Articles and Resources
Explore articles, resources, and information designed to help parents better understand learning, learning difficulties, neurodiversity, and child development.
Learning Support
Explore articles about learning difficulties, executive functioning, barriers to learning and specialised support approaches beyond traditional tutoring.
Zone of Proximal Development: Why the Right Level of Challenge Matters
Have you ever watched a child give up because something feels just too hard? Or perhaps you've seen the opposite: a child flies through an activity without really having to think. Neither situation creates the ideal conditions for learning. For children to make...
“We’ll See How Year 7 Goes”: Why Taking a Break from Learning Support Before High School Can Backfire
There’s a sentence I hear a lot from parents around this time every year. “We thought we might give them a break and just see how they go in Year 7.” And I completely understand the thinking behind it. They've made it through primary school. They're excited about high...
“We Might Just Take a Break”: Why Pausing Learning Intervention Isn’t Always the Break We Think It Is
I've been thinking a lot lately about breaks. Not school holidays. Not taking a week off because you're going away. And certainly not the importance of giving children time to rest, play and simply be kids. I've been thinking about the longer breaks families sometimes...
Practice with Purpose: Why More Practice Isn’t Always Better
"They just need more practice." It's something parents of children who struggle with learning hear all the time. More reading. More spelling words. More maths questions. More worksheets. More homework. And while practice is an essential part of learning, more practice...
Understanding Your Child as a Learner: Why How They Learn Matters
When a child is struggling with schoolwork, the obvious response is often to focus on the task in front of them. Can't complete the maths homework? Help with the maths questions. Struggling with a reading assignment? Help them read the text. Finding writing difficult?...
Why Effective Feedback Is So Important for Learning
"Great job!" "Try again." "That's not quite right." Children hear feedback like this all the time. But while encouragement and correction have their place, effective feedback in learning goes much further. At Flying Colours, feedback isn't simply about telling a...
Executive Functioning: Why Smart Kids Sometimes Struggle at School
When children struggle at school, it's easy to assume the problem is reading, writing or maths. But for many children, the real challenge lies in a set of invisible skills called executive functioning. These are the brain's management skills. They help us plan,...
Why Qualified Isn’t Always the Same as Specialised
When parents begin looking for extra educational support, one of the first questions they often ask is: "Are your teachers qualified?" It's an important question—but it's not the only one. A better question might be: "Do they have specialised training in supporting...
O is for Observation: Why Watching How a Child Learns Is Just as Important as What They Learn
When parents think about identifying learning difficulties, they often think about assessments and test results. While formal assessments provide valuable information, they only tell part of the story. At Flying Colours, one of the most powerful tools we use is...
N is for Neurodiversity: Celebrating Different Ways of Learning
No two children learn in exactly the same way. Some children grasp new concepts quickly through discussion, while others learn best by seeing, doing, moving or repeating. Some need more time to process information, while others think creatively and make connections...
Counselling
Learn about how counselling is beneficial to children in so many ways especially when they come with learning difficulties.
What Children with Learning Difficulties Carry: Understanding the Emotional Impact
When a child is struggling with learning, it’s easy to focus on what we can see — reading difficulties, challenges with writing, or trouble keeping up in class. But what many children carry is far less visible. Children with learning difficulties often carry an...
How Parent Counselling Can Improve a Child’s Well-Being and Learning
When a child is struggling with learning or emotional challenges, the focus is often placed entirely on the child. But one of the most powerful ways to support a child’s well-being and development is by supporting the parent. For children with learning difficulties,...
How Anxiety Affects Learning in Children (and What Parents Can Do)
Anxiety in children is more common than many parents realise — and it doesn’t just affect how a child feels. It can have a significant impact on how they learn, engage in the classroom, and approach school each day. For children with learning difficulties, anxiety and...
Why Counselling and Learning Support Work Best Together for Children
When a child is struggling with learning, the impact is rarely just academic. Difficulties with reading, writing, or maths can affect a child’s confidence, motivation, and emotional well-being. Likewise, emotional challenges can make it harder for a child to engage...
Why Counselling Helps Children with Learning Difficulties Build Confidence and Resilience
Watching your child struggle with learning can be incredibly stressful for parents. Children with learning difficulties don’t just face academic challenges — they often experience frustration, anxiety, and a drop in confidence that can impact their emotional...
Counselling Isn’t Just for Crisis: Why Early Support Helps Children Thrive
When parents think of counselling, they often associate it with crisis — serious emotional struggles, behavioural concerns, or situations where things feel out of control. But counselling isn’t just for crisis. In fact, early counselling support for children can make...