to help you brush up on your own Olympic knowledge!
When di… Read More
2020-04-21 09:15
Choosing work to send home for parents to do with your class can be challenging. You need lessons that don’t require a lot of resources, that parents will be able to deliver easily and… Read More
2020-04-20 11:14
Talking about illness and bereavement are incredibly challenging conversations to have. It can be tempting to try and shield children from difficult information, but they are likely to overh… Read More
2020-04-02 12:58
Hi everybody - thank you for taking part in our English session all about the story of The Gingerbread Man. In case you missed it, here's the video:
If you're new to our live home lear… Read More
2020-04-02 12:46
Hi everybody - thank you for taking part in our Art session all about Japanese anime/Manga art. In case you missed it, here's the video:
If you're new to our live home learning session… Read More
2020-04-02 11:47
Hi everybody - thank you for taking part in our History session all about ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. In case you missed it, here's the video:
If you're new to our live home learni… Read More
2020-04-02 11:36
Hi everybody - thank you for taking part in our English session all about evacuees during the Second World War. In case you missed it, here's the video:
If you're new to our live home… Read More
2020-03-31 08:45
Do you know the difference between EAL and MFL? Your CT from your TA? If not, don’t fret! PlanBee are here to help you work out who or what WALT and WILF are using this handy Teacher-s… Read More
2020-03-30 14:10
One of the beautiful things about being a teacher and getting the chance to work with young children is that you get the opportunity to see them learn how to socialise and start to develop… Read More
2020-03-30 12:11
Hi everybody! Thank you so much again for joining me for 'Rainforest Art' (Friday 27th March 2020). I had so much fun drawing rainforest animals with you! Here's the video, in case you misse… Read More
2020-03-30 11:25
Easter is an important celebration for children to learn about. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate it with your children, check out our easy Easter activities for kids in KS1 and… Read More
2020-03-26 15:34
Across the nation, parents are suddenly faced with the prospect of supporting their children’s education. Waking up and realising it wasn’t all a dream...and wondering if we have… Read More
2020-03-18 15:32
Working out the best way to help your class continue learning while schools are closed is going to be a challenge. Here is the PlanBee guide to general things to think about, and some resour… Read More
2020-03-18 14:25
We’re all scrabbling around in the dark trying to work out the best way to cope with school closures and Easter holidays in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. If your children are at… Read More
2020-03-04 15:16
Chocolate is an ever-popular topic to explore with primary school children! Check out these fascinating chocolate facts for KS2 children and teachers. You might find out some surpr… Read More
2020-02-28 14:29
It’s the evening before World Book Day and, as usual, you haven’t had a minute to get a costume together. But fear not! We have a list of easy World Book Day costumes for teacher… Read More
2020-02-17 15:06
The results of our 2020 survey show that teachers are dealing with the consequences of unrestricted internet access.
In February 2020, we asked primary school teachers of nine- to eleven… Read More
2020-02-06 14:40
Space is a fascinating topic to study with your class. Check out these fun and informative space facts for KS2 children:
What is the universe?
The Universe is everything! It comprises every… Read More
2020-02-06 09:51
Freshen up your planning with these adaptable, quick and easy plenary ideas.
Here at PlanBee, I—and the rest of our small team of former primary teachers—often draw upon our p… Read More
2020-02-04 15:06
What is fair trade?
Fair trade allows farmers to be paid a fair price for the things they make and to have better working conditions. Some products that do not have a fair trade l… Read More
2020-01-31 16:25
Setting up an Art Club but no idea where to start? Or perhaps your Art Club is already well established and you’re looking for some fresh ideas. Either way, these easy Art Club ideas f… Read More
2020-01-30 15:40
With more easily-accessible routes into teaching and a starting salary of £26,000, is now a good time to get into 'the most noble profession'?
The battle to end the teacher retentio… Read More
2020-01-23 11:07
Guest post by Nicola Braund, a UK home educator and blogger.
I first discovered Home Education in 2001 when I met a Home Educating family. It wasn't very popular back then and not ma… Read More
2020-01-23 10:02
Our up-to-date guide on routes into teaching in UK primary schools.
So you are thinking about starting a career in education as a primary teacher, but do you even know where to start? Wit… Read More
2020-01-17 11:35
Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the new moon between 21 January and 20 February. This year it falls on Saturday 25 January 2020. The new year will be 'the year of the rat'.
