TAKEMEHOME FREE Issue 72 September/October 2022 familiesonline.co.uk Tall Stories presents Room on The Broom WIN tickets insideBooksChildren'sMacmillian-2001ShefflerAxelandDonaldson©JuliaBroomtheonRoom
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Dear Reader, Wise wordsEducation is not thefilling of the pail, but thelighting of a fire.William Butler Yeats
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EDITOR: Lisa Exell 01945 editor@familiesCambridgeshire.co.uk861336,
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SOCIAL MEDIA: Amanda admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.ukDawson,
I hope you had a lovely long summer, I can hardly believe it's back to school already and the start of a new school year. This issue is packed full of information for you which will hopefully make life a little easier when planning things to do this September including open days at secondary schools, extracurricular activities, Halloween events in October and places to go and things to do this autumn. A FAMILY TICKET FOR 4 TO ROOM ON THE BROOM For either 2 pm or 4.30 pm on Tuesday 18 October Iggety ziggety zaggety zoom! Jump on board the broom with the witch and her cat in Tall Stories’ fun-filled adaptation of Room on the Broom, the bestselling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The witch and her cat are travelling on their broomstick when they pick up some hitch-hikers – a friendly dog, a beautiful green bird and a frantic frog. But this broomstick’s not meant for five and – CRACK – it snaps in two... just as the hungry dragon appears! Will there ever be room on the broom for everyone? Find out in the magical Olivier Award nominated show for everyone aged 3 and up. To enter, please visit our Facebook page @ FamCambsMag and like and share our competition post. Good luck!
4. News & views 7. Baby news 8. What's On 11. St Mary's meet the Head 13. School spotlights 15. Clubs and classes
Contents & Competition
What'sinthisissue?
More music education in schools
OPPOSITION TO CHILDCARE CUTS
Healthy Snacks These delicious, vegan, crunchy snacks are made from 100% whole fruit, and a great snack for back to school lunch boxes. The healthy and affordable range (from 60p per pack) contains no added sugar, salt, fat or oil and a pack counts as one of your, or your kids’, five a day. Over 930m tonnes of edible food is wasted globally each year. Spare make use of both wonky raw and dried apples that are often rejected because they are misshapen, blemished, or deemed the wrong shape or size. The wonky apples are always fresh and delicious, they just happen to look a bit irregular. Spare transform them into beautifully healthy apple crisps that are good for people, producers, and the planet.
Adventurous play boosts mental health Excitement and exploration help kids avoid anxiety and depression, according to researchers from the University of Exeter.
Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology, who led the study, said: “We’re more concerned than ever about children’s mental health and our findings highlight that we might be able to help protect children’s mental health by ensuring they have plentiful opportunities for adventurous play.’
The study’s authors are calling on authorities to ensure that every child has free access to a safe space for adventurous outdoor play close to their home.
During his lifetime, Roald Dahl wrote twenty children’s books and published forty eight books altogether. He created over five hundren new words and character names and his books have sold more than two hundred and fifty million copies worldwide.
Visit the Roald Dahl Story Day hub
classroom.forwww.roalddahl.com/roald-dahl-story-dayatresourcestodecorateyourhomeor
Tens of thousands of children will be given the chance to learn a new instrument as part of a new national plan for music education in the UK. The plan sets out the government's ambition to give 'every child the opportunity to develop a love of music'. Made in consultation with music teachers and young people in the music industry, it involves a raft of new investments and measures to support music education. Twenty five million pounds will be made available for schools to purchase musical instruments and equipment, including adapted instruments for children with special educations needs and disabilities. According to the updated guidance, schools will be asked to offer at least one hour of music curriculum a week. Every school will be expected to have a designated music lead or head of department.
Join fans from all over the world to celebrate favourite Roald Dahl characters, stories and moments. Get dressed up as your favourite Roald Dahl character at a Dahlicious Dress Up Day event being held at school, by community groups and libraries,or host your own by downloading the Roald Dahl Story Day Party.
Every year, the life and works of one of the best children’s authors of all time is celebrated on his birthday, 13 September.
The study is published in the journal Child Psychiatry & Human Development.
The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan Cancer Support biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer and is dedicated to bringing people together over a cuppa to raise vital funds. Each year, people in the UK and across the world host their own coffee morning with the donations received going to Macmillan services. This year’s official event date is 30th September but Coffee Mornings can be held at any time. It's easy to sign up. Just go to www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee and you’ll be sent a Coffee Morning Kit with everything you need to make your coffee morning a success. More info: coffee.macmillan.org.uk
Find them at Morrisons, Ocado, Amazon, BA and Co-op from September in single packs and new multipacks.
