KS1 Christmas Maths This resource features 20 engaging Christmas-themed worksheets designed to reinforce foundational numeracy skills for Years 1 and 2. Activities focus on concepts such as counting, addition, subtraction, measurement, and shape recognition. With festive illustrations and scenarios, tasks include drawing, colouring, and solving simple word problems. This resource is perfect for blending maths practice with the excitement of the holiday season, keeping young learners motivated and on task. Answers are included for easy assessment.

Lower KS2 Christmas Maths Ideal for Lower KS2 learners, this 15-worksheet collection provides a festive twist on core maths skills. Students will practice fractions, money calculations, measurements, and data interpretation through tasks like analysing bar charts, solving word problems, and ordering prices. The Christmas context keeps lessons fun and engaging, with activities ranging from planning festive events to calculating holiday costs. With answers provided, teachers can easily integrate this resource into independent work, group tasks, or assessment opportunities.

Upper KS2 Christmas Maths This 15-worksheet resource is tailored to Upper KS2, focusing on more advanced maths skills in a holiday-themed context. Activities challenge students with multi-step word problems, percentages, area and perimeter calculations, and data analysis. Festive scenarios, such as planning a nativity seating arrangement or calculating gift budgets, engage students while fostering critical thinking and problem-solving. The resource is flexible enough to support differentiated learning and comes with a comprehensive answer key for efficient marking.

The Christmas Story Literacy Worksheet for Years 3 and 4 Engage your Year 3 and 4 students with this literacy worksheet based on the story of the first Christmas. This resource is designed to develop reading comprehension and critical thinking skills while exploring a classic narrative. Key Features: A well-structured retelling of the Christmas story, emphasising key events like the visit of the angel Gabriel, the journey to Bethlehem, and the Wise Men’s gifts. Comprehension questions that reinforce understanding of the story, including vocabulary and recall exercises. A creative task where students can illustrate six scenes from the story, fostering imagination and artistic expression. This resource is perfect for literacy lessons during the Christmas season, providing a blend of learning and festive celebration.

This resource is a comprehensive Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6) literacy worksheet centred around the carol Good King Wenceslas. It combines historical context, vocabulary building, and comprehension exercises, making it suitable for cross-curricular learning. Here’s an overview: Key Features: Carol Analysis and Story Writing: Pupils read the carol and use provided definitions to understand historical and linguistic aspects. Encourages retelling the story of Good King Wenceslas in the pupils’ own words, developing narrative and comprehension skills. Quick Quiz: Ten detailed questions about the carol ensure close reading and understanding of key details. Questions are scaffolded with a mix of factual recall (e.g. “What did the king bring?”) and interpretative thinking (e.g. following the king’s footsteps). Theme Exploration: Includes reflective questions about the carol’s main theme (generosity) and its broader message (blessing others leads to blessings). Promotes critical thinking and moral reasoning. Grammar and Writing Practice: Activities on using connectives effectively in sentences. Exercises include combining and splitting sentences, aiding in sentence structure mastery. Teaching Highlights: Versatility: The resource blends literacy skills with moral and thematic discussions, fitting well in both English and PSHE lessons. Seasonal Engagement: The Christmas theme adds relevance and excitement, engaging pupils in festive learning. Historical Context: Definitions of archaic words like “league” and “sire” help pupils understand the language and cultural context of the carol. Suitable For: Teachers aiming to enhance comprehension and writing skills while integrating festive content. Use in classroom discussions, guided reading sessions, or as independent tasks. Extension activities exploring the historical figure of King Wenceslas or medieval charity practices. This resource is intended to create a rich, engaging, and meaningful lesson during the run up to Christmas.

