Children Living in Care

• Education Homepage
• Children Living in Care
• Personal Education Plan
• The Bexley Team
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Literacy
• Self-esteem
• Early Learning
• School Age
• Post-16
• Out of Hours
• Getting Help

Downloads

• Education of Children Living in Care Handbook (813Kb, pdf file)

Contact Us

• Children's Planning Unit,
  Howbury Centre,
  Slade Green Road,
  Erith,
  Kent DA8 2HX
• 020 8303 7777
• childrens planningunit@ bexley.gov.uk

Useful Links

• Achievement for All
• DCSF
• OfSTED

Education of
Children Living in Care

Education is our Future

Literacy

Literacy is a key factor in promoting resilience so we should do all we can to improve this aspect of a child's learning. What children experience at home about reading and writing influences their attitudes and approaches to learning. The more chances they have to enjoy reading and writing at home, the better. Little and often usually works well.

Learning to read and write

With young children:

• Read stories and talk about the pictures/ stories together and about how books work
• Let them see you reading and writing
• Help them to read signs and labels and make shopping lists together
• Share songs, rhymes and taped material
• Visit the local library

As children get older:

• Continue the above
• Read to and with them (don't stop reading to children even in their teenage years)
• Talk about the ideas in a variety of reading material eg stories, poems, information books, newspapers and magazines
• Encourage reading of 'everyday' print such as on food cartons, in TV guides and catalogues
• Provide opportunities for writing on a computer, in notebooks, diaries and scrapbooks
• Help them to notice common words and spellings

Other sources of guidance

The booklet 'Books for Caring' is written by a book publisher in association with Derbyshire County Council. It lists stories and information suitable for sharing with looked after children and covers topics such as adoption and fostering and refugees. Ask if your local library has a copy for reference.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has produced guides for parents/carers to support reading of primary and secondary school children. These can be found in the 'publications' section on the website www.parentcentre.gov.uk

The National Literacy Trust have developed Reading Is Fundamental, UK. This is an iniative that promotes reading for pleasure. The website www.rif.org.uk offers advice and help on reading with children.

www.booktrusted.co.uk provides information about children's books and 'tips for parents'. Booktrust also produces a parent pack for different age ranges, 0-5, 5-8, 8-11,11+, that gives general advice on choosing books.