Back to school 2023: Resources for starting primary school

By Dave McPartlin - Primary School Headteacher

I’ve used BBC Bitesize resources throughout my career, from a new teacher in the classroom through to my role as a headteacher. I was incredibly excited to be asked to get involved with the Bitesize Daily lessons during the Covid lockdowns and be part of their educational offering during a challenging time for both children and adults.

First hand, I watched the collaboration between teachers and the BBC grow, working at pace to produce resources to support the learning of children across the country and further afield. I am delighted to see that this relationship has been maintained and is continuing to go from strength to strength, responding to the needs of children and the profession.

It's always been good, but it’s about to get even better ahead of its 25th anniversary with a website redesign which makes it simpler for pupils to find resources. I’ve been fortunate to have a good mooch around the updated site and below are some of my favourite features for primary aged learners.

Early Years resources

Last year, Bitesize launched Reception content for the very first time, focusing on English and Maths. They had a big emphasis on videos and games to appeal to the youngest learners. They were easy to find and even easier to use and navigate. Maths featured characters from the ever-popular CBeebies show Numberblocks – a firm favourite with my own children and those at school.

The Reception offering has expanded again this year to include topics such as Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design. I think most teachers and parents will be surprised by just how much has been added with the usual high standards of production that we have come to expect. Even as a non-classroom based headteacher, I could quickly see where many of the activities would fit in our Early Years curriculum. It’s safe to say that colleagues and parents won’t need to spend hours looking for that perfect resource, as is often the case online. I trialled the Arts offering on my own children; not only did they learn loads, but they were great for keeping them occupied on the rainy days during the holidays.

KS1 and KS2 resources

It’s great to see the addition of new Art and Design content for KS1 and KS2 as well as revamped the Music content for KS1 and KS2, two areas that can sometimes feel a little squeezed in very busy school timetables. So, it’s great to have new materials to support colleagues in schools and parents and children who may wish to learn more in their own time.

Learner guides for KS1 and KS2 are now broken down into simple sections for young learners to follow easily and include a mix of videos and interactive activities – there are going to be loads of children who get a lot from these and I look forward to seeing what they produce.

Primary games

The primary games have always been incredibly popular, both in schools and at home, and now cover Reception, KS1 and KS2 across Science, Maths, History and English.

Old favourites such as Karate Cats and Galaxy Pugs are now joined by new games such as Art Gallery Rescue and Mushy Music. It’s brilliant to be able to signpost children to activities with a degree of familiarity through seeing them beforehand online or on TV.

There are also games based on popular CBeebies and CBBC shows like Numberblocks, Horrible Histories and Operation Ouch! which are all sure to go down well with the children. Nothing can replace an adult working with a child, but to have so many high-quality and easy to access educational games at hand to reinforce and enthuse can be invaluable. I’ve spent plenty of time working with my own children and those at school and am all too familiar with them running out of enthusiasm, only to find they get a new-found energy when presented with an engaging online resource.

Starting primary school

A few years ago, BBC Bitesize introduced resources for families with children starting primary school and I know, from first-hand experience, how helpful they have been in reassuring anxious or nervous parents and children or even as somewhere for the excited ones to learn more. For those pupils just starting out at school, there are so many resources available to help them settle in and help answer many of the questions that parents often have. They don’t take long to work through but have definitely been well-used and appreciated by parents and children alike.

I hope my little update has been useful - there are so many resources out there on the internet that can take longer than you would like to navigate and the quality can often vary. It’s helpful to have such a trusted offering, made with education experts who always deliver to a high standard, act on feedback and always have the learner at the centre of decision-making.

Great resources just got even better; I hope your children enjoy them as much as my own.

Pupils in Scotland can also access resources for P1 to P7 subjects on this page.

Explore back to school 2023 secondary content with podcasts, GCSE revision quizzes, and more.

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