"The Christmas Story" Literacy Worksheet is a carefully designed resource for Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 & 6) that brings the timeless story of the Nativity to life. This worksheet provides a detailed narrative of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, combined with comprehension questions to enhance reading and understanding skills. It encourages students to explore key historical and cultural elements of the Christmas story, such as the census, the visit of the Wise Men, and the significance of the star. In addition to comprehension practice, the resource includes activities for critical thinking, such as analysing text structure and connecting the story to traditional Christmas carols. Perfect for integrating literacy with seasonal RE topics, it is ideal for fostering discussions about traditions, empathy, and storytelling. This resource is ready to use, with clear instructions making it a valuable addition to your pre-Christmas lessons.

This resource, designed for Years 5 and 6 (Upper KS2), is a comprehensive literacy activity based on Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem, The Night Before Christmas. It offers a variety of engaging tasks aimed at developing reading comprehension, critical thinking, and creative writing skills. Here’s what it includes: Close Reading and Comprehension Questions: Students analyse key excerpts from the poem, answering questions about details, themes, and vocabulary to deepen their understanding. Partner Activities: Collaborative tasks encourage discussion and teamwork, such as interpreting specific lines, exploring literary devices, and identifying the mood and tone of the poem. Creative Writing: A “Santa’s Special Letter” activity invites students to adopt the persona of Santa Claus, writing a reflective and imaginative letter. It emphasises narrative writing, descriptive language, and the use of poetic vocabulary. Scaffolded Learning: The worksheet transitions from guided individual questions to collaborative and creative activities, supporting a variety of learning styles and abilities. Seasonal Relevance: With its festive theme, the resource is perfect for engaging students during the holiday season while maintaining academic focus. This worksheet not only brings literary classics into the classroom but also offers a structured way to enhance literacy skills in a fun, Christmas-themed context. It would work well as a standalone lesson, part of a seasonal unit, or even as an engaging holiday homework activity.

This engaging and informative literacy resource, designed for Years 5 and 6, explores the classic song The Twelve Days of Christmas in an educational and festive way. Pupils will: Reorder the lyrics of the song, enhancing their comprehension and sequencing skills. Discover the historical and cultural significance of the Twelve Days of Christmas, including its connection to Epiphany and traditions from around the world. Explore potential symbolic meanings of the song’s elements, linking them to biblical teachings. Complete activities independently and collaboratively, building literacy and teamwork skills. This resource not only reinforces literacy skills but also provides cross-curricular connections to history and religious studies, making it perfect for the festive season.

KS1 Christmas Maths (Answers) This resource features 20 engaging Christmas-themed worksheets designed to reinforce foundational numeracy skills for Years 1 and 2. Activities focus on concepts such as counting, addition, subtraction, measurement, and shape recognition. With festive illustrations and scenarios, tasks include drawing, colouring, and solving simple word problems. This resource is perfect for blending maths practice with the excitement of the holiday season, keeping young learners motivated and on task. Answers are included for easy assessment.

Lower KS2 Christmas Maths (Answers) Ideal for Lower KS2 learners, this 15-worksheet collection provides a festive twist on core maths skills. Students will practice fractions, money calculations, measurements, and data interpretation through tasks like analysing bar charts, solving word problems, and ordering prices. The Christmas context keeps lessons fun and engaging, with activities ranging from planning festive events to calculating holiday costs. With answers provided, teachers can easily integrate this resource into independent work, group tasks, or assessment opportunities.

Upper KS2 Christmas Literacy Worksheet - Reindeer Theme - Answers This literacy worksheet, designed for Years 5 and 6, blends festive cheer with cross-curricular learning. Centred around reindeer and their significance in Christmas traditions, the resource includes a mix of history, geography, and poetry analysis. Key Features: Historical Context: Learn about the ancient origins of reindeer, their uses, and their relationship with early humans. Explore the cultural importance of reindeer in Lapland, where they are essential to daily life. Poetry Analysis: Dive into an extract from Clement Moore’s classic poem ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ Activities encourage pupils to identify literary elements, analyse imagery, and understand vocabulary in context. Comprehension Questions: Thought-provoking questions guide pupils to extract key information and develop critical thinking. Includes activities on interpreting evidence and making connections with the text. Quick Quiz: A fun and interactive recap to consolidate learning. Covers key facts and ensures retention of information in a playful manner. This resource offers a unique opportunity to celebrate Christmas while enhancing literacy skills. It’s perfect for independent work, group discussions, or even a whole-class festive lesson.

