Independent Education Consultancy Amanda Kemp BA(Hons), MontDip, AdvMontDip

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Working with Families The consultancy is able to meet with you as a family, to listen to any concerns. A child who does not fit the mould – for whatever reason – may need help to make progress at school. The pressures on the whole family are taken into consideration. We offer advice and support on: curriculum enhancement for bright/gifted students family projects to help parents feel involved in their child’s education from Early Years through to KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4. personal, social and emotional development understanding the goals behind homework reading programmes meeting the challenges of a “different” child attainments in Maths and English We can provide regular meetings with parents, and telephone updates individualised programmes weekly or monthly visits to your child as requested full written reports following visits to help you gauge progress advice and support on further intervention, where advisable As we are an independent consultancy with a huge resource library you can feel confident that we will recommend materials and approaches geared to your child. We don’t sell you a pre-packaged programme, but devise in response to your child’s needs and interests. How do I start to improve things for my child? We are always happy to meet for an informal chat about your concerns. An initial meeting will cost you nothing, but may be the start of a solution. Sometimes some formal testing will be advisable at a later stage, but initially you need time to talk What options will we have? The choices will be yours entirely. The consultancy exists to broaden those choices. Once we have looked at your concerns, we will be happy to discuss the alternatives for your child. The options will vary from one situation to another, but might include calling a meeting with your child’s teachers charting his/her progress independently arranging some 1:1 or small group tuition to restore your child's confidence re-considering your choice of school pinpointing the values and ethos you are seeking for your child's happiness and education exploring alternative styles of education Not all solutions would be appropriate for every child, and decisions are for you to take. Our remit is to try to assist through our lateral approach. Concerns you might be experiencing: SEN needs not being met fully  A lack of comprehension of those needs within the school Your child feels labelled Your articulate child is silenced, his inquisitiveness thwarted by timetables and over-structured lessons Your “average” child is not a bother to anyone, and receives minimal encouragement, and is not therefore not inspired to read more, find out more. Your child has suffered at the hands of the classroom bully,   and feels himself to be different, awkward. Solutions away from Mainstream education  The consultancy will encourage you to look at every option, both within and beyond Mainstream education. We can spend time helping you to unravel your own educational experiences, and your hopes and ambitions for your child. It is possible to find aspects of Steiner or Montessori education in many a mainstream school, and some of the best of mainstream strategies in an alternative setting. We will advise you find out about the major methodologies, and assess if and how one or more of these might best suit your child. "One of the most interesting and unexpected discoveries … was the love and diligence with which children who acted on their own carried out their tasks. A child who is free to act not only seeks to gather sensible impressions from his environment but he also shows a love for exactitude in the carrying out of his actions. His spirit then seems to be suspended between existence and self-realisation.  A child is a discoverer. He is an amorphous, splendid being in search of his own proper form." Maria Montessori Beyond your child’s existing schooling, and other alternatives we may suggest you take a look at, there are still further ways forward: make an appointment to talk to us, to find out more. Curriculum enhancement for bright/gifted students If your child is gifted, or just very bright and aware, you may find from time to time that he is not receiving sufficient stimulus at school. His teacher may be able to provide more resources and challenges for him – indeed all UK  schools have a legal duty of responsibility in this area – or you may prefer to help him find new goals and interests outside the school day. We offer an enriched study programme which will enhance the confines of the National Curriculum. With full or partial support from us, you and your child can find new inspiration and seek out knowledge. This custom-designed programme is suitable for children at levels KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4. Family projects to help parents feel involved in their child’s education Quite simply, we can help you keep in touch with the expectations of the National Curriculum and assist you to devise strategies and routines to excite and educate the entire family: as well as baking and craft projects and a programme of trips out we promote Botany; Zoology; Brilliant Kitchen Science; Family History; Local Geography; Around the World; Maths for Everyone; Brain Teasers; Language for Life; Attainments in Maths and English If you would like to know more about the national targets, and how your child is progressing, we can help. On request we can offer the NFER standardised tests in Maths, English and Reading. These are in line with SATS testing, and give you a fairly accurate snapshot of your child’s ability. We would not advocate this testing, additional to those tests already experienced in school, for all children. But where there is a genuine need for data, we are happy to help. Understanding the goals behind homework It is easier for us as parents to be enthusiastic about our children’s homework if we can understand the objectives behind it. Some parents find it helpful to have provided an overview of the term’s plan and expectations of the child. The consultancy is happy to help prepare a report on your child’s progress, and the success of the schooling or tutoring he is receiving. Reading programmes While many schools stick to Oxford Reading Tree and Ginn reading schemes, there is a far greater abundance of excellent literature out there, and if your child is not currently motivated by reading we can offer an individual programme aimed at getting him glued to the printed word. Books should be exciting not a chore – real torch under the bedcovers quality! Ask about how we can help. Meeting the challenges of a “different” child Whether your child is a loner, an eccentric, simply astute and not run-of-the-mill, a “geek” or presenting with Special Educational Needs, his educational and emotional needs matter. There are many avenues to explore to help the loner fit in, but not to obliterate his character or diminish his uniqueness. The bright child and the “geek” may need more openings into a full social experience, but we do not need a society of clones, and your child’s individuality is worth fighting for. We have years of experience of finding ways through the social maze. Genuine Special Needs for children in mainstream school require serious solutions: a team response from educationalists, teachers, and the medical profession. In preparing for a statement review, you may choose to use our services to ensure all approaches have been considered. An independent report of your child’s abilities and needs may help with your appeal for Learning Support in school, or may simply pinpoint for you what you are looking for in choosing the next school for your child. What we do Family S have two sons, of whom the elder is very bright. He excels in maths and science but is frequently bored in lessons at his ambitious preparatory school. Reading does not interest him, and his handwriting is so poor that the school have switched him to a laptop in class. The younger son has failed the entry exam to his brother’s school and is currently attending a state primary. He has recently been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. Meaningful Schooling has shown the family how to help the elder boy improve his handwriting skills. In a 6 month programme devised specifically for him, he has gone back to basics, re-learnt pencil grip, pen control and tackled cursive script. His class teacher has agreed to let him use pen in class. He has also started a literature programme aimed at improving his breadth of reading experience. He now thinks reading is “not so bad” and is enjoying the Alex Rider books with his Dad in the evenings. We also provided an Extreme Curriculum in Maths and Science for home study. This has brought him new and exciting challenges in his favourite subjects. He is much happier at school now. The younger son had not settled in his school, and his parents felt he was being “suffered”, and rapidly becoming the class scapegoat, so with Meaningful Schooling’s  help and advice his parents have been looking for a school that will welcome their son. They have been reassured by their chosen school’s response on meeting him, and look forward to a new start next term. The new school makes provision for children who will find it hard to settle in the classroom for an entire morning, and he is to be offered much more physical education as well as a more positive attitude from his new teacher. The consultancy has been asked to visit once a term to keep the link and to chart progress.

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