The Educationalist blog

Image of new trustees

Meet the Team News

New chair and trustees for education charity

Services For Education, the Birmingham-based charity that brings music and learning to life, has appointed Sarah Smith, ...

11
May
children singing in class with their teacher

Advice For Schools Music

5 Reasons Why Music Should Be Important to Your School [VLOG]

At Services For Education, we know that music can be quite literally transformational for students, their families ...

06
May

Leadership Music

Going Global – our first steps…

One of the enduring memories of the pandemic will be the extent to which we have used ...

06
May

Music News

Education Charity Chair Retires After Nine-Years’ Service

Martin Chitty, Chair of Birmingham-based Services For Education, is retiring from the role after nine years in ...

26
Apr
Collage of colourful images with pencils, school equipment, music notes and instruments

Advice For Schools News

Services For Education Launch New Prospectus for Schools

Services For Education are really pleased to announce the launch of their new 2021/22 Prospectus: View and ...

22
Apr
A Recovery Curriculum: a Roadmap to Recovery

Advice For Schools

A Recovery Curriculum: Roadmap to Recovery

Publication of the Government roadmap for our journey out of lockdown gave a welcome sense of hope ...

31
Mar
Group of children playing instruments in class in school uniform

Advice For Schools Music

7 Ways to Make the Most of Whole Class Instrumental Teaching in Your School

‘At the age of nine I was given the chance to learn to play the violin. The ...

02
Mar

Advice For Schools News

Re-imagining Disadvantage – Reflecting on the Past Year

Covid-19 has disrupted everything that we knew to be normal – the roll-out of the vaccine programme ...

11
Feb

Advice For Schools

4 Safeguarding Updates You Need to Know About This January

Happy New Year. I know it has been a rocky start, but here’s hoping for a better ...

15
Jan

Advice For Schools

5 Ways to Promote the Emotional Wellbeing of Your Staff in the EYFS

We know that ‘emotional wellbeing’ is at the forefront of our minds when working with children in ...

11
Jan

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

8 Ways to Look After Yourself Over the Festive Period

I think it’s a pretty big understatement to say that 2020 didn’t turn out the way we ...

02
Dec
music class at a secondary school

Advice For Schools Music

7 Top Tips For Subject Leadership in Music

Music is one of the few subjects that combines the creative, physical, intellectual and emotional parts of ...

09
Nov

Advice For Schools

Getting On-Entry Assessment ‘Right’ in the EYFS

We know that getting assessment right in the EYFS is important, but it is so crucial that ...

08
Oct

Advice For Schools

It’s Time for PSHE and RSE to Step into the Limelight…

For those of us working in the fields of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Relationships ...

05
Oct
Teacher holding some books whilst kids do their work in the background. Symbolises initial teacher training

SCITT

8 Teacher Training Application Tips

ITT providers are frequently asked the question ‘What makes a good teacher training application?’ While the passion ...

01
Oct

Advice For Schools News

SFE Guidance For Schools approved by the Public Health Department – Birmingham

Following the guidance released by the Department for Education, SFE have published our: SFE Guidance For Schools ...

17
Sep

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools Music

Which Instrument Should You Learn 2? [New Videos]

SFE Music School are pleased to introduce our new, exciting videos! A couple of weeks ago, we ...

03
Sep
girl smiling and playing piano

Music News

New Year, New Options at the SFE Music School

Paul Douglas, the Head of the SFE Music School and Deputy Head of the Music Service reflects ...

19
Aug

Advice For Schools

A Recovery Curriculum: Ready to Progress?

A key part of the return to school is how we create the best environment, not only ...

12
Aug

Advice For Schools

Why is Effective Transition in EYFS So Important in these Unprecedented Times?

We know that ‘transition’ is a process not an event but why is it so important to ...

16
Jul

Advice For Schools

A Recovery Curriculum – Beyond the Re-Opening of Schools

There has been much written and said about the need to prioritise the meeting of pupils’ social, ...

08
Jul

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools Music

Which Instrument Should You Learn? [New Videos]

SFE Music School are pleased to introduce our new, exciting videos! These are designed to introduce you, ...

15
Jun

Advice For Schools

Back to School: How Can We Best Support Children?

Journeys forward are always shaped by where you’ve been. The last three months have created a scenario ...

10
Jun

Advice For Parents

Yum Yum Veg

Yum Yum Veg… these aren’t the usual words associated with eating vegetables … but why not? Even ...

08
Jun
Trumpeter playing the blues.

Advice For Parents Music

5 Steps to Re-energizing as a Brass Student

With the current social distancing measures across the country, brass students everywhere have had their usual musical ...

