Do the Year 6 SATs still have a purpose in 2025?
As we come to the end of the week where thousands of 10 and 11-year-olds across England sit down to complete their Year 6 SATs it is time to think carefully about why this milestone in learning happens and whether it is still relevant. These national assessments in reading, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and maths aim…
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A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child with Anxiety
If your child shows signs of anxiety, you are not alone. In my work with hundreds of children each year through outdoor learning and forest school sessions at Ambleford, I’ve seen how common anxiety is among children of all ages. Sometimes it shows up quietly—in a child who clings to the edges of a group…
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If Traditional School Isn’t Working for Your Family, You’re Not Alone!
In a world where mainstream education often feels increasingly rigid, overstretched, and impersonal, many families are searching for something different—something that allows their children to thrive, not just survive. Flexi-schooling at Ambleford School could be the answer. Who is Flexi-Schooling For? Our flexi-school programme is designed for families who want a more meaningful, child-centred approach…
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Why Music in the Charts is Rubbish —And Why That Should Worry Us
Spend a few minutes listening to the music charts today, and you might notice something odd: where have all the bands gone? The guitar solos? The harmonies crafted in dusty rehearsal rooms? Increasingly, mainstream hits are written by teams, performed solo, and built on samples rather than instruments. This isn’t just nostalgia talking or the…
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Why I Let Children Play with Knives: The Importance of Taking Calculated Risks In A Child’s Development.
It might seem controversial at first glance, but yes – I let children as young as five use knives at our outdoor education sessions at Ambleford. Before you raise an eyebrow or two, let me explain why this practice is not only safe but crucial to children’s development. At Ambleford, we understand deeply the importance…
Your Child is Likely a Genius, but NASA Study Suggest Traditional Schooling Will Make Them Mediocre.
In the late 1960s, Dr. George Land, in collaboration with NASA, conducted a groundbreaking study to measure creativity among children. Initially developed to identify innovative engineers for NASA, the study tested 1,600 children aged 3 to 5 and revealed that an astounding 98% of them qualified as creative geniuses. However, this percentage dramatically declined as…
Are Fortnite and YouTube Damaging a Generation of Kids?
It’s a question that keeps coming up – are Fortnite and YouTube harming children’s development, or are they just harmless entertainment? As parents and educators, we often assume that these platforms are simply part of modern life, but we need to ask ourselves: what happens when kids have unrestricted access to digital worlds designed to…
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From Desk-Bound to Dirt-Driven: 5 Steps to a More Meaningful Life Outside the Office
I’m writing this article with the hope that it will inspire others to make the changes they’ve been longing for in their own lives. My intent isn’t to glorify my journey or claim that I’ve figured everything out – far from it. My life continues to be full of challenges. However, I can say that…
Our Forest School Short Promo Video
We are please to announce that our first promotional video in now live. Check it out! https://youtu.be/B7wUvsAUPEQ