4to18 Magazine

4to18

A FREE MAGAZINE FOR ALL PARENTS WINTER EDITION 2010/11

QUESTIONS TIME What to say when they put you on the spot

SITTING PRETTY Finding the perfect baby sitter for your children

PUSHY PAYS Why it’s good to be a hands-on parent

THE BIG DAY

NEWS & REVIEWS

COMPETITION

Getting set for the entrance exam

Local and national round-up

Win family theatre tickets

Anti-social media

n, our finances and their education Why technology can be a danger to our childre 2

Tomorrow’s Decision Makers

Boys and Girls aged 2-16 years

OPEN MORNING SATURDAY 15 JANUARY 2011 9.30 am until 12.00 noon

11+ ASSESSMENT MORNING SATURDAY 22 JANUARY 2011

Hulme Hall Grammar School Hulme Hall Road, Cheadle Hulme. SK8 6LA

www.hulmehallschool.org

Tel: 0161 485 3524 or 4638 A Co-educational independent Grammar School ISA Administered by Hulme Educational Trust. Charity NO. 525931

At Hulme Hall, we believe the journey is as important as the destination At Hulme Hall, we believe in nurturing every child so that, regardless of ability, each realises their true potential.

How will we achieve this?

Firstly, we will settle your child into a small class (average size of 15 pupils per class in the Senior School and never greater than 20) of like– minded children. We guarantee that they will be taught by a team of experienced and highly skilled teachers who are able to adapt their teaching strategy to suit the particular learning style of each child. Our approach is based upon catering for the needs of the individual, it’s somewhat akin to the difference between a tailored suit and one that’s ‘off the peg’. As the leader in the field of learning support provision within the regional independent sector, those children with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, will benefit from the outstanding multi-sensory support delivered by our own team of resident specialist teachers.

Age 3

Many children join us with low self-esteem. The School offers a wide range of extra curricular activities and opportunities to improve confidence by involvement in the performing arts. For most children, the re-building of confidence and self-belief provides the springboard for development both within and beyond the classroom.

At this time of the year, parents and children often become very worried about the looming prospects of entrance examinations. Hulme Hall is a non-selective school. Our entrance assessment is holistic and diagnostic in nature and is designed to identify the child’s current level of attainment in the key skill areas. The emphasis is very much upon identifying potential and understanding the child, rather than crossing an arbitrary pass mark on the day. Our approach to offering places is therefore, much like that of buying a house, namely, recognising potential which, with the appropriate investment of time and expertise, can be fully realised.

Age " 16 0D

Age 11

Year on year, the School achieves outstanding GCSE examination results in relation to its ability profile. In 2010, 93% of pupils gained 5 or more A*-C grades including Mathematics, English and Science. This success is due to small class sizes, a high quality teaching/learning environment and the commitment of the students. However, academic achievement is not the only measure by which a school should judge its success. When we say farewell to our pupils, we take pride in the fact that in addition to their qualifications, they are well-rounded individuals who are confident, content and ready to make a valuable contribution to society.

At Hulme Hall, we recognise that in considering independent education, you are making a considerable financial investment in your child’s future. Our fees are very competitive and we even operate our own fleet of coaches, offering parents that all important peace of mind.

If you feel your child would benefit from the Hulme Hall approach, why not take a look for yourself at our OPEN MORNING on Saturday 15th January 2011 (9.30am until 12noon) To book your child into our 11+ ASSESSMENT MORNING on Saturday 22nd January 2011 please contact the Admissions Secretary on 0161 485 3524 or visit our website at www.hulmehallschool.org

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4to18 Winter 2010/11

News

Inside 6

Local and national round-up

Anti-social media

22

A whole new world of problems

Mixed messages

27

The pros & cons of mixed classes

Questions time

28

Answers to THOSE questions

Sitting pretty

30

How to get the best babysitter

Pushy parents

32

Why it’s good to be a pest

Back in time

35

Welcome..

How many of our children will wake up on Christmas morning to one of the latest must-have devices that are so much a part 21st century life? Whether it’s a laptop, a phone, an iPad or a the latest games console, the key attribute is access to the internet.

Once upon a time, phones were for making calls and games consoles were for playing games but now we live in an age where Facebook, games and music are on mobiles, and even the solitary games player is no longer shackled to his bedroom console but living in an online world of like-minded individuals, chatting away as they blast their way across the universe through armies of slobbering avatars.

But at what point does this dedication to the life online become a serious problem? In this edition we look at some of the issues faced by parents and schools and frankly, give ourselves a bit of a scare.

Elsewhere in the magazine there are plenty of young people who have done and achieved remarkable things.. ..probably the same young people who, in their parents’ opinion, are never off their computer...phone...console...

They’ll be fine and so will yours!

Happy Holidays...see you in the Spring!

Jane

Life in a medieval school

Family travel

36

The Atlantic Coast of France

Curtain calls

39

All the best in local theatre

Regulars

44

Books, Toys, & Columnists

Headlines

50

A life well lived

Advertising Director

Editor Arts Editor Commercial Director

Publisher

Advertising Editorial

Sarah Longley 0791 772 5335 sarah@4to18.com Jane Field jane@4to18.com Nicki Thornhill nicki@4to18.com Mark Harris 0791 890 5619 mark@4to18.com Graeme Alderson 07801 462 141 graeme@4to18.com 0161 610 2620/0791 7725 335 graeme@4to18.com

The race for a window seat on the Bal Mandir school bus was always hard fought Cover courtesy Stockport Grammar School. See Page 17 4to18 magazine is published by Atticus Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the permission of the publishers. Views expressed in 4to18 magazine are not necessarily those of Atticus Media Ltd. Atticus Media Ltd is a registered company. Information and pictures for some articles have been gathered from various sources and these, together with the advertisements are published in good faith, without responsibility on the part of the publishers or authors for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action, as a result of any views expressed therein. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we cannot take responsibility for publishing errors, however caused. Special thanks to the organisations that have provided us with information and photographs

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CHRISTMAS FOOD PARCELS

ALL SHINE ON

Pupils at Manchester High School for Girls handed over more than 100 boxes of food to The Salvation Army in support of their Christmas Food Parcel Appeal.

The parcels, donated by the girls and their families, were collected as part of the Harvest Festival celebrations.

Amass Julius of The Salvation Army’s Manchester Central Corps, said: “We’re overwhelmed with just how much food the girls have kindly donated. The parcels will be handed out to local people, especially older men and women in the community, who are struggling this winter.�

Rachel Edwards, Head of the Preparatory Department at MHSG, added: “Our pupils loved making up the parcels and all clearly appreciated the celebration’s simple message of not taking food for granted.�

Forty two pupils from five local primary schools attended the opening session of the second running of the annual Shine: Serious Fun on Saturdays programme at Bolton School.

The scheme is run in partnership with the Shine charitable trust and aims to encourage Year 5 pupils (both boys and girls) to participate in fun, educational sessions run by Bolton School staff on Saturday mornings each week between November and February (excluding school holidays).

It is aimed at motivated and able pupils who have shown a high level of academic engagement or are perhaps of limited means and who would benefit from furthering their educational development by attending these inspiring sessions. The activities are focused on pupil enjoyment and participation and encompass a wide variety of curriculum areas such as Maths, History and the sciences, as well as other more unusual offerings such as Russian, Japanese and Martial Arts. This year the children will also enjoy two field trips: one to Rivington Pike to experience some Geography and one to the National Space Centre in Leicester.

One pupil, Jessica Howie, aged 10 of Beaumont School,said: "The things we will be doing are all new and exciting and not the sort of things we normally do in school."

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The Grange School entered four individual events at the British Indoor Rowing Championships and returned with four medals!

Luke Ozsanlav-Harris won the bronze in a tightly contested J15 race (just 24 m separated bronze, silver and gold), Emily Ford raced the day after the GB trials and picked up a bronze also knocking 4 seconds off her PB. Up and coming J14 rower Scott Ozsanlav-Harris looked good as he paced his race superbly to take the Gold medal and his little sister, Rachel (above) made it a hat-trick of medals for the family as she took the gold medal in the WJ11 race.

In the Great Britain Junior Trials Katy Jacques looked and sculled well to finish in 21st position, which should get her an invite to the next trial in February, and Emily Ford came of age finishing 4th overall, an exceptional performance given she is still only 16.

SCHOOL NEWS Junior scholarships Alderley Edge School for Girls will be launching Scholarships in the Junior School for the first time. The new Scholarships will be open to all pupils entering Year 3 and Year 4 in September 2011.

The school has offered academic scholarships at 11+ for some time, and in addition to the recently launched 13+ and Sixth Form Scholarships, the school feels it is important to also recognise girls showing real academic promise in the Junior School.

A Scholarship Day will be held on Monday January 24 where candidates will be assessed in Mathematics, English and Verbal Reasoning. The day is for all girls who will be entering Year 3 and Year 4 in September 2011.

Further details and application forms can be obtained from the school registrar, Julie Bedigan, by calling 01625 583028.

Critical success Alice Richardson, of Macclesfield, a student at Manchester High School for Girls, has won The Guardian’s 2010 Young Critics competition, for her review of White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick. She was chosen out of hundreds of hopeful entries and got to meet the author as part of her prize.

SIX OF THE BEST

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tudents from six study centres across Stockport have been recognised for their success and continued development studying on the Kumon Maths and/or English programmes. The students were presented with awards to celebrate their achievement of mastering Maths and English beyond their current school level.

Kumon is one of the leading after-school education providers in the UK and Ireland, offering both Maths and English programmes for children of all ages and abilities.

Kumon exists to provide as many children as possible with the opportunity to learn and aims to give them the best chance in life by offering a unique and individualised study programme that is tailored to the needs of each child.

Around 200 students and their parents attended the award ceremony at The Romiley Forum in November. Tom Palmer author of books such as Foul Play and Football Academy presented the students with gold, silver and bronze certificates in recognition of their achievements.

Each of the study centres who attended the awards ceremony had been asked to nominate one student for the highest accolade of the day, the Inspirational Student Award. This prestigious cup was awarded to one student chosen from each of the six Kumon study centres in Bramhall, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Hazel Grove, Heaton Moor and Romiley.

This year’s Inspirational students were: Georgia Spurrell (Bramhall), Scarlet Monaghan (Cheadle), Ellis Rothwell -Newton (Cheadle Hulme), Kayla Mullings (Hazel Grove), Connie Clews (Heaton Moor) and James Bennett (Romiley).

Students were absolutely thrilled to receive their awards and obtain recognition for all their hard work and dedication to the Kumon programme.

n Kumon has give I ch hi w ills sk me rry will be able to ca through life.

Alaina, 16 Centre Biggin Hill Study

Improve your child’s study skills with Kumon Our maths and English study programmes work to improve your child’s skill set, unlocking their potential, inspiring a passion for lifelong learning and building the self-confidence to achieve both in and outside the classroom.

Contact your local Instructor today Altrincham ............0161 969 2734 Cheadle Hulme.....0161 488 4988 Knutsford..............01565 621 142 Urmston ................0161 864 4157 Didsbury ...............0161 439 3946 Hazel Grove ..........0161 292 8421

0800 854 714 kumon.co.uk Fees vary. Please refer to your local study centre.

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Altrincham College of Arts

Altrincham College of Arts new multi-million pound Sixth Form opens in September 2011. We are proud to offer a state of the art learning environment, a curriculum offer that will prepare students and equip them for life after Sixth Form.

Altrincham College of Arts is an ‘outstanding’ school (Ofsted 2008) and due to its reputation for quality teaching and learning, and outstanding progress and achievement, we can now offer 16-19 learning. Ɣ Café style catering will be available throughout the day. Ɣ The sixth form will provide a highly structured learning environment offering A Level and Vocational pathways. Ɣ Outstanding independent advice and guidance in preparation for higher education and the world of work.

An 11-19 Foundation School.

For all enquiries and application information please contact the school.

Altrincham College Of Arts, Green Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA15 8QW.

Telephone: 0161 980 7173 Email: sixthform@mail.altrinchamcollege.com www.altrinchamcollege.com 8

METROLINK

SCHOOL NEWS

Altrincham College of Arts Altrincham College of Arts was judged to be an ‘Outstanding and fully inclusive school’ in its most recent Ofsted report in February 2008.

In addition to this, the school has been listed by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust as a High Performing Specialist School for 4 consecutive years, 2007-2010.

As a result of nine years of continuously improving results, the school is very popular and over subscribed in all year groups. In 2010 the GCSE results achieved were the best ever, with 76% achieving the government benchmark of 5 or more A*-C passes at GCSE or equivalent.

This success with 11-16 students has led to government capital funding of £5.3m to support the opening of a 200 place Sixth Form in September 2011.

This new, iconic, state of the art Sixth Form Centre will enable Altrincham College of Arts students and new entrants who join the school aged 16 to study a range of level 3 academic and vocational courses through to University entrance. Students experience outstanding teaching, excellent support and guidance and will have access to industry standard resources and equipment in a 21st century learning environment.

The school’s main specialism is the Visual and Creative Arts, but in addition to this, and due to Altrincham College’s status as a high performing school, the government have asked the school to adopt further specialisms in Maths and Computing and Applied Learning.

The main specialism was chosen because the school believes passionately in developing childrens’ creative talents, in addition to achieving their true academic potential, supporting the Every Child Matters commitment to a well rounded whole education.

Finally, Altrincham College is about much more than the pursuit of academic excellence. The school has an outstanding reputation for the care, guidance and support of its students along with a very welcoming and friendly ethos. Children spend much of their young lives in school and at Altrincham College they endeavour to offer opportunities and exciting enrichment activities that make that time enjoyable and rewarding.

Sports, arts, drama, music, enterprise, science, outdoor education and residential experiences home and abroad all play a major part in the life of the school.

For further information on entry aged 11 or into the Sixth Form aged 16 please visit our website www.altrinchamcollege.com or contact the school directly on 0161 980 7173.

PADDY’S CLASSIC DOUBLE

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lassical scholar Paddy Heaton has won his second major competition inside six months with victory in The Times’ Sir Stephen Spender Prize for Poetry Translation.

In June, The Manchester Grammar School Sixth Form student won the Cicero Unseen Latin Translation competition for his age group, beating young classicists from around the World.

Paddy, 17, of Sale, has now won the prestigious Times newspaper competition, which is run in conjunction with the Sir Stephen Spender Trust, and attracts thousands of British entries.

Paddy, who is studying Latin, Greek, Mathematics and Music has applied to Jesus College, Cambridge, to study Classics.

He chose a poem by First Century romantic and revolutionary Ovid,

tracing the lovelorn demands of Penelope waiting for her husband Odysseus to return from his epic 10 year adventure.

Paddy said: “I translated the piece as literally as possible and then returned to the text to add rhythm, fluency and sensitivity. Occasionally it requires quite an imaginative approach, departing from the literal translation.”

Paddy, who gained nine A * and one A in his GCSEs received his £200 prize in a ceremony at the Notre Dame University, Trafalgar Square, and has had his work published in The Times.

