Holgate Primary and Nursery School works with The Skills Builder Partnership to ensure every learner has opportunities to build eight essential skills to support them now and in the future.

Research has shown that building these eight essential skills can support the emotional wellbeing and academic success of children and young people, as well as preparing them for life beyond school.

Skills Builder has developed a Universal Framework that breaks each of these essential skills down into 16 teachable steps. We use this framework to teach and practise each of the eight skills at the appropriate level throughout school life.

During the Autumn term, the first essential skill we are exploring is listening. This focuses on receiving, retaining and processing information. This skill is about how learners receive information – whether from a peer, an educator, or someone else. Initially, learners reliably receive information by maintaining focus, recalling simple instructions, checking they understand, and passing on information accurately.

To support developing the skill of listening at home, you could try some of the following activities.

• Read a story together. Stop as you go to talk about what might happen next. When you have finished, talk about what happened in the story.
• Dance together to ‘Heads, Shoulder, Knees and Toes’. Sing the song and encourage your child to listen carefully and copy the actions. Alternatively, teach your child any other song and dance routine that you know!
• Listen to and review an audiobook or podcast. Talk or write about what was good about it and if you would recommend it to others.

Arrange a phone or video call with a family member or friend. Speak clearly and listen carefully to the other person in the conversation