continued from page 2
Online shops
One of the best shopping resources on the Web is The Learning Store. Here, you’ll find a detailed index of CD-Roms and books. Click on a product title and you’ll get a description, a review and the opportunity to buy.

eDream is pretty much the same, offering excellent reviews on products that cover the whole of the National Curriculum.

Here’s a useful tip of my own. If you take part in the Computers for Schools promotion, go to Tesco.com to get your education software. They have a great selection of products and, depending on how much you spend, you’ll also get more vouchers towards the scheme.

National Curriculum
Educational software should follow the content guidelines of the National Curriculum for SATs, GCSEs and A-levels. If you want to check what the guidelines are for each subject, go to the National Curriculum’s website www.nc.uk.net

Be warned though, it’s a slow site. Rich images and heavy designs means you’ll have to be patient. But once you’ve found your way through, there is plenty of useful information to hand. There are no reviews of suitable educational software, which is a shame, but the links lead to useful resources and relevant websites.

You can rest assured that the programs from the main publishers follow the National Curriculum guidelines – but A-levels are outside the National Curriculum. This means course work will depend upon which examination board your son or daughter is being tested by.

The A-level software and books from Europress, Granada and The Times, will cover the core subject but may not be specific enough for your son or daughter’s examination. Hence, A-level students may need to consider additional resources for their subjects, such as websites and revision books. Even so, the programs available will certainly help.

ivillage uk

Educational software for children