He added: “I enjoy the challenge of the language. From an early age I was fascinated by its almost mathematical structure.I also love classical poetry.

It’s amazing to see how 2,000 years later we are preoccupied by exactly the same concerns.”

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THE GREY WAY

Grandmother Fleur Blackburn from Wirral with granddaughter, Rebecca, 7 and Linda Tunstall of Woodford with Maisie, 7

GRANS GALORE Over 30 grandparents attended the much-loved Grandparents’ Gathering at Wilmslow Prep School.

The grandparents joined the whole

OPEN DAY

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School for an assembly where they were welcomed by Headmaster Paul Reynolds. The school orchestra performed, hymns were sung and the choir sang before the grandparents, who travelled from all over the UK, were given tours of the school by their grandchild.

January 22, 2011

1pm-3pm

Teachers should make more use of the skills and experiences of grandparents, say Ofsted inspectors.

In a survey of 25 schools, Ofsted found grandparents had a “positive influence” on pupils' behaviour, motivation and achievement.

The schools surveyed said they wanted more advice on how to involve parents, grandparents and carers in school life.

The report − Parents, Carers and Schools − found parents and carers who actively helped in school developed a better understanding of how pupils learned and how they could help their child.

Grandparents were highlighted as one particular group with much to offer. The report said: “Schools which actively encouraged the involvement of grandparents and other members of the extended family noticed significant improvements in children's attitudes and achievement.

“We recommend that schools seek to tap this important source of support.”

SCHOOL NEWS

UK MUST RECOGNISE ROLE OF GRANDPARENTS

T

he UK is lagging behind our European neighbours by failing to recognise the contribution grandparents make in looking after children, a study claims.

The report by Grandparents Plus claims one in three mums in the UK rely on their parents for childcare. It says the state gives little financial recognition for this caring role, unlike other European countries.

The study said many grandparents struggled to juggle work and childcare, without financial support but a number of EU countries were helping grandparents by allowing parents to transfer their leave to grandparents, letting working grandparents take time off if their grandchild is sick and, in some circumstances, paying them for the care they provided.

From April next year, grandparents in the UK will be able to claim National Insurance credits for the care they provide but they they do not have a right to request flexible working and parental leave cannot be transferred to them.

Neither can parents use childcare vouchers, which are taken from their salaries before they pay tax and

National Insurance, to pay grandparents.

Research found that seven out of 10 grandparent carers thought they should be paid through tax credits or childcare vouchers for childcare and nearly half of all grandparents who looked after their grandchildren said they would opt for flexible working if they were allowed and 53% of grandparents aged between 45 and 54 thought grandparents should be given time off when a grandchild is born.

Dr Karen Glaser, a specialist in ageing who helped write the report, said there needed to be a system whereby parental leave from work could be transferred to grandparents.

“There are more women in employment and grandparents are absolutely instrumental in terms of child care,” she said.

“There have been significant changes to family lives, so in terms of increasing levels of divorce and oneparent families and a lot of research has shown that grandparents are absolutely crucial, especially at times of family crisis.”

Sam Smethers, chief executive of Grandparents Plus, said: “National Insurance credits from April next year

will certainly help to protect their [grandparents'] pension entitlement, but this won't help them now.

“We have to match it with steps towards transferable parental leave and flexible working if we really want to make it easier for them to combine work and care.”

The Family and Parenting Institute also warned that poorer grandparents were at risk of being exploited by the state as a “cheap safety net for childcare”.

Dr Katherine Rake from the institute said grandparents were not just expected to care for their grandchildren, but they were also increasingly having to support their adult children as well, as many were divorced and financially vulnerable.

The group said poorer grandparents were especially likely to feel the strain of helping care for their grandchildren, as they were more likely to become grandparents before they retired, while their own children were also more likely to be single parents and need extensive childcare support.

“We must ensure that the joy of grandparenting prevails”, said Dr Rake.

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Cheadle Hulme School www.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk

Cheadle Hulme School offers an outstanding education, developing well rounded boys and girls in a warm, nurturing and dynamic environment.

With our proud history of co-education, teaching boys and girls together since 1855, our excellent facilities, reputation for high achievement and outstanding pastoral care, we are proud to produce confident young men and women who are destined for success.

If you would like your son or daughter to share in that success, contact the Registrar, Viv Gray on 0161 488 3345.

Sports Scholarships, Music Scholarships, and Bursaries of up to full fees available.

HMC Co-educational Day School for 4 – 18 year olds (Registered Charity No. 1077017) Claremont Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, SK8 6EF

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SCHOOL NEWS

RE CHALLENGE FOR TEACHER

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eacher Gráinne O’Hagan is to put her reputation on the line next summer when she sits a GCSE Religious Studies examination alongside some of her pupils.

Miss O’Hagan, of Loreto Grammar School, Altrincham, is undertaking the challenge in support of sister Loreto schools in Kolkata, India and is hoping to raise £1000.

Next July, Miss O’Hagan and two other members of staff, Mrs Cainen and Miss Easthope, will be accompanying a group of 26 Loreto Sixth Formers to Kolkata to work in three sister schools.

The main aims of their journey are to live out their Catholic values, forging links with the worldwide Loreto community, and to engage in social justice, both as givers and recipients. They hope to empower the young Catholic women of their school, showing them how they can be part of the change they wish to see in the world.

The Altrincham students will be working in three Loreto schools in Kolkata; in particular, they will be working in their Rainbow schools.

Rainbow Children are young girls who have been rescued from the streets of Kolkata and have been given free education and a secure, caring environment so that they can grow and have hope for the future The group are inspired in their project by Mother Teresa, who began her vocation as a Loreto sister but left her order to establish the Missionaries of Charity. She has left an enormous legacy in Kolkata and her influence is seen in the work of the Loreto schools there today. The group have chosen her words to be their motto: ‘What we are doing is only a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less without that drop.’

EARNING A LICENCE TO SCOOT

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headle Hulme Junior School pupils were eager participants in an innovative scheme to keep them safe on their scooters.

The Scooter Licence Scheme, devised by Head Teacher Barbara Bottoms, is designed to make pupils aware of their own safety, as well as those around them and licences are awarded to those who have demonstrated safe scooting skills and whose parents have agreed to the rules of scooting. Skills examined included scooting near an accompanying adult, keeping to the side of the pavement if

someone is coming the other way, travelling at a safe speed and looking ahead whilst remaining in control at all times. Some pupils found the most difficult task was having to stop on command, simulating a real life situation.

Mrs Bottoms was delighted by their enthusiasm and said: “Over 70 pupils have been involved showing how popular this very modern mode of transport has become; it is hoped the scheme will have a positive impact and raise awareness of safety amongst adults and children”.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Royal approval for new college

B

olton Sixth Form College’s new Town Centre campus was officially opened by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent on October 21.

His Royal Highness was greeted by Principal Steve Wetton who took him on a guided tour of the new Town Centre Campus. He was shown around the Science, Art, ICT, Music and Social Science departments where he had the opportunity to talk to members of staff and students (see above).

Many of the students gathered on the balconies around the central glass atrium and cheered and applauded as they watched him unveil the official plaque.

The College aims to offer the same high quality provision that is the defining feature of the sixth form college brand – a wide range of courses, focus on year 11 school leavers, high levels of support and a focus on the quality of teaching. These features have been present over recent years, but are now enhanced and magnified by the ability to offer the service to more students, with the option of 2 campuses, one in Farnworth and one in Bolton town centre.

Increasingly over recent years the College has worked closely with local high schools to ensure that the option of progressing to the College is one that is as seamless as possible. Hundreds of school children visit the College in years 10 or 11 and the curriculum has been developed to ensure that their preferred progression route is catered for.

The College prides itself on catering for the full spectrum of learning ability.

Specialist support is provided where appropriate whether it is Oxbridge coaching, dyslexia support, short term counselling, or on-going curriculum support. This combination of high quality teaching and support has resulted in the students achieving quite excellent results; recognised nationally as being in the top 5% off all schools and colleges.

BACK TO TUDOR TIMES Year 4 pupils at Alderley Edge School for Girls visited Bramall Hall to experience life in Tudor times.

Dressed as fine young Tudor ladies, the girls enjoyed looking at the Tudor and Victorian architecture and experiencing Tudor life.

They learnt how to make a nosegay, performed a Mummers Play and found out about the different types of Tudor instruments.

Junior School teacher Mrs Wynne said: “The Tudor characters that the girls were introduced to throughout the day were really impressed with the fine costumes, beautiful singing and colourful masks that they girls had made.

“A great day was had by all, and I would like to congratulate all of Year 4 for their fantastic behaviour on the visit and being a credit to the school”.

Kumon collecting for Eastern Europe Kumon students are filling shoeboxes with gifts such as toiletries, sweets and small games for families in Eastern Europe.

This is the second year that Link Romania, which provides humanitarian aid to some of the poorest communities in Eastern Europe, has teamed up with Kumon for the Family Shoebox Appeal.

The national initiative has been running since 1992 and last year over 46,755 shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts were delivered to disadvantaged communities in Romania, Albania and Moldova.

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Stretford Grammar School Stretford Grammar School is a co-educational foundation grammar school with a rich and diverse ethnic, cultural and social intake. The school has a real sense of community where individuals are encouraged to succeed within a supportive, disciplined environment. The school seeks to nurture and challenge all students to achieve their potential within a caring ethos where relationships between staff and students are strong and built on mutual respect. We expect that when our students leave us they do so feeling valued and prepared to take their place in the wider community.

Stretford Grammar is an improving school where according to Ofsted (March 2010) 'Attainment remains high, and students consistently reach standards that overall are significantly above average by the end of Key Stage 4'. Indeed, in 2010 over 98% of all our students achieved 5A*-C including English and Maths.

In addition to this, 50% of all grades were awarded an A*/A and 51% of all students achieved at least 5 grades at A*/A. This is a wonderful achievement for the school and reflects the hard work and dedication of both our students and staff and the incredible support we receive from our parental body. We are proud of these achievements and also those of our Sixth Form which is regularly placed within the top 10% of sixth forms nationally. As a result of these achievements, Ofsted recently judged the Sixth Form to be 'good' overall.

During their time at Stretford Grammar School students are able to access a broad range of curricular and extra-curricular opportunities which seek to develop their learning opportunities. We are a small school and as a result students quickly settle into school, fostering lasting friendships and feeling valued by their teachers. That said, we are also an incredibly happy school where those old values of respect, politeness and courtesy are at the heart of the school.

In 2005 the school was granted Specialist Status in Science and Mathematics, an area of the school which has continued to flourish. As a result of our designation as a specialist school in Science and Maths significant refurbishment has been undertaken of the Science teaching rooms and an additional science block has been built. Through our specialism we have sought to develop a real passion for the sciences and many of our students continue to pursue the sciences to A Level and beyond.

The learning environment is also important to us and over the last year we have invested significantly in the infra-structure of the school. The school has an extensive wireless network and most rooms are equipped with an audio system, projector and interactive whiteboards.

In the longer term we are seeking to refurbish the school library. A very active PTA has agreed to undertake this very important task and we seek to continue the extensive refurbishment we have undertaken to date. Our aim is to provide a first class environment with the facilities to enable all our students to achieve the outstanding results of which we know they are capable.

Stretford Grammar School

Specialist Science College

INVITATION TO OUR OPEN EVENING 2011

You are warmly invited to attend

our Open Evening on Tuesday 5th July 2011 6pm-8pm Come along and visit our High Achieving School Headteacher’s Talks at 6.30pm and 7.30pm

Entrance Examination 8th October 2011 for entry September 2012 (Closing date for applications is 4pm on 16th September 2011)

More detailed information is available from our Admissions Officer, Sharon Campbell Tel: 0161 866 0130 Fax: 0161 866 9938 E-mail: admissions@stretfordgrammar.com Granby Road, Stretford, Manchester. Tel: 0161 865 2293. www.stretfordgrammar.com

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SCHOOL NEWS

EARL OF WESSEX IN DoE VISIT HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, visited Stockport Grammar School to meet Duke of Edinburgh’s Award students. The school has been running the scheme for 20 years and recently presented its 1000th award. Edward first met younger pupils who showed him all about life at the Junior School heading to the Senior School to discuss Duke of Edinburgh’s Award achievements with older students. His Royal Highness took time to talk in detail to the children as they showed him activities that included route planning, volunteering, music, photography, sport, animation, tactical games, fencing, dancing and climbing.

Outstanding Education High academic standards, excellent pastoral guidance, superb facilities and over a hundred clubs and activities make life at SGS a happy and exciting experience for girls and boys from 3 to 18 years.

The school’s extensive extra-curricular programme includes the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme for which it is an Independent Operating Authority and recently celebrated its 1000th Award.

A separate Junior School and Nursery on the same site provides younger children with a caring and stimulating environment in which to learn, whilst enjoying the benefits of strong links with the Senior School.

SGS is easy to reach with

extensive school bus routes and close proximity to 2 railway stations. A new service from Sale, Altrincham, Bowdon, Hale and Hale Barns starts in September 2011.

Means-tested bursaries are available at 11+ and 16+, and music scholarships at 11+.

The Senior School Entrance Exam takes place on the 18th January 2011.

Parents and children are warmly welcomed to Open Events and regular school day visits throughout the year.

To arrange a visit or request a prospectus call 0161 456 9000, or for more information visit the website,

www.stockportgrammar.co.uk

STOCKPORT FOUNDED IN 1487

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

An independent school for girls and boys from 3 to 18 years Bursaries and music scholarships available at 11+ and 16+ 2XWVWDQGLQJ DFDGHPLF UHVXOWV 'HGLFDWLRQ WR SDVWRUDO FDUH 2YHU FOXEV DQG VRFLHWLHV ([WHQVLYH VFKRRO EXV URXWHV LQFOXGLQJ 1(: $OWULQFKDP route from September 2011

Nursery and Junior School Open Morning Saturday 7th May 2011 9.30-11.30am Senior School Entrance Exam Tuesday 18th January 2011 and regular school day visits available throughout the year

Call 0161 456 9000 to arrange a visit or request a prospectus www.stockportgrammar.co.uk

17

Xaverian: academic excellence & care for the individual Based in Victoria Park, Manchester, parents and students are aware of Xaverian’s long established reputation as a college where academic excellence and care of each individual is at the centre of our work.

Xaverian is proud to be a college where students progress whatever their prior achievement, and our consistently excellent exam results confirm this.

In recent years this has been recognised in a variety of ways. We were delighted that Ofsted inspected Xaverian and rated the college as outstanding – grade 1 – in all areas. Ofsted recognised the high expectations we make of all our students but also ‘the caring ethos that is central to the life of the college.’

Following Ofsted’s judgement the college was made a Beacon College in recognition of its consistent excellence, and in April of this year our principal – Mary Hunter – was invited to 10 Downing Street at an occasion to mark the success of the highest performing and most quickly improving colleges in the country.

