From the kitchen table

Honest notes on primary homework, times tables, SATS and keeping kids off screens. Written by a parent, not a marketing department.

23 June 2026
Half an hour. That's the whole trick.
Primary homework doesn't need to be a battle or a marathon. The sweet spot is shorter than most people think, and consistency beats heroics every time.
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16 June 2026
Scaled scores, and why 100 is the number that matters
Your child won't come home from SATS with a percentage. They'll get a scaled score, and 100 is the line everyone is quietly watching. Here's what it means.
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9 June 2026
What a homework heatmap actually tells you
A wall of green and red squares looks clever. The useful question is what you do with it on a Tuesday night. Here's how we read ours.
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2 June 2026
The Year 4 times tables check, minus the panic
Every Year 4 sits a 25-question times tables check in June. It matters less than the worry around it suggests. Here's what it is and how to prepare without the drama.
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26 May 2026
Why we stopped doing homework on the iPad
An app told us Felix was smashing his times tables. His teacher said otherwise. Here's what changed when we went back to pen and paper.
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