The Rootly blog
Notes on learning, parenting, and growing up curious.
Practical, jargon-free writing for parents of primary-school children.
The end of the 7pm homework war (and what replaced it)
Nightly negotiations rarely build a habit — they build resentment. Here's the small structural change that turned our evenings around, backed by what actually keeps children practising.
Why 15 minutes beats an hour (the spacing effect, in plain English)
A century of research says little-and-often wins. Here's why, without the cognitive-science jargon.
What your Year 4 actually covers in maths this year
A parent's map of the Year 4 maths curriculum — what's new, what's hard, and where children tend to wobble.
The weekly synthesis just got smarter about confusion
Sprout now spots when a topic is wobbling earlier — and tells you the one thing to try at home.
How to talk to your child about a topic they're stuck on
Five phrases that lower the temperature when frustration shows up at the kitchen table.
Reading fluency vs comprehension — and why both matter
Decoding the words and understanding them are different skills. Here's how to tell which one needs work.
SATs, explained calmly: what KS2 assessments really test
A no-panic guide to what the Year 6 tests cover and how much they actually matter.