It is not only in results that Xaverian excels. Our record of progression to university is well above national and Manchester averages, and through our innovative use of ICT we have developed a college intranet that recently won a Next Generation Learning Award – the only sixth-form college in the country to receive such recognition.

Xaverian College ‘In Harmony Small Things Grow’

Xaverian is a highly successful Sixth Form College based in Victoria Park, Manchester. The heart of our work is to create a caring, supportive and academically excellent environment for every student. The college is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted inspectors, receiving grade 1s in all areas. We offer prospective students: A wide range of A-Levels and other courses Consistently excellent exam results (99.8% pass rate at A-Level) Support delivered through a strong pastoral system A strong programme of extra-curricular activities and other enrichment An outstanding record of progression to university

ADMISSIONS For admissions enquiries email admissions@xaverian.ac.uk

Xaverian College Lower Park Road Manchester M14 5RB www.xaverian.ac.uk

18

college@xaverian.ac.uk

0161 224 1781

SCHOOL NEWS

SIX OF THE BEST: A FINAL BOW FOR A FINAL DOUGLAS

W

LYDIA’S BACK AS ANNIE Last year, Terra Nova School’s Lydia Tunstall toured the UK in Annie, and recently she reprised her role closer to home when she appeared at the Regent Theatre in Stoke on Trent.

Lydia has been starring alongside a cast including Hi-De-Hi’s Su Pollard who plays the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan.

Jenny Monument, Director of Music at the Holmes Chapel school said: “Lydia is amazingly talented.

Many of us have been to see her on stage and have been absolutely blown away by her performance.

She’s a star in the making and we’re all incredibly proud of her.”

The producer Chris Moreno spotted Lydia’s talent: “When Lydia came onto stage she looked the part and she was an incredibly confident child for her age. When she sang, it was with a pure voice and suitably, the sort of child any mother would want to take home!”

Lydia has received some rave reviews including one last week from the local newspaper, The Sentinel: “Playing the part of Annie on Tuesday was Lydia Tunstall, who – despite it being past her bedtime – delivered a fantastic performance from start to finish.

From her partnership with fellow orphans in It's A Hard Knock Life to her mature singing of the classic song Tomorrow, this youngster proved she's one to look out for in the future.”

The heart-warming show is now in its eighth year of production and is likely to continue to play to packed houses around the UK.

hen Catherine Douglas made her final curtain call as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls in November, it marked the end of an era at St Bede’s College. Catherine is the last of six Douglas children to take a leading role in a major school production and she hopes to follow her older brothers to success in her A Level Theatre Studies A-level exams in the summer.

Catherine has appeared in a number of leading roles at the South Manchester school, as well as starring with her brother Paddy in an ITV episode of Heartbeat.

She said: “Coming off stage for the final time was a bittersweet experience. I’ve had so many great memories of school drama. Even before I came to the College I remember watching my brothers and dreaming of the day when I would be up there myself. They were all in the audience to see me so there was no pressure!”

Catherine’s eldest brother, Joe, works as a theatre director and brother Dominic has just had his first play performed.

Head of Drama, Nicki Alderson, said: “It will be sad to say goodbye to the final Douglas because they have given so much over the years and have all been a pleasure to teach. Catherine is an excellent Adelaide but it’s a quality cast and there are some great students coming though.”

Guys and Dolls featured the acting, singing and dancing talents of over fifty students aged 11 to 18 and the orchestra comprised of students, teachers and a core of professional musicians.

Mrs Alderson described the show, which featured unforgettable songs like Luck be A Lady, Sit Down, You’re Rocking The Boat, as: “ a wonderfully effervescent bubble of a show where dopey shysters and glamorous showgirls come together to make us smile in the face of our current grim times.”

19

Lostock College: Get ‘ready to fly’

C

hoosing a school for our children is one of the biggest decisions we will ever make as parents. That’s why we must look so carefully at everything a school has to offer them.

To produce well-rounded young people at 16, a school must offer a well-rounded education which may start in the classroom but does not end there.

If it were just down to examination results then Lostock College can boast an impressive record that’s improving in leaps and bounds year on year. But there’s a whole lot more to the Lostock College experience.

Ofsted recognised this in their 2010 inspection report which highlighted the “outstanding” curriculum, pastoral care, guidance and support. They said the teaching, learning and motivation was especially impressive given the size of the school.

Looking to the future, one of the inspectors said: “Lostock College is ready to fly and I expect this year’s results to bear this out.” He was right; this year’s results were up by a massive 27% and hopes are high that 2011 will show a similarly impressive increase.

So, what is it that makes Lostock so special? Well, small class sizes and individual attention are fundamental to the College ethos. We are a Specialist Performing Arts College (The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust awarded us ‘highly commended’ status) and our students enjoy excellent facilities including an arts theatre, recording studio, dedicated music technology suites, a dance studio, ICT suite and interactive whiteboards in every classroom but schools are about a lot more than technology and a state-ofthe-art learning environment.

At Lostock College our students thrive due to the excellence of the staff and individual care and support they receive. All children are different and come with different needs. There are those who we can just nudge towards take-off then offer support and encouragement as they soar while others need more support to make the most of their potential. This is where our dedicated team of classroom assistants, pastoral specialists and fulltime counsellor come into their own.

Lostock College places great emphasis on the emotional health and well-being of students and its staff as well as offering outstanding support and guidance in learning. It is the only school in Trafford to have a full-time fully qualified counsellor who can offer a range of therapies.

The college is also the first secondary school in the borough to gain the Trafford Gold SEAL (Social Emotional Aspects of Learning ) Award.

This reflects its huge commitment to 20

*

*Ofsted Inspector’s Report 2010

The right choice ensuring the emotional health and well-being needs of its students are fully met.

In November, the school was presented with the Trafford Enhanced Healthy Schools Award given to schools which have shown evidence of outstanding practice in ensuring students’ emotional, mental and physical health.

Our hard work in these areas has always been recognised by our students and parents and now we have become a flagship school in the borough for this fundamental element of education. At Lostock we don’t just want our children to be happy on GCSE results day but all through their time with us.

And those smiles were particularly wide on results day where every single child was awarded a qualification. Of course, most did a lot better than that; an impressive 81% of students earned five or more GCSEs at A*-C, a massive 27% increase on the previous year and

what’s more, over 40% of students earned A* or A grades. There was also an impressive 14% rise in the number of students passing English and Maths as two of their five or more GCSE A*Cs. But while the press and many parents will go straight to these headline figures we are very proud of the huge strides we’ve made in our CVA scores. CVA stands for Contextual Value Added and represents the progress children make during their time at the school. The 2010 CVA score means that every student at Lostock College achieved, on average, at least one grade higher in every GCSE they sat compared to their target grade set from their results in primary school.

It’s impressive isn’t it?

Lostock College is a school for the future built on sound traditional values that put the students first.

If you are the parent of a Year 5 or Year 6 child it will soon be time for you to make that crucial decision and we believe that before you do, you need to see what Lostock College has to offer.

We would like to invite parents to visit the College to see it in action. You can make an appointment for a full guided tour of the school at your convenience.

See our advert on the back page.

To find out more about the opportunities available to your child at Lostock College, call 0161 864 5700 or go to www.lostock. trafford.sch.uk. Lostock College is located on Selby Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 9PL

SCHOOL NEWS

A Model Anniversary “You are the people of today and tomorrow…Be bold” was one piece of inspiring advice given to the 600 people who attended the Opening Ceremony of the Model United Nations at Cheadle Hulme School (MUNCH) in its 10th anniversary year.

The weekend conference proved to be a memorable one for delegates from England, Scotland and the USA and it also raised enough money to run an African nursery for six months, through donations and the sale of traditional wares.

Combating Global Pandemics and The Question of the Right to the Arctic were just some of the topics debated by the 450 student delegates. The General Assembly also faced a mock ‘crisis’ situation with delegates exploring solutions to dealing with a group of terrorist animal rights activists threatening the lives of world leaders.

The prize for ‘Best’ in General Assembly ‘crisis’ went to Cheadle Hulme School’s own delegation (above) representing Lebanon.

Medal haul for Nathan Karate kid Nathan Chan won seven medals at this year’s Martial Marathon WTKA 2010 World Championships in Italy.

Nathan, 11, who attends Oldham Hulme Grammar School, entered seven categories in the Karate event and during the first three days, successfully managed to beat all his opponents and qualify for seven category finals.

All finals took place on the last day and mum Judy said: "It was a long and tiring day for Nathan as he took a couple of hard knocks in the fighting events". He returned to the UK with three gold, three silver and one bronze medal.

OVER-RIDING SUCCESSES Terra Nova School competed for the first time at the National School Equestrian Association Regional Qualifiers and qualified for

December’s National finals Tom Exley, 10, came 2nd in the individual 70 cms Jumping With Style event. Then the team of Tom, Ottilie Bardsley, 10, and Archie Thomson, 9, took another second in the 70cms Showjumping, Organiser Helen Exley said: “I think we are all still in a state of shock.

Having only put together a team two weeks prior to the event, we are amazed at what they have achieved.”

Hulme Hall charity boost Hulme Hall Grammar School in Cheadle Hulme have again been working hard to support others.

Following a long tradition of working for charity, the school this year has raised over £3,000 for St Ann’s Hospice.

Liz Greenwood from St Ann’s was invited to a special assembly where the cheque was presented by the Headmaster, Mr Philip Marland.

Liz described the work of the charity and explained how crucial fundraising is for the ongoing care of their patients.

We would like to invite you and your family to visit Terra Nova – an established co-educational school with an outstanding inspection report.

Our philosophy is refreshingly simple – children deserve encouragement and attention to inspire them to meet their full potential and face the future with knowledge and confidence.

We feel certain that any child will be happy and thrive in our first class learning environment. You need only look at our record of success to see the benefits for yourself.

more than just a school more than just an open day Visit Terra Nova School Call the Registrar on 01477 571261 Terra Nova School. A co-educational 3-13 prep school.

Call 01477 571261 or visit www.terranovaschool.co.uk for more details.

Email: registrar@terranovaschool.co.uk Jodrell Bank, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8BT. Charitable Trust Reg. No. 525919

21

T

echnology is a wonderful thing.

Our lives are enriched, our friends and loved ones are just a phone call or an email away wherever they are in the world, and we will never get lost again thanks to the wonders of GPS in our cars and on our mobiles.

How did we keep in touch before the advent of social networking — Facebook, MySpace, Twitter etc — and emails? How did we ever manage to meet up with friends before the advent of the mobile phone? And how did we cope before we shackled our children to us through their mobile phone? Never again will we worry about where they are; our little darlings are just a phone call away at all times. That’s what we said when we got them their first mobile, wasn’t it?

It’s not the case, though, is it? When you call them, when you really need to speak to them, when you are cross, anxious or concerned about them, isn’t that always the time their phone is off? Or out of minutes? Or sitting at home in their bedroom?

Sure, it’s frustrating, but unfortunately, as parents, it’s the least of our problems. And, increasingly it’s becoming a problem for our children’s teachers too.

No matter how sophisticated the firewalls and checks put in place by schools they are losing the war against 24-hour-a-day internet access due to the proliferation of smart phones which are now commonplace.

They call it convergence in the telecommunications industry. It’s where one piece of technology evolves to bring on board features and attributes of other technologies. Take the once humble mobile phone. Not content with making phone calls it is now a camera, a web browser, and a means of sending emails, Tweets, and social networking. Junior has a bundle of minutes which go unused each month but he certainly makes up for it in texts and online time.

Ten years pretty much covers all these changes. OK, we had mobile phones and computers back then but it’s unlikely that many 10 year olds had round the clock access to them.

And even if they did, phones were for making calls, very expensive business calls in the most part.

As access to technology increases and age of access decreases parents and carers must be ever vigilant of what their little darlings are up to and to understand the potential dangers we must try understand their appeal.

Take Facebook as an example. What has made 500m people actively use this site, half of them every day? Of course, peer pressure is a factor but once you sign up, it is the drive to amass “friends”, the need to respond to messages and to be seen to be active. Status is as important in the playground as it is in the workplace.

And then there’s the simple factor of 22

ing This Christmas Day many of our readers’ children dancing smart phone or laptop. But what are we Graeme Alderson looks at mobiles and social parents while, overleaf, headmaster Andrew communication, chatting to friends when you should be doing something else.

Of course, when the ‘something else’ is homework, we have a problem.

An Ohio State University survey found a correlation between students with Facebook accounts and its affect on their academic success. Of the 206 surveyed, 146 students had accounts and the results showed that typically, Facebook users achieved significantly lower results that non-Facebook students.

But is this the worst that can happen? When I was at school I never found any difficulty rustling up distractions to keep homework or revision at bay so perhaps we should just look on technology as a modern

version of an old problem. And after all, it’s us who are buying and financing this phenomenon so must we not be partly responsible when it all goes pear-shaped?

4to18 Magazine spoke off-the-record to teachers and classroom assistants from schools across the area about technology-related issues. What we heard was shocking. Most schools had experienced cheating and the age-old problem of bullying – now cyberbullying– no longer just an unpleasant aspect of the playground or classroom but a 24 hour problem.

Most schools have sound policies to deal with both.

Other anecdotal evidence was less widespread but more shocking. There was widespread evidence of “sexting”,

COMMENT

MANY FACEs OF thE bullY Internet and mobile phone harassme nt is one of the major risks to our child ren online It exists in many forms and is evolv ing with the technology. Currently, reported problems include:

the facts will wake up to a brand new, all singing, all really getting ourselves into? networking from the point of view of Lewin looks at how schools must respond the exchange of sexually explicit text messages between pupils, and some schools reported sexually explicit videos being passed around classrooms...sometimes featuring pupils at the school. Obviously at this stage there are criminal implications and the schools I spoke to had all contacted the police immediately.

Less shocking, but still a problem for schools, is the ubiquity of the camera phone in the classroom.

Children are now fully equipped to provide evidence of a dramatic telling off or loss of temper and gone are the times when a school could investigate a disciplinary matter BEFORE contacting the parents. Today it is common for the child to contact his/her parents with their version of

events before the school can act. The parents then get in touch with the school fuelled with their child’s version and suddenly the school is on the defensive.

So, where will it end? Well, I don’t think we’re anywhere close yet. Think about your child on Facebook. We’ve all warned them about the nefarious characters lurking on social networking sites and advised them not to add personal information but what about them talking to their friends about their forthcoming holidays. And maybe it’s not just them.

Seven out of ten adults use networking sites, and more than a third of users update their site details with their whereabouts and holidays

Cyber Stalking. The transmission of messages to intimidate and or threa ten the victim resulting in a child to having concerns about their personal safety and well being. Degradation. The use of rumours and unfounded gossip in an attempt to break up friendships or damage reputations. Harassment. The constant and unre lenting sending of offensive, insulting, rude and harassing message. Impersonation. By posing as the victim, the bully can post material damaging to their reputation or that gets them into troub le. Flaming. A very aggressive and abra sive form of intimidation often using vulga r and angry language with the intent to start fights. Password theft. Gaining access to the victim’s passwords and using them to lock the victim out and post offensive mate rial. Web sites. The creation of web sites and/or pages filled with images, rumours, statements, and/or defamatory rema rks to humiliate and cause emotional distr ess.  Images or photos. Posting photos to embarrass or altering them to caus e humiliation.  PC attack. Sending of viruses, Troja ns or spyware to infect the victim’s com puter. Proxy attack. Enlisting friends to "join in on the fun" to further the humiliation and emotional damage.

