Exercise and education: the perfect formula for success

Evidence for the positive effect of exercise on learning is gathering pace. The benefits of exercise on attention control, which is crucial for a child’s studies, are proving to be particularly significant.

This April a new StudyBox Tuition centre open in Kidspace Croydon. Students will be rewarded with an hour’s free playtime in the adventure centre before or after each tuition session. It is expected that this combination of recreation and study will lead to a positive response to learning, and ultimately academic success.

Evidence For How Exercise Helps With Study

The Centre for Educational Neuroscience claims that performance in maths and reading is improved with aerobic fitness. Perceptual skills, intelligence, verbal tests, maths tests, memory and academic readiness in ages 4-18 years are positively affected by exercise.

Research conducted by Drollette et al in 2014 found that children who usually performed poorly on attention tasks improved when tested shortly after “moderate acute exercise” such as 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill.

Another study, performed by Scientific American, shared that in their two year study across 12 schools they found that the students who exercised achieved better results with the conclusion that exercise contributes to increased academic performance.

How does exercise help with academic study?

Here’s the science bit! A study, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, reports that children who exercise have more white matter in their brains than those who don’t.

The areas of the brain where more white matter was observed are important for attention and memory. The results from a range of tests show that physical activity may be an important part of keeping children’s brains active and open to learning.

Regular exercise affects students by:

• Boosting memory
• Improving concentration
• Improving mental health
• Enhancing creativity

Students should exercise physically and mentally

Of course, it’s not just physical exercise that matters for young students. They must also exercise mentally through revision and regular study outside of the classroom. Private tuition boosts confidence by providing students with the opportunity to ask what they may think are “silly” questions and enables them to focus on problem areas of study.

StudyBox believes that the new tuition centre in Kidspace will provide the ideal opportunity for combining physical and mental exercise. Studying isn’t usually seen as a direct route to fun, but the new tuition centre will change that perception.

The new StudyBox tuition centre at Kidspace

The new purpose built modern classroom will be open weekdays from 4-6pm, and on Saturday mornings. There is free car parking and the centre is on a busy bus route.

StudyBox provides tuition in Maths, English, SATs & the 11 Plus for students of all abilities from Reception to Year 6.

Get in touch

If you would like any more information about this new centre, call us on 0203 189 1442 (ext 4) or email us at croydon@studybox.london. Free trials are available. studybox.london

Private Tuition Could Benefit Your Child

Many students find that mainstream education doesn’t have the resources to provide sufficient one-to-one attention from teachers. Parents are turning to private tuition to complement the teaching provided in school.

How can tutors help with GCSEs?

Tuition for GCSE students is on the rise. The 2018 Sutton Trust survey found that 27% of students now have a tutor at some point in their education.

Benefits of working with a tutor at StudyBox:

• Our tutors provide customised lessons in which they can concentrate on specific areas of the syllabus that are proving problematic
• In one-to-one sessions, the tutor can determine and focus upon a student’s weak areas
• A student is more likely to ask for help and resolve the problem they’re struggling with
• Our tutors can help the student with homework and test practice which helps build confidence in the classroom
• Students have access to additional learning resources

Why invest in a tutor for the 11+ exam?

Grammar schools have a reputation as the pinnacle of the secondary education system. With a wealth of resources and a history of exceptional results, parents aspire to see their child attend grammar schools. Places are incredibly competitive and students must pass the 11+ exam to gain entry.

The 11+ exam is extremely difficult, to the extent that many children begin to prepare for it from as early as Years 3 or 4. Our tutors know which techniques to use to improve a child’s score and enhance their chances of getting into a grammar school of their choice.

The 11+ exam is an advanced KS2 level and we provide a specialised programme for students in year 4 and 5. We begin teaching students more challenging topics early on in year 5 to ensure they have sufficient time to consolidate their knowledge and practice applying skills to exam style questions.

The benefits of revision

The sooner a student starts to revise, the better.

In mainstream education, the time to teach the syllabus is limited and students are required to do a large proportion of their revision at home.

By taking the time to go over subjects, again and again, the student’s confidence naturally grows. A tutor can offer various revision techniques to avoid cramming which causes stress and anxiety.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton. We provide tuition in English, mathematics and science for SATS, GCSE and 11+. To find out more visit our website. Follow our Facebook!

