Families Oxfordshire Magazine Nov-Christmas 2015

Issue 70 - November/ December 2015

Issue

70

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Oxfordshire In this issue Confident kids feature What's new in education & parenting 40 top Christmas gifts Firework events Christmas fairs & shows Christmas competions

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Families Oxfordshire - useful information for parents of 0 - 12's in Oxon.

Find us online at familiesoxfordshire.co.uk Oxfordshire Magazine

November/ December 2015

“I don’t know where I would be without Katy!”

The words of Ruth Laing, 97, as she receives care in her Oxfordshire home.

Katy’s move from chef to carer was easier than you’d think.

“I was struggling with the working hours of being a chef.

I applied to be a carer because the work was much more flexible.”

“I got free training.”

“I had no experience”, says Katy. But she did have the values a carer needs: • Compassion • Dedication • Reliability These made the move from the kitchen to the homes of clients easy. Her lack of care training didn’t hold her back.

Why?

Five years later Katy, 24, is a mobile response carer.

She works four days on with four days off; “It’s not a job you just do for the money.”

“Seeing the difference you can make makes it all worthwhile.”

“You have to be kind, caring, bubbly” The majority of carers in the county are between 45 and 60 years old. Their blend of life experience and sensitivity makes each of them invaluable to the people they help every day.

Oxfordshire needs more carers like Katy. People who want to improve lives in their area. If you think you have something to offer people in need of care, visit the OACP website for more information: oacp.org.uk/jobs

All carers in Oxfordshire receive the training they need from the day they start.

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November/ December 2015

Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Oxfordshire Magazine Editor: Ema Murphy 01993 815966 - 07733 228 038 editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk Next issue: January/ February 2016 Booking deadline: 2 December 2015 Copy deadline: 7 December 2015 36,000 readers per issue

In this issue...

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What's New? Local news, education & parenting

6

Local Charity Children Heard & Seen call for volunteers

7

Creating Confident Children

8

An Oxfordshire Christmas & Where's Santa?

Cover image (c) Shutterstock

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Other faiths at Christmas: celebrating together

Disclaimer: Families Oxfordshire Magazine is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families 速 is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, Temple House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Oxfordshire Magazine are fully protected by copyright and non of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher.

We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents.

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40 Top gift ideas for mum, dad and children!

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Baking with children: cookie tree decorations

13

Feature: Crocodiles of the World

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What's on pages

Printed by Warners Design: RC Design & Marketing / 07789882467

ABINGDON PREP SCHOOL

abingdon.org.uk/prep registrar@abingdonprep.org.uk tel: 01865 392303

November/ December 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine

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What's new?

Local News, Education & Parenting Developments at Rye

Triple Olympic medallist in Rowing and Chairman of Henley Women’s Regatta Miriam Luke, inspired pupils when she opened Rye St Antony’s new Henwood building and Reception recently. The event marked the completion of the first phase of the school’s £2.5m development project, which includes the welcoming new reception area and the Henwood Building, which houses a new purpose-built Food Technology kitchen and IT suite.

Since September 2015, all babes will routinely be given the meningitis vaccine at their regular vaccination appointments. The scheme was delayed by cost disputes but is now the first national, publically funded programme against this deadly infection in the world. It should protect babies and children against 90% of meningococcal group B bacteria.

This can affect babies under the age of one and can be caught up to around the age of five years. If left untreated, it can cause damage to the brain and cause blood poisoning. It can also kill. The Men ACWY vaccine will also be offered to all 17 and 18 year olds who are starting university this year.

Oxford Welcomed 20 Junior Sschools for Maths Bonanza

Drinking in Pregnancy Still Controversial

Decades after health professionals warned about the dangers of drinking alcohol in pregnancy, there is still controversy over whether it’s safe to drink during pregnancy, and if so, how much.

Current NHS guidelines say that women should avoid drinking in pregnancy. However, they also say “if you do opt to have a drink, you should stick to no more than one or two units of alcohol (equivalent to one or two small glasses of wine) once or twice a week to minimize the risk to your baby.”

There has been a new discussion in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), in which two experts say that avoiding alcohol altogether is the only advice that should be given to mums-to-be. Retired paediatrician Mary Mather and doctoral research fellow in obstetric medicine at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust, Kate Wiles, say that guidelines are inconsistent and that many countries in the world advise that pregnant women do not drink at all. They say in the BMJ that drinking can lead to serious health problems including foetal alcohol syndrome, mental retardation, delayed development and behaviour problems. It can also cause low birth weight, which in turn can lead to other health problems in babies.