Cyber bullying may be a serious threa t to your son or daughter. Surveys sugg est that one out of every three children are victims of one form or another.

which is alerting criminals as to when their property is going to be empty.

David Neave from The Co-operative Insurance said he would envisage a future where claims could be rejected if it was discovered that someone had been reckless with personal information they had posted on a social networking site. He also added, it is perfectly possible some insurance companies may, in a few years’ time, start to monitor the social networking activity of their customers.

Bev Holding of BRS Fire & Security of Bury, an expert in commercial and domestic security solutions, said: “The availability of information on social networking sites is proving to Continues over

23

Responsible use of technology is parental duty From previous page

be a modern burglar’s dream. But it’s not just Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, experts say burglars could use any online information Google Street View to ‘scope’ out a property before they go there.

It’s a major headache for all concerned but as it is all so new and fast-moving it’s impossible to predict

where it’s going and what it will leave in its wake. All we can do is to be aware and make our children aware.

Of course they will still make mistakes and we will be there to pick up the pieces but I don’t think it’s too much to ask for us to keep an eye on what they are doing, to limit their time online (there are time settings in Windows) and keep the channels of

communication open to ensure they realise the difference between reality and the all-consuming fantasy of their online existence.

Teaching our children to cross busy roads, to swim and to avoid strangers are parental duties we all accept and embrace but these days, responsible use of technology and social networking is just as essential.

‘It’s moving so fast that to resist is just naïve’ Headmaster Andrew Lewin offers an expert view on the effects of social networking and technology on our children.

Here, he looks at the issues from the point of view of both educationalists and parents

A

s Headmaster of a Prep School and the father of a 14 year old girl, a 12 year old boy and a 10 year old girl, I feel I ought to be at the centre of the latest technological craze. However, I find myself continually sounding like my own parents – old fashioned and set in my ways.

I do an awful lot of work in safeguarding and organise IAPS conferences but the one area I can offer so little expertise seems to be social media. I have heard so many wonderful speakers and recently engaged specialists to talk to parents about the dangers of social media. I suppose I just don’t get it! I do understand its dangers. What I don’t particularly understand is why you’d want to Tweet or blog and tell the world your business.

However, it is here to stay and it is moving so fast that to resist it is just too naïve. I went to school with two people, who 25 years ago, developed this bizarre idea that people will be walking around with phones not attached to the wall and the Carphone Warehouse story is there for everyone to see.

We must ‘get with it’ and embrace modern technology, as we are 24

preparing children for jobs that perhaps haven’t been invented yet.

So we do have a duty to educate both ourselves and the children but we also have a duty to keep the children and ourselves safe. So as my Blackberry buzzes on my desk and I receive yet another email (yesterday’s communication for teenagers), I have a duty to move with the times.

It is a balance. In order to be on Facebook, you are supposed to be 13 and there is a reason for that! So as a school teaching children from 3 - 13, we have a very clear policy – social media sites are not accessible at school.

Then we also have the issue of mobile phones which are no longer just telephones – they are cameras, recording devices and may give children unlimited access to the internet. But they are not appropriate in the school environment. Access is limited to children who are staying the night, enabling them to contact their parents in the evening and even then, they are not permitted in the dormitories.

We have a sophisticated communication system with our

parents that enables staff to send instant texts and emails and of course, the school phone is manned 24 hours a day. All staff also have their own email addresses, so communication to and from parents is no issue, albeit old fashioned.

As for social media in the home, it’s not good practice for children to have computers in their bedrooms.

When children start to use the internet privately and secretively, that’s when the potential problems arise so the best advice I can give to parents is to keep their computer in an open place, whereby internet usage is openly discussed and used.

We are actually in the process of looking to update and improve our website and twitter and blogs are something we are open to embracing, but I always come back to the same point on this and that is that we are talking about children and I have a duty to protect them. Films have certificates for a reason and our school policy is no different. As a parent, I can exercise my judgement for my own children. As Headmaster, I have to exercise my judgement for lots of peoples’ children and whilst that is a great responsibility, I feel clear on the way forward.

EXAMINATIONS

Get ready for the big day As senior school entrance examinations loom, nerves will naturally start to set in...possibly more so for the parents! But, there are many simple steps you can take to help your child to shine on the day. Susan Smith, Deputy Head of Manchester High School for Girls offers 4to18 readers some timely pre-exam advice

G

ood preparation is vital, but it is important to remember that school entrance examinations are based on the National Curriculum for their level, so, if your child is performing well at school, then your focus should be on making sure they understand what is expected of them on the day and not to over coach them.

However, if you want to help your child to revise, remember to pace this.

In the few days before the examination, your focus should be on making your child feel confident and to get them to start looking forward to taking the test. Last-minute cramming is unproductive as it fuels panic and feelings of doubt.

Typical entrance examinations are based around testing a child’s skills in Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, Non Verbal Reasoning, Essay Writing and English Comprehension.

At MHSG, this is no exception. We, like many other schools, will provide candidates with practice papers to use in their preparation, therefore, there is no need to buy past papers from us or any other source.

This is important, because it is not just about revising subject content and identifying the level of knowledge required, but it is also about getting your child to become familiar with how particular papers and questions are organised.

We recommend that you go through this aspect with them before the day, as well as timing them when answering questions. This will help them to practise working under timed conditions and to set a correct pace.

It is always very interesting to observe that the people who panic the most are the parents! Do be mindful that this stress can be passed on. The

majority of the girls actually tell us that they enjoy the challenge of working through the tasks and, rest assured, everything is done by the School to help make them feel comfortable.

Detailed information on the order of the day will be sent to you, so you should familiarise your child with this.

When the big day arrives, make sure your child has a good breakfast, and that they wear something they feel comfortable in, whether this is their school uniform or day clothes.

Finally, ensure your child has a good night’s sleep the night before.

Manchester High School for Girls’ Senior School Entrance Examination is held on the morning of Tuesday 11 January 2011. Other school entrance examination dates can be found throughout this magazine.

25

Unlocking the potential of every pupil

T

he Bury Grammar Schools are a family of five schools — coeducational Kindergarten, Boys’ Junior and Senior and Girls’ Junior and Senior. Situated at the heart of the historic town of Bury, and tracing their origin to the sixteenth century, the schools provide a first-class all-round education from 3 to 18. Our pupils, who come from across the Manchester area, enjoy the benefits of a single-sex academic education and the enrichment of shared extra-curricular activities.

The schools have a Christian foundation but are proud of being an open and inclusive community that welcomes pupils and staff from different religious faiths. Our motto is ‘the key opens sacred doors’ and this expresses our aim to unlock and develop the potential of each pupil in our care and help them enjoy an education that will be an outstanding launch for their adult lives.

We recognize that children learn best when they feel happy, secure and valued. Our highly qualified and dedicated teachers provide strong pastoral care and encourage the pupils

Top of the class: Bury Grammar School Boys students on their World Challenge Expedition to Northern Peru, 2010 to have high expectations. The curriculum is supported by excellent resources which include state of the art computer technology, specialist teaching rooms, fine libraries and very good sports facilities.

The combination of a strong academic programme and a rich diversity of extracurricular opportunities enables BGS pupils to become confident and wellrounded young people. When our students leave at 18 they have

characteristically achieved very good examinations results, which gain them access to top universities, and have the personal qualities which enable them to enjoy success and fulfilment in their adult lives.

Entry to the Kindergarten is by individual assessment. At 7 the children progress to our two Junior Schools and at 11 (when our bursary scheme is available) take the entrance examination for the Senior Schools.

THE BURY GRAMMAR SCHOOLS

Working together for a great future

ENTER OUR 2011 ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS THURSDAY 20TH JANUARY 2011 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US TODAY BOYS’ SCHOOLS T: 0161 797 2700 E: registrar@bgsboys.co.uk W: www.bgsboys.co.uk

GIRLS’ SCHOOLS AND CO ED KINDERGARTEN T: 0161 797 2808 E: registrar@bgsg.bury.sch.uk W: www.bgsg.bury.sch.uk FROM

3-18 YEARS The Bury Grammar Schools are a registered charity (No. 526622) for educational purposes

Bursaries Available

DEDICATED TO CARE ... DETERMINED TO CHALLENGE 26

EDUCATION

Mixed messages Different ages in one class? Can it be a good thing for your child?

M

ost local authorities have some schools that operate mixed-age classes, where children of different year groups are taught together. In fact Government statistics show that around one in three of primary classes are mixed age.

There are two main reasons for the approach: economic necessity or a belief that this kind of teaching is better for pupils. But, in truth, mixedage classes in primary schools are almost always introduced through economic necessity. For this reason, mixed-age classes are often seen as a compromise and parents can, and do, object.

Mark Purcell, head at St Clare's Catholic School in Preston, which has a mixed reception/Year 1 class and a mixed Y1/Y2 class, said: “We have an induction evening in June where I talk to parents and fill them in on what takes place.

“Parents can be concerned about their children going into the mixed reception/Y1 class because their children are just starting school.

“I ask the parents of the children from the previous year to talk to the new ones. It's easy for me to say it is fine, but it works better if parents who have lived through it can let the others know what it's like.”

Parents' concerns usually stem from the belief that their child is being held back, or worries about younger pupils being isolated. But there is

little evidence that children are disadvantaged academically by mixed-age classes.

Advocates of the approach believe it is beneficial. They say pupils develop cognitively and socially through mixing with older and younger children. Older children in particular can benefit from becoming “experts” and explaining things to the younger ones.

There is also the advantage that older children who are below average for their age do not have to feel a failure in a mixed group.

Valerie Wilson, former director of the Scottish Council for Research in Education at the University of Glasgow, reviewed all the studies on mixed age - also known as composite classes - in 2003. She concluded that the evidence was equivocal: there was no proof that mixed-age groups adversely affected pupils' performance, but evidence did exist that they could gain socially.

Colin Richards, emeritus professor at the University of Cumbria, said: “There is no evidence that mixed-age groups per se result in lower attainment. There is evidence that mixed-age classes, particularly when the groups are small - around 20 to 24 children - do have a positive social advantage.

“The real problem is if there are 35+ pupils in a mixed-age group. Then there are probably no social advantages.”

But it is not only parents who need to be won round. Teachers may also be worried about moving to mixed-age classes with more complex lesson plans.

Professor Richards said: “Teachers facing it for the first time will find it more difficult to organise.”

Once the decision to have mixed-age groups is made, there is then the question of how to organise it.

A study of schools in one London borough by Dr Chris Berry, then at the Institute of Education, found that the most common ways of assigning pupils were by ability and by age, so the oldest pupils in Y1 were in the same class as the youngest in Y2. This also had the advantage of ensuring summer-born children were not always the youngest in their class.

But grouping by age was already in place when Mr Purcell arrived at St Clare's six years ago. “I arrived in April and inherited the system," he said.

“The next year the 12 oldest children starting school happened to all be girls. It was a nightmare: they didn't necessarily get on and the range of abilities was immense.”

Now the school assesses children during their first two weeks in reception, when they attend parttime. They are then assigned to either reception-only or the mixed reception/Y1 class, largely by ability but also taking parental preference and friendship groups into account.

27

E

arly on in parenthood, our jobs are clear: We protect, we provide, we cuddle, we change nappies, and we subconsciously coax our offspring to inherit our appreciation of Joe Strummer. But soon— namely, the minute they learn to string together a sentence punctuated by a question mark — the job changes. We're expected to become encyclopedia, philosopher, or sex counsellor at any given moment. They ask, and they ask, and they ask.

Just in the last week, my 9-year-old son has asked me questions I could answer with a few sentences (“What’s offside?”). They've asked me questions I could answer with one word (“Do women get paid to take their clothes off in films?”). They've asked me questions that made me laugh, squirm, and retreat all at the same time (“Is front bottom a bad word?”).

That's the thing about kids. They don't want us to lie, to stall, to evade, to ignore — and they come to us, expecting us to tell them that the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It's just that we're not quite sure how to bridge their expectations with our instinct to be a bit coy when delicate issues arise.

Here’s a guide to helping you navigate some of their trickiest inquiries: Q: “What happens when you die?”

A: “Well, all of the organs slow down.

Your heart stops, your lungs don't get oxygen, but more important…”

To start, you can be literal in the medical sense, and then bring in your religious and cultural beliefs about death, the soul, and the afterlife.

Often, these questions are linked to a recent death in the family — meaning you should tell them that you, too, miss Grandma. “Children appreciate parents who really listen and reflect and don't try to charge in with the cavalry,” says James Furlong a child psychologist in Sheffield. “Sometimes just reflecting the feeling behind the question is enough. Sometimes they're not looking for information — they're looking for empathy.”

Q: “Did you ever do drugs?”

A: “Yes, I did, actually. And I almost got kicked out of university because of it...”

Ooh, gotcha! Tell the truth about any rebellious or illegal acts and it comes off as an endorsement. Tell a lie and your kids know you're not being straight with them. What's a joint-smoking, vodka-swilling teenturned-parent to do when a tween starts the third degree? Don't lie, because it will ruin your credibility, says Michele Borba, educational psychologist and author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions. “Research says that kids say the worst lie they were ever told was a lie their parents told them,” she says. “That said, you don't have to tell the whole truth.”Confess, 28

then tell the story about how it came back to bite you; this, of course, works for the older set (with younger kids, who may be more curious than accusatory, you can be a little more evasive). “Stories about your past life work. What they're looking for is information on how to deal with an issue. What they don't like is when you turn your stories into a sermon,” Ms Borba adds. “They love to know you got things wrong.”

The result of coming clean, Ms Borba says, is that you've established a safety net that shows you're not perfect, that you know they're not perfect, and that you'll be there for them when they're not. To avoid having your past actions come off as an endorsement, one way out is telling your kids this: You have 100% control over your actions, and zero percent control over the consequences. You control what you drink/smoke/do, but you have no clue as to what the police/magistrate/ girlfriend's parents are going to do.

Let them do the maths.

Q: “Why are you two fighting?”

A: “When you love someone and spend a lot of time with someone, you can disagree on some things. And we just had a disagreement over why your dad hadn't taken the Hoover to get fixed yet...”

When kids ask questions about things we think they're not ready for, it's tempting to be evasive. But that just leaves the kids thinking “What?” and coming up with their own answers. Not good. Instead, simply say “It doesn't mean we don't love each other. It just means we disagree about things every once in a while. When that happens, our voices may get louder and we get more emotional, and sometimes when we get emotional, it shows we care,” suggests Myrna Shure, author of Thinking Parent, Thinking Child.

Q: “Who do you love best?”

A: “Why would you think I like one of you better?”

