Writing

Leaping across the writing gap: building resilience and independence at KS3

The impact of the disrupted nature of the last few years is perhaps most felt on the continuity which is key to progression. It is surely harder than ever to get a sense of just what level students transition with from the primary phase, given the gaps in learning and… Read More

Why it’s time to Reimagine Key Stage 3 English

Jo Heathcote is a teacher, coach, former AQA principal examiner for GCSE English/English Language, and author of  multiple Collins English resources, including the new Reimagine Key Stage 3 English. In this article, Jo explores why it’s time to re-think KS3 English and how you can use her nine knowledge-rich… Read More

Helping children with non-fiction writing

Collins Big Cat author Emily Dodd shares ideas on how to get children excited about writing non-fiction. Although the ideas are aimed at teachers, they can easily be adapted for parents to support their children’s writing at home. Imagination and Memory When I’m starting children off on a… Read More

Helping children with writing fiction

Collins Big Cat author Brandon Robshaw shares his own experiences of writing, plus tips on how to get children excited about writing fiction. Human beings are natural storytellers. Almost as soon as we can talk we find ourselves telling stories – little accounts or reports of things that have… Read More

How Parents Can Support Their Child’s Writing At Home

Writing is one of the most challenging things we ask our children to do and it is hard for parents to know what’s expected in each year group and how to help their child. Literacy expert, Rachel Clarke has looked at some of the writing skills taught in each year… Read More

Collins Big Cat Writing Competition 2018: Seeds and Beginnings

Of all the questions I’m asked at school visits, the most common one (after ‘How much do you earn?’) is ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’. I think many readers assume they just pop into authors’ head fully formed as if by magic. Perhaps for some… Read More

Collins Big Cat Writing Competition 2018: The Courage To Write

Fear of the blank page haunts every writer, young or old. Writing this blog began with a long period of staring at an empty white space until inspiration struck and I was brave enough to set down some words, that grew to a paragraph, until finally becoming… Read More

Collins Big Cat Writing Competition

Entry for the 2018 competition is now closed, but you can now enter the Collins Big Cat Writing Competition 2019! To read more about the winning stories for 2018 click here. Here at Collins we’re celebrating International Literacy Day by gearing up for our global… Read More

Poetry retreats for primary kids: sunsets, reflections and togetherness  

Imagine having no timetable, no classroom and no curriculum. At first glance, this idea might phenomenally liberating; we may think of all the things which we feel hold us back in our work just melting away. Or it might sound terrifying and destabilising, as we strain to imagine getting through… Read More

Top four barriers to mastering AQA English Language, Paper 2, Question 4: Comparing the Writers’ Methods

By Naomi Hursthouse Question 4 on both the language papers is designed to catch students out. It is assumed that some just won’t have the staying power to get to it, and other won’t be able to handle it. And it certainly did catch our students out on… Read More