However, consultant and senior lecturer Patrick O’Brien at University College London, says that while there is no guarantee that a lower limit is safe, there is also no evidence that drinking small amounts of alcohol after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is harmful to babies.

All Babies to be Protected Against Meningitis

A new vaccine to protect babies against meningitis B has been introduced for all childhood vaccinations for babies aged two, four and 24 months.

passionate about maths.

Twenty junior schools from around the UK gathered at Oxford’s Maths Institute in October, to attend a special GDST Junior Maths Conference for girls who are

The event was launched by Dame Frances Kirwan, alumna of Oxford High and Professor in Mathematics at the Maths Institute, here in Oxford.

The day was fun and interactive and included group interation and an inter-school quiz, where the pupils were invited to think about Fermats' Last Theorem, the life and works of Andrew Wiles, the design of the Andrew Wiles Building. Head of Oxford High School Junior School, Ellie Stacey said: “Many girls take Maths to A Level at Oxford High School and we know their passion for puzzles and mathematical whatifs begins from day one in the Junior School.”

Sculpture for all

Beatrice Hoffman is offering sculpture for youngsters on Sunday mornings and in the school holidays and on Saturdays and Thursdays for adults. She is a professional sculptor and art therapist with over twenty years of teaching experience, who runs the classes from her studio in Garford, OX13 5PF. Near the A415 and Millets Farm. Visit her website for details: www.beatricehoffman.co.uk.

Shortage of Teachers A “Crisis”

A Head Teacher has warned that a shortage of teachers and a rising number of pupils will create “a perfect storm” for English schools.

Win tickets to see The Snow Dragon this Christmas!

WIN

A fa mi ticke ly t

Fans of the stage shows The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale will love Cornerstone’s Christmas show The Snow Dragon, from the same theatre company Tall Stories.

Adventure, mystery and magic await in this enchanting fairy-tale about Billy; a greedy little goat who meet some wolves in the wood on the night the legendary Snow Dragon is to bring more presents. The Snow Dragon runs in Didcot from 14-24 December. www.cornerstone-arts.org. What's more, Cornerstone are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a family ticket and a Snow Dragon goody bag! You just need to answer one simple question.

Who are the team behind The Snow Dragon?

Send in your answer via the Families Oxfordshire website at www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk with an email with your answer and contact details. Competition end date: 16 November. The winner will be notified at the end of November.

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November/ December 2015

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Allan Foulds of Cheltenham Bournside School has said at the Conservative Party conference that the schools system is near breaking point. Mr. Foulds is president of the Association of School and College Leaders, which says that there are too few teachers currently going through training to be able to meet the numbers needed. A fall in the birth rate back in the late 1990s led to fewer 21 year olds becoming graduates now and this is now being felt in the lack of graduates available and choosing to go into teaching. At the same time, the number of pupils is increasing, with the numbers of school children under 16 set to rise to a peak of 7.85 million by 2020.

Mr Foulds said: "There is a real danger that a system will reach breaking point and schools will be forced to drop more courses and increase class sizes further and this undermines the drive to further raise standards."

Education Secretary Calls For Schools To Provide Childcare

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has said that schools should take “reasonable steps” to provide childcare for the whole length of the working day during term time and the school holidays. As part of this move, parents are to be given the right to request that their children’s schools put this care structure into place. However, the funding for this has not been agreed. Head teachers have said that this idea would have to be looked at “extremely carefully to ensure it is not just a popular gimmick.”

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, has responded to say that while giving care for children while parents are working is a good idea, there are several reasons to be wary of the Government’s promise. Budget cuts and recruitment issues are just two of the reasons why schools might not be able to provide care from early in the day until after parents finish work.

Theatre Arts Schools

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Weekly classes in drama, dance and singing for ages 4-18.

Oxford

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Henley, High Wycombe & Marlow 01494 533203 email: henley@stagecoach.co.uk email: highwycombe@stagecoach.co.uk

Abingdon

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Banbury

01908 969467

e-mail: banbury@stagecoach.co.uk

"Extending provision beyond 38 weeks, providing care outside of term time, can also prove very difficult for schools because of staffing and a lack of private provision,” said Mr Hobby. He continued: "Parents can ask but the government must guarantee that a school's decision is respected.

Otherwise, it is merely going to provoke conflict between schools and their communities and would undermine the decision-making of head teachers.

JUNIOR SCHOOL OPEN WEEK 16 – 20 November 9.30am – 3.00pm Boys aged 5 - 7 and girls aged 5 - 11.