The Importance of Reading Skills

Importance of reading skills

Reading skills are critical for children’s development, studies have shown a link between competency in reading and overall attainment. Scientific research has linked childhood reading ability to improve life outcomes such as higher earning.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies conducted a study in 2015:
“Overall, it has shown that reading skills are associated with significant increases in gross hourly wages and gross weekly earnings.”

There are so many digital distractions these days, it can be difficult to get children to read, here are some ideas to help:

Dedicate a set time for reading

Create a set time in the day where your child has to read for at least an hour. Turn off all distractions so they can 100% focus on the reading. As a parent, you can also join in and read with them so it can seem like a joint activity.

Reward good reading

Setting a target to read maybe 2 or 3 books a month with a reward at the end will be an incentive for your child to get reading!

Find books that interest them

Reading will certainly be a challenge if your child is reading books that do not interest them. Consider what interests your child has, and then try to find books related to that. For example, if your child is interested in fantasy, there are a great number of ‘fantasy fiction’ books out there that will interest all different readers!

Exhibit a love of reading throughout your household

If your child observes that you as parents love to read, it is very likely that they will develop a love of reading themselves.

English Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton, to find out more click here: https://studybox.london/

Danielle Reid

Help your child improve their maths skills

Help Your Child Improve Their Maths Skills

Maths can be a tricky subject for many people and as a parent, you may feel helpless if your child is struggling. There are many easy, simple ways you can help your child improve their math skills, here are a few suggestions we have that you can try out.

Use real-world maths

A worksheet full of maths is not always the best method for some learners, try engaging your child in solving real-world problems with you, this might help them catch on and learn much more quickly.

Some examples:

Have them try to figure out the shopping total before you get to the checkout
When out shopping have them figure out how much change you should get back from your purchase
Baking, particularly when you halve, double, or triple a recipe is a great way of learning fractions

Ask your child questions.

Look over your child’s homework and spend time with them reviewing their answers. Ask them the steps they took in order to get to their answer, this will give you an insight into their level of knowledge and if they understand the process. This will give you the opportunity to understand where they need help and identify any breakdown in understanding.
Play games that encourage mathematical thinking or reinforce skills
There is a high possibility that when your child thinks of maths they dread it, try and make it fun by playing mathematical games. Playing math games are a great way to have fun and improve skills, you can find math games online or can even find some such as Sumuko, Prime Club and Monopoly, in store!

Develop a healthy mindset

Confidence is key when it comes to learning a subject like math, if your child is struggling and has lost some confidence, go back a few steps to the skills that they feel comfortable doing and go on from there. Praise for effort not for performance, it is the continued effort that is important. Making mistakes isn’t bad, it will be part of the journey for every learner, be sure to use positive language such as “I can’t do it,” to “I can’t do it yet.” to keep your child motivated to learn!

Maths Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton, to find out more click here: https://studybox.london/maths-tuition/

Danielle Reid

How to improve children’s concentration skills

How to improve children’s concentration skills

For your child to make the most of their education, it is vital that they have good concentration skills. The school day will involve listening and doing classwork, so it is important they are able to stay engaged throughout the day.

Here are a few ways you can help your child to improve their concentration skills:

Sleep

Sleep is without a doubt a major influence on how well anyone concentrates, especially for children. It is recommended that children get at least 9 hours of sleep a night. Having a designated bedtime will be easier as they can get into a routine.

Diet

Having a good diet is important, particularly amongst children, diet has a great influence on energy levels and concentration skills. Having a well-balanced diet consisting of food from the four main food groups will help brain function and concentration.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure your child never skips breakfast. Breakfast such as oats, whole-grain cereal, and bread release energy slowly, which will help them to stay alert for the day ahead.

Exercise

Research by educational experts has linked physical activity and improved concentration levels. Regular exercise throughout the week is important, even activities such as walking to school and back will be helpful.

Play focus games and exercises

There are studies that have shown that gadgets reduce attention span and memory power of children.

Some ideas of things you can do:

• Thinking games- playing games such as crossword/jigsaw puzzles and card games like ‘Memory’ and ‘UNO’ are a great way to strengthen their concentration!
• Sitting- if your child finds it hard to sit still for a long period of time, try playing ‘statue’ this involves challenging your child to sit in a chair without moving/fidgeting to see how long they can do it.