Here, your child senses something — that you like a sibling's project, football skills or school report — and no matter how hard you try to be fair, they see favouritism in it. So your goal is to elicit information — finding out why your child thinks their siblings are getting all the love. Of course, the child is simply looking for reassurance from you. So talk about all the things you love about them. Be careful not to dismiss the question outright, and be sensitive. Kids do pick up when one parent has a natural affinity to one child.

Q: “Why are you such an idiot?”

A: “[Silence]” “This lack of respect is so infuriating, it's best to walk away and not engage,” says Dr Alan Kazdin, author and Yale professor of psychology and child

psychology. “You want to avoid saying ‘I'll talk to you when you’re not in such a mood.’” That just plays into your child's hands and furthers the conflict, he explains. Silence allows everyone to hit the pause button.

Then when you get back at it (and say how you will not tolerate disrespect and that attitude), explain that part of the job of parents is to take care of kids and make decisions that they won't always agree with. It may not change your child's mind, but your job isn't to win their approval; it's to explain your position thoughtfully without engaging in destructive confrontations. “When you're trying to fire back, you can make a lot of blunders that will make communication difficult,” Kazdin says.

Q: “Why do boys have a penis and girls don't?”

A: “In almost all animals, this is the big difference between males and females, and it has to do with the ability to make babies.”

Kids catch on pretty early that one gender has extra flesh on the chest and the other more between the legs. But the minute we get the first bodyrelated question, we clam up — for

PARENTING

School meets challenges of education White Paper

T

Questions time Can there ever be a ‘right’ answer to those prickly questions all parents must struggle to answer? Mark Harris finds out fear that they'll learn too much too soon. "While these questions aren't issues for children, they are for parents. But if they're wondering, just go right at it," says Dr Kazdin. His suggestion for younger kids: Give the quick explanation above and then say that you'll tell them a little more when they get older. If you're brief and honest, that usually satisfies their curiosity.

Now, if the kids are older — around the double-digit range — you're going to have to tell them the practical details, both for pleasure and for producing a baby without mincing words and resorting to euphemisms which are likely to cause forther confusion. This may also be a good time to give them a rundown of your family values surrounding sex — along with the facts about what can happen when you have it unsafely: specifically, catching a disease and

becoming responsible for a baby of their own before they're ready.

Q: “What's the F-word?”

A: “[%$@*&%!!].”

When the question about an expletive does come up, Dr Kazdin says, try not to shout or go mad (as in “Don't let me ever hear you say that again!"”). If they've reached the age when they're likely to hear it and be curious about it (say, 7 or 8), just go ahead and tell them what the word means. Convey the point that you're happy they asked, and then explain that it's a word your family doesn't ever use and you will get in trouble if you do. “The reason those words have power is because adults don't talk to children about these things,” he says.

“They have power because they cause a reaction. If a child knows them, then it's not a big deal — it takes all the energy out of it.”

he new Government has recently announced its vision for education with the release of the White Paper, The Importance of Teaching.

A clear priority is the aim to improve the professional status and authority of teachers, raise the standards set by the curriculum and to ensure that pupils have qualifications that match the best in the world; this comes at a time when Local Authority School Improvement Partners are being withdrawn leaving many schools without the support to help them achieve this.

The challenge to schools is to find new ways to support each other to enable all learning settings to have the ability to move forward and deliver an education system fit for the 21st Century.

One local school who is rising to the challenge of the loss of Local Authority support is St Patrick’s RC High School in Salford.

Designated a High Performing Specialist School and noted as Outstanding in all Ofsted categories St Patrick’s has worked with a range of schools as an Accredited School Provider to provide bespoke support packages enabling the benefits of its outstanding leadership and challenging and innovative approaches to teaching and learning to be shared with a wide range of schools.

The success of the work that St Patrick’s has demonstrated to date has been recognized as an exemplar of good practice and has led to them representing Salford with the creation of a School Provider Arm. This enables them to build on the previous good practice and offer bespoke support to schools or Local Authorities throughout the country. The School Provider Arm is able to draw on services from a range of High Performing Schools who demonstrate exemplar practice ensuring that a full range of leadership and curriculum support can be offered. By establishing links with Higher Education they can ensure schools provide qualifications that are relevant and enable all pupils to meet their full potential with the skills to future employment success.

29

S

ure, eating Doritos and mouldy cheese (hey, just scrape it off!) for dinner and watching EastEnders in your pyjamas is fun, but couldn't you and your spouse use a real date?

Like, one that's actually outside your home? If only you had a responsible, loving babysitter you could trust to leave your little treasure with. Help is here...read on — oh, and although I refer to prospective sitters in the female there’s no reason at all why you can’t leave your child with a male babysitter.

How to find her

Students get helping hand from mentors

T

rafford College has launched a Mentoring Programme aimed at helping students achieve their full potential during their time at College.

The programme has been designed to match fully trained mentors from the College’s Management Team with learners who need additional support, or gifted and talented students who have shown the potential to excel in their studies.

Volunteers from the Management Team, including the Principal, Sir Bill Moorcroft, were keen to offer their time and support to the new programme, providing students with an inspirational figure from whom they can gain advice and the motivation to succeed.

The support offered can cover a variety of issues, including confidence building, and organisation and goal setting, such as helping mentees plan for future career paths.

One gifted and talented student involved in the new programme is Sophie Stockton from Timperley, pictured above, far right with Sir Bill Moorcroft and some of her fellow students. Having achieved exceptional grades in her GCSEs at Ashton on Mersey High School, Sophie chose to study the Cadets Scheme at Trafford College to help develop her work skills and life experience alongside her academic studies.

Soon to start her work placement within a hospital setting, Sophie was selected for the Mentoring Programme to help her work towards her University goals through networking opportunities, work experience and any other strategies that may help move her university applications to the top of the pile.

She said: “ I feel I have so many decisions to make about my future and it’s a great feeling knowing I can get one-on-one guidance from somebody experienced who has already been through the process.”

30

Eager sitters are living all around you — the key is identifying the best one for your needs. You can ask family and friends for recommendations, use a paper or on-line posting. Here's how to write a successful ad that will entice worthy candidates: Start with specifics about job. e.g.

We are looking for a sitter to work Saturday nights in Didsbury. Must be reliable and have experience with babies and toddlers. Our two active boys are ages 9 months and 3.

Add in personality. Love of pizza and dinosaurs a plus!

Make your requirements reasonable.

Please have two excellent references, two years' paid babysitting experience, and your own transportation to our house.

No smokers, please.

Weed out potential conflicts, like allergies. We have a dog. Will pay £8 an hour.

Don't forget contact info. If interested, please contact Jill at 0161 444 4444 between 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays, or e-mail Jill@youraddress.com.

Checking her out Whether you're hiring the teenager from across the street or someone with an early-education degree, it's important to make sure a potential babysitter is well prepared for the job.

Experience with children who are the same age as yours is a must: She should have worked for other families with infants or have younger siblings she helps take care of.

Always check references. Ask for the number or e-mail of a family for whom she's sat. If she has experience only in her own home, talk to her parents.

Get a sense of her reliability. Does she return your calls right away?

Show up for the interview on time? Is she dressed neatly? Is she energetic?

Does she come prepared with a list of questions? Don't be put off by age: Some secondary school children can be very professional!

Put her to the test. First have the potential sitter watch your baby while you're home. You can show her your routines and will get an idea of how comfortable she is caring for an infant (not to mention how many times her mobile rings).

Look out for warning signs. Take

note if your sitter is ever defensive or evasive when you ask questions. Does she listen to you? She should realise that she is on a job with a client. Note any changes in her attitude, or a careless appearance, which could be signs of a more serious problem.

From burping to chasing: What to ask a potential sitter at each baby stage

0 to 6 months Do you know how to hold a young baby and change nappies? Do you know how to bottle-feed and burp a baby? How do you put a baby to bed to lower cot death risk? Do you know infant first aid?

6 to 12 months Do you know what to feed a baby at this age? Which foods are choking hazards? How do you keep a crawling or toddling baby out of trouble? Can you tell if a room is safely childproofed?

1 year and up How do you entertain a toddler? How do you handle a tantrum? What will you do if my child won't go to bed?

the going rate The current national average is £10 an hour for school students and £12 an hour for older babysitters. The closer you are to a the big city, the higher the fee.

Age. As sitters' ages increase, so do experience levels, skills like training in first aid, and driving.

Experience. Sitters who start young can rack up quite a lot of experience in a very short time. If she really knows her way around a changing table, she may charge a higher rate.

Number of kids. If you have twins or more than two kids, consider raising your rate by £1 to £2 an hour.

Type of job. For overnights or watching kids from two different families together, rates go up £1 to £2 an hour; for peak holidays sitters often get £3 to £10 extra an hour.

Keeping her happy If you've taken the trouble to hire a sitter carefully, you want to ensure she falls in love with your family.

Certain perks turn a just-okay babysitting job into a great one.

Feed her. Make sure the sitter knows she can eat meals with the children.

Also, let her know what's on- and offlimits in your kitchen, so she can grab a snack when she needs to. If she likes a certain flavour of ice cream, pick some up when you're at the supermarket.

Arrange transportation. Figuring out how to get to and from a job is often a headache for a sitter. If she doesn't have access to a car, offer to pick her

PARENTING

Sitting pretty We warn our children about the dangers of strangers then we go out and leave them with one! Jane Field suggests ways to find the perfect babysitter

up and get her home. If she has to drive a long way, consider giving her petrol money.

Be professional. Treat any issues your sitter raises with respect, even if they seem unimportant to you. Talk about it, so she feels like her concerns are being addressed.

Be on time. Come home when you say you will, or call to let her know that you will be a little late.

Be generous. Don't forget her birthday, and give her a bonus at holiday time (perhaps double her pay for an evening of work). And after she's been working for you for a year, raise her fee by at least £1 per hour.

Family babysitters

Pros: Comfort and trust. Not having to build a relationship with an alreadytrusted loved one may do wonders to ease your mind. Free babysitting! Most relatives will refuse to accept money, but consider offering something,. Bonding time. You're giving your relative and your child an opportunity to grow close.

Cons: Lack of control. A paid, nonfamily sitter knows that you're the boss. Without the exchange of money, the balance of power can shift, making both of you more vulnerable to disagreements. Low energy. If you use an older relative, she may have difficulty with a high-need baby or active play.

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SUCCESS IN THE MAKING We are one of the only independent all-girls preparatory schools in the area and pride ourselves in laying down solid educational foundations in a caring, creative environment.

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For more information please call 01625 524246 or email secretary@wilmslowprep.co.uk

WILMSLOW PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Grove Avenue, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5EG Tel: 01625 524246 Web: www.wilmslowprep.co.uk

31

What’s wrong with pushy parents?

Good parenting entails 'pushiness' and fighting to give our children opportunities is one of the greatest gifts we can give them, says Joanna Moorhead

P

ushy parents have got themselves a bad name – but why? Research from Leicester and Leeds Universities show they're one of our country's most effective commodities: their children work harder, and do better. The research, which used data from the National Child Development Study for pupils born in 1958, found that the effort put in by parents was more effective than either a child's own efforts, or the school's attitude.

Unfortunately, "pushiness" has become a tag associated with "middleclass", and that's been part of the turn-off.

But it's all a shame for children, because pushy parents don't have to be middle-class; and what we should be aiming for, rather than stigmatising some parents because of their socio-economic status, is

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individuals, in helping them to access educational opportunities and to achieve their own potential. A teacher will tell you what proportion of children got what grade at GCSE: a parent will tell you what his or her own child achieved.

Ultimately, pushing for our child's success is one of the greatest gifts we have to give them.

Of course that should never extend to refusing to be realistic and nor should it involve reducing another child's chances so that our own child can succeed. But I'd argue that pushy

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empowering more parents – whatever their income level or background – to take the initiative, to encourage their children in their schoolwork and to weigh in when their children need extra help or attention.

In fact, in my view "pushiness" is simply a description for what I'd call "good parenting". Every parent should do what this research shows will work: things such as reading to their children, attending parents' meetings at school and putting a high value on the importance of education. For schools, after all, children exist in groups – ability sets, classes, forms, year groups. However excellent a school is, it's interested in the "mass", whereas we – the parents – are interested in our children as individuals.

Being "pushy" is simply another word for looking out for them as

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PARENTING

Green lessons are wasted on mums & dads

parents can improve the outlook for all children – by taking issue with schools over standards, for example, they up the game for all pupils, not just their own. They're also good role models for their kids: if our child is finding schoolwork difficult, there's something we can do about it. We go to see the teacher; we ask what extra work we could do to help; we spend more time on it at home. In other words, when the going gets tough we don't give up or feel impotent: we do something. It's not just an exercise in better learning, it's a life lesson, too.

Pushiness is harder for some parents than others. I've got four children, and the researchers found that the more kids you have, the less pushy you are (which isn't surprising – for obvious reasons, it's a lot harder to be on the case with four children than two, especially when you and your partner both work full-time). So I'm determined to be more pushy. It works, and my kids deserve nothing less.

This article by Joanna Moorhead first appeared in The Guardian and www.guardian.co.uk.

Parents are undermining schools' efforts to educate children about being green, a poll found. More than a third (37%) of parents with children of school age acknowledge they do not set the best example when it comes to being energy efficient.

The same proportion say they have made little effort to become energy efficient. The poll of 2,170 parents was conducted by AlertMe, a home energy management service. The findings show that 55% of parents believe their children will be wasteful with energy by the time they are adults.

Mary Turner, the chief executive of AlertMe, said: “Schools are making huge efforts to help make our children environmentally aware. But if parents don't reinforce this at home, there is a real danger that we risk undoing all the good work. This is about eliminating waste, not sacrificing convenience and comfort.”

Watch your child reach their true potential

Entrance Exam Wednesday 19th January 2011 9.30am - 3.30pm www.hulme-grammar.oldham.sch.uk

Telephone: 0161 624 4497 Email: admin@ohgs.co.uk Boys and girls from age 3-18

Modern education with traditional values Oldham Hulme Grammar Schools is a Company Limited by Guarantee Registered Number: 6125927. Registered Charity No: 526636

33

Bolton School: A Preparation for Life Give your child the very best start in life by sending them to Bolton School's Junior Girls' School or Junior Boys' School (ages 7-11).

• Their academic potential will be fully developed by our specialist teachers and they will move into Senior School with confidence • Watch your child flourish in a happy, friendly school where hard work is respected and success rewarded • A vast array of extra-curricular activities will broaden their experience of life and ensure their talents are realised.

For a prospectus or to arrange your visit, call 01204 840201.

Entrance Exam (for entry at age 7+ to our Junior Girls' or Junior Boys' School)

Thursday 13 January 2011

Chorley New Road, Bolton BL1 4PA t: 01204 840201 e: info@boltonschool.org www.boltonschool.org 34

EDUCATION

Back to school, back in time Ian Mortimer’s Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England is our favourite history book of recent years. It drops the reader into the 14th Century and asks the questions: what would you see, hear, smell (don’t ask!) and where would you sleep? It’s a brilliant conceit that brings this fascinating age to life.