The study found that children who spend more time playing outside – and taking part in activities out of sight of adults including exploring woods, camping out, swimming in a river or lake, trying new outdoor skills and creating obstacle courses – had fewer ‘internalising problems,’ characterised as anxiety and depression.
4 Families Cambridgeshire familiesonline.co.uk News & Views The World’s biggest coffee morning
To help parents with the cost of living, the government may allow one adult to look after five two-year-olds in England, up from the current limit of four. The move would bring England in line with Scotland. However, a petition has been started by the parents of a boy that died after a medical emergency at his nursery, warning that reducing ratios in early years’ settings could ‘endanger’ children. The petition has so far attracted more than sixty thousand signatures. Nursery staff and employers have also expressed strong opposition, claiming the plan is short-sighted and would endanger children.
Celebrate Roald Dahl Story Day
• Set a fair rate of pay • Help others and provide support you can be proud of. It also means you can choose what you offer and play to your strengths. You might offer help at home, such as cleaning, cooking help to dress and wash – or you might want to offer a support in your community for older or disabled people, like an inclusive yoga class, or painting sessions. The choice is yours.
A Good Friend can be purchased at www.spckpublishing.co.uk/a-good-friend
FREE family fun at Heritage Open Days
CHOOSE YOUR OWN HOURS TO SUIT YOUR FAMILY
Community Catalysts, has supported a growing community of people in East Cambridgeshire to set up a small enterprise – people with all sorts of backgrounds –but who all want to help their community and love what they do. Working for yourself means you can:
Fun with Merlin
Fighting over household chores (as well as the avoidance of them) can be a significant source of conflict between parents and children, not to mention spouses. A new app has just been launched which promises to revamp how families divvy up life’s daily responsibilities, turning tedium into a fun and competitive game that both parents and kids can enjoy and benefit from.The app is essentially a motivational tool that creates some healthy competition with a points and rewards system for the daily, weekly and monthly household contributions of each family member. Parents are able to instil a sense of responsibility and accountability in their kids, track chores for weekly pocket money and use points accrued for certain privileges for their children and teens.
CBBC star writes mixed-race storybook on friendship CBBC star Gemma Hunt is publishing her first children’s book, a fun, mixed-race retelling of the stories of Jesus, which aims to teach children how to be good friends to one another.
5 News & Views
familiesonline.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire
A Good Friend features a mixed-race family as the main characters and aims, according to Gemma ‘to give Jesus a face which isn’t the ‘stereotypical, blonde-haired and blue-eyed Jesus so many of us grew upShewith.’has also revealed that she feels ‘immense responsibility’ as a children’s TV presenter to be a good role model to the children who watch her.
Community Catalysts is a social enterprise working across the UK to help local people to use their talents to support other local people. The support is totally free to you in East Cambridgeshire because this project is funded by Cambridgeshire County Council. Community Catalysts has been running for over ten years, and have supported lots of people to start successful enterprises. You don’t need any business or care experience to get started, just to know what good care looks like. We’ll help you with the rest! If you want to make a change in your own life and help to change our community for the better, email or text: Anna Tuck, Cambridgeshire Community Catalyst anna.tuck@communitycatalysts.co.uk or phone/ text 07881 297 330 www.facebook.com/CommCatsEastCambs
• Work locally • Choose your own hours
Give the autumn term a confidence boost with Perform. A common struggle shared by many children as they start school or return after the summer break is a lack of confidence, and this can stop them reaching their full potential. Whether you're looking for a confidence boost for your child or just a weekly dose of drama, dance and singing fun, Perform is back for the autumn term with two exciting productions for 4-7s and 7-12s.“Perform is not a stage school” stresses Perform Principal, Lucy Quick. “Our classes teach life skills using fun confidence-boosting drama games which results in a celebratory end of term production. The primary aim of our classes is to develop what we call the 4Cs: Confidence, Concentration,Coordination and Communication."This term,Perform 4-7s will venture into The Magician's Chamber for some confidence-building fun with Merlin the Wizard whilst 7-12s will work on a funky festive performance of Ebenezer, based on the Charles Dicken's classic, A Christmas Carol. The term runs from September to December and children are welcome to try a free class at any point. To book a free no-obligation trial class visit www.perform.org.uk/try
The presenter decided to write the new stories after being unable to find any children’s books which featured a mixed-heritage family like her own.