A set of classic metacognitive prompts for use in every classroom (24pp) This whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for teachers looking to incorporate metacognition into their classroom practices. Metacognition, as explained in the resource, refers to the process of thinking about one’s own thinking, and it is an essential skill for effective learning. The resource presents metacognition in a clear and concise manner, breaking it down into three distinct stages: before a task, during a task, and after a task. Each stage is accompanied by a set of guiding questions that students can ask themselves to promote metacognitive thinking. Before a task, the questions encourage students to understand the expectations, identify any prior knowledge or experience, plan the necessary steps, and determine the criteria for successful completion. During a task, the questions prompt students to seek help when needed, evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies, monitor their progress, and check for errors. After a task, the questions prompt students to reflect on their approach, identify strengths and weaknesses, consider what they have learned, and explore ways to improve for future tasks. This resource is particularly useful for teachers because it provides a structured framework for introducing and reinforcing metacognitive practices in the classroom. By presenting these guiding questions, teachers can help students develop the habit of self-reflection and self-regulation, which are critical components of metacognition. Additionally, the resource is visually appealing and easy to understand, making it suitable for use with a wide range of students, from elementary to secondary levels. Teachers can display the resource on a whiteboard or projector, or distribute printed copies to students, ensuring that the metacognitive prompts are readily available and easily accessible. Overall, this whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for teachers seeking to promote metacognition in their classrooms. By incorporating these metacognitive practices, teachers can empower students to become more effective learners, capable of monitoring their own thinking processes, identifying areas for improvement, and developing strategies for enhanced learning and achievement.

Getting to Grips with Similes (blurb) This resource is a comprehensive set of worksheets designed to teach year 5/6 students about the use of similes in writing. It covers the following key areas: Defining similes and distinguishing them from metaphors, with clear examples provided. Explaining how similes create vivid imagery by comparing two unlike things using “like” or “as”. Guiding students to craft their own original similes to describe concepts from the natural world, like the sea, sun, etc. Using similes effectively to bring story characters to life by comparing their traits to animals or objects. Identifying similes in poetry and analysing the comparisons being made. Applying similes to describe fantasy characters or scenes. The resource employs an engaging, multi-modal approach with written explanations, example similes, visuals of characters/animals, and plenty of practice exercises. Students get opportunities to demonstrate understanding by writing their own similes and short descriptive passages. The content is pitched appropriately for the upper KS2 level, with clear instructions and a gradual progression from identifying and explaining similes to generating original ones. Overall, this is a well-designed resource that uses relatable scenarios, images, and step-by-step scaffolding to build students’ skills in recognising, interpreting, and incorporating similes to enhance descriptive writing. The variety of exercises and examples caters well to different learning styles.

Getting to Grips with Metaphors Getting to Grips with Metaphors is a comprehensive packet focused on teaching upper KS2 students about metaphors. It covers the following key topics: Defining and distinguishing metaphors from similes, with examples. Explaining how metaphors create vivid imagery by comparing two unlike things directly. Analysing the deeper meaning behind common metaphorical expressions like “a storm in a teacup.” Guidance on how to craft original metaphors to describe concepts like the sun, sea, and night. Using metaphors effectively in poetry and prose writing. Practice exercises for identifying, creating, and converting between metaphors and similes. The lesson uses an engaging instructional style with clear explanations, sample metaphors, and opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding through written responses. The visuals and imaginary scenarios help make the abstract concept of metaphors more concrete and relatable for year 5/6 students. Overall, this resource provides a structured yet creative way for teachers to build students’ skills in recognising, interpreting, and generating metaphors to enhance their descriptive writing abilities. The exercises and examples are pitched appropriately for upper KS2.

