Embracing Inclusive Traditions: 5 Super Fun Halloween Alternatives for Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Families and Schools

As the leaves begin to change colours and the air turns crisper, the anticipation of Halloween festivities fills the atmosphere. While Halloween can be a fun and exciting time for many, it's essential to acknowledge that not everyone celebrates this holiday due to their religious or cultural beliefs. Christian, Jewish, and Muslim families, caregivers and schools , often seek alternative traditions that align with their values. Whilst alternative traditions to halloween celebrations aren’t that common, there are many that can be adapted and what we love most about them is that they enable families (and schools) to create wonderful memories for children of all ages and from all religious backgrounds. In this article, we'll explore five fun Halloween alternatives that promote inclusivity, cultural diversity and the building of incredible memories.

1. Fall Harvest Festivals: Celebrate the Bounty of the Season

One fantastic Halloween alternative that’s perfect for everyone is the Fall Harvest Festival. This event can be organised within families, communities or schools and is a wonderful way to celebrate the changing of seasons without the dark or spooky elements often associated with Halloween.

Key Activities:

• Pumpkin decorating and carving.

• Apple picking and making homemade apple cider.

• Costume contests with themes that celebrate harvest and nature. (We’ll delve more into this later)

• A community potluck featuring autumnal dishes.

2. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): Honouring Ancestral Traditions

For a culturally rich and vibrant Halloween alternative, consider celebrating Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday that honours deceased loved ones in a colourful and festive manner. This tradition is a beautiful way to pay tribute to family and friends who have passed away. Whilst some Dia de los Muertos traditions are darker or spookier in nature, you could tweak things by encouraging children to dress up in autumnal clothing or brighter costumes.

Activity Ideas:

• Building ofrendas (altars) adorned with photos and mementos of loved ones.

• Drawing pictures of loved ones that have passed away.

• Face painting with intricate designs. such as lilies, roses, orchids or tulips.

• Enjoying traditional Mexican foods and music.

3. Light the Night: A Glow-in-the-Dark Celebration

For those looking to add a unique and luminous twist to their celebrations, a "Light the Night" event can be a fantastic Halloween alternative. The focus here is on creating a radiant and magical atmosphere using glow-in-the-dark elements.

Key Activities:

• Glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunts.

• Lantern or glow stick parades.

• Stargazing with telescopes and astronomy lessons.

• A bonfire with marshmallow roasting.

4. International Costume Parade: Celebrate Diversity

In the spirit of fostering cultural understanding and appreciation, you could host an International Costume Parade where children and adults can dress up in attire from various countries. This Halloween alternative is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity within your local community or school.

Key Activities:

• Costume fashion show with participants representing different cultures.

• Learning about the history and significance of various traditional clothing.

• Sampling international cuisine and snacks.

• Folk dances and music performances from around the world.

5. Acts of Kindness Day: Spreading Love and Compassion

Another meaningful Halloween alternative is dedicating a day to perform acts of kindness. This tradition is a reminder of the importance of giving back to the community and helping those in need.

Key Activities:

• Collecting and donating non-perishable goods to local food banks.

• Making care packages for the elderly or deployed military members.

• Participating in a community cleanup event.

Alternative Halloween Ideas For Christian Schools and Families:

Host a Noah’s Ark Day.

We love this idea because it enables children to dress up as their favourite animal. You could even take it a step futher and pair children up so that in true Noah’s Ark fashion, there are two of each animal/costume. It’s a great way to make fun memories and creates opportunities for picture-taking, collaboration between peers and inclusive activities such as animal-themed arts and crafts.

Host a ‘Bible Hero Night or Day’

Simply encourage children/pupils to dress up as their favourite biblical character during the school day or as part of an evening festivity. This enables children to learn more about biblical characters and feel more engaged with biblical stories. You can even take it a step further and encourage children to complete puzzles, arts and crafts activities or read books that are centred around their favourite biblical heroes. There’s so much you can do with this idea and once again, it gives children the opportunity to dress up and wear costumes during the autumnal season without partaking in Halloween festivities.