Community Catalyst is supporting local people across East Cambridgeshire to offer care and support in a new way. Community Catalysts can help you to work on a self-employed basis to set up and run your own small enterprise offering help at home or in your community. Lots of people in East Cambridgeshire need some extra help to live the way they want to, perhaps because they are older, disabled or have a long-term health condition.
Running from 9th to 18th September, Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture and allows families the chance to visit hidden places and try new experiences for free, including places that usually charge for admission.Manyevents will adopt this year’s theme,Astounding Inventions, offering a celebration of the cutting-edge creations that make our lives easier, as well as the imaginative inventors behind them. There will be hundreds of free interactive activities for children, including dressing up, craft, woodland walks and railway rides. Heritage Open Days is brought to you by the National Trust with the support of People’s Postcode Lottery. New events will be added to the festival directory every day. More info: www.heritageopendays.org.uk
NEW APP HELPS TURN CHORES INTO A GAME
Illustrations © 2022 Kate Hindley
From award-winning picture book creators
& MAKE ROOM IN YOUR HEART FOR
• Teach your child to enter and exit the swimming pool safely, if possible, without the use of the steps.
The Italian Constitutional Court has ruled that all babies should automatically get two surnames: one from each parent. The decision overturns a long-held tradition in which babies only received a surname from their father. From now on, babies will receive both parent’s last names - and parents can decide which order they go in. Parents can also decide together if the baby will only take one surname (and which one it willInbe).the past, it was difficult to give a child a mother’s surname unless the father was unwilling to give their name to the baby or unless the father was unknown. A mother could not independently choose to give her last name to her baby. The Court which is similar to the UK’s Supreme Court, ruled the one surname practice as ‘discriminatory and harmful to the identity’ of the child. If booking any courses, please mention Families Cambridgeshire Magazine
• Have conversations with your child about not going to the water’s edge without an adult.
• When falling into the water or becoming unexpectedly overwhelmed, the temperature of the water can have a surprising and life-threatening impact. Teaching children how to stay afloat is Learnlifesaving!moreabout staying safe around water via the Royal Lifesaving Society’s website.
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If you are seeking professional & fully vetted domestic childcare in the form of a Nanny, Maternity Nurse or Babysitter please contact us directly on 07725 497 313, or check out our website for further information www.thebeeskneeschildcaresolutions.com
All babies to get two surnames in Italy
Charming Belgium toy brand, Lilliputiens, is delighted to continue to expand its creative toy offerings in the UK as it launches the adorable Little Doctor Alice Bag. Providing little one’s hours of imaginative play, Lilliputiens Little Doctor Alice Bag includes all the essentials for medics of the future to take care of the adorable Alice Fox, who unfortunately, isn’t feeling too well! The super soft doctor’s bag (which cleverly also serves as a sick bed) features everything needed to take care of Alice, ranging from bandages, a thermometer and even a stethoscope. Promising hours of role play games and inspired playtime, the doctors set is sure to be loved by little ones for years to come. Lilliputiens Little Doctor Alice Bag RRP: £41.99 Available from John Lewis
The Bee’s Knees Childcare Solutions TOP TIPS...
Doctor Doctor!
We’ve experienced some extraordinary heat waves this year, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees! Below are some tips to keep your children safe around water.
Families Cambridgeshire 7 Families Baby News
What’s On Things to do, places to go and fun to be had for kids of all ages in Cambridgeshire
Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show
Hibernation WHERE: The Junction, Cambridge WHEN: 18th September, 13.30 and 16.00
Little Bugs Club –Great Fen WHERE: Countryside Centre, Ramsey Heights WHEN: 16th, 23rd & 30th September and 7th, 14th & 21st October, 10.30 – 12.00
WHEN: 18th and 25th September, 15.00 – 17.00 While away a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon by grabbing a blanket and heading down to enjoy free music events including Cubafrobeat and Cambridge Jazz Orchestra on 18th at Jesus Green and City of Cambridge Brass Band at the Graduate Cambridge Hotel Garden on 25th. Free events/Music-in-the-Parkswww.cambridgelive.org.uk/city-
Heritage Open Days
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WHERE: Cambridge WHEN: 9th – 18th September Culture lovers can look forward to a cracking series of walks, talks, tours, and online events. The aim is to celebrate the heritage, community and history of one of the world’s most iconic cities with the theme ‘astounding inventions’. FREE 01223 766 www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk766
Open Cambridge
WHERE: Cambridgeshire WHEN: 9th – 18th September England's largest festival of history and culture, gives you the chance to discover local, hidden gems. Churches, museums, railways, gardens: lots of venues open their doors to the public. FREE. Booking www.heritageopendays.org.ukrecommended.