03
Jun

Advice For Schools

5 Top Tips for Early Years (0-5) Teachers to Share with Parents

Being both a parent and teacher at this time has really made me reflect on what parents ...

26
May

Music News

SFE Ensemble Members Update – May 2020

We thought it would be useful to share some updates with you from the SFE music team: ...

20
May
11 Science Resources and Activities For Parents, Teachers and Pupils

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

11 Science Resources and Activities For Parents, Teachers and Pupils

Science is such a great subject because it really gives you a chance to get creative and ...

30
Apr

Advice For Parents

How You Can Use Real Life Experiences to Teach Maths at Home

After coping with the initial drama, novelty and even excitement of our schools closing, we return to ...

28
Apr

Advice For Schools

Online Safety : 9 Important Reminders For Teachers

In this blog post Jo Perrin, Safeguarding Adviser at Services For Education will be revisiting principles of ...

23
Apr

Advice For Parents

6 Important Considerations For Parents Who Are Homeschooling

By now, homeschooling might have lost some of its novelty – for your child(ren) and for you. ...

20
Apr

Advice For Parents

5 Mindful Activities For Children At Home

With many schools closed due to the Coronavirus and families being told to stay at home and ...

16
Apr

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

16 Free Maths Resources and Activities For Parents, Teachers and Pupils

Teaching or supporting a child to learn Maths can seem like a daunting task – but it ...

14
Apr

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

7 Free Inclusive Music Resources for Parents, Teachers and Pupils

“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Music plays a very important part ...

07
Apr

Advice For Schools

16 Interactive Online Resources For Primary School Teachers Setting Work For Pupils

Last week, we collected and shared a wide variety of resources for parents who now find themselves ...

06
Apr
Teenage boy playing guitar at home

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools Music

6 Free Secondary Music Resources for Parents, Teachers and Pupils

“Music is the universal language of mankind.”  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Music plays a very important part in ...

01
Apr

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools Music

8 Free Primary School Music Resources for Parents, Teachers and Pupils

Music plays a very important part in bringing people together and during this period of extended school ...

30
Mar

Advice For Parents

11 Tips For Homeschooling Your Primary School Children

Working from home? Homeschooling your children? Feeling a bit thrown in at the deep end? Don’t panic. ...

26
Mar

Advice For Schools

7 Important Considerations for Teachers Setting Work for Children to Complete at Home

For teachers, working from home brings about a new, unusual set of challenges. Where do you even ...

25
Mar

Advice For Parents Music News

A Message to Parents and Guardians from the Head of Music Service

Dear Parents and Guardians, We are all aware of the very challenging times that we are facing ...

24
Mar

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

4 Ways to Stay Mindful Whilst Working from Home

As you all know, we are going through a very strange and anxious time right now and ...

23
Mar

Advice For Parents

5 Science Experiments You Can Do At Home

We have reached the final blog in our science week series! And we’re almost all scienced-out… for ...

21
Mar

Music News Success Stories

Music Success Stories: Cian’s Story

The OHMI (One Handed Musical Instrument) Trust  is a UK-based charity pioneering the development and adaptation of ...

20
Mar

Music News

BRIT Award Winner Jess Gillam to work with Birmingham School Children

Intensive workshop will give students the chance to perform with one of the stars Budding young musicians ...

09
Mar

Music

My First Awards Ceremony – The Annual Music and Drama Education Awards

Five months into role and I am still reminded daily of the passion of our colleagues across ...

09
Mar

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

A Day in the Life of a Learning Mentor

If you’re a customer of Services For Education, you’ll probably know all about our training courses, music ...

20
Feb

Music News

Grammy Award-Winning Violinist Nicola Benedetti Joins Forces With Services For Education This February

2020 Grammy award winner Nicola Benedetti – one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation – ...

07
Feb

Advice For Schools

6 Guidelines to Help Lead Your Statutory Relationships and Health Education Consultation Process

Not sure where to start when it comes to parent and pupil consultations? You’re not the only ...

04
Feb

Music News Success Stories

Music Success Stories: Xhosa Cole, Winner of BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2018

The best thing about working for Services For Education is the passion within our team. Our staff ...

27
Jan
Children playing with teachers and with a toy cooking set

Advice For Schools

What Does ‘Teaching’ Look Like in the EYFS?

Teaching in the EYFS has always been an area of discussion when working within schools. Comments like, ...

21
Jan

Advice For Schools

4 New Year’s Resolutions to Boost Wellbeing at Your School This Year

It’s January! That hopeful month, filled with can-do attitude and “new year, new me” optimism; the season ...

