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The importance of growing strong roots
From his recent trip to Latin America, Dr. Simon Camby, Group Education Director, shares his thoughts and observations from two…
Five ways students benefit from outdoor adventure school trips
It’s widely recognised that developing the whole person through age-appropriate outdoor experiences helps to equip young people with the skills…
Maximising the benefits of home-based learning
While in-person classes remain temporarily on hold in various parts of the world to protect the health of students, teachers…
Why we’re focused on creativity, innovation and real skills for the working world
Fear of public speaking — or glossophobia — is estimated to affect as many as 75 per cent of the…
Taking the classroom outdoors should be a permanent part of school life
As the UK’s roadmap to re-open the country continues, we see children return to their previous outdoor interests, school trips…
How our schools help children connect with nature
During times spent outdoors in my childhood, I had the opportunity and freedom to ‘be at one’ with nature, says Richard…
An EdTech transformation at St Clare’s School
This is Summer’s story. Summer is 12 years old and attends St Clare’s School in Porthcawl. She wants to be a doctor. Throughout 2020, Summer spent three days a week in hospital receiving dialysis while waiting for a kidney transplant –…
Inspiring Futures for pandemic-struck teens
5pm, 18th March 2020: The Prime Minister’s latest address on the Coronavirus pandemic, with now frighteningly familiar updates on transmission…
Back to school: The 3 R’s for a smooth transition
As many families in the UK prepare for children to go ‘back to school’ after the latest national lockdown, Beth…
Supporting wellbeing and developing character through participation in sport
Downsend School lives by the mantra, ‘Sport for All’. From supporting budding athletes through an elite pathway to providing all pupils…
How to create a ‘Culture of Happiness’ at a large international school
When Clare Johnstone and I took over the elementary division at Stamford American International School, one of the first things…
Cognita focuses its participation in the RE.SCHOOL forum on the importance of wellbeing
In the new normal, schools face the greatest changes to the educational system in modern times. This is an atypical year…
How to ensure students are stretched rather than stressed
Danuta Tomasz, Director of Education, UK, at Cognita warns against taking ‘no pain, no gain’ too far when it comes…
Robot teachers: will they compete or cooperate?
Jorge Calvo, Head of Technology and Innovation at Colegio Europeo de Madrid in Spain, considers what will happen to the role…
Does social media have an impact on student wellbeing?
Many parents and teachers have concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of young people, particularly teenagers. There’s one big…
Outdoor learning – Fad or Fab?
“Outdoor education is not just a gimmick”, says Katie Paynter Head of Pre-Prep at St Nicholas Prep. “The power of…
Being human as technology advances
Latest evidence from the World Economic Forum shows how the skills needed by our children are changing. Simon Camby, Group Education Director…
How to keep young students safe online
Informed, web-savvy parents working in partnership with schools offer the best protection for keeping students safe online, believes Vanessa Gálvez,…
How to reduce stress and enhance learning for our youngest students
With parents citing ‘stress’ as their biggest concern for 2019, Christine McLelland, Head of North Bridge House Nursery and Pre-Prep…
When students feel they don’t fit it
What should a teacher do if a child comes to them and says ‘I don’t fit in’? There is a…
Advice for helping children with mental health
Katie Paynter, Head of Pre-Prep at St Nicholas Preparatory School in London, shares advice on how we can support the…
How you can support young people this Children’s Mental Health Week
Hope Virgo is the Author of Stand Tall Little Girl, a book about facing up to anorexia, and a leading advocate…
Why we let our students create their own classrooms
To give children a lesson in how to learn, one school invited its primary students to redesign their own classrooms…
Wellbeing tips for teachers, by teachers
Wellbeing and good mental health are fundamental to the daily practice of our schools. We asked colleagues across our Cognita family of schools,…
Character – taught or caught?
The academic content of school is easy to measure, we can see it. Character development can be harder to quantify…
“Emotional strength is not guaranteed throughout childhood”
Warren Honey, Headmaster of Hydesville Tower School in Walsall, UK discusses childhood resilience and mental health. Indefatigable. It is the…
What do schools really mean by ‘mixed ability’?
