Twinkl Resources: A Complete Guide for UK Teachers

What is Twinkl?

Twinkl is a name you will find in many UK primary school classrooms. If you need a quick resource for your lesson, chances are you have used one of their materials at some point. This article looks at what this educational publisher offers.

Twinkl is an online educational publishing house. It provides a large variety of resources for teachers, schools, and parents. These include schemes of work, assessments, games, lesson plans, and much more.

Teachers use Twinkl to create lesson plans, share videos, and work with students and colleagues. They can upload photos, documents, and web pages to their account. This makes it easy to add content to blogs and websites.

When teachers share their resources online, they can reach thousands of students at once. Parents can stay connected with their children's learning. And teachers help others learn at the same time.

The History of Twinkl

Twinkl Educational Publishing is based in Sheffield. It was founded on 3rd February 2010 by Susie Seaton and Jonathan Seaton. They started the company from their back bedroom. Today it has more than one million subscribers around the world.

Their resources save teachers valuable time and are popular with a wide range of educators. In 2019, the company received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

How to Access Twinkl Resources

Once you have signed into the platform and set up a free or paid account, it is easy to access resources. Just type what you need in the search box, such as sounds, letters, or phonics. Or click on the options provided.

Twinkl's resources are sorted into categories:

• EYFS - Early Years Foundation Stage
• KS1, KS2, KS3/4 (Key Stages)
• Welsh and ESL/TESL
• EAL
• SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability)

After clicking on a category, you can choose a specific topic such as science, reading, or maths. Twinkl keeps adding new services including 'Activities and Games' and 'Health and Wellbeing'.

Is Twinkl Free?

Twinkl contains more than 525,000 different educational resources. New content is added every day. Many resources are free to use, while some are only for subscribers.

The free Twinkl resources are a useful starting point for your classroom. Many schools invest in a site licence. The membership options mean that investing in the platform is affordable for most teachers.

Another free resource that works well with Twinkl is the Universal Thinking Framework. You can download a high resolution copy and use it as a planning tool.

Twinkl for Home Learning

The Home Learning Hub at Twinkl has a complete timetable of content that is updated daily. All content in the Home Learning Hub is free. It offers a time-saving solution if you need to switch to online education at short notice.

This service saw a spike in membership during the pandemic. Parents needed somewhere to turn for quick and easy solutions. It remains a popular platform for homeschooled children around the globe.

Exploring the Twinkl Apps

Twinkl apps provide a great way to create lasting learning experiences at home. These apps offer a large variety of choices. Parents and teachers can browse all available resources and explore the collection of online learning materials.

The 'Twinkl Originals' app contains many storybooks for children. The 'Learn & Explore' app brings learning to life using augmented reality. Everything in the apps is free for subscribers.

Twinkl Go! Explained

If you want web-based learning activities without using a printer, Twinkl Go! offers a collection of interactive educational activities. It covers all subjects and is suitable for all age groups.

You will find hundreds of online interactive activities, audio-books, games, and videos. These can be accessed on any device without installing an app. Twinkl Go! is the best choice if you are short of time and need quality, curriculum-based digital activities.

Using Twinkl's Printable Resources Offline

Many Twinkl resources can be used offline. Online resources come with answer sheets and can be easily downloaded. These printable resources are designed to make your life easier.

Many parents print only the pages they need and save the answer sheets for themselves. If you are worried about screen time, this option lets you engage children using offline materials.

Within most primary schools in the UK, you will find evidence of Twinkl resources. The cartoon-like pictures give pupils visual access to curriculum content. Whether you need history content or inspirational quotes, the database will have you covered.

Annotating Twinkl PDFs

If you do not have a printer at home, you can use Twinkl's PDF resources digitally. Just log in to the app, find the resource you need, and download it. Children can then use the Markup tool to highlight text and add notes.

Primary School Homework Help

This area of Twinkl offers help with primary class homework. Whether it is learning about air pollution or the Stone Age, Twinkl has you covered. The History section shows how Columbus discovered America. The Geography area explains the seven wonders of the world. Children will find interesting information about many curriculum topics.

Twinkl's Home Educators Area

This section contains everything home educators need. It has a large variety of ideas and projects on different subjects. For example:

• The Teaching Wiki explains key vocabulary and common classroom terms
• Teachers and parents can use it to increase subject knowledge
• Parents can help children with homework
• Lapbooks are great for conducting research
• Maths Mysteries engage children in number problems
• There are specialist resources for occasions like Easter
• Personal growth, beliefs, and PSHCE are also covered

Integrating Twinkl into Your Classroom

Using Twinkl well can improve your classroom environment and teaching. Here are some practical tips:

Explore print-out resources: From themed classroom displays to tailored worksheets, these resources can enrich your lessons. For example, multiplication charts can serve as a teaching aid and classroom display.

Use digital materials: Interactive games, lesson presentations, and videos can support your teaching and cater to different learning styles. Rotate the resources you use to keep students engaged.

Manage your classroom: Twinkl offers many resources to lighten the teacher workload. Premade lesson plans save time, letting you focus on student interaction.

Join the community: The platform is a collaborative hub where teachers share resources and experiences. This shared wisdom improves the quality of materials available.

Twinkl Membership Costs and Benefits

Twinkl's basic monthly membership costs around £4.16 per month. There are no extra or hidden costs. You can pay monthly or save more with a yearly subscription.

There are three main subscription packages:

• Basic: £3.49-5.49 per month depending on tier
• Ultimate: Around £5.49 per month
• Platinum Plus: £5.85 per month

Twinkl provides free live chat support for teachers who use the platform. Paid plans offer more advanced features.

Twinkl FAQs

Who creates the teaching resources?

Twinkl has a team of expert writers with many years of experience in parenting and teaching. Their main purpose is to support the education, development, and wellbeing of children. Resources contain clear guidelines on what children are learning and how to help them.

How do I cancel?

It is quick and easy to cancel a monthly subscription. Go to the Membership & Payments page and cancel, downgrade, or pause your membership. You will get a confirmation email. Note that you cannot cancel on the day payment is due.

What are the data security features?

Twinkl is committed to providing a secure environment. The company uses encryption technology to protect user data. Users can control access to their own account and personal information. A dedicated team constantly updates security systems.

Additional Twinkl Support

Twinkl's YouTube Channel

Twinkl's YouTube channel offers instructional videos for teachers. As well as supporting educators to use their resources, it also has expert advice for trainee and early career teachers.