No appointment necessary.

Please contact our Registar on 01491 651218 or admissions@cranfordhouse.net for more information.

www.stagecoach.co.uk Sitauted on the A329 in Moulsford

November/ December 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine

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Creating Confident Children

just results. This way, when they do do something amazing, your comments will have more impact.

Confidence is just as important in life – if not more so - than a brace of A grades or endless extra-curricular skills. It’s vital to emotional wellbeing and something most of us hope our children will develop.

Find their forte and allow it to flourish If your child doesn’t do so well in academic work, or the usual extra-curricular activities at school, this can make their self-esteem fragile. Seek opportunities for them to try other, more unusual activities out of school and highlight positive personality traits such as being especially kind or a good organiser.

Confidence is about being comfortable with who you are, willing to give things a go even if you’re not sure you’ll succeed - and trusting your own abilities and judgement.

But how can we instil this feeling in our children, particularly if it doesn’t come naturally to them?

Accept your child’s starting point

Not all children – or adults - are confident by nature (wouldn’t life be boring if we were all the same?) and whilst we can encourage self-belief, transforming a shy or anxious child into a ‘life and soul of the party’ type, is probably an unrealistic aim.

Try to avoid making comments to your child such as how you wish they were more confident, or less shy because, in effect, you’re saying you don’t value them as they are - a real confidence crusher.

Accept your child’s personality and ‘starting point’; it might be different to yours, their sibling’s, friends’ or classmates’ and that’s absolutely fine.

Don’t force them into situations they aren’t comfortable with

In most scenarios, one of the worst things you can do for a young child who’s unsure is to push them in at the deep end with something when they aren’t ready. They need to trust you when taking on new experiences and doing this damages that trust.

Take small steps to encourage confidence

Find opportunities to stretch just a bit beyond what your son or daughter is comfortable with at a time. So that could be going to their friend’s house with them initially, then you just staying for a little while

By Liat Hughes-Joshi

at the start, then next time, they might be happy to go alone.

Work out what their fear is

Often a child will have niggling worries holding them back in a specific situation.

So perhaps “If I put my hand up in class, I might get the answer wrong and the other children will laugh at me”. Pin down their concern – although preschool children might struggle to articulate their fear.

Address their concern and provide plenty of reassurance that they will be okay, that what others think doesn’t really matter and that you’re there for them.

Talk about similar situations you experienced as a child, when you were afraid of something, and how it worked out for you.

Keep praise special

These days, there’s a tendency to be super-positive and heap on the ‘fabulous, you’re the best child ever!’ comments every other second – sometimes it feels like we should be praising our kids simply for breathing. But if you tell them everything they do is wonderful all the time, positivity loses power. Keep praise for when it’s truly warranted and focus on effort rather than

Step back sometimes and let them ‘have a go’ – land that helicopter!

Helicopter parenting – hovering over your child, stepping in to resolve the slightest issue or preventing them from failing – is a barrier to building confidence. Children need to find their own solutions, attempt things their way sometimes and take sensible risks. Sure, you can guide and advise but try not to jump in and take over too quickly.

Whether it’s allowing your three-year-old to choose her own outfit or your ten-year-old to walk to the post box alone, letting go is a crucial confidence builder.

Liat Hughes Joshi is a parenting journalist and the author of four books including 'New Old-fashioned Parenting' and '‎How to Unplug Your Child' (both published by Summersdale) and Raising Children: The Primary Years (Pearson).

See our website for open days and Afternoon Tea

November/ December 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine

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Christmas in Oxfordshire Oxford’s Christmas

The Light Festival brings Oxford's communities together with an exciting cultural programme of art, music, dance and performance most of which are free!

Many of the city's best-loved venues welcome you to start the festive season with inspiring events. Join the Lantern Procession on Friday evening ending with a spectacular finale in Broad Street. See more at: www.oxfordschristmas.com

Try Oxford’s favourite children’s entertainer!

If you’re hosting any children’s parties this season, try Mr Boo Boo, as recommended by the Evening Standard.

For lots of laughter, fun and games, mini disco, balloon modelling, silly juggling, magic tricks and puppet show! www.mr-booboo.co.uk

Wallingford’s creative café gets festive!

Christmas has officially arrived at Busy Brush Café, with fabulous new shapes to paint and festive hot drinks such as salted caramel latte and black-forest gateau hot chocolate! They’re offering hand and foot print baubles for the tree which make ideal presents for baby's 1st Xmas! Prices start at as little as £4 for tree decorations.