Celebrate A ‘Community Day’ or A ‘Fall Festival’

Have a ‘Community Day’ where children/students are encouraged to dress up as a community or key worker. Examples include police officers, teachers, doctors, postmen, binmen and so forth. Children love to dress up and this concept can be tied in with topics around careers, career planning and the importance of helping others. Once again, there are tons of ways to make this idea fun yet educational.

Alternatively, you could hold a Fall Festival where children dress up as characters or elements that relate to the fall season. This can include fruits, vegetables, parts of nature like pumpkins, trees, plants etc. It can even include some of the fun treats we enjoy during the autumn season such as hot chocolate or cups of tea!

In conclusion, it's essential to remember that there are many alternatives to Halloween that can be equally enjoyable and meaningful for Christian, Jewish, and Muslim families and schools. These alternative traditions allow you to celebrate the beauty of the season, honour cultural values, and promote inclusivity and kindness. By embracing these alternatives, you can create memorable and joy-filled experiences that are respectful of diverse beliefs and backgrounds.

Co-Ed vs Single Sex Schools: Which Is Best For Your Child?

The advantages and disadvantages of co-educational vs single-sex schools have been hotly contested throughout history, with persuasive arguments on both sides.

According to studies, boys and girls react differently to various learning environments depending on the situation. The question therefore begs, do we segregate children in order to educate them, or is early integration the secret to raising a successful and sociable generation?

On paper, single-sex education appears to have advantages because the outcomes are unquestionably superior. Statistics show that pupils who attend single-gender schools outperform their peers at co-ed schools at GCSE level.

One of the greatest benefits of single-gender schools is inclusivity. Nobody is excluded based on their gender from any club, activity, sport, or course. Children can experiment and attempt new things without being constrained by stereotyped gender roles in this way.

One that has been deemed to be particularly significant in parents' decision-making is the claim that exposure to people of the opposite sex can be distracting.  It is believed that by eliminating this disturbance, the students' whole attention will be directed toward their academic work and extracurricular pursuits. But we are aware that this is a fallacious justification. Because eliminating the boyfriend/girlfriend dynamic from the classroom does not ensure that more time will be devoted to intellectual activities. Contrarily, there is a compelling case that excluding contact with the other sex creates an unsatisfactory and unhealthful relationship with the object of one's affection.

Single-sex institutions frequently promote a sense of family that forges ties that endure well into old age. However, students are taught how to engage with people of the opposing sex in coed institutions.

To aid in the instruction of understanding of interactions between the sexes, these institutions offer a secure and well supervised environment. However, it must be acknowledged that the notion that single-sex schools encourage sexist attitudes is out of date. In single-sex institutions, pastoral care is now recognised as an essential component of a student's development and the curriculum.

Some believe that diversity is a problem in single-sex schools because it causes confusion in pupils who later transfer to coeducational institutions.

However, if a single-sex establishment is associated with one of the opposing gender, as many grammar and public schools are currently, then this can be eliminated.

Over the past 20 years, the number of same-sex educational institutions has decreased by half, and the majority of single-sex schools now provide mixed sixth forms.

Some parents opt for single-sex schools due to their own experiences attending such institutions. Regardless of personal views on the matter, it is undeniable that both types of schools have their benefits. Ultimately, the most important question to ask yourself when making such an important decision is, what type of school is best for my child and their individual needs? Make sure you factor in the type of environment they would thrive in, the school’s values and your child’s own preferences.

If you enjoyed this article and found it useful, share it with someone who might benefit from it too.

Best wishes,

The Tutoress.

Alternative Schooling: Six Unique Benefits of Homeschooling In A Digital Age

• Is homeschooling really worthwhile?

• Is it suitable for your child?

• Does homeschooling enable children to flourish or is it detrimental to their learning?

These are just some of the questions that might be racing through your mind when deciding whether or not to homeschool your child. With the constant changes that have occurred over the past 18 months (thanks to Covid-19 and its plethora of variants), many parents are considering alternatives to traditional schooling and these include hybrid schools, virtual schools and of course, traditional homeschooling. 