Student-Friendly Collaborative Learning Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource titled “Collaboration in action” provides a comprehensive guide for students on how to effectively collaborate and work together with a partner. From a teacher’s perspective, this resource can be incredibly useful in promoting collaborative learning in the classroom. The resource begins by highlighting the benefits of working with a partner, such as discussing the task, improving thinking skills, and understanding more of the learning. It then provides practical tips and guidelines for students to follow before, during, and after a collaborative task. Before a task, the resource emphasises the importance of equal contribution, staying focused, active listening, supporting each other, clarifying doubts, sharing knowledge, and establishing ground rules for effective collaboration (e.g., avoiding interruptions, staying engaged, and respecting each other’s ideas). During a task, the resource offers valuable advice on how to collaborate effectively, such as giving partners time to think, maintaining eye contact, avoiding interruptions, showing interest, carefully considering each other’s perspectives, asking clarifying questions, building on each other’s ideas, justifying opinions, making suggestions, and answering questions. After a task, the resource prompts students to reflect on their collaborative experience and consider whether they learned more working with a partner compared to working alone, and whether they would prefer to do another task with a partner or individually. Additionally, the resource provides helpful examples of phrases students could use to express their thoughts, disagree respectfully, ask questions, and give feedback to their partners. For a teacher looking to incorporate collaborative learning in their classroom, this resource can be incredibly valuable. It provides a structured framework for students to understand the principles and practices of effective collaboration, which can be applied to various group activities, projects, or discussions. By referring to this resource, teachers can help students develop essential collaboration skills, such as communication, active listening, perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and teamwork, which are critical for their academic and future professional success. Overall, this whiteboard resource offers a comprehensive and practical guide to collaborative learning, making it a valuable tool for teachers seeking to promote productive and meaningful group work in their classrooms.

Teachers, This Dynamic Resource Brings the Stone Age to Life Looking to deliver an engaging and innovative Stone Age unit? This comprehensive resource has everything you need! Created for teachers but presented in a student-friendly format, it’s the perfect way to liven up your Stone Age lessons. What makes this resource so useful? Clearly organized sections that logically build student knowledge of the Stone Age, from its vast timescale to how climate changes impacted life Bite-sized facts and anecdotes that will fascinate students, like stone tools being made 700,000 years earlier than thought and giant ground sloths being hunted Helpful maps and images that visually support learning, like showcasing stone tool examples and climate shifts A conversational, straightforward tone that makes content approachable for a range of ages and abilities Beyond the stellar content, the easy-to-use document format makes integration into your existing plans seamless. You can print or photocopy pages, no prep required! If you want to take your Stone Age instruction from dry to dramatic, this comprehensive resource is exactly what you need. It makes exploring this time period experiential and enjoyable for students. Download this dynamic guide and see for yourself!

The Vikings This lesson is ready to use and has three teaching objectives. Introduce 11-14 year old students to the topic of Vikings: The lesson provides detailed historical information about the Vikings, including their raids, settlements, culture, and impact on Europe. Allow students the opportunity to experience a wide variety of question types: The lesson includes various types of questions, such as multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, fill-in-the-blank, and more complex questions that require explanations and personal reflections. This variety helps students engage with the content in multiple ways and develop different skills. Offer students the opportunity to practise self-assessment: There is a section on collaborative self-assessment where students are encouraged to work with a partner to discuss and mark their answers. This process helps students practise self-assessment and peer review, fostering a deeper understanding and self-reflection on their learning.

