Virtual Shows, Programmes, Performances and Tours

• BBC Bitesize - Free to use. Offering home learning for all ages and subjects. Small, easily digestible lessons with extra resources for parents with practical advice and activities. Supports the National Curriculum.

• Bitesize Revision app - For 14-16 year olds, this app includes GCSE Flashcards for Maths, English, English Literature, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Combined Science, Geography, History and PE.

• BBC Teach: Live Lessons - Bringing subjects to life with fun and interactive curriculum linked lessons featuring some of the BBC's biggest brands and presenters. BBC Teach Live Lessons are available for both primary and secondary aged children.

• Bitsize Support - Offering advice and tips for starting primary or secondary school, and looking at options when it comes to uni, college and apprenticeships. There are life and wellbeing tips including advice on starting a new relationship and advice from Young Minds on dealing with loneliness when you’re social distancing.

• BBC’s Education Offer - The BBC have brought together BBC Two, CBBC, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and online to deliver a new education offer to children, teachers and parents. CBBC will see a three-hour block of primary school programming from 9am, including BBC Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Daily, as well as other educational programming such as Our School and Celebrity Supply Teacher and much loved titles such as Horrible Histories, Art Ninja and Operation Ouch. BBC Two will cater for secondary students with programming to support the GCSE curriculum, with a least two hours of content each weekday.

Activities

• ‘PE with Joe’ on The Body Coach TV– Fitness instructor Joe Wicks takes a PE lesson for children 3 days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at at 9am.

• Live daily questions with Dr Chris and Dr Xand are available on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube at 2.30pm each day.

• Actiphons– a fun phonics programme which aims to inspire children to learn their phonics by playing fun sporting activities.

• Cosmic Kids Yoga– Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation sessions aimed at the Over 3's. Interactive adventures which build strength, balance and confidence.

• Oti Mabuse(from Strictly Come Dancing) has fun, free family-friendly dance classes on YouTube.

• NSPCC Activities

Arts and Crafts 

• The National Portrait Gallery– Over 150,000 pictures online including digital exhibition ‘Hold Still’. Spearheaded by The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, Hold Still is an ambitious community project to create a unique collective portrait of the UK during lockdown.

• Artist Kristjana S Williams has provided a free collage kitto print out, cut out and use to create a collage in her unique style.

• Open Culture – 113 free downloadable colouring booksfrom different museums amongst many other resources including over 1,000 free movies.

Science & Space

• NASA– explore activities, podcasts, videos and more, their whole library is now free to the public.

• Phet– Interactive simulations to help with sciences, earth studies and maths.

Quizzes

• Quizizz, Kahoot!Quizlet– Online resources to create or use ready-made quizzes and games as well as live versions which enable group quizzes.

Wellbeing & Good Mental Health 

• The Happiness Lab – Include podcasts specifically to help deal with the Coronavirus pandemic - free on apple downloads.

• Headspace - Free meditations, sleep, and movement exercises are currently available from this app that promotes mindfulness and meditation.

• Government guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health

• NSPCC- A range of resources available if you're worried a child may be struggling with their mental health or has anxiety about coronavirus (COVID-19).

• BBC Bitesize- Five ways to support children’s mental health.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Parental Supports

• Coronavirus – A Children’s Guide, a free information book illustrated by the fabulous Axel Scheffler (of The Gruffalo fame).

• Vox covers 7 big questions children have for parents during this crisis and how to answer them.

• Thinkuknow - worksheets offering online safety advice for the current situation – covering both primary and secondary age children, as well as Jessie and Friends videos for 4-7 year olds.

• ‘Safer Internet’offers advice and tips on safe remote learning.

• LGfl offers advice on safe remote learning for students and parents.

• Increasing data allowances on mobile devices to support disadvantaged children. This government scheme temporarily increases data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks. This is so that children and young people can access remote education if their face-to-face education is disrupted.

• Mum’s Net

Special Educational Needs

• Government SEND support resources

• National Autistic Society - has a range of specific tools and advice to support households with family members with autism.

• Twinkl – A variety of different types of Inclusion SEN resources available that help with Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD, hearing impairments, anxiety, attachment disorder and more. You can use their visual timetable for daily routine at home, learn how tosupport mental illness in children, or help Dyslexic students with reading.

Safeguarding 

• CEOP - Worth being aware that this is where you can refer concerns over online communications or sexual abuse.

• Childline offers 1:1 support and a guide to staying safe online for adults and children.

We have compiled a list of useful external resources to help with keeping your children entertained and learning – sometimes without even knowing that’s what they’re doing.

Whatever you need support with - from Educational Tools, Virtual Shows, Programmes, Performances and Tours; YouTube/FB Activities; Arts and crafts; Science and space; Quizzes; Wellbeing and mental health; Special Educational Needs ; Parental Support and Safeguarding guidance. We hope you’ll find them useful to keep you and your children occupied and entertained.