To he… Read More
2020-01-16 12:50
Wordless picture books are often overlooked in the classroom. They are excellent for developing children’s reading, storytelling and writing skills, not to mention boosting their confi… Read More
2020-01-13 16:40
Storytelling is an in-built human trait and one that has existed since humans first roamed the Earth. Being able to tell your children stories is not only a great bonding experience but also… Read More
2019-12-20 14:26
The Aztecs is a fascinating topic to study, full of exciting stories, amazing innovations and one or two more gory elements! Check out these Aztecs facts for KS2 children and teachers to fin… Read More
2019-12-09 14:01
Finding high-quality free English resources for KS1 and KS2 can be time-consuming if you don’t know where to look. Luckily, our team of teacher bees has put together a whole bunch of f… Read More
2019-12-05 08:00
Here's the fourth of our Maths reasoning questions for KS1 or KS2 Maths lessons. It's ideal for use as a starter activity or as a puzzler to settle children as they arrive. It's pa… Read More
2019-12-03 12:21
More than a third of teachers have said they strongly oppose the Conservatives election pledge to build more free schools and expand provision for children who have been excluded, according… Read More
2019-11-28 08:00
Here's another Maths reasoning question for KS1 or KS2 Maths lessons. It's ideal for use as a starter activity or as a puzzler to settle children as they arrive. It's the third in… Read More
2019-11-21 08:00
Here's another Maths reasoning question for KS1 or KS2 Maths lessons. It's ideal for displaying on your interactive whiteboard or display. It's the second in our new series of 'Would yo… Read More
2019-11-14 15:12
Finding high-quality free primary Maths resources can sometimes be a challenge in all the fluff and kerfuffle of Google. That’s why we’ve decided to break down our top ten free p… Read More
2019-11-11 15:09
These Maths reasoning questions for KS1 or KS2 Maths lessons are ideal for displaying on your board as a starter, or to check for understanding at the end of a lesson.
Getting children talk… Read More
2019-10-31 10:35
Whether we like it or not, Ofsted reports are still the main indicator of a school's standards. In September 2019, the new Ofsted Education Inspection Framework came into force, with new cri… Read More
2019-10-24 12:17
The ultimate list of free Maths resources including worksheets, games, tools that all primary teachers should know about.
Keeping Maths lessons fresh and interesting is no easy task, given… Read More
2019-10-22 14:20
The aims of the National Curriculum History objectives are to ‘help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world‘. Easie… Read More
2019-10-14 15:38
Looking for one-off Art lessons for your KS2 class? Whether you’re a supply teacher looking for a go-to Art lesson just in case, a class teacher looking for a meaningful end-of-term ac… Read More
2019-10-09 12:25
There's so much chocolate…
As the holiday season rolls around again, teacher wellbeing becomes an important issue in school. Winter bugs are flying around and staff and pupils are wo… Read More
2019-10-04 15:16
World Food Day is celebrated every year on the 16th October. This year it once again falls on a school day: Wednesday 16th October 2019. To mark the occasion, we've gathered some of th… Read More
2019-10-02 15:18
Remembrance Day is an important day for children to learn about. If you’re looking for ways to commemorate Remembrance Day in your classroom, check out our Remembrance Day activities f… Read More
2019-10-02 11:47
Everyone loves a discount, right?! We want to make sure you hear about every single PlanBee discount code and special offer as soon as they go live.
How to get a PlanBee discount code for 1… Read More
2019-09-17 13:31
Check out these fascinating World War 2 facts for children and teachers studying the Second World War. There's a ton of helpful information and fascinating facts to find out!
When did WW2 st… Read More
2019-09-17 12:41
We've taken the leg-work out of long-term planning for KS1 and KS2. With Curriculum Packs, we've done all of the curriculum development, design and mapping so you and your teacher colleagues… Read More
2019-09-11 06:00
Roald Dahl. There must be very few teachers, parents and children of KS2 age and above that have not heard of this much-loved author. In a writing career spanning over three decades, he wrot… Read More
2019-09-06 10:46
A third of teachers spent more than TWO WEEKS of the summer holidays on planning and preparation according to a teacher workload survey.
During the school summer holidays, PlanBee asked… Read More
2019-08-29 11:25
Going #BackToSchool isn't only about the children! The start of the new school year is equally exciting, challenging and—at times—daunting for teachers, too.
