Mrs B's Learning Pod

September tutoring spaces are filling up. If you’re considering a little extra support for your child, please do get in touch - I’d be very happy to chat about their individual needs and how I may be able to help build confidence, support learning and help them thrive.

✏️ Did you know that learning to write starts long before a child picks up a pencil?

When we think about handwriting, it’s easy to focus on pencil grip, letter formation and neatness. But there is actually so much happening before those little fingers are ready to write.

Children first need to develop strength and control through their shoulders, elbows and wrists, before the smaller, more precise movements of the hands and fingers can really take over.

This is why activities such as painting on a large scale, chalking, making big patterns, playdough, threading, Lego and using tweezers can all play an important part in developing handwriting skills – even though there isn’t a pencil in sight!
It’s also something I’m very aware of during my 1:1 sessions. If a child is finding handwriting difficult, sometimes the answer isn’t simply more handwriting practice. Going back, identifying where the difficulty lies and strengthening some of those earlier skills can make such a difference.

💙 Strong shoulders → stable elbows → controlled wrists → clever little fingers → confident writers.

Could your child do with a little boost with their handwriting?

Whether they’re just beginning their writing journey or are an older child who still finds handwriting tricky, it’s never too late to go back to the foundations, build those skills and grow in confidence.

If you think your child might benefit from some individual support, please feel free to message me to have a chat. ✏️💙

Mrs B’s Learning Pod
Learn • Grow • Thrive

💡 Sometimes it’s the smallest observations that unlock the learning…

Another little moment from last week that reminded me why I love working 1:1.

We were learning about fractions, and although the child understood that the denominator told us how many equal parts the whole was divided into, I noticed something interesting when they began shading their fractions.

They thought the bottom number (the denominator) also told them how many lines they needed to draw or shade inside each section.

Such a small misconception – and one that could easily have gone unnoticed.

But once I'd spotted how they were thinking, I could adapt my explanation and help them understand what the denominator was actually telling us. Suddenly, it made much more sense. 💡

That's one of the things I value most about 1:1 tutoring. It's not simply about whether an answer is right or wrong; it's having the time to notice how a child has arrived at their answer, identify those little misconceptions and find a way of explaining things that works for them.
Sometimes one tiny observation can make a very big difference. 💙

Mrs B's Learning Pod
Learn • Grow • Thrive

✏️ It’s often the little things that make the biggest difference…

One of the many joys of 1:1 tutoring is having the time to really watch how a child approaches their learning and spot those little areas where they need some extra support.

This week, one child was working out two-digit additions beautifully. The maths itself wasn’t the problem at all. However, once they had found the answer, they were sometimes unsure which digit should be written first. For example, they knew their answer was 54, but were unsure whether the 5 or the 4 came first.

So rather than simply correcting it, we introduced place-value arrow cards.

Once the calculation was complete, we physically built the answer using the 50 and 4, combined them to make 54, and then wrote the number on the whiteboard.

Such a simple little adjustment, but it gave a clear visual reminder of tens and ones and helped bridge that gap between knowing the answer and recording it correctly. 💡

This is exactly what I love about working 1:1 – being able to slow down, notice precisely where the difficulty lies and adapt the learning there and then to suit the individual child. 💙

Mrs B’s Learning Pod
Learn • Grow • Thrive

Coming soon!

💙 Another fantastic week of Summer Camp comes to an end! 💙

This little collage of smiles is just a tiny glimpse of the fun we've had together this week. 😊
We've baked, created, explored, met animals, made new friends, learnt new skills and, most importantly, made lots of happy memories along the way.

Seeing children leave with huge smiles, growing confidence and stories to tell is exactly why I love what I do.

Thank you to all the wonderful children (and their families) for another amazing week. I can't wait to do it all again! 🌿🧁🎨

A few spaces are still available for our final week of Summer Camp. If you'd like your child to join us for days filled with creativity, outdoor adventures and plenty of smiles, just send me a message.

💙 Mrs B's Learning Pod
Curiosity • Confidence • Growth • Thrive

It’s not too late to join the fun 😊

🌿 NEW! Home Ed Bake & Create Sessions 🌿

After receiving so much interest, I'm delighted to introduce a brand-new small group session, specially designed for Home Educated children (or those who are available during the day).

I've deliberately kept the group very small (maximum of just four children) to create a relaxed, welcoming environment where every child can feel comfortable, build confidence and enjoy being creative.

Parents or carers stay throughout the session, making it a lovely opportunity to spend quality time together. You're welcome to join in with the baking and crafting, or simply sit nearby with a cup of tea and enjoy watching your child grow in confidence. Either way, you'll always be close by.

Each two-hour session includes:
🧁 Baking something delicious to take home.
🎨 Creating a beautiful craft.
💛 Time to chat, create and connect with other Home Ed families in a friendly, home-from-home setting.

If this sounds like something your child would enjoy, I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions or would like to reserve a space.

I can't wait to welcome you to Mrs B's Learning Pod. 🌿💙

Starting this September 😊

🎨🍰 Camp preparations are well underway! 🍰🎨

I'm busy getting everything ready for next week's Summer Camp, and one of my favourite parts is planning all the activities!

Although I'm running three weeks of camp this summer, I always make sure that every day is different, with a fresh mix of crafts, baking, games, outdoor adventures and plenty of fun. That way, children can come for multiple days (or even multiple weeks!) and enjoy new experiences each time.

There are still a few spaces available, so if you'd like your child to join us for a fun-filled day of making, creating, exploring and making new friends, please do get in touch.
I can't wait to welcome everyone! 💙🌿

📍 Wissenden Cottage, between Smarden & Bethersden (TN26 3EJ)
👧 Ages 5–10
⏰ 9.00am–4.00pm

Please message me to book or if you have any questions. 😊

Addition – Sometimes We Need to Make Maths Visible!

When children first learn to add, we naturally give them things they can touch, move and see - counters, teddies, cubes, Numicon and other practical resources.

But as children get older, these resources can sometimes disappear. There can be a feeling that “we don’t use those anymore in Year…” or that children should be able to work without them.

Here at Mrs B’s Learning Pod, I try to break that stigma.

I will happily offer physical resources to any child I teach, right the way up to Year 6 if they help that child understand what is happening.
Sometimes going back to something practical is exactly what a child needs. Being able to physically see and manipulate the numbers can help break down the confusion that may be holding them back. Once the understanding is secure, we can gradually move away from the resources and onto the next challenge with much greater confidence.

In this session, we used tens and ones alongside Numicon to support column addition.

Rather than simply learning a method, the resources helped make sense of why the method works.

Because sometimes the key to moving learning forwards is simply finding a different way to make it click. 💚