In terms of the benefits of homeschooling your child, convenience is one of the main factors that appeals to contemporary parents. The idea of not having to wake your children up at 7 every morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return, makes it an appealing option. After all, who doesn’t like a simpler and more straightforward way of life? 

Another significant benefit of homeschooling is that it gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. In essence, the growth and development of your child is removed from the realm of the unknown. Thus, you, and you alone can decide what your child needs to do or learn which enables you to tailor their curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the child. For many parents, this is one of the most crucial benefits of homeschooling.

Another salient advantage of homeschooling is the increased level of individual attention and personalised learning. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn mathematics, then more time can be dedicated to this subject in comparison to others such as English. 

Evidently, there are no fixed hours of learning or fixed hours per subject so time allocation is more fluid. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning a greater number of hours to the subject that seems more challenging or complex without feeling any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will of course depend on the abilities and interests of the child. 

Homeschooling can also be advantageous because it enables the learning of the child to become an extended family activity.  Naturally, parents or caregivers are more involved in every step of the learning process. Activities such as trips, excursions and experiments, become family activities that everyone within the household can partake in. This can include aunts, uncles, grandparents and other extended family members and relatives. Subsequently, the child receives greater quality time with his or her parents as well as other caregivers. The entire family has the opportunity to partake in educational games, chores and projects.

One example of this that springs to mind is from a former tutee of mine who was completing a project on animals. Her whole family were able to get involved in the project which resulted in her busy parents taking time to research and learn new scientific concepts and information that they would otherwise not have thought about. One of the benefits of homeschooling is therefore family closeness and bonding. Seeing first-hand how her project brought the family together was particularly heartwarming for me as a tutor and inspired me to consider the benefits of homeschooling at a deeper level. 

Another benefit of virtual school or homeschooling is that competition is limited. In other words, your child does not need to prove his ability or consider it in comparison to other children. His or her confidence therefore remains intact. Since parents have a  deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning programme to pique their child's interest. It is also possible to 

intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. For example, a tough hour with algebra can be followed by a trip to the local history museum. Parents can therefore adapt learning in order to accommodate their child’s needs, learning style and temperament. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action. 

For religious parents, homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and  religious education of the child. Such parents have the flexibility to incorporate their own beliefs and ideologies into the child's academic curriculum. In such instances, there is no confusion in the child's mind because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being followed at home. 

Finally, a greater number of parents are becoming disillusioned with the state school system. Some believe that their children are being pushed too hard whilst others feel their child is not being encouraged or challenged at all. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the state school system less appealing. A growing number of parents repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some themselves have unhappy memories of their own school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling as an alternative form of education.  

For parents that choose the homeschooling route, they often perceive it to be the best way to teach their child and give them the support that they need in order to meet or surpass their academic goals.

FREE 11+ Vocabulary Pack (Instant Download)

We’re excited to announce the release of our new 11+ vocabulary packs which have specifically been designed for children who want to significantly improve their vocabulary in preparation for their school entrance exams.

Each pack contains a series of key words that are commonly found in 11+ Verbal Reasoning and English papers. They’re also useful regardless of whether your child is preparing for the ISEB, CSSE, GL Assessment, CEM or The Northern Ireland Transfer Test.

Why Is Vocabulary Important For The 11+?

If your child is preparing for any school entrance exam at a selective school, they will most likely be required to sit a Verbal Reasoning and/or English test.

Both of these subjects assess a child’s ability to recognise and understand the meanings of a variety of challenging vocabulary words and these are usually not the sorts of words that are taught in school or covered within the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum.

Furthermore, there are endless advantages to helping your child improve their vocabulary as research shows that children who have stronger vocab knowledge significantly outperform their peers in school.

How can I Improve My Child’s 11+ Vocabulary?

There are so many things you can do to improve your child’s vocabulary in preparation for the exam.

Here are some of our favourite tips, tricks and activities for helping your child to quickly pick up the meanings of new words, as well as their awareness and knowledge of synonyms and antonyms.