10
Jan

Music

SFE Community Choir – Our Story

At Services For Education, our mission is simple: to use the power of learning and of music ...

16
Dec

Advice For Parents

8 Festive Activities To Enjoy With Your Children This Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

09
Dec

Music

5 Ways Singing (and Music) Can Support Your Journey to Happiness

It’s a well-known fact that singing makes you happy. How do I know this? Well, there are ...

04
Dec

Music News

Services For Education Vocal Teacher Receives Polish Educational Authorities Medal

Joanna was awarded a Medal to recognise exceptional work. ...

25
Nov
Teacher helping student with their work, both are smiling

Advice For Schools

Assessment : A Paradigm Shift?

When we chose to write a blog about assessment, the more we thought about it, the more ...

30
Oct

Music News Success Stories

Music Success Stories: An Email From Jake Bagby

It's absolutely fantastic to hear that Jake has gone on to graduate from RCM and has had ...

25
Oct

Advice For Schools

Getting Started – NQT Induction Tutor Tips

Schools are naturally nurturing places. We know this, of course, but do we take time to stop ...

24
Oct

Advice For Parents

6 Spooktacular Things to do with your Children in Birmingham this Half Term

Autumn term has arrived once again… and Christmas is just around the corner. The weather may be ...

18
Oct

Music News Success Stories

Music Success Stories: A Feature On Jack Ledger-Dowse

A Feature on Jack Ledger-Dowse. Jack first picked up the trumpet at the age of 8 through ...

15
Oct
Two little girls smiling at the camera as they write in workbooks. Making Learning Stick - Curriculum 2019

Advice For Schools

Making Learning Stick

It is a situation familiar to every teacher…. In the early days with our new classes, we ...

30
Sep

Advice For Schools Music

Soundtots: Supporting children’s language development, memory, listening and attention skills.

Soundtots, is a musical intervention helping children reach a progressive level of development during their time in ...

12
Sep

Advice For Parents

6 Activities to do with Children in Birmingham, This Summer

Summer has come around so fast and I can’t quite believe we are already in August, but ...

13
Aug

Advice For Schools

A Year Gone By : 6 Things to Reflect On From 2018/19

As another school year closes, it is always an opportunity to reflect on what’s happened over the ...

01
Aug
Babygirl and babyboy sitting on the beach in summer hats - 11-Activities-To-Do-With-Children-In-Birmingham-This-Easter

Advice For Parents

11 Activities To Do With Children In Birmingham, This Easter

I don’t know about you… but Easter has crept up pretty quickly on me this year! And ...

16
Apr

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

Is Science Fact Really Stranger than Fiction?

If you hadn’t noticed… we’ve gone a little bit science-mad over the last week or so. Well, ...

18
Mar
Creative design Robotic family. Big robot electrical wire hairstyle, plug arm. Small kid cyborg with lamp bulb toy. Copy space, gray wall background

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

7 Fun Science Activities To Do With Kids In Birmingham

This week we are celebrating British Science Week at Services For Education. In fact, we’ve been inundated ...

15
Mar
The image of mannequin in a car after crash-test

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

3 Reasons Why The World Would Be A Better Place If More Women Worked In STEM

There have been some amazing women in science Marie Curie, Rosamund Franklin, Ada Lovelace who have changed ...

13
Mar

Advice For Schools

Women in Stem, Men in the Arts

If you do a very quick internet search, you’ll find yourself facing a mass of articles, websites ...

11
Mar
NQT and class working on project look to camera, smiling.

Advice For Schools

3 Ways To Support and Retain High Quality NQTs

Acting on behalf of the LA as the Appropriate Body, Services For Education see a variety of ...

10
Jan

Advice For Schools

3 Data Protection Myths Busted

Data protection law reinforces common sense rules of information handling, which most education settings try to follow ...

05
Dec
An artistic image of a piano

Music

The Loneliness of the Successful Music Teacher

Collaboration is always at the centre of music making. But have you ever felt professional isolation as ...

11
Nov

Advice For Parents Advice For Schools

10 Tips to Support Children During Exam Season

Most people get super nervous around exam periods. And it's our jobs as teachers and parents to help ...

11
Oct
Close up of two women holding hands. Symbolises relationship and health education and RSE

Advice For Schools

The Future Of RSE Is Changing

The last guidance for schools to deliver an essential curriculum area was published 18 years ago... thankfully ...

04
Sep

Advice For Schools

10 Top Health and Safety Tips

I know… health and safety isn’t the most glamorous of topics. But it’s something that at some ...

03
Jul