Thank you, Young Translators, for helping children to improve their English and feel more confident in our multilingual school!

Parents developed their confidence and communication in English. They learned through speaking, vocabulary and grammar activities and also by playing games, where interaction was key for improving communication and social skills.

After a few sessions on building vocabulary around buildings, shops and shopping, products and packaging and services that we can use in our local area, Mrs Teixeira, Ms Drilea and Ms Sharif took two groups of children on a walk along our high street.

The children named all the local shops, posted a letter and had a chat with the manager at the post office, shopped in a local supermarket where language and communication skills were used to ask and pay for snacks. They learned in real context and had various opportunities for spoken interactions with different people, with conversations scaffolded by the teachers.

Before returning to school, everyone enjoyed the snacks we had bought and a well deserved playtime in the local park.

We sorted and named all the ingredients and tools needed to prepare potato chips and then experienced the whole process of preparing them. In the end, children wrote and took home the recipe used.

The result was a scrumptious experience that not only developed the children’s range of vocabulary and communication but also the understanding of our Curwen Core Skills teamwork; innovation; communication and leadership, skills that can be taken into adult life.

These classes were developed to improve parents’ confidence and communication. English was taught at an elementary and practical level, focusing on speaking, vocabulary and grammar activities and also on games to enable parents to be more confident in their day to day communication.

A new course starts in January, please email our school office about English for Parents if you are interested.

They have made fires from scratch, named all necessary tools and materials, talked about fire safety, sat around the fire while having hot chocolate, listened to stories and sang along nursery rhymes, introduced themselves and so much more. Forest School not only develops children’s confidence, self-esteem, creativity and independence, it also enables risk taking and exploration skills. These have been incredibly enriching experiences for our EAL groups.