Family Orienteering WHEN & WHERE: 17th Meadows),(TrumpingtonOctoberPark)(MiltonSeptemberCountryand22nd1–3pm13.00 – 15.00
An easy, fun way for juniors and families to try orienteering. Three different courses and friendly advice to get you started. Family groups £5; Adults £4; Children £2 www.waoc.org.uk
Cambourne Little Bugs
ELGOODS FAMILY BEER FESTIVAL
Cambridge Aquapark
Illusion: Impossible WHERE: King’s Lynn Corn Exchange WHEN: 15th September, 19.30 Showcasing some of the most incredible Illusionists in the world including: BGT runner up Jamie Raven, BGT 2020 Finalists James & Dylan Piper, award winning magician Oliver Tabor, highly acclaimed magical duo The Glamourists and World Speed illusionist Kayden Black. 01553 764864 www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk/theatre/whats-on/
WHERE: Hannam’s Wake Hub WHEN: Weekends until 18th InflatableSeptemberobstacle course for summer fun with your family and friends. Price includes life jacket and wetsuit. All sessions must be pre-booked online. 01353www.cambridgeaquapark.com£20pp/hour886955
Cambourne Wild Babies
WHERE: Cambourne Nature Reserve WHEN: 21st & 28th September and 5th, 12th & 19th October, 9.30 – 11.30 Join Wildlife Adventurer Rebecca Neal for a gentle wildlife stroll and a simple outdoor activity aimed at adults. This is a smallgroup, sociable session for parents or carers of pre-walking babies. From 07894www.wildlifebcn.org£3.50599020
WHERE: Cambourne Nature Reserve WHEN: 23rd & 20th September and 7th, 14th & 21st October, 9.30 – 11.00 Join Wildlife Adventurer Becca Badger for a wildlife stroll with stops for a story and some simple outdoor activities for toddlers. For families with children from 18 months to 4 years old. From £5 07894www.wildlifebcn.org599020
WHERE: Milton, Cambridge Choose your own pumpkin from tiny, warty, orange, white, Monster and even stripy ones. All activities in the Field of Fun (including wooden maze, mini golf, zip wire, Go karts and many more) are included in the entrance price. Any Pumpkins you choose are charged separately at the end of your visit. www.themiltonmaizemaze.co.uk
The biggest yawn, the cosiest bed, The softest blanket, the sleepiest head, Winter’s approaching, prepare for a rest, With some help from the animals who hibernate best. Come and be transported to a magical forest full of mirth, live music and marvellous creatures. Ages 3 – 7 From £8.50 www.junction.co.uk 01223 511511
Family Saturday –Sun Prints
WHERE: Cambridge University Botanic Garden WHEN: 3rd September, 10.00 – 13.00 Have a go at taking photographs of plants using sunlight and find out the story of Anna Atkins, a brilliant botanist who took thousands of photographs of seaweeds and ferns in a similar way. FREE www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/
WHERE: IWM Duxford WHEN: 10th and 11th September In the air, on the ground, and even in the clothes you wear! The Battle of Britain Air Show returns to bring the 1940s to life - from vintage aviation and the stories of those who served at RAF Duxford, to living history groups and entertainment from the era. From (children£15.00under 5 www.iwm.org.uk/airshowsfree)
A fantastic introduction to the natural world for pre-school children. Each weekly session is packed with activities, walks and games… be prepared to get mucky. £7 per 01487www.wildlifebcn.orgchild.710420
Music in the Parks
MILTON MAZE PUMPKIN PATCH WHEN: 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th and 22nd - 30th October, 10.00 - 16.00
WHERE: Elgoods Brewery, Wisbech WHEN: 17th September 12-10:30 pm Enjoy the beautiful gardens with the family, listen to some live bands and taste over 150 real ales at Elgood’s 10th Beer festival, soft drinks and food also available. £5 a bookticketswww.elgoods-brewert.co.uk/ticket01945583160
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE LIVE!