Encourage your child to be an engaged reader. However, when it comes to reading, it’s not just about getting them to sift through dozens and dozens of books, it’s about encouraging your child to be an engaged and active reader. What does that mean? Encourage them to not just read the books but actually understand what they’re reading, learn about the characters and understand the subtle messages within the story or poem. This is incredibly important for building their comprehension skills.

Become best friends with pen, notebook and highlighter. 😊 This might sound like a silly tip but it’s actually incredibly important for vocabulary building. Whenever your child reads, they should always have a notebook with them and ideally, the notebook should be specifically for writing down the definition, synonyms and antonyms of key vocabulary words as well as words that they do not know the meaning of.

Once they find the word in the book/text, they should write it down in their notebook and also write down its meaning.

Furthermore, they should underline or highlight the word in the story or text so that they can refer back to it in future (if needed).

Read The Cadwaladr Quests. We’re always harping on about this incredible series of books but it’s for a reason. We love The Cadwaladr Quests by SL Ager because it’s simply amazing and was written by an 11+ mum who was preparing her child for the exam.

Each book contains a built in dictionary which makes it incredibly easy for your child to learn the meanings of new words whilst also becoming engaged in a gripping story.

To spruce things up, read the books with your child and also go through the workbooks with them.

Make it fun. Our founder has held several talks where she’s discussed a range of vocabulary-building ideas such as flashcards, Scrabble, Crosswords and Word Searches. You can check out these talks by joining the 11+, SATS, ISEB, GCSE and A-Level group on Facebook.

Communicate. Children pick up vocabulary from the world around them and one of the best ways to improve their vocabulary is to expand the types of words they hear on a daily basis. You can do this quite easy by encouraging them to listen to new words rather than just read them. Some of the best ways to expand their vocabulary are by:

• Encouraging them to listen to audiobooks. There are dozens available on Youtube and hundreds of age-appropriate ones on Audible.

• Encourage them to watch the news. Journalists and presenters often use high-level vocabulary words when speaking so it’s great for your child to learn new words by hearing them in the context they’ve been used.

• Encourage your child to listen to radio broadcasts and political debates. This is incredibly important, especially for children who are preparing for 11+, 12+ and 13+ interviews.

Get Tooled Up. The wonderful Dr Kathryn Weston of Tooled Up Education shares some of the best tips on preparing your child for the 11+ and 12+ exams on her website and in her live talks at some of the country’s top schools.

We highly recommend checking out her website and subscribing to her newsletter for excellent tips not just on helping your child with the 11+ but also on developing their emotional wellbeing and confidence.

Vocabulary FAQs

Do I Have To Pay To Download The 11+ Vocabulary PACK?

No, it’s absolutely free and there is no charge for them.

Is The Pack Printable?

Absolutely. Simply download the pack by clicking the link on this page and print them. It’s straightforward and incredibly simple to do. We’ve created them in pdf form to make things really easy for you.

To save ink, you can print them in black and white but if your child is a visual learner then we’d recommend printing them in colour.

Are There Any Grammar Schools in London? Recommended Schools and Tips For Parents

Mixed Gender Schools

• The Latymer School (Enfield)

• Bexley Grammar (Bexley)

• Chislehurst and Sidcup School (Bexley)

Girls’ Schools

• Henrietta Barnett (Barnet)

• QE Girls (Barnet)

• St Michael’s (Barnet)

• Townley Grammar (Bexley)

• Newstead Wood School (Bromley)

• Nonsuch High School For Girls (Surrey)

• Wallington High School For Girls (Surrey)

• Tiffin Girls’ (Kingston)

• Woodford County (Redbridge)

Boys’ Schools

• St Olave’s & St Saviour’s Grammar (Bromley)

• Beths Grammar School (Bexley)

• Tiffin School (Kingston Upon Thames)

• Ilford County (Redbridge)

• Sutton Grammar School (Sutton)

• Wellington County Grammar (Sutton)

• Wilson’s School (Sutton)

A quick list of popular grammar schools in neighbouring counties

Schools in Buckinghamshire

• Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, The Royal Grammar School, The Royal Latin School, Wycombe High School

Schools in Berkshire

• Herschel Grammar School, Langley Grammar, St Bernards’s Catholic Grammar School, Upton Court