Exploring GCSE Maths Programmes

We've been using the Teaching Textbook maths programmes (bought through Sonlight) for a couple of years now with our eldest, but have been looking around at what is available that is more closely directed to the UK's National Curriculum so as to guide towards taking a Maths GCSE.

We've just discovered ConquerMaths. It comes in both online and CD flavours and we're about to order the CD version. A nice thing about the site is we could work through a number of FREE Sample lessons before we made a decision to buy.

I'll post a review once we've been using it for a few months.....

Property for Sale in Ilford, with Development Potential

With the senior branch of the Cienciala family moving to Austria shortly, their property at 25 Colenso Road, Ilford is now for sale.

It's a large (approx. 3,500 sq.ft.), early 20th century, end of terrace property in the Newbury Park area of Ilford and is being offered by private sale.

There is massive development potential to convert it into up to 5 dwelling units.

Getting cashback on online purchases

Now finally a site that really makes sense....

TopCashBack gives you money back for your online purchases from major retailers. You get cashback from online purchases you would have made anyway!

These include Dixons, M&S, Expedia, Tesco, Boots, HMV plus loads more (they say they have over a thousand shops to choose from). You can even get cashback from eBay purchases!!

Thier signup form states:

TopCashCack passes 100% of sales commissions onto you at over a thousand UK retailers, and even gives you £2.50 when you sign up. They just take £5.00 out of your earnings on an annual basis to cover our admin costs, but only if you've earned sufficient cashback.

When you join, we will send you a welcome email with your access details and simple information to help you start earning cashback.

You can unsubscribe at any time with no cost to yourself.

Join at http://www.JoinTopCashBack.co.uk and get a £2.50 sign-up bonus.

We just saved £120 on our car insurance with cashback!!!! If you buy online, this is one of those websites you just shouldn't be without.

Home-Schooling Options for Key Stage 3 to A Level

We have started to explore the options available to us for "secondary" education, as our eldest is fast approaching the age when this is expected to take place.
Not that we believe that Home-Ed should suddenly change just because you reach 11+. I have always found this to be a rather incongruous situation. It has always struck me as the equivalent of "well now that you are 11, we'll forget about all you have done so far and now start REAL SCHOOL" Whatever that means.
Anyway, this is what we have found out to be available so far ....

UK Based Distance Learning Organisations KS 3+4
NorthStar UK
Little Arthur Independent School

UK Based Distance Learning Organisations KS4 + A Level
Oxford Home Schooling
National Extension College
InternationalGCSE.com

American Based Home-School Providers
Sonlight Curriculum Ltd. (www.sonlight.co.uk) for KS 1 to 4
We currently use Sonlight for the bulk of our materials and are VERY IMPRESSED with them.

Home School Material Providers KS 3 + 4
Maths2XL
Writing Strands a tool to develop successful writing skills and more
Spelling Power


Support Organisations for Home Educators in the UK
Education Otherwise
Home Service is a Christian support organisation.

An exhibition of "Movement and Colour"

Redbridge Art Clubs presented an exhibition of "Movement and Colour" held at the Kenneth More Theater in Ilford.

With our eldest three attending these clubs, each was chosen to present a piece of thier work. This was the first time we, as parents, had seen the work. Each was indicative of their character. Rachel: People focused, Lukas: Bold straight lines and Matthew: The adventurer, but with depth of understanding.



Rachel's "The Crowd of Arms" was made by cutting the shape of a football player from a magazine and using this as a template for subsequent overprinting with different colour inks.




Matthew's piece entitled "Two Warriors Of Iceland" used the silver to indicate the cold over the warriors (the areas of small seeds towards the top and in the center). The red spray paint shows that they are really dangerous while fighting each other as they are enemies.




Lukas produced a work called "The Dragon Of The Deep". He told me:

I wanted a Dragon different to that others were making so decided on one that lived in the depths. I used seeds for the scales then spray painted it blue and silver.

All in all, everyone was proud to have a work that they had produced be on public display. Well Done to All!

Up and running

That's it, were here. The blogosphere has been changed just that one more little bit. Whether that is for the better still remains to be seen ....