Essential Independent Learning Independent learning means pupils taking responsibility for their own learning process. It includes identifying learning needs, setting goals, finding resources, and self-assessment. Independent learning fosters autonomy, critical thinking, and lifelong learning skills. Put simply, it means that pupils are learning without help from a teacher or a partner. Essential Independent Learnin consists of the questions that students ‘can’t do without’. Here are the three essential ‘before,’ two essential ‘during,’ and two essential ‘after’ screens that would benefit students the most as they learn independently: Independent Learning before a learning activity How can I plan my learning effectively? Effective planning is the foundation of successful independent learning. This question encourages students to think about how they will structure their study time, select appropriate resources, and create a conducive learning environment. Have I set specific, achievable goals for what I want to learn? What resources and strategies will I use to achieve my learning goals? Identifying resources and strategies in advance ensures that students are well-prepared and have the tools they need to succeed. This question encourages students to think critically about the methods and materials that will best support their learning. Independent Learning during a learning activity Am I staying focused and making progress towards my learning goals? Staying focused and tracking progress are essential for maintaining momentum in independent learning. This question prompts students to regularly check in with themselves to ensure they are on track and to make adjustments as needed. How can I adapt my approach if I encounter challenges or obstacles? Flexibility and adaptability are key components of effective independent learning. This question encourages students to think proactively about how they can overcome difficulties and remain resilient in the face of setbacks. Independent Learning after a learning activity Did I meet my learning goals? Reflecting on whether learning goals were met helps students evaluate their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This question encourages self-assessment and accountability. What strategies worked well, and what can I improve for future learning activities? Continuous improvement is essential for developing strong independent learning skills. This question prompts students to reflect on their learning process, recognize successful strategies, and identify areas for enhancement in future learning activities. These questions are designed to guide students through the independent learning process, helping them plan, execute, and reflect on their learning activities. They encourage self-awareness, critical thinking, and a proactive approach to overcoming challenges, all of which are essential for effective independent learning.

Essential Metacognition This is really a “getting started with metacognition” so is probably best suited to P1. Essential metacognition looks at the full resource and selects only those metacognitive questions that students ‘can’t do without’. Based on the full document “Metacognition in action,” here are the two essential ‘before,’ two essential ‘during,’ and two essential ‘after’ screens that would benefit students the most from this full resource: Before a Task: Do I understand what I am expected to do? This question is crucial as it ensures that students have a clear grasp of the task requirements before they begin. Understanding the expectations helps in planning and executing the task effectively. What are the steps needed to complete this task? Identifying the steps required to complete the task helps students create a structured approach, ensuring they don’t overlook any part of the process. During a Task: Am I using the strategies that I know? This question prompts students to actively apply their known strategies and skills, making sure they are leveraging their existing knowledge effectively during the task. Have I checked that my learning is on track? Regularly checking their progress helps students stay aligned with their goals and allows them to make adjustments if they deviate from the expected path. After a Task: What did I do well? Reflecting on what went well reinforces positive behaviours and strategies, which can be replicated in future tasks. What have I learnt from this task? This question encourages students to reflect on the learning outcomes, helping them internalise the lessons and apply them in future scenarios. These essential metacognitive questions guide students in understanding, planning, monitoring, and reflecting on their learning processes, ultimately enhancing their learning efficiency and effectiveness.

This whiteboard resource provides an excellent overview of self-regulation strategies that can be used before, during, and after a task or learning activity. It presents self-regulation as a set of practical skills that students can develop and apply to manage their thinking, behaviour, and motivation while working on tasks. Teachers will find this resource extremely useful for introducing and reinforcing the concept of self-regulation in the classroom. The clear and concise format, with separate sections for each phase of a task, makes it easy to discuss and model these strategies with students. Before a task, the resource prompts students to consider their motivation, goal-setting, self-assessment of strengths and areas needing support, and time management – all crucial elements for effective self-regulation. During a task, the focus shifts to monitoring comprehension, adjusting effort and approach as needed, tracking progress towards goals, maintaining motivation and focus – essential skills for staying on track and overcoming challenges. After a task, the resource encourages students to reflect on their time management, goal achievement, distraction management, and the overall effectiveness of their self-regulation efforts, fostering metacognition and continuous improvement. Teachers could use this resource to introduce self-regulation concepts, lead class discussions, and have students practice applying these strategies to their own learning tasks. The clear language and format make it accessible for various ages, and the content can be tailored to suit different subject areas or learning contexts. Overall, this whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for promoting self-regulation skills in the classroom, empowering students to take control of their learning process and develop essential lifelong skills for academic and personal success.