Extra Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton, to find out more click here: https://studybox.london/

Danielle Reid

Easy Back To School Breakfast

Easy Back-To-School Breakfasts

It’s almost time for back to school, which means the crazy school mornings are back! It’s important that you make sure your children have a good breakfast before they head off for the day. Here are some simple back to school breakfast ideas you can prepare to make sure your children get all the nutrients they need.

1. Overnight Oats- no-fuss, quick and healthy breakfast!

Ingredients

• Oats
• Frozen Berries
• Water
• Frozen Yoghurt, regular yoghurt or soy yoghurt – natural and unsweetened if possible

Equipment

• Jar

Method

1. Spoon 3 dessert spoons, approx 27g of dried rolled oats into the jar
2. Add 1 teaspoon of water
3. Add approx 10 frozen berries
4. Top off with yoghurt and leave overnight in the fridge for best results

2. Smoothies- Perfect for those who don’t want to eat in the morning!

Ingredients

• 1 cup – Greek or plain yogurt
• 2 medium – banana
• 1 cup – strawberries, frozen, unsweetened
• 1/4 cup – flaxseed, ground
• 1 cup – spinach

Method

1. Add all smoothie ingredients to a high-powered blender. (If your blender won’t mix this, add small amounts of water until it begins to blend, but try to keep it as thick as possible.
2. Serve immediately

You can adapt this recipe and change any fruits/yogurt that you prefer.  

3. Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie – Cookies for breakfast are bound to go down a treat!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup 1 mashed banana
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or non-peanut)
• 1/2 cup honey*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour*
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed (or an additional 1/4 cup flour)
• 1/4 cup nonfat milk powder or vanilla protein powder (+ 2 tablespoons water if dough is too thick)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Equipment

• Bowls
  
• Baking tray
• Measuring Cup
• Container

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, flax seed, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.
4. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in the cranberries.
5. Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten, and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.
6. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days, thaw before serving.

Serving Size: 12

4. Eggo Breakfast Sandwiches- Something different!

Ingredients

• 8 individual Waffle
• 4 individual Cheddar Cheese, Sharp, Sliced
• 4 ½ ounces Deli Ham, Sliced

Equipment

• Freezer Bag
• Cling film
• Baking Sheets

Method

1. On one side of the waffle place one slice of cheese and two slices of ham.
2. Place other half of waffle on top of ham to form sandwiches.
3. Bake sandwiches on a baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, until outside is crispy and cheese is melted.
4. Wrap the sandwiches you have NOT baked individually in cling film and place into freezer bags and freeze so they are prepared for the week ahead.
5. Thaw the waffles the night before in the fridge and they will be ready to bake in the morning.

Click Here.

Danielle Reid
14/09/2018

If you’re looking to support your child’s academic journey with personalised tuition, get in touch to discuss our tutoring services at our UK centres or book a free trial.

Five Ways Tuition Can Complement School Learning

Five Ways StudyBox Tuition Can Really Complement School Learning

When it comes to after-school tuition, parents have many questions such as “why should I pay for extra tuition? Shouldn’t my child’s school be covering all of their educational needs?”
Here are our reasons why we complement your child’s school learning.

1. Truly personalised experience

We have the ability to adapt lessons to suit each and every child based on their individual learning needs.
We work in such small ratios allowing time to get to know your child and how they like to learn.

2. National curriculum methods

StudyBox offers English, Maths, Science and Coding tuition. We aim to complement and support your child’s school education which is why all the methods we teach are based on the national curriculum.

3. We keep the fun in learning

We understand that Maths and English are not every student’s cup of tea. We reward positive behaviour and effort with reward cards, once your child has a certain number of stars they will be able to spin the prize wheel and choose a prize!

4. Keep parents involved

As a parent, it is natural that you want to know how your child is getting on. We aim to make sure that parents are always kept involved. Based on the unique lesson plans that we create for your child, at the end of every lesson we always provide parents with in-depth feedback on the session.

5. Our tutor-to-student ratio

It’s no surprise that tuition can give more individual attention to students. At StudyBox we keep the ratios small, tutors are assigned up to 3 students who work independently. The tutors set work and teach the students for the entire hour. Lessons are on the same day and time each week, so your child will always have the same tutor.

Extra Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

Want a free trial at StudyBox Tuition? Click Here.

Making learning fun! Click Here.