Of course, a lot of it reads like a grown-up Horrible History with more than a a pinch of the Pythons that only adds to its charm. Here he is on education...

T

o what extent is character a result of education? In the Middle Ages it is arguable that the answer is “not very much”.

Alternatively you could turn the question round and say the opposite.The shortcomings of medieval education have a profound affect on the people.

In the towns and villages you will find the younger children being taught about the seven deadly sins once a week by the parish priest.

Otherwise most forms of education are intended to do no more than equip boys and girls for the occupations for which they are destined.

A knight’s son will be sent off at the age of seven to serve in the household of another knight, often his maternal uncle. Great lords’ sons and daughters are given their own private tutors.

The children of an agricultural worker will be out in the fields at the age of seven. Craftsmen’s sons likewise become apprentices at a young age, learning to keep accounts, whether in a written form or on tally sticks, as well as the techniques of the trade Those destined for the Church are sent off at the age of seven to be tonsured, which entails the rather severe haircut which commences a career of worship.

Education - like so many other aspects of medieval life is a practical exercise. There are formal schools in most towns but only for the minority.

Cathedrals, Benedictine monasteries, nunneries and friaries normally have schools attached to them. Others are associated with city churches and it is from such establishments as these

that the clerks and the clergy and the undergraduates of Oxford and Cambridge were drawn.

The cost of a formal education can be as much as 10p per week per pupilfar too expensive for most parents. For villeins (a person bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord) it is totally out of the question, as parents would have to pay an additional fine to the lord of the manor for sending their child away.

The minority who, at about the age 14, do matriculate to one of the two universities can expect to study first the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric and logic) and then the Quadrividium (arithmetic, music, astronomy and geometry) for their liberal arts degree. But there are no more than a few hundred resident members of each university at any one time. Formal education is a rare privilege.

Given that only a small minority go to school, you will be mildly surprised by the number of people who are literate. You have probably been told at some time that only priests can read and write. That was true for England in about 1200: in those days

the ability to read was legally synonymous with being a clergyman.

But at the time manorial courts did not keep records, most bishops did not keep registers and few great estates issued any documentation other than charters. Now in the 14th Century things are very different. The proceedings of every manor court are recorded in detail and so are the extent and customs of almost every manor. Every bishop keeps a register.

Every great estate and major land owner employs a series of clerks.

Every judge has his clerical staff and so does every sheriff, escheator and coroner. Most wealthy merchants keep accounts of some sort.

By 1400 even churchwardens are recording their income and expenditure on account rolls.

You should reckon on a male literacy rate for five percent of the adult population in rural areas and twenty percent in urban areas. By the end of the century these are probably significant underestimates with regard to certain towns and cities.

The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England Ian Mortimer (Vintage £8.99)

Outstanding new facilities at Bolton School Autumn 2010 saw the opening of Bolton School's new state-of-the-art £5m Junior Girls' School, Hesketh House.

Mrs Ruth Brierley, Head of the new school, said: “Curriculum provision for the girls will now take place in eight well furbished, learner friendly classrooms.

“Separate rooms are dedicated to the pursuit of art and design, science and ICT, and the library which occupies part of the top floor would tempt even

the most reluctant reader in. We look forward to the exciting teaching and learning opportunities that will take place in this wonderful setting as we watch this impressive school come to life.”

The completion of the new building, set in the heart of the stunning 32-acre campus, follows on from £1.5m worth of refurbishment work on the Junior Boys' School and the building of a brand new co-educational Infant School (ages 4-7), Beech House, which opened

in June 2009.

The new facilities complement the School's outstanding educational offer for young people - in 2010, the Nursery and Beech House received the rare commendation from the ISI Inspectorate of being outstanding on every level in their Early Years Foundation Stage provision.

Bolton School is an all-through school and most Junior School pupils progress through to the single-sex Senior Schools.

35

Making memories

Graeme Alderson takes his family to an area of France guaranteed to linger long in the memories of both parents and children Picture: AgenceSCOPE

W

hen we look back on our childhood it’s often the holidays that define the happiest times. Whether it’s those endless summer days playing with friends in the sunshine or those precious weeks with parents and siblings on some golden beach, it all seems so perfect that we must try to gift our own kids with the same feelings.

Apart from a school trip to Paris in my early teens I didn’t go to France until I had children of my own, and that was only after a couple of so-so expeditions to Mediterranean resorts, but since that first time, we’ve returned each year and as our children hurtle towards the age when they will no longer wish to cram into the back of the car for the day-long southwards schlep we hope they will look back on their childhood en France with affection.

Some of our best holidays have been in the Poitou Charentes region. I know, I wouldn’t have known where that was either. Basically, we’re talking about the area down the Atlantic coast ...La Rochelle, Rochefort, Ile de Ré...and inland to Poitiers, the Cognac region. For us, it offers all that is great about France as a holiday destination. There is an excellent chance of great weather, plenty for the children to do, superb 36

food, beautiful scenery and a warm welcome.

Since the children were small we have stayed in mobile homes on holiday parks. Those of you who turn up their nose at the thought of a “caravan holiday” should seriously reconsider. The pitches are generally large giving you a degree of privacy you’d never enjoy in a hotel, the facilities are excellent and the money you save on accommodation can go towards eating out in the many excellent local restaurants you can find in every corner of France.

This year we were guests of Siblu, at their La Pignade resort just down the coast from La Rochelle. As with many French resorts the facilities were top notch with pools, waterslides, cycling, horse riding and a range of sporting activities. While the forecast for decent weather is always good, they don’t take it for granted. Where it differed from some resorts we have stayed at in the past was the evening entertainment courtesy of the reps whose day jobs were running the children’s clubs. I can take or leave this sort of homespun fun but my generally cynical teenagers were quite captivated as was just about every other child there.

We went quite early in the season and so there were not many other UK

holidaymakers on site but our two quickly struck up friendships with French and Dutch children. It is something that’s common to many French sites; don’t expect them to be a home away from home where every voice you hear is speaking a variation of English.

And that’s another aspect we love about French holidays...their...erm. ..Frenchness. The majority of French people will work hard to communicate but you have to meet them part of the way and that means parling Franglais. And why shouldn’t we?

La Pignade offered us the lazy days by the pool or in the shade of oak trees on the patio of our mobile home but alternate days saw us on the road attempting to pack in all this region has to offer.

La Rochelle is a must-do for every Francophile and the third most visited town in France. Make sure you visit the Gabut quarter with its painted wooden buildings and the town’s excellent aquarium.

Accessible direct by a bridge from La Rochelle is Ile De Re, the White Island, the largest of four islands just off the coast. Best way of getting around is by bike and we spent a perfect afternoon on the beach after a morning exploring some of the most beautiful villages in all of France.

Bikes are a way of life on the Ile de

TRAVEL

More than just that mouse

Disneyland boasts over 12m visitors park in Europe? 4to18 Magazine is

Ré. It’s only 30km long and five km wide but there’s over 100kms of paths that wind their way through vineyards, salt marshes and nature reserves. And with its highest point just 19m above sea level even the least sporty can comfortably explore the whitewashed villages, sandy beaches and coastal defences.

Other islands worth a visit are Aix between Ré and Oléron, only accessible by boat and then the only mode of transport is feet, bikes or carriages.

Oléron itself is the second largest island in France and Europe’s leading oyster producing area. A flotilla of colourful boats bring in the oysters which are then matured in small basins where they take on their distinctive green colour. It might not be something for all the family but I’m sure most children will be content with pizza if they are not interested in joining Mum and Dad guzzling these magnificent bi valves.

Other highlights along the Atlantic coast include the military history of Rochefort and, if you’ve had enough culture and cuisine, the fabulous beaches of the Côte de Beauté which come will all the usual facilities and amenities but, as this is France, they’re all a million miles away from what’s on offer at our local coastal resorts.

But then, this one of the reasons we keep coming back to France and especially to this region. It’s because there’s NOT round the clock fast food restaurants and because you do sometimes have to work that little bit harder to communicate.

And we’d like to think that one day our kids will try to relive the magic of this part of France with their own children and we’re confident that whether it’s 15, 25 or 35 years down the line they’ll have as good a time as we have.

FIND OUT MORE

www.visit-poitou-charentes.com www.siblu.com

a day but does that make it the best theme on a mission to find some alternatives...

#2 Futuroscope

www.futuroscope.com In a nutshell, it’s a theme park, except, rather than a theme, it has a media: cinema. What you get is a park full of theatres, but not the sort of theatres you’ll find at your local shopping centre. Each has very distinct characteristics: giant screens, 360° screens, dome screens, 3D screens and even what they describe as 4D. So, €35 for adults and €28 for kids for a day at the cinema, eh? Well, yes, that’s the hard economic facts of today’s theme parks, but you should be able to find a better deal and Futuroscope is worth the expense.

It’s a beauty, trust me! This is a special family day out, and with over 20 attractions and shows on offer, it really is good value.

Futuroscope is near Poitiers in the French departement of La Vienne, in the Poitou-Charentes region, and very easy to access by road and also by train as the park has its own TGV station (if you have never travelled by TGV, I recommend it).

Travelling this way, it only takes an hour and twenty minutes from Paris. By air, it’s 10 minutes from the airport by taxi.

There is also an extensive hotel park near the park ands it’s worth staying the night to enjoy the evening spectacular which is a combination of dancing water, animations, live action, lasers and lights. It’s very impressive and a lovely way to end the day.

You can bring your own food or visit one of the many fast food outlets but it’s worth splashing out on one of the restaurants. Remember, this is

France. We had one of the best meals of our holiday here.

One major plus point for the attractions at Futuroscope is that they can be enjoyed by even your most timid family members.

Headline attraction for 2010 is Arthur 4D, an amazing interactive ride into a fantasy world created by film director Luc Besson. Once strapped into your seats you are suddenly riding on the back of a giant ladybird and totally immersed in a world of cute, and not so cute, fantasy creatures. Your seat is moving slightly but the 360° sound and projections make it the most convincing experience . At the end, you’ll just want to get back in the queue to do it all over again. Ah, the queue..it goes with the terrirory of course, but we were there in July and never waited more than 20 minutes and managed to see everything we wanted in one day.

Make sure you get the translation headphones.

Without them many of the narratives will make no sense. Even with them, you’ll be scratching your head at times, but that’s a French thing.

Other highlights included the Dancing Robots (too scary for me), Deep Sea 3D (I defy you not to reach out and touch) and a variety of shows that have you racing through town and forests in a selection of high-speed vehicles...all from the comfort of your seat. Even when you are not strapped in for action the Imax shows on a 7-store y screen also well worth a visit.

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EDUCATION

The diamond life

Single sex or co-education is a big decision for many families but there is an alternative, as Dr Paul Neeson explains

T

he debate as to whether single sex or coeducation is best has raged for decades without any firm conclusion being reached. The publication of secondary league tables reopened this debate: the common perception being that single-sex schools have academic advantages, whilst co-educational schools have developmental/social advantages. This is, of course, an over simplification of a complex reality.

However these are not the only options: although small in number, diamond schools can offer the best of both worlds. Within England there are now eight such schools, all with membership of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC): Dame Allan’s Schools, Newcastle; Forest School, London; King’s School, Macclesfield; Stamford Endowed Schools, Lincolnshire; Berkhamsted School, Hertfordshire; Brentwood School, Essex; The Grammar School at Leeds; Oldham Hulme Grammar Schools. The diamond is usually constructed with a co-ed prep school, single-sex 11 – 16 sections and a co-ed sixth form, but there are variations on this theme.

It is true that overall single-sex schools achieve better GCSE & A level results than co-educational schools, but this doesn’t take into account the different school types: their outstanding performance may have more to do with the degree of academic selection, socio-economic 38

background and the standing (i.e. history/tradition) of the school itself than segregation of the sexes.

There is no straightforward answer to whether one type of school (coeducation/ single-sex) is more successful than the other because so many variables are involved, which was the finding of a joint Equal Opportunities Commission/Ofsted report over a decade ago. Put simply some schools are better than others, and while some pupils do better in a single-sex or mixed environment, there is no general rule.

Effectiveness cannot be raised by merely segregating the sexes.

Educationally men and women complement each other, often bringing to issues different perceptions and understanding, particularly at sixth form level. It is

important that social preparation for university, and life thereafter, should involve school where there may be guidance and support of other adults.

Deferring this important matter can produce problems at a later stage when the individual is far more on his or her own.

Consideration should also be given to the fact that one of the greatest opportunities for co-education is some 90% of those educated in the system would choose to educate their children within it, whilst only 1/3 of those who attended single-sex schools anticipate their children following the same path as themselves. The diamond model offers parents and their children the best of both worlds.

Dr Paul G Neeson Principal Oldham Hulme Grammar Schools

CURTAIN CALL 4to18 Arts Editor Nicki Thornhill rounds up the region’s theatrical highlights

We’re lovin’ it...

Y

ou need to get your skates on if you haven’t yet got your Christmas family theatre outing sorted but there’s plenty on offer in the region to generate that cheery festive goodwill... Dickens at Christmas fits the bill nicely and you can choose from the Library Theatre at the Lowry’s A Christmas Carol (December 3 –January 8) or David Copperfield at the Bolton Octagon (November 19 –January 15). For more traditional panto fun check out Peter Pan at the Lowry (December 8 – January 1), snow White & the seven Dwarfs at the Opera House

starring Tina O'Brien and Andy Devine (December 3 – January 2) and Aladdin starring Les Dennis and Pamela Anderson at the Liverpool Empire (December 10- January 2).

There’s also a new version of Hans Christian Anderson’s heart-warming tale of the tin soldier at the Royal Exchange Studio (December 14 – Jan1) for families with children 7+.

In the New Year, we are once again spoilt for choice with a wide range of entertaining and thought-provoking productions. From comedy to classic drama there’s sure to be something to suit the whole clan.

Romeo & Juliet

Octagon Theatre, Bolton February 3 – March 5 Romeo & Juliet (above) is the greatest love story of all time and it continues to move audiences of all ages.

Verona is a city ripped apart by hatred and mistrust. Two powerful and wealthy families, both on the wrong side of the law, have been locked in conflict for generations. The bitter dispute has already taken the lives of countless young people, and now their uneasy truce looks like it could break into widespread violence at any moment.

39

I

t was all supposed to be so simple.

My daughter just wanted a couple of hours shopping in the Trafford Centre (you know the kind of thing – browsing glittery items in Claire’s then gawping at the Hollister hunks) before a cinema trip. Sounded great to me – I’d be free to hover around as they had fun, just dispensing the cash when required.

But then it turned out that this was THE Harry Potter weekend – cinema after cinema just showing the latest boy wizard adventure and nothing else – “Has the world gone mad?” I thought - but then perhaps my perspective was warped as my girl just isn’t into Potter. Maybe the only child in the universe but, well....

So it was time to broaden my horizons and seek alternatives. And I didn’t have far to look. Just down the road was a fun-filled night of entertainment which left me regretting I hadn’t discovered Comedysportz earlier.