Great Fen Wildlife Watch – Here Comes Autumn WHERE: Great Fen Countryside Centre, Ramsey Heights, Cambridgeshire WHEN: 8th October 10.00 – 12.30 Join the discovery trail looking for signs of autumn and mammal tracks. Check trail cameras for activity, open the moth trap to see who visited overnight before creating some wildlife art using what you forage from the site. £7.50 per child 01487 710420 www.wildlifebcn.org
Families What's on
Cambridge Park & Ride Taking you into the heart of Cambridge Open seven days a week KIDS TRAVEL FREE * For more information on fares, timetables and other details, please visit www.cambridgeparkandride.info * Up to 3 children under 16 travel free with each fare paying passenger
WHERE: Kings Lynn Corn Exchange WHEN: 18th-19th October Jump on board the broom with the witch and her cat in Tall Stories’ fun-filled adaptation of Room on the Broom, the best-selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. From co.ukwww.kingslynncornexchange.£14.50
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www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk/theatre/whats-on/
Morgan & UnbelievableWest:Science WHERE: The Junction, Cambridge WHEN: 23rd and 24th October, 11.30 and 14.30 Expect explosive thrills, chemical spills and a risk assessment that gives their stage manager chills, all backed up by the daring duo’s trademark wit, charm and detailed knowledge of the scientific method. Leave your lab coats at the door it’s time for Unbelievable Science! Age 7+ From £8.50 www.junction.co.uk 01223 511511
WHERE: King’s Lynn Corn Exchange WHEN: 28th October, 14.00 Starring CBBC’s newest comedy stars DANNY & MICK, this year's show is packed full of hilarious comedy routines, magic, mayhem, slapstick and speciality acts, making it a laugh out aloud show not to be missed for the whole family! From 01553co.uk/theatre/whats-on/www.kingslynncornexchange.£14.00764864 familiesonline.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire
Flawless present Chase The Dream
A Fright in The Museum
Halloween Spooktacular
Autumn Colours
WHERE: Chippenham Park Gardens WHEN: 16th October 10.00 - 16.00 Chippenham Park Gardens will be open to the public for a blaze of autumn colour. The gardens, lakes and borders are still full of colour and charm late into summer. From www.chippenhamparkgardens.£3info
Wildlife Watch –Bushcraft WHERE: Trumpington Meadows WHEN: 1st October, 14.00 – 16.00 Learn skills for living outdoorssafely making fires to make hot drinks, willow weaving, navigation, shelter building and natural crafts. £7.50 per 01487www.wildlifebcn.orgchild710420
WHERE: Audley End Railway WHEN: 22nd – 31st October, Take the Halloween Express Train through the woods to visit the witches and their monster friends, meet Belinda the Fortune Telling Witch, visit William the Woodland Wizard and enjoy the Adventure Play Area. From £8.50 (children under 1 www.audley-end-railway.co.ukfree)
Magical Merlin
Room On the Broom
WHERE: The Fortune Theatre, Covent Garden WHEN: 24th – 30th October This October half-term, take your children on a trip back in time as they discover a world of witches, wizards, magic and mystery. Magical Merlin is a spectacular mini-musical sure to enchant the whole family. Suitable for 4-10 year olds. From £17.50 atgtickets.com Clip’n Climb, Cambridge WHEN: September & October Clip ‘n Climb is suitable for everyone from 4 years upwards and is the ultimate fun and healthy activity for you to enjoy with your friends and family. Prebooking essential. Prices start at www.clipnclimbcambridge.co.uk£10.00
WHERE: King’s Lynn Corn Exchange WHEN: 25th September, 18.30 Join the presenters as they dive deep into the world of science and look how science shapes the modern world we live in with a few loud bangs along the way! Ages 6 – 12 years. 01553 764864 £17.00
WHERE: King’s Lynn Corn Exchange WHEN: 25th October, 19.30 Following their World Tour, Flawless are back in the UK performing even more dynamic and creative dance routines like you have never seen before! £28.00 01553 co.uk/theatre/whats-on/www.kingslynncornexchange.764864
THE PLACE TO BE stmaryscambridge.co.uk
Ms. Charlotte Avery started as Headteacher at St. Mary’s in 2007 having previously worked at Highgate School in London and Norwich High School. She kindly took time out of her busy day to answer Families Cambridgeshire Magazine’s questions.
Families Education Meet the Headteacher -
2. What does being a headteacher of a school mean to you?
Ms. Charlotte Avery, St Mary’s School
5. How affected do you feel pupils have been by the COVID pandemic? Students have obviously suffered as a result of the pandemic. Many missed out on aspects of academic learning but, crucially, they also missed out on the social side of schooling – including interacting with friends, teachers and other adults in the school community. Older students faced exam disruption too. It was a worrying time for everyone (adults included). At St Mary’s we tried to mitigate that as much as possible. At the beginning of COVID there was obviously a high degree of uncertainty. However, we mobilised ourselves incredibly quickly, switching to remote learning almost overnight. This provided great comfort to the children and kept up the routine of the school day. As well as putting all the practical teaching elements in place, we also ensured wellbeing was factored into our digital learning. Despite everything that has happened over the last two years, the resilience of our students has shone through.