Danielle Reid

How to Prepare For Secondary School

How to prepare your child for secondary school

We’ve prepared five ways to help your child prepare for secondary school smoothly and successfully.

Summer is nearly over, which means it is almost time for the big transition to secondary school. It can be an exciting and daunting time for both parents and children. As a parent, you want to ensure your little ones (not so little anymore), are relaxed and prepared.

Be there to listen

Starting secondary school is a big transition and children are bound to be worried.
Encourage them to share what they are worried about, remind your child that everyone is in the same boat when they start.

Help your child become more responsible

Secondary school is a big step up from primary school and requires far more organisation. Get them into the habit of packing bags the night before, help them arrange a homework schedule. Their days are a lot longer, make sure they get enough rest and get into a good sleep pattern.  

Encourage independence

If your child is going to make their own way to school make sure they are familiar with the route. Taking the trip with them over the holidays will allow them to feel confident on where they are going.

Ensure they have everything they need

In order that everything goes smoothly, check your child has everything they need to start the term, the school will often send a starter pack with a list of everything you need to buy.

Stay prepared

You won’t have as much contact with the school as you did with the primary school and you mainly rely on your child to bring home notes and messages from school. If you want to stay in the loop, parent-teacher meetings and get involved with the parents’ association.

Conclusion

According to the Institute of Education, students who have a successful transition display higher levels of self-esteem and confidence once at secondary school. They also adapt much better to school life and find work they completed in year 6 to be very useful for the work they have to undertake in year 7.

Extra Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.
StudyBox is a tuition centre based in Wallington, Sutton, Croydon and Battersea. Find out more click here.

Danielle Reid

Be Supportive on Exam Results Day

How to support your child on exam results day

The run-up to exam results day can prove to be an anxious time for your children, and for parents, it is just as stressful. It is a good idea to prepare for the day ahead, here are a few things that you can do to support your child:

Don’t put pressure on them.

Try to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on your child in regards to gaining certain grades. Whatever results they get, they will have a lot to think about and it’s important to remind your child not to panic and that there are always options available. Before the results even come out be sure to re-enforce how proud you are of the effort they have put in.

Find distractions

On the run up to the day it is mostly likely your child may be feeling very anxious, having acknowledged how they are feeling it would be helpful to find some distractions. You could take trips during the day or encourage them to take part in an activity, making sure they have something to keep their mind off results day is key!

Make a plan

Regardless of your child’s results they are going to need a plan on what their next steps will be, sit down with them and make a plan A and a plan B. Plan A can be the next steps if their grades are what they wanted and plan B can be if they receive unexpected results. Although,  you may not want to think about a plan B it is good to have one in place, so your child feels a sense of reassurance if all does not go to plan on the day.

Be supportive

This is the most important of all, let your child know that you are there for them no matter what the outcome is on the day. Your child might want space on results day and that’s okay, just let them know that you are there for them when they are ready to talk.

Be prepared for your GCSE exams! Click here.

For more information about how StudyBox tuition can help your child, visit our website www.studybox.london

Danielle Reid
14/08/2018

Why is Science Important?

Why is Science Important to learn?

Science is everywhere in our day to day lives.  It can help to answer all those questions children ask, like ‘Why does the moon appear during daylight?’ and ‘How do aeroplanes stay up in the sky?’ Science helps children to learn how and why things happen in the world.

Why should children learn Science?

Encouraging your children to learn science will help them to uncover new beneficial discoveries in the future and develop their knowledge as these skills will be used to prepare for GCSE exams and SATs.

Contents of science

Science is divided into 3 categories such as; Biology (the study of living organisms), Chemistry (investigations of reactions) and Physics (the study of nature and properties of matter and energy).

Science at School

Science is studied in detail starting from KS4 (Year 10). StudyBox provides teaching and learning experiences starting from KS3 to enable children to achieve the highest possible standards at GCSE level.

What methods we use to teach

• Teaching topics using a whiteboard
• Verbal Class quizzes
• Written Exams
• Various levels of Worksheets
• Encouraging students to make revision notes in diverse ways (revision cards, booklets)
• Interactive Science Education videos

After learning science and continuous practice, many students show positive progress and attain better results. We consistently encourage the development of their scientific skills and attitudes to provide lifelong learning.

Free Trial at StudyBox Tuition. Click Here. 

Make sure you’re prepared for your GCSEs! Click Here.