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Twinkl, an online publisher used by schools, teachers and parents across the UK has brought together a range of free educational tools to support schools and families with home learning during the new and continued lockdown periods.
This includes a Home Learning Hub, specially created for parents, which has daily activities for ages 3-11. The hub offers a range of resources including worksheets, crafts and educational games, as well as guides for parents to help them navigate the curriculum.
The company is also providing free access to Twinkl Go!, a range of interactive and audiovisual resources suitable for all ages and covering all subjects. This collection offers hundreds of games, videos, audiobooks and activities, which can be completed on any device.
Twinkl also has a collection of free partnership resources available with interactive video content to make digital learning engaging and fun, including materials with Go Jetters, Numberblocks, Guinness World Records, BBC Teach Live Lessons, David Attenborough and Puffin books.
The educational tools are designed to support educators with online teaching and the challenges this brings, as well as to equip parents and carers with the materials they need to further support learning.
Jonathan Seaton, Co-founder and CEO of Twinkl, said: “We have brought together the tools and resources that we think are the most helpful and practical for home learning and enable people to choose what will work best for them. We have been listening to and speaking with teaching staff, parents and carers to understand their needs and what will support them as they pick up home learning once again.
“It is incredible what people across the country are doing to support their pupils and children and we hope they recognise this as well as seek any support they need, whatever form this takes.”
Alongside resources and tools for parents, Twinkl has also made a free planner tool for teachers that can be used to collate materials and share lessons at home. By sending a link to the lesson, parents and carers can access and download the materials directly, without needing any form of Twinkl membership.
To get access to the resources on the Home Learning Hub or Twinkl Go!, individuals need to create a free log-in using an email address and password. No payment information is taken when creating a free account and there is no obligation to use Twinkl after the help is no longer needed.
Committed to helping with more than just educational tools, Twinkl has also partnered with the campaign ‘Our Frontline’ to bring together mental health support and advice for teaching staff. The team at Twinkl recognise the challenges and pressures educators have been facing in recent months and want educators to know that ‘It’s ok not to feel ok’ as they continue to support pupils during the pandemic. Set up by Samaritans, Mind, Shout85258 and Hospice UK, with the support of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, ‘Our Frontline’ provides free round the clock, 1-2-1 support and online mental health and bereavement resources available here.
“Schools and teaching staff are under intense pressure and so it’s vital that they are supported in their health and wellbeing”, added Jonathan. “We want people to know that it is ok to ask for help with this, that they aren’t alone and that there are places they can reach out and speak to someone.”
The materials available range from activity sheets, information packs and interactive presentations to online educational games and videos, with over 40,000 of these available for free. These cover all core subjects for all ages and include resources mapped to a range of curriculums.
