Head of Primary fortnightly blog

At BSKL we regularly encourage children to take sensible risks, be resilient and stay ambitious, habits that power learning and confidence. Growth mindset is the simple idea behind this: abilities aren’t fixed; they develop with effort, effective strategies and feedback. When children believe this, they choose challenge more readily, bounce back more quickly when things feel tricky, and treat mistakes as information rather than failure. Over time, that leads to stronger progress, healthier wellbeing and better learning habits.

You’ll see this in classrooms when teachers use the language of yet “I can’t do this yet; let me try another strategy” and when we praise the process, not the person. Instead of “You’re so clever,” you might hear, “Your plan really helped you improve,” or “I noticed how you kept adjusting your method.” We also normalise the “learning pit” that uncomfortable dip before understanding climbs again. Children learn that the way out is through strategies: slowing down, checking examples, breaking tasks into chunks, trying a different approach, and using feedback as a roadmap “Here’s what to practise next.”

You can amplify this at home with a few small shifts. Add yet to tricky-task conversations: “You haven’t mastered long division yet, what step could we practise next?” Make mistakes ordinary by sharing a “marvellous mistake” from your week and what you learnt. Swap generic praise for targeted, effective effort: “You stuck with it for ten minutes and used your checklist; that’s why your second draft is clearer.” Coach rather than rescue with prompts like, “Where could you look for an example?” and “How will you check your answer?” Build a quick reflection into the end of homework: “What went well? What was hard? What will you do differently next time?”

It’s worth clearing up a couple of myths. Praising effort alone isn’t the goal; we want to praise effective effort, the strategies and focus that move learning forward. And a growth mindset doesn’t mean everything feels positive. Real challenge is often uncomfortable; that feeling is a sign learning is happening. Most importantly, mindset isn’t a label that some people have, and others don’t, it shifts with experience, language and habits, so we can all grow.

A gentle reminder that Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th September are our EYFS & Primary Parent–Teacher Consultations. These meetings are a fantastic chance to celebrate your child’s progress, discuss strengths and next steps, and ask any questions. Please check your appointment time and arrive a few minutes early; if you’ve not yet booked, do so as soon as you can. If you need an alternative time or format, let us know and we’ll do our best to help.

As always, thank you for partnering with us to help our children think boldly, keep going when it’s tough, and thrive.