At this time of yea… Read More
2019-08-21 09:27
Education is one of the most challenging but rewarding careers you can choose to enter. Amongst all the marking and planning and assessment and what-have-you, it can be easy to overlook why… Read More
2019-08-16 12:20
Teaching a year group you have never taught before, or that you haven’t taught for years, can be a daunting prospect. If you’re used to teaching in upper KS2 and you’re sud… Read More
2019-08-15 14:20
The Maya was a fascinating ancient civilisation with a rich culture and heritage. Check out these fascinating Maya facts:
The Spanish Conquistadors
In 1519, a group of Spanish explorer… Read More
2019-08-15 08:44
UK Black History Month is October. It is the 32nd Black History Month in the United Kingdom – the first being celebrated in 1987.
It's not always easy to prepare effective, engaging le… Read More
2019-08-05 12:49
The rainforests are precious ecosystems that are teeming with life. Check out these fascinating rainforest facts for KS2 children and teachers to learn more about the tropical rainforests of… Read More
2019-08-01 12:09
Gender bias in children’s books is more prevalent than you might think. Last year, several national newspapers published articles about gender bias and gender stereotypes in children's… Read More
2019-07-30 08:53
One of the most frequently asked questions in schools at the moment is how can we boost pupils attainment levels. So how can teachers and schools help all their pupils achieve their bes… Read More
2019-07-24 12:27
Now you can ensure total coverage of the KS1 and KS2 objectives of the National Curriculum for Mathematics with the PlanBee Maths Primary Curriculum
By Becky Cranham, PlanBee Founder
When I… Read More
2019-07-24 07:31
More than 100 years on and the Titanic holds as much fascination for us now as it did then. Check out these fascinating Titanic facts to help you separate the fact from the fiction…
W… Read More
2019-07-24 07:06
Castles are full of history and home to lots of exciting stories, but why were castles built in England and who built them? Read on to learn lots of castle facts.
Who built the first castle… Read More
2019-07-18 13:43
The Tudors are one of the most famous royal families in British history and the Tudor era is a fascinating one to explore with your KS2 children. Check out these Tudor facts to learn more ab… Read More
2019-07-16 13:39
Inclusion is a word that gets thrown around a lot in education, particularly in England and Wales, where the National Curriculum dictates that schools and teachers ensure all pupils are incl… Read More
2019-07-12 13:01
Here are some fascinating facts about volcanoes:
Where are volcanoes found?
Volcanoes are mainly found where two of the earth's tectonic plates join. Lots of them are found in an area called… Read More
2019-07-03 14:41
Some of the most famous animals in the world are found in Africa. Check out these fascinating African animal facts:
What is the largest African animal?
The African elephant is the la… Read More
2019-07-03 10:35
The announcement by the shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, that Labour would put climate change education at the core of the school curriculum is a welcome one. It is THE issue for c… Read More
2019-06-20 16:08
The Romans were a fascinating civilisation that lasted for 500 years. Check out these fascinating Roman facts:
Who were the Romans?
The ancient Roman civilisation began in 753 BC when King… Read More
2019-06-14 14:30
There was a time when attending a school breakfast club was almost unheard of. Then, in the 1990s, many communities and schools started setting up breakfast clubs to support families in… Read More
2019-06-13 13:48
You’ve almost survived another year and the summer holidays are finally in sight! However, first there’s a transition day to plan for and organise. It needs to be full of excitin… Read More
2019-06-11 16:38
How can we celebrate Year 6 leavers in an environmentally friendly way?
Celebrating the children and their achievements is an important thing to do, especially when they are leaving the pr… Read More
2019-06-11 13:34
The Vikings are often thought of as just marauding, pillaging warriors but there was a lot more to them than that! Check out these fascinating Viking facts for KS2 children and teachers to s… Read More
2019-06-05 14:02
This year, Children's Art Week takes place 8-16 June. Across the country, galleries and venues open up their doors for visits by schools and families. Many of these places also put on worksh… Read More
2019-06-05 08:47
The ancient Egypt civilisation is one of the most fascinating in history. How much do you know about the ancient Egyptians? Check out these ancient Egypt facts to find out more!
Who were the… Read More
2019-05-24 07:23
Thousands of schools across the UK have already taken big steps to become eco schools. There are more than 18,000 schools in England registered with the Eco Schools program.