4. What advice would you give to parents looking at private education for the first time? Deciding on your child’s place of education is an important decision and one that has to feel right for all concerned. As a parent you naturally want to give your child the best possible start in life and education is an essential part of their development, security and wellbeing. Happy children learn better, so it’s crucial to do your research before you make your decision. Ask lots of questions. Think about what you want to know from the school. If you can, try to talk to current parents to get their perspective. Attend open days. Also, if you are considering an independent school, look carefully at fees. Every independent school structures fees slightly differently, so there might be a variance between the cost per term, per child. There are often bursaries for financial support available, as well as academic, musical, sporting and other scholarships for young people with particular talents.
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6. In 2017 you were appointed as the President of the national Girls’ Schools Association. What do you believe are the main benefits of girls-only schools like St. Mary’s and what changes would you like to see in the future?
7. 2021 / 2022 has been the first year where some semblance of normality has returned to daily school routines around the country. What, for you, have been the highlights in St. Mary’s School this academic year? This academic year it’s been moving and enriching in equal measure to host whole school events once again. These are really important in terms of personal and social development – giving students the chance to perform and take part in the arts, sports, and work outside of the class or year group ‘bubbles’ that have dominated education over the last two and a half years. Rebuilding a face-to-face dialogue and communication with parents and guardians by inviting them into the school has also been a highlight. In addition, we’ve attended some really exciting external events. A return to the cycle of public examinations and external audit was also very welcome. In May, we received the highest judgement of ‘Excellent’ in both categories of the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)’s Educational Quality inspection: Pupils’ Academic Achievements and Pupils’ Personal Development. In June we achieved the highest judgement of ‘Outstanding’ in the three areas of the Diocesan inspection. Then, in July, we were re-accredited as a World Class High Performance Learning school. These outcomes reflect the consistent hard work of the St Mary’s whole community over many years, pre-Covid, during the pandemic and as we start to move beyond it.
3. How do you think a headteacher of a school can make a real difference to an individual student?
Philosophically, being a headteacher is about serving a community, dwelling in it and abiding in it. As a headteacher you have to engage with a variety of stakeholders from governors, pupils, teachers and support staff to parents. That means listening to different viewpoints and leading the community via a discerned set of values. In our case, the Christian values of love and peace and solidarity, where individuals are valued for who they are not what success is delivered. Put another way, that means success is not limited to exam results. At St Mary’s, our work is, of course, focused on achieving academic excellence for young women, but it’s also about embedding a much wider set of values in our students. Sending students off well-educated and equipped with compassion and confidence for the next stage of their lives is a profound privilege and one of the things I love most about being a headmistress.
familiesonline.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire
1. What and / or who inspired you to become a teacher and later a headteacher? I come from a proud line of Welsh educators on my mother’s side and radical London educators on my father’s side, so teaching is in my blood. From a young age I loved reading, was always curious, and had a strong Christian faith. I was blessed to have a series of exceptional teachers at my all-girls’ school who inspired me to read English and follow in their footsteps.
St Mary’s School is situated in the heart of Cambridge and is a leading independent day and boarding school for girls aged from 3-18 years. The prestigious school has been empowering girls since 1898 to aim high, follow their dreams and make a positive contribution to the wider society. As an accredited High Performance Learning school, St Mary’s offers a space where intellectual independence, critical thinking, creativity, confidence and compassion can flourish. The school’s academic achievements are also grounded in student well-being – with a strong belief that students achieve more when they are happy. In small classes, every student can be known, supported and inspired by the school’s committed, caring teachers. A St Mary’s girl has confidence and curiosity, a community spirit, agile mind and exudes resilience and a drive to succeed in life.