So what exactly is Comedysportz? I must admit I wondered initially if it was something akin to A Question of Sport (and as more of a Chekhov chick than a footie fan I was put off a bit here) but actually its nearest televisual neighbour is the old

But in the midst of the conflict, Romeo and Juliet will risk everything to cross the family divide for the sake of love. Their youthful passion brings hope, and the possibility of ending the age-old war.

The Octagon continues its commitment to staging the greatest works by Britain's greatest playwright following the success of A Midsummer Nights Dream in February 2010. David Thacker has a strong pedigree in directing Shakespeare's plays, having previously worked as Director in Residence for the RSC, and winning an Olivier Award for Best Director for his production of Shakespeare's Pericles.

blood brothers The Lowry February 21- February 26 Blood Brothers is the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. Accompanied by a superb score, prepare your hankies as you sing along with showstoppers such as Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

Goodnight Mister tom The Lowry February 15 - February 19 Winner of The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and commended for the Carnegie Medal, Goodnight Mister Tom follows William Beech who is evacuated to the idyllic English 40

by Arts Editor Nicki Thornhill

It’s a funny old game

favourite improvisation show Who’s Line is it Anyway? So although the actors involved wear sports gear and there’s a ref with a whistle awarding the points, this is where the sporting analogy ends. (Except for the fact that the audience, seated in two banks, are encouraged to applaud the team directly in front of them so that I got politely put right when I applauded the “opposition” too enthusiastically).

Inspired by ideas from the audience – one hilarious scene was a tragic science fiction tale involving a lost spoon conducted in Brummie accents – the fast-moving show (two hours including a leisurely interval) zipped from game to game. Some games involved the whole crew such as their improvised rap number incorporating names flung at them from the

audience whilst others were chosen by the teams themselves – out of many memorable highlights two examples are Retelling a Fairy Tale in One Second (they just about managed it) and Playground Bullies where the participants could only use words mimed to them by their team mates. I could go on with the examples but to be honest, my descriptions don’t do the experience justice, not least because it’s hard to capture the way the individual performers quickly establish a rapport with the audience.

Suffice to say my daughter and her friends, despite trying to be desperately cool these days, practically laughed themselves off their chairs on several occasions; receiving a birthday card from the cast (really nice people by the way)made my girl’s day.

countryside and builds a remarkable and moving friendship with the elderly recluse Tom Oakley. All seems perfect until William is devastatingly summoned by his mother back to London. It’s a tale of two broken souls at very different ends of the age scale, Goodnight Mister Tom celebrates the value of love and proves that friendship knows no barriers.

friend arises when the supply boat comes. But the lighthouse keeper’s nervousness turns what could have been a delight into a disaster. It’s only when a storm blows in and real disaster looms that he can find the courage to save the day AND rebuild his friendship. Suitable for ages 4+

storm In A teacup Royal Exchange January 11 - 15 Bolton Octagon February 19 It’s not always easy making friends, especially when you live in a lighthouse surrounded by dangerous rocks, towering waves and trouble making seagulls. An exciting opportunity for a tea party with a

ROMEO & JulIEt WIN FAMIlY tICKEt

The prize is subject to availability and a voucher will be issued which can be exchanged for tickets for any performance except Saturday evenings between 3 February – 5 March 2011.

Question: Which Italian city is the setting for Romeo and Juliet?

Answers on a postcard with name, address and phone no or email your answer along with your full details to info@4to18.com by Friday December 31. Please let us know if you DO NOT wish to be contacted by the Octagon Theatre about future productions. All details will be held by the Octagon Theatre and not shared or used by any third parties.

Zack Royal Exchange December 10 - January 11 Zack Munning likes reading, eating, sleeping, being friendly and occasionally doing a bit of work around the place but his no-nonsense mother and brother think he's boneidle. So when well-to-do cousin Virginia comes to convalesce, life in the Munning household is ripe for a change. Comedian, Justin Moorhouse plays Zack in this funny, charming and perceptive tale about the things that make life worth living and how love can flower in unexpected places.

Box Office Numbers

Royal Exchange The Lowry Palace Theatre/Opera House Octagon Theatre Liverpool Empire

0161 833 9833 0843 208 6000 0844 847 2484 01204 520661 0844 847 2525

COMPETITION WINNERS Horrible Science (Palace Theatre):

Ciara Foran, Burnage.

Laura A Goodwin ,Timperley.

Syd Rawcliffe, Accrington.

A Christmas Carol (Library Theatre) Becky Wood, Sale.

Alison Eden, Eccles.

CURTAIN CALL I can’t think of any other comedy event which has such a wide appeal.

Although the group bill themselves as “family friendly� and as suitable for kids from age 8 upwards they don’t see families as their only target market and indeed the audience was a lot more mixed than I had expected. (But then I suspect this made it all the more appealing to my daughter’s gang) Alongside the family groups (including teenagers) in the audience were Comedysportz followers sans kids (some of whom I noticed with a slight tinge of envy were nursing plastic glasses during the show). And apart from a couple of not easily detectable double entendres you can rest assured that the humour is good, clean and above all, daft.

Finally it’s worth mentioning that it’s a very reasonable night out – for myself and three teens I paid less than £20, probably less than Harry Potter would have set me back !

You can catch Comedysportz at Sale Waterside on December 18 or 19 February at 6.30pm (Box Office 0161 912 5616) or at the Comedy Store in Manchester on December 11, January 8 or 12 February at 5.00pm (Box Office 0161 839 9595)

2009/10 Sunday Times Parent Power

Independent Secondary School of the Year )N s OF ! ,EVEL GRADES AWARDED !

s OF ! ,EVEL GRADES AWARDED !

! OR "

s OF '#3% GRADES AWARDED !

OR !

Girls also consistently achieve success in: s 3CIENCE /LYMPIADS s $EBATING s 9OUNG %NTERPRISE s 3PORT s $ OF % !WARDS s $RAMA s #HARITY &UNDRAISING s -USIC s -ODEL 5NITED .ATIONS

2011 Entrance Examination Dates For Year 7 entry: Monday 10th January 2011

For Years 3-6 entry: Saturday 15th January 2011

Students at Withington Girls’ Junior School went bonkers below the knees for Children in Need by wearing brightly coloured unmatching socks. Their Mad Socks Day for Children in Need raised £126.

For further information please call 0161 224 1077 Wellington Rd, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6BL www.withington.manchester.sch.uk

Meanstested bursaries available from Year 7

41

New beginnings and a confident future Phase 1: The new junior building

Idyllic: The view from the school

42

S

taff and Students in the Lower School at Cransley had an exciting opening to the Autumn Term this year.

Over the summer holiday, the first phase of the new Junior building had been completed and was opened for use by our first classes this September.

The landscaping round the new block has opened up attractive vistas – Cransley School is set in the beautiful Cheshire Countryside and continues to be enriched by the peace and tranquillity which that brings.

The new building is just part of the proposed long-term development on the Lower School site – future plans include a complete replacement of the Early Years Foundation Stage (that is Nursery and Reception as we know it) and the rest of the Junior Block.

Eventually we hope to replace and extend the Senior Science laboratories which form part of the site.

A recent Open Day gave many visitors an opportunity to see something of the life of the School and to appreciate the family atmosphere which is such an important part of our ethos.

The new development presents the School with an important opportunity to expand our Junior Department. Boys and girls join Cransley School into the Nursery from the age of 3.

If you missed the Open Day and would like to come to look round, why not telephone and make an appointment? We welcome visitors and are proud of the work which we do. Cransley students are happy and confident individuals who thrive in these unique surroundings. The staff are dedicated to bringing the best out of their charges. Cransley School looks forward to the future with confidence.

‘Cransley has been described as one of the best kept secrets in the area and only by seeing it at first hand can you appreciate how unique it is and get a sense of its special atmosphere’ Cransley School near Great Budworth is a very special place. Set in the midst of the beautiful Cheshire countryside, it has a warm, friendly atmosphere in which all students are encouraged to fulfil their potential. A team of well qualified, dedicated staff work hard to make the ‘Cransley Experience’ a rewarding, happy one. Small class sizes and a positive environment encourages academic success at every level.

SATS results at Key Stage 2 and GCSE results are always good. This year again 100% of our final year students achieved at least 5 GCSEs at grades A* - C and all went onto A level studies in the 6th Forms of their choice.

Life is never dull at Cransley. There is a wide variety of extra curricular activities available throughout the school – there are three choirs, a thriving orchestra and regular drama performances in both the Lower and the Senior School. Students have a choice of clubs – gymnastics, gardening, languages, football and rugby to name but a few. There are many sporting opportunities and Cransley teams regularly compete against other schools in the area and

further afield.

Away from school, Cransley students enjoy many visits designed to enrich the curriculum. We also play host to visiting theatre groups. We offer residential opportunities – groups have been overnight in London for theatre and museum visits; GCSE Geography students visit the Lake District; activity weekends are particular favourites for both Senior and Junior Department pupils; foreign travel is also on the menu. Recently groups have been on a French Exchange, as well as visiting New York, Lake Garda, Amsterdam and Rome.

Cransley also has a thriving PTA – they organise regular events throughout the year which raise valuable funds to support staff and students and also offer a fantastic opportunity for parents to get to know each other. The highlight of the Autumn Term is the Cransley Bonfire and Barbecue, where current students and their families, staff and friends of the School gather to enjoy a well organised evening of firework fun.

This September saw the completion of the first phase of building to replace the Lower School. This has been a long

awaited vision and all at School are delighted with the finished product!

The new landscaping has also made a huge difference to the site. Although we were working to a tight schedule, all was completed over the Summer holidays which meant that the new facilities were waiting for the children on their return. This is just a first step in the plan which will, ultimately, see a complete rebuild of all the facilities on the Lower School site.

We are pleased to welcome prospective students, their parents and other visitors to look round the School on our Open Days, the next of which takes place on Wednesday 12th January between 1.30pm and 3.30pm, or, at other times, by appointment with the School Office.

Only by seeing the School at first hand can you really appreciate how unique it is and get a sense of its special atmosphere. Cransley School has been described as “one of the best kept secrets” in the area – we hope that it is a secret which can be shared with those parents who believe the needs of the individual student in a school where all achievement is celebrated.

43

OGO..outside!

Maxi scooter The last couple of years have brought a noticeable hierarchy in scooters. Any parent whose child has experienced the benefits of a Micro scooter will take little convincing on trading up to a Maxi. Parents chat animatedly in the shop using phrases like “it revolutionized my life “ and they mean it! This scooter offers fantastic looks, great handling and manoeuvrability, plus helps you and your child get places on time! Children can literally glide not scoot the pavements. It adjusts to a height of 93cms it is suitable for 6-12 years and is tough enough for impact use. The Maxi, in lilac or black, is available in-store but 4to18 readers get 10% off the £89.99 price, which gives the perfect excuse to visit the shop and play with the toys. If you are out of the area give us a call to check stock and the best way to get this fantastic toy to you.

It takes something unusual to get children (and adults) out into the fresh air in winter but these versatile, trampoline-like disks are superb for hand/eye coordination activities and improving a whole range of skills! The disc can be used as a frisbee, for volleyball, baseball and they are fantastic with water ballons and in the pool.

Recommended age is from four right through the generations I have had great fun playing it on my school visits to reception classes and Year 1 classes sold several to some incredibly tall basketball players and even to a pensioners’ social group plus it has benefits for therapy and children with special needs. It is difficult to appreciate its unique appeal until you try it so we always have a set in the shop so try it and we guarantee you’ll buy it. It’s a bargain at 16.99

shanghai Warrior and Fantasy Figures

Folding Princess Castle Imaginative play is an essential part of development and play and this beautiful and high-quality wooden castle will provide hours of fun. It’s hinged for easy access and compact storage and beautifully detailed, with hand-painted flowers and banners. Most homes already have figures that, in a child’s mind, will fit right in with the castle, but there is a lovely set of furniture in the same style at £22.50. Figures are not included but we have a great range of Papo figures available in store. At £64.99 the castle is great value for money, and remember, there’s no assembly.

44

To be quite frank, I was in need of a new lease of life with the pirate ships and so my eyes lit up when I saw this. I put this together in only a few minutes and now it’s in pride of place in the shop window!

It’s the details that make this ship stand out from rest with its intricate dragon figure head, masts with detachable rigging and fabric sails, a wind-up anchor and opening stern and, best of all, a plank and two firing missiles, all of which provide plenty of opportunities for exciting role play. Figures are not included but we have a great range of Papo pirate figures available. Recommended from approximately 3 years +.

science and history: you can learn, too When we’re asked how we compete with computer games the answer is really simple – we don’t!. Amanda and I both have sons just turning eight and set our minds to providing a good range of alternatives to computers. It can be summarised in three words: Outdoors, Science and History. The key to the science and history mix is likely to be you, at least at the beginning. We need to be open minded and realise that using a Weird Science kit or digging out Egyptian mummies might not appeal to us

but if it keeps children interested, supports KS2 and 3 then we should do it with them.

We have been working closely with Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) to keep our customers up to date with their amazing exhibitions (check out the 4D) and in turn they are Tweeting us and we are a favourite on their Facebook page. So, visit the shop or look online and choose from a wide range of Science, History and just plain unusual kits in stock.

Prices range from £5 to £25.

toys

TrEmenDOus New

Nicola Shields of specialist toy shop Monkey Puzzle Toys suggests some new Christmas crackers guaranteed to keep them occupied for more than half an hour

Monkey Puzzle Toys 93 Manchester Road Chorlton M21 9GA 0161 862 0100 www.monkeypuzzletoys.com

4to18 READER O FFER

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Valid until Wedne sday, December 15, 2010 when you spend £20 or more in st ore or online. to claim your online disc ount enter code: 418010

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bOOKs the Ice bear 6+ Jackie Morris Frances Lincoln Children’s Books £11.99p An enchanting, magical book set in the beginning of time when humans and animals were equal and lived in harmony together. A polar bear is taken away from its family by a raven and raised by human hunters as their own child, the child bear loves his family but one day he wanders far from home and is found by his bear twin and finds he must choose between his two families. This story is full of wonderfully descriptive, poetic prose and is beautifully illustrated, to call it just a children’s picture book would be doing it a great disservice.

Knights and Castles (6+) Philip Ardagh Scholastic £5.99 Henry walks through his wardrobe and into a medieval castle. Join him, his dog Mothball and a quirky cast of characters as he learns about the lives of the occupants from the highest to the most humble. This book is full of information presented in a lively way which will appeal to boys especially. I enjoyed the speech bubbles and the truly dreadful jokes!

Peter and Frances hopkins of the brilliant urmston bookshop reviews the latest and best new titles for children of all ages provide some excellent practical activities for the classroom too.