Brendan Pavey, Head Teacher at North Bridge House Senior Hampstead, explains what schools really mean by ‘mixed ability’. The world of…
The benefits of creating immersive learning environments for our students
Creating immersive learning environments is hard work but the benefits are boundless, argues Julia Hallett, Key Stage 1 teacher at…
Character development and the importance of building confidence at home
Self-assured, resilient and empowered to succeed. These principles represent our ambition for every child in the Cognita family. Helping children…
Could metacognition be the answer to securing academic progress over time?
Teachers and pupils should take time to reflect and review, according to Simon Camby, Group Education Director for Cognita. Metacognition…
Beyond final exams – how can we help students develop skills that will prepare them for life beyond school?
As many students around the world approach their final exams, Alex Aristizabal Ph.D., Associate Director of Teaching and Learning at…
The fight against fake news should start in class
It’s a mistake to avoid discussing current affairs with students, instead, the fight against fake news should start in class,…
Outdoor learning, whatever your environment
Schools in urban areas often feel that outdoor learning isn’t for them. But Robin Davies, Assistant Director of Education for…
Could gender-neutral education lead to true equality for our children?
Education is fundamental to changing attitudes towards gender discrimination, says Warren Honey, Headmaster of Hydesville Tower School in the UK….
Character education: the key to preparing students for an uncertain future
Over the next decade, one billion young people will enter the world of work, but it is estimated that 60%…
Should you give your curriculum some fresh air?
Over the years, several studies have revealed the benefit – even necessity – of spending time outdoors and when the…
Why good manners are essential in the 21st century
Only if we model good manners can we be sure that children will aspire to be the inspiring leaders and…
How can teachers nurture “thinking”?
Elenice Lobo, Educational Director at PlayPen Bilingual Education in Brazil, examines the ways in which teachers can help their students develop…
Facing the facts – why mental health must not be ignored
The Institute for Public Policy Research has recently released its findings into the extent of mental health concerns in young…
Multi-cultural schools: the answer in troubling times?
Do multi-cultural schools offer one of the best chances to stop ignorance from breeding hate? Mr Warren Honey, Headmaster at…
From Glastonbury Festival to the school ICT suite – how teachers’ passions inspire students
Regardless of how tenuous the link, when teachers bring their own passions into the classroom, they can inspire students in…
It would be a mistake to ignore rising concerns about mental health and children’s wellbeing
Few parents will be unaware of the increasing concern about children’s mental health. Sarah Ebery, head teacher of Meoncross School in the…
‘Gifted’ and talented? Why setting by ability limits student outcomes
As a new book throws into question whether any child is born ‘gifted’, Danuta Tomasz, Cognita’s Assistant Director of Education,…
How to help children prepare for Secondary School during the holidays
As the school holidays begin in the UK, Georgina Masefield, Head of Akeley Wood School (from September 2017), shares top tips…
Kant in the classroom: Should a school spend time teaching young children philosophy?
If philosophy is taught across the school, it can create and change a whole school’s culture, contends Brodie Bibby, Headteacher…
Are we teaching our children to fish? ‘How’ we learn is far more important than ‘what’ we learn
It’s not what children are learning, but how they are learning that is of most importance, argues Meaghan Allen, Primary…
Man vs machine: the future of technology in education
In a series of articles for Education Post, Malcolm Kay, Superintendent of Stamford American School Hong Kong looks at innovation…
Beyond academics – offering students more
Born at a time when education focused on academic achievements to the exclusion of nearly everything else, Marcos Barros Vallejos,…
Happiness lessons for eight-year-olds – gimmick or good practice?
The UK government has unveiled plans to trial ‘happiness lessons’ for eight-year-olds. In an article for the Telegraph, Danuta Tomasz,…
Getting mindful about wellbeing
Mental health and wellbeing of young people is never far from the headlines today – wherever you are in the…
How can schools help create global citizens?
Ian Thorpe, Headmaster at Downsend School in the UK, considers the ever-widening range of skills that children are expected to…