Statistics show that girls in single-sex schools achieve higher academic results, compared to their co-ed peers. However, I believe the benefits are much broader. At St Mary’s we excel at educating girls. From teaching and pastoral care to school life, everything at St Mary’s is built for girls. We enable girls to build self-confidence, alongside the knowledge and skills they need to reject and overcome gender stereotypes. Whilst academic results open doors for our girls, it is their self-belief, persistence and drive that keeps the door open. Our girls benefit from teaching tailored specifically to suit their requirements, whatever their preferred learning style, needs or developmental stage. This involves collaboration as much as competition; dialogue as much as debate; learning about female as well as male role models; as well as grounding abstract concepts in real world examples. As a result, our girls do not view any career pathway as closed to them. We encourage them to pursue their ambitions, and aim high, whatever field they are interested in. In the future, I would like to see more opportunities at Sixth Form level for young women. There is definitely a gap for exciting enrichment programmes which enable students to mix with other young people around the world. As part of a network of almost 200 Mary Ward schools worldwide this is an area we will be developing over the next few years – opening our girls’ minds to other cultures and ways of thinking.
Being a headteacher gives you a monumental opportunity to make a profound difference to children and young people’s lives. The enormous impact that educators can have has been brought home to us this year – with St Mary’s currently supporting ten Ukrainian young women for the duration of their time in the UK.
Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge, CB1 8DW 01223 416938 www.cambridgeinternationalschool.co.uk / Admissions@cischool.co.uk
Cambridge International School
Whole of School Open Morning: Saturday 1st October, 9.30am – 1.00pm
We make full use of our surrounding environment in Cherry Hinton Park and put an emphasis on learning through being in the outdoors. We are also open to innovative approaches and are accepting students who would like to learn with us on a flexible basis.
www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk / admissions@stmaryscambridge.co.uk Autumn 2022 Open Event: Saturday 1st October, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Wisbech Grammar School
St Mary’s celebrates first-class inspection report
Our educational approach is based on allowing our pupils to ‘discover who they are’ and this is achieved through a combination of individualised academic and pastoral care, and a timetable that allows children to discover and explore their passions and challenge themselves beyond the confines of the classroom through an exciting programme of foreign languages, sport, science, music and forest school to name but a few. Our class sizes are small and our teachers are passionate about ensuring every child is happy and reaches their full potential. As children progress, they get to take part in music and drama lessons, food and nutrition, more team sport, art and textiles and science lessons in our Senior School laboratories along with many other opportunities.
St Mary’s School, Cambridge, has received the highest grade of ‘excellent’ in its recent ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) inspection – with strong parent, staff and student feedback further cementing its first-class education status. All independent schools in England are registered with the Department for Education (DfE) who appoint the ISI to scrutinize independent schools in England. Inspectors visited St Mary’s to conduct an evaluation and deemed the school to ‘pass’ its compliance inspection and rated it ‘excellent’ in both aspects of the Education Quality Inspection. The school also achieved an outstanding overall 98% parental satisfaction rate. Inspectors noted that: ‘Pupils make strong progress across the range of subjects’ and are: ‘highly successful in their achievements beyond the classroom’. With regards to pupils’ personal development, inspectors commended the school, noting that: ‘As pupils move through the school, their confidence increases, nurtured by excellent welfare and pastoral support’.
Open Morning: Saturday 8th October, 10.00am -12.00pm
Cambridgeshire 13 School Spotlight
familiesonline.co.uk Families
Heritage is a coeducational day school for boys and girls ages 4-16. Our view of every child as a person, equal in dignity and value to any other, is anchored in the Christian faith that serves as a foundation for everything we do. Our small classes and our relatively small size as a whole mean every individual is noticed, every child belongs. With our expansive curriculum, we seek to nurture the flame of curiosity and develop a confidence which translates into many areas of life. Leaning against the distractions of our digital age, we offer plenty of opportunities for children to get out and enjoy nature, read whole books, engage in conversation and experience the real world. Our vision is of pupils leaving Heritage as life-long learners, motivated to live well, confident in themselves, skilfully and creatively engaged with ideas, with others, and with the world around them. 17-19 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE 01223 350615 heritageschool.org.uk / office@heritageschool.org.uk
Open Morning: Friday 7th October, 9.30am - 11.30am
St Mary's Senior School & Sixth Form, Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LY 01223 353253
St Mary's Preschool & Junior School, 6 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EB 01223 311666
We are a thriving international school for 2 – 11 year olds and a welcoming community of children, parents and staff from the local area and overseas. We focus on pupil well-being and ensure that the children are learning in an unpressurised environment with a focus on them becoming confident, happy, resilient individuals. We have small class sizes (maximum of 16) and have experience in teaching children from different language and cultural backgrounds. Each child has individualised targets to ensure that they are learning, aspiring and fulfilling their own academic potential.
Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 1RH 01945 583631 / 586750 (admissions) wisbechgrammar.com / admissions@wisbechgrammar.com
Heritage School
cambridge_Layout 1 29/08/2020 22:59 Page 1 Cambridge Park & Ride Taking you into the heart of Cambridge Open seven days a week KIDS TRAVEL FREE * For more information on fares, timetables and other details, please visit www.cambridgeparkandride.info * Up to 3 children under 16 travel free with each fare paying passenger
Razzamataz Cambridge
WHEN: Autumn term start on 14th September WHERE: Chesterton Community College; Coleridge Campus, Cambridge; and Cambourne Village College, Cambourne Stagecoach aims to nurture and develop young potential through singing, acting and dance classes in Cambridge & Cambourne, stretching young imaginations and helping them to develop confidence, physical awareness, communication and articulation. From £25.00 for two-week trial 01223www.stagecoach.co.uk359974
WHEN: 26th and 27th October
WHERE: Bottisham, Cambourne, Chesterton, Ely, CambridgeImpingtonGymnastics Academy has a waiting list of over 2000 potential gymnasts! So, they opened 5 new satellite venues to make gymnastics accessible for more children. Enquire at each venue for availability. From www.cgagymnasticssatellites.co.uk£6/hr
WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays WHERE: Coleridge Community DisabilityCollege sport sessions provided by Cambridge United Community Trust including Ambulant Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Frame, Powerchair and Pan-Disability Football. £3 per disability-sport/www.cuctrust.co.uk/inclusion/session
Perform drama, dance and singing classes
Cambridge FootballCommunityUnitedTrustforAll
WHERE: Half Term Cookery Fun Morning or afternoon sessions for parent and child cookery lessons. Includes making pasta, classic Italian, curries and tray bake. Great for younger kids or older teens. From cook/classeswww.cambridgecookery.com/£45
Gymnastics Academy WHERE: North Cambridge Academy, Arbury Rd A series of fun classes for young children: Creepy Crawlies and Wiggly Worms (6wks to crawling); Toddling Tigers (crawling to 2yrs); Jumpy Joeys (2-3yrs), and Marvellous Monkeys (3-4yrs). Pre-book for term. 07971 864653 From www.cambridgegymnastics.co.uk£7.00/session
CAMBRIDGE COOKERY
WHEN: 25th – 28th October WHERE: Paxton Lakes Official RYA training centre that welcomes people 8 years +, with large selection of boats and equipment available. Tuition in 4 lessons, either mornings or afternoons on 4 consecutive days. Adult £130.00 Child (minimum age 8) php/sailing-schoolwww.paxtonlakes.org.uk/index.£110.00
WHEN: Autumn term starts September WHERE: The Shirley Centre, PerformingChesterton arts training for Razz Tots (2-3yrs), Minis (4-5yrs), Juniors (6-8), Inters (9-11yrs) to Razz Seniors (12-18yrs) along with Street Dance (7-18yrs) and Acro Arts (7-18yrs), with access to talented performers through specialist workshops and classes. Small classes to nurture a child’s confidence and self-esteem, plus a lot of fun. From £72 for 12 weeks. Free taster session available. 755113razzamataz.co.ukwww.cambridge.01223or07895347239
Stagecoach Performing Arts Classes
Autumn Sailing Courses
What’s On Things to do this Autumn - drama, music & sport something for everyone in Cambridgeshire
Happy CoursesWorkshops,MamaandClasses
Families Clubs & Classes familiesonline.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire 15
WHEN: Autumn termSeptember WHERE: Hills Road Sports Centre: Wednesdays, Newnham Croft Primary School: Saturdays, St. Andrews Church Hall, Chesterton: Mondays Confidence building weekly drama, dance and singing classes for 4-7s and 7-12s. Classes are designed to boost confidence, communication, concentration and coordination. Every child can try a free no-obligation class, visit www.perform.org.uk/try 020www.perform.org.ukenquiries@perform.org.uk72559120
Rugbytots WHERE: Various locations across Fun,Cambridgeshirestructuredplay sessions take children on a journey of sporting imagination whilst teaching them how to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team. Suitable for ages 2 – 7. From £9.00 per www.rugbytots.co.uksession
CGA Gymnastics Satellites
WHEN: September and October WHERE: Huntingdon Happy Mama wholeheartedly believes that going to a baby/ toddler class is an opportunity to learn, bond and socialise with other like minded Mums too. From Baby Massage and Baby Yoga to Nature and Active Tots, there is a class to suit every baby and toddler. www.happy-mama.co.uk