Here at PlanBee… Read More
2019-05-23 15:13
Achieving a healthy primary teacher work life balance may seem as unrealistic as having a unicorn for a class pet, but it doesn’t have to be a pipe dream.
Top 5 tips for achieving tea… Read More
2019-05-21 10:54
The Victorian era was an extraordinary time in British history. Check out these facts about the Victorians to find out more about this fascinating period in British history.
Victorians… Read More
2019-05-17 12:06
An increasing number of schools are becoming fairtrade schools. This sounds great, but what does it mean...?
What is a Fairtrade School?
FairtradeSchools.org say “Becoming a Fai… Read More
2019-05-15 07:48
These Stone Age facts answer many of the common questions people ask when they're learning about the Stone Age. What can you find out about this fascinating prehistoric period?
Fascinating… Read More
2019-05-13 14:08
These Great Fire of London facts answer many common questions teachers and children have about the blaze.
Fascinating Great Fire of London Facts
When did the Great Fire of L… Read More
2019-05-10 08:30
World Mental Health Day takes place on 10th October, this year on the topic of suicide prevention. If you'd like to get involved, The Mental Health Foundation provide support… Read More
2019-05-09 08:45
Children's Mental Health Week is from 3rd to 9th February 2020 and the theme this year is 'Find your brave'.
With children's mental health increasingly becoming an issue in primary sch… Read More
2019-05-09 08:11
World Mental Health Day takes place on 10th October every year. The Mental Health Foundation's focus for 2019 is suicide prevention. Find out more from them about how to… Read More
2019-05-08 15:15
National Teaching Assistant Day is on 16th September 2019.
National Teaching Assistants' Day was created by Teaching Personnel to recognise the valuable contribution TAs make to t… Read More
2019-05-08 10:28
What if I told you classroom behaviour management could be about more than being a disciplinarian teacher? Would it change the way you approached discipline in your classroom?
Str… Read More
2019-05-07 12:11
Planning fun summer end of term activities is often left until the last minute, and understandably so! Teachers are overburdened with other tasks towards the end of the school year.
It… Read More
2019-05-07 11:31
Getting classroom management right is about working out the best techniques for you and your class. This is easier said than done, so see which of our behaviour management in the classroom s… Read More
2019-05-02 11:10
We all know that learning social skills is a vital part of growing up. As young learners grow, they develop the social skills that are essential for strong childhood friendships.
But what do… Read More
2019-05-01 09:47
Creating the ultimate lesson plan is an art. To help, here's our ultimate lesson planning checklist!
Creating a planning checklist can help reduce planning time.
There is nothing more… Read More
2019-04-30 14:15
This year's Walk To School Week runs from 20-24 May 2019. It's a special one, because it coincides with the 90th Anniversary of Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.
As part… Read More
2019-04-30 12:00
It’s National School Sport Week from the 24th-28th June 2019 where pupils are encouraged to celebrate and enjoy PE and school sports!
With this in mind it’s a great time to ask… Read More
2019-04-12 09:20
The first article in this two part series outlined some of the ‘benefits of homeschooling’ in the UK. This article explores some of the disadvantages to help you make an informe… Read More
2019-04-11 09:38
Deciding whether to homeschool your child or children can be a difficult decision to make. Some parents feel pushed into making this decision while others feel homeschooling is a good idea f… Read More
2019-04-03 14:07
Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent survey to explore how teachers, TAs, and other teaching professionals really felt about SATs and how they impact on school staff and student… Read More
2019-04-03 12:09
So... you’re probably all busy getting ready to go back to work and wondering what back to school essential jobs you should be doing. Are you feeling like you have missed something off… Read More
2019-04-01 05:00
In honour of April Fools' Day, we thought we'd take a look at ways in which you can trick your class into learning without realising it – not only on 1st April, but all-year-round. He… Read More
2019-03-18 09:31
My two-year-old daughter was unwell this week and I needed an easy activity that we could do together. I was hoping for one that would keep her entertained for a little while afterwards. So… Read More
2019-03-16 09:12
The first time I was told I was going to have a student teacher in my class I was an RQT and was buzzing with excitement to help another person start their journey into their teaching career… Read More
2019-03-03 08:16
The number of children being homeschooled in the UK has doubled in the last four years. It is estimated that across the UK 48,000 children were being home-educated in 2016-17. If you are thi… Read More
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