Ks1 English articles

We use the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs to compare things, people, actions and states in our writing. Find out how your child is introduced to this concept, how they will learn to form the comparative and superlative and how they will practise using them in the primary-school classroom.

From learning to hold a pencil to getting their thoughts down on paper, learning to write is a tricky milestone for children. We explain how it happens, and how you can help.

Every parent looks forward to their child graduating from reading scheme books, but how and when do they make the leap? We explain what a 'free reader' is and when your child is likely to graduate from reading schemes.

Looking for the perfect books for your child to find under the tree? Whatever their interests or reading ability, there's a fantastic selection on offer this Christmas, from the latest Rick Riordan blockbuster to new classics, non-fiction treasures to pore over and laugh-out-loud funny reads. The holidays will be story-filled!

They might make you want to weep with boredom, but reading collections could have some big benefits for your newly-confident reader. We explain how they're written, why they appeal to kids and how to use them as a launching-pad for a lifetime of reading.

Does your child’s writing lack a certain spark? We asked the experts for their top tips for injecting some colour into primary-school children's prose.

Learning how to revise a piece of written work is an important skill for primary school children, and one that it’s never too soon to help them master.

Make this the summer when your child journeys to ancient Rome, becomes a secret agent, takes to the high seas, finds out about England's past, solves a mystery and discovers the delights of Mr Benn... all without leaving the sofa! From kids' classics to brand-new adventures, we've got 14 brilliant books for your children to lose themselves in over the 2015 summer holiday.

From interactive games and apps to simplified reading books and learning-to-read devices, we love the early reader tools available to parents and children. Whether you want to motivate a reluctant reader or offer a huge selection of titles to a voracious bookworm, we've picked some of the best options to start your child on the road to a life-long love of reading.

Counting and sequencing numbers correctly is a big part of early maths. We've picked some brilliant mathematical story books to help support your child's learning at home with vibrant illustrations, memorable characters and great narratives.

Year 1 is a foundation year for spelling, with children being taught important spelling patterns and exception words as well as how split digraphs work. We explain how you can support your child's Y1 spelling learning at home with an understanding of the curriculum and practical worksheets and activities.

Following a reading scheme at school can transform children from non-readers to bookworms in a surprisingly short space of time, but how are they developed and tested to help your child progress?

Understand more about how children learn about sounds and try some of teacher Niki Jackson's practical tips to help your child with their early phonics learning at home. We particularly like the alphabet cookies suggestion...

Fables tell us a story and teach us a lesson at the same time and we've been hearing them, retelling them and writing them for over two thousand years. We explain how primary-school children learn about fables and Aesop in our guide for parents.

Contracted words or contractions are used every day in spoken and written English. Help your child keep them straight with our parents' guide, including complete listings of the common contractions children learn to spell in Year 2 and throughout Key Stage 2.

Expand vocabulary, develop spelling skills, learn about homophones, anagrams and synonyms and compose huge numbers of silly sentences... all while having a great time. Whether your child is 3 or 13, our favourite word board games and literacy card games offer fast-paced fun for the whole family.

Make the most of family outings by choosing one of our parent-recommended museums. For fun, story-telling, literary inspiration and creative opportunities visit the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre.

With a return to greater emphasis on handwriting in primary schools, could a special pen or pencil help your child master the art of neat writing? Handwriting tutor Michelle van Rooyen explains what handwriting pencils and pens are available.

Help your child form each letter of the alphabet correctly with our step-by-step and stroke-by-stroke videos, with experts from the National Handwriting Association. In this video we look at the Zig-zag monster letter family: z, x, v, w, y and k.