Patrick 3+

Nick baker’s bug Zoo (7+)

Dorling Kindersley £7.99 They may be tiny, but insects, spiders and other invertebrates are some of the most astonishing animals on Earth. In this book, Nick Baker presenter of Nick Baker’s Weird Creatures shows kids how to make the kind of places, spaces, nooks and crannies that insects love to scuttle around in. Rear a butterfly from a caterpillar, observe insects hunting for food, plot night time journeys made by snails, catch and feed spiders or create an underwater environment for dragonfly larva. Beautifully illustrated and packed with down to earth practical tips, this book will

Quentin Blake Red Fox £5.99p Patrick buys a magical violin from a market stall and finds that when he plays extraordinary things start to happen: fish can fly, cows can dance and trees grow cakes instead of apples.

Soon he has created an exuberant magical procession complete with fireworks, fun and a cast full of happy people. Quentin Blake, best known as the illustrator for Roald Dahl’s books, creates the ultimate feel -good story. I defy anyone to close this book without a smile on their face.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the ugly truth 9+

Jeff Kinney Puffin Books £10.99 Hapless middle school student Greg Heffley continues the hilarious saga of his life. Greg finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities and the awkward changes that come with getting older – all without his best friend, Rowley, at his side.

harry & hopper (5+

Everybody loves a good book shop!

We’re an independent bookshop that prides itself on the personal service it offers its customers. Call in and browse the books and then relax with a hot drink and a piece of homemade cake in our café

72 Flixton Road urmston M41 5Ab Monday-Saturday 9am-5.30pm Sunday 11am-4pm 46

Margaret Wild,Freya Blackwood Scholastic £6.99 Harry and Hopper have done everything together, ever since Hopper was a jumpy little puppy. But one day the unthinkable happens, Hopper dies in an accident. This moving book is excellent for parents wishing to start discussing the important issues of death and grieving. Freya Blackwood’s delicate illustrations perfectly complement the text.

billionaire boy

(8+) David Walliams HarperCollins £12.99 Joe's rich.

Really, really rich. In fact, he's the wealthiest 12year-old in the land. But Joe isn't happy. He's got a billion pounds and no friends.

Then someone comes along who likes Joe for Joe, not for his money. The problem is, Joe's about to

learn that when money is involved, nothing is what it seems.

the longest Whale song 8+

Jaqueline Wilson DoubleDay £12.99 Ella's mum's in a deep coma having just had a new baby. That means Ella has to live with Jack, her hopeless stepfather and cope with her tiny newborn brother, as well as worrying about Mum. The only thing that's going right is her school project. It's all about whales and how they sing out to . Maybe a whale song could reach Mum, wherever she is, and bring her back to Ella and baby Samson. Surely it's worth a try?

Jacqueline Wilson movingly and thoughtfully conveys the myriad emotions which Ella experiences as she comes to terms with the changes in her life .

T

he dinner ladies at my primary school were a fearsome bunch. In many ways these playground enforcers were more intimidating than teachers.

You knew where you stood with teachers. They were the boss, the he or she who must be obeyed.

But with dinner ladies, the rules of engagement were unclear. Did they have the authority to tell you off or were they there simply to make sure riots didn’t take place in the lunch hour.

They were a mixed bag. There were young mums who treated you like you like one of their own, grannies who didn’t know how to say a cross word even when the school bully was throwing conkers at them – and, finally, the fearsome spinster ladies who believed in the old adage, spare the rod, spoil the child.

At my second primary school (I attended four in all) Miss Thomas fell fairly and squarely into the final category. I had a year’s experience of school in the Parkstone area of Bournemouth before we moved to Goring, a suburb of Worthing liberally populated by battleaxes.

Miss Thomas was an ample woman with a bosom like an old sofa she wore around her waist. When they were handing out good looks she has been right at the back of the queue and, to put it in simple terms, she was pure evil.

Parents would always refer to her as ‘lovely Miss Thomas’ while their children whispered her real name...The Witch!

My friends and I were convinced that she fronted a coven of crones and used the body parts of children to whip up evil-smelling potions. She lived in a tidy little bungalow just off the sea-front but we felt that inside the walls were painted black and she had a torture chamber in the back room.

Her reputation as a witch was built around her ability to appear from nowhere just as a child was about to do something they shouldn’t.

Her good name with adults was, I imagine, built on a charm offensive when it mattered and on the fact that she would never send children to see the headmaster. Why? Because Miss Thomas liked to be judge, jury and executioner.

Her favoured punishments were a knuckle rap to the skull, the pulling of the short hairs on the side of the head or, in extreme circumstances, an expertly administered slap to the back of the leg (remember, this was an era when boys wore shorts all year round).

She would also take delight in holding you by the ear while telling you just what a disaster you were going to make of your life.

Judge, jury & dinner lady

MARK

HARRIS

I N B L A C K & W H I T E

“You’ll never amount to anything, Mark Harris. You’re stupid, ugly and loathsome. Even your parents don’t like you. You’ll be lucky to get a job sweeping the roads.”

At the age of seven that kind of stuff hits home and I remember going home and lying in my bed imagining that my mum and dad hated me and were considering putting me up for adoption.

And it’s not as if you had to have actually done anything particularly naughty to find Miss T breathing down your neck. Forgetting to cover your mouth when coughing or a failure to say thank you with sufficient enthusiasm were enough to bring on a fit of apoplexy.

But, as we all know, what goes around comes around and Miss Thomas’s judgement day eventually arrived.

One lunchtime a lad called David Jenkins had committed the appalling crime of dropping a tissue out of his pocket without even realising he’d done it. The Witch was on him in a shot. The knuckles came down on his head and she launched into a particularly vicious tirade. As her spleen vented she told David that not only was he a no-good waster but that his parents were hugely unpopular members of the local community and, she had it on good authority, that David’s dad had been in prison.

Unfortunately for Miss Thomas she wasn’t aware that David had a dental appointment that afternoon and his mother was coming to pick him up early. So, as The Witch crucified her son and husband, David’s mum was standing behind the hunched figure as she spewed bile.

David’s mum was a lovely woman but I honestly thought she was going to kill Miss Thomas. I swear steam was coming out of her ears. She marched straight into school with David while The Witch stood whitefaced in the middle of the playground as we kids giggled out of harm’s way.

Suffice to say, we never saw Miss Thomas again. It was suggested that she had emigrated to Haiti to practise voodoo. But one day, a year or so later, I was visiting my grandfather in hospital and spotted a very poorlylooking Miss Thomas being wheeled down the corridor. I didn’t laugh but I certainly didn’t cry.

47

Independent education for girls aged 3-16 and boys 3-5 years FREE Nursery places through SureStart Excellent academic reputation and outstanding facilities Means-tested Bursaries available

Open Days on senior school ThursdayAssessment 30 September Entrance Wednesday 6 October

Friday 28 January 2011 Application forms are available from the school

Culcheth Hall School Ashley Road, Altrincham 0161 928 1862 www.culcheth-hall.org.uk admin@culcheth-hall.org.uk

Inspiring individuals since 1891 48

4to18 tutORs Name Kumon Educational UK locations: throughout the UK. Please visit kumon.co.uk to find your nearest centre subjects: Maths and English study programmes About us: Give your child a head start with Kumon’s maths and English study programmes. We tailor our programmes to develop your child’s individual abilities ensuring their steady progress. Kumon centres provide your child with the foundations to improve their skill set, inspiring a passion for lifelong learning and building the self-confidence to succeed both in and outside the classroom.

Contact: 0800 854 714 or visit kumon.co.uk

Kumon centres in region Altrincham Study Centre 0161 969 2734 Bramhall Study Centre 0161 440 0861 Cheadle Study Centre 0161 286 0791 Cheadle Hulme Study Centre 0161 488 4988 Chorlton Study Centre 0161 434 4579 Didsbury Study Centre 0161 439 3946 Hazel Grove Study Centre 0161 292 8421 Heald Green Study Centre 0161 428 2496 Heaton Moor Study Centre 0161 432 1721 Levenshulme Study Centre 0161 225 4307 Prestwich Study Centre 0161 265 8259

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Romiley Study Centre 0161 406 9137 Timperley Study Centre 0161 980 0851 Urmston Study Centre 0161 864 4157 Worsley Study Centre 0161 793 4638 Knutsford Study Centre 01565 621 142 Wilmslow Study Centre 01625 532 529 Macclesfield Study Centre 01270 821 430

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We hope youre enjoying your copy of 4to18 magazine. As far as we know, it’s the only one like it in the UK. We aim to offer a platform for the best of education across the region as well as plenty of news and features that should be of interest to all parents We’re free because of the support of our lovely advertisers so if you respond to any of them or visit any of the great schools in here please be sure to mention you heard about them in 4to18 49

HEADLINES

A life well lived

The value of learning beyond the classroom

I

f you have not read Charles Dickens’ Hard Times it’s worth an investigation. In the powerful opening chapters of the novel, Dickens presents us with a school system which, rather than energising its pupils, saps their imagination and creativity, insisting on the supremacy of fact and factual recitation as the tools for success. The ‘successful’ student, in the eyes of the school’s owners, is Bitzer, the boy who can define a horse as ‘Quadruped.

Graminivorous. Forty teeth, namely twenty-four grinders, four eye-teeth, and twelve incisive.’ The ‘failing’ student is Sissy Jupe, whose powers of imagination and ‘Fancy’, learnt from the circus community amongst whom she lives, render her incapable of seeing a horse in such a way. Instead, she applies what she has learnt outside of the classroom to inform her answer; by the school’s definition, she is ‘wrong’.

Sissy’s life beyond the classroom is what separates her from Bitzer, who experiences only its sterile rigidity, its cold composure and insistence on ‘Fact’; by contrast, Sissy lives a varied and full life, giving time to her family and serving others. Bitzer’s factdriven education leads him to an empty existence, unable to empathise or feel compassion; ‘success’ at school fundamentally fails to prepare him for life as an adult.

Over 150 years ago, Dickens saw the need for more in education than the dry acquisition of knowledge and the occasional spewing forth of fact; he saw that within the classroom itself, there needed to be engagement and 50

The cast of As You Like It, Cheadle Hulme School, 1924

‘Fancy’, and that the life beyond enriches both the classroom experience and the learner’s understanding.

Education is, Dickens suggests, a question of balance.

In what can sometimes be the desperate search for the ‘right’ or ‘good’ school, parents will understandably concern themselves with outcomes as measured by academic results: A Level, Pre-U, IB, GCSE or IGCSE results. Concerned for their child’s long term prospects, parents see that qualifications of a certain level will give that child a better chance of success in the university or job markets.

They are right.

But qualifications of an academic nature will, in many cases, only open the door; they will not necessarily ‘get you in’.

It is a relentless drive in schools these days; relentless for the pupils, the teachers and the parents. We are in danger of educating pupils in a way that might make Dickens despair.

Happily, children are not confronted in the modern classroom with the likes of Mr M’Choakumchild, despite what the media might scream at regular intervals; today’s teachers are, more than ever, committed to engaging the interest of their pupils and varying their learning experiences. Being in the classroom today is not as it was in 1854, when the novel was published.

We each carry some classroom knowledge with us over the years, but generally it will be the skills that we take forward – how to write; how to read and interpret data; how to

question. Beyond these things are the memories of the extra-curricular life: we remember the highs and lows of friendships, our sporting triumphs and failures, our musical groups, our theatrical productions, our community service projects and our outward bound adventures. School beyond the classroom enriches children and teaches lessons and attitudes that last a lifetime: adaptability; resilience; responsibility; team work; sustained commitment. It is these lessons which enable a person to go through the ‘opened door’.

Here at Cheadle Hulme School, children are actively encouraged to take a sustained part in the school’s wider life and through this, they learn much about themselves and one another. They learn to experiment, to lead and to practise; they learn to interact with others and better understand and develop themselves.

Importantly, what they learn outside they will use to strengthen their learning inside.

We are each enriched by what we do; the life well lived is an active life, featuring a range of activities and interests. The measure of a good school should include the store that it sets by the life beyond the classroom as much as within it.

Lucy Pearson Head Teacher of Cheadle Hulme School

BRIDGEWATER SCHOOL

W Wee are an Independent School ffor or bo ys and gir ls aged 3 – 18 boys girls yyears, ear s, located in a delightful semi-r ural setting in Worsley.

Wor sley sley.. semi-rural Bridge water is a school which cherishes the Bridgewater naturallyy the individuality of each child and is naturall right choice for for so man en. Whate ver manyy childr children.

Whatever child’ss talents and inter interests wee can build on yyour our child’ ests w those and help them to aappreciate ppreciate their talents well as w ell as aappreciating ppreciating and aapplauding pplauding others.

Wee ar aree al always show genuinely W ways wa ys delighted to sho w our gen uinely caring and nnurturing urturing en vironment. W er environment.

Wee also off offer broad providing a br oad range of School Bus rroutes outes pr oviding a safee and secur saf vironment to transpor our securee en environment transportt yyour from child to and fr om school. moree information website: FFor or mor information please visit our w ebsite: www .bridgewater-school.co.uk www.bridgewater-school.co.uk arrange tour.. or call 0161 794 1463 to ar range a personal tour Wednesday Entrance Exam is Wednesda W ednesdayy 2nd FFebruary ednesda ebruar y 2011

B ri d g e w a t e r S chool, D r ywood H all, W orsley, M anchester. M 28 2 WQ Bridgewater School, Drywood Hall, Worsley, Manchester.

M28 2WQ

www.bridgewater-school.co.uk

Charity No 1105547

Specialist Performing Arts College OFSTED 2010

‘Care, guidance and support are outstanding. students benefit from excellent personal support from Form tutors and heads of houses’ ‘the curriculum is outstanding in both its content and its effect on motivation, learning and outcomes for students. It is broad and balanced, impressively so given the small size of the college’ 2010 has been a memorable year for all at Lostock College, not least the students whose results were up by a massive 27% on last year. At GCSE, 81% got at least 5 A*-C passes and 40% were awarded A* or As. No child left the College without a qualification and more students than ever are moving on to sit A Levels.

It is a tribute to the students, their parents, the local community and the staff that these results have been achieved in what has been an eventful year.

Lostock College is a school for the future built on sound traditional values that put the students first. Our small class sizes and individual support and attention are fundamental to the College ethos and we are committed to improving and building on what we have for the benefit of the children, the staff and the wider community.

We are a community school, though we welcome children from all over Greater Manchester, and we are very proud of our pastoral and curricular achievements as recognised by Ofsted in their most recent inspection.

Lostock College is a supportive and caring environment in which every child matters.

We would like to invite parents to visit the College and see it in action. You can make an appointment for a full guided tour of the school at your convenience.

EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS As a specialist Performing Arts College we are delighted to report a 100% pass rate in Music and Performing Arts

STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES BRIGHT FUTURES this pioneering project sends Year 10/11 students into top firms like siemens, M&s and Nhs trafford where they thrive, grow in confidence and learn valuable life-long learning skills

Selby Road Stretford M32 9PL

0161 864 5700 www.lostock.trafford.sch.uk school@lostock.trafford.sch.uk

Arts theatre specialist recording studio Dedicated music technology suites Dance studio ICt suite Interactive whiteboards in every classroom