Pop in to Busy Brush at 11 St Mary’s St, OX10 0EL.

Children’s classical singing courses On 21-22 December The Oxford and

Cambridge Singing School is holding a singing course at Worcester College, for 7-13 year olds, for a chance to learn and perform classical music. Visit www. theoxfordandcambridgesingingschool. co.uk for more details!

BTR Xmas Gifts for Charity

Brain Tumour Research’s Limited Edition brooches are the perfect stocking filler! Celebrated Milliners Rachel Trevor Morgan and Vivien Sheriff are among those who have collaborated with the charity to produce gorgeous brooches to raise funds for their annual Wear A Hat Day. Suggested donation £10. www.braintumourresearch.org

WIN

Unique gift give-away!

Little Pickle Creations offers handmade items which make unique bespoke gifts, are offering one Families reader the chance to win a personalised Santa sack! Simply email editor@ familiesoxfordshire.co.uk, providing your contact details and the name you’d like to be included, by 30 November. Visit www.littlepickle-creations.com for more super unique gift ideas for all occasions.

Monkey Music Christmas Parties

Take place in the week commencing 14 December. Make sure you check online at www.monkeymusic.co.uk/area/oxford or for updated details, see Facebook/ monkeymusicoxford and to book a place for your little ones!

Look out for Santa

HOYLES - Traditional games & puzzles 71 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BA 01865 203244 I www.hoylesonline.com THE NURSERY SHOP 22 Stern Street, Abingdon OX14 3JP 01235 520476 I www.thenurseryshop.com BICESTER TOYS & THORNTONS 66-68 Sheep Street, Bicester OX26 6JW 01869 323946 I www.toymaster.co.uk GILES TOYS AND CYCLES 1 Alvescot Road, Carterton OX18 3JL 01993 842396 I www.gilescycles.com TOYS-UK 162-164 Broadway, Didcot OX11 8RJ 01235 759450 I www.toys-uk.co.uk BAGATELLE TOYS 63 Bell Street, Henley-on-Thames RG9 2BA 01491 576559 I www.bagetelletoys.com WIGGLER 70 High Street, Banbury OX16 5JG 01295 271329 I www.wiggler.co.uk PETTITS OF WALLINGFORD 46-50 St. Mary’s Street, OX10 0EY 01491 835253 www.pettitsofwallingford.co.uk

TEDDY BEARS 99 High Street, Witney OX28 6HY 01993 706616 I www.teddybears.co.uk

Nottcutts Garden Centre www.notcutts.co.uk

WALLYS TOY SHOP 96-97 High Street, Thames OX9 3EH 01844 261947 I www.wallystoys.co.uk

Yarnton Nurseries www.yarntonnurseries.co.uk Hilltop Garden Centre www.hilltopgc.co.uk

Bicester Avenue Garden Centre www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk/bicester

Oxford Bus Museum www.oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk

Millets Farm www.milletsfarmcentre.com

November/ December 2015

BOSWELL’S LTD 1-4 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 8RJ 01865 241244 I www.boswells-online.co.uk

DENTONS TOY & CYCLES 1 High Street, Witney OX28 6HW 01993 704979 I www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk

Here are just a few places he’s likely to be this Christmas. Check out the websites for more details.

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INDEPENDENT TOY & BIKE SHOPS

We have made every effort to ensure our listings are accurate. However we cannot be held responsible for any unintentional errors.

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

A celebration for all How to have a children’s Christmas party whilst being sensitive to other faiths.

In today’s society, our children grow up surrounded by other faiths and cultures, which is definitely a reason to celebrate. Together, they learn from one another about diversity and race. And together we can all unite for the good of the community and the wellbeing of all. But how do you hold a party at Christmas and remain sensitive to one another’s needs? How do you hold a multi faith celebration? We take a look at the best ways to have fun and include all the children in the class – not just the Christian ones.

Be Informed

It is not only the Christian faith that has a holiday at a similar season as Christmas: Hanukah and Divali are also celebrated, usually during December and there are several similarities that you can use for your party such as the tradition of lighting candles. Also, a growing number of non-Christian families have created unique ‘Christmas’ traditions, to ensure they celebrate the season for one reason or another, if only for the Bank Holidays. This makes it easier to encourage everyone to join in. And many non-Christians celebrate Christmas, with the presents and the food traditions upheld, too.

Share Values

Whatever their faith, parents share the same core values. We want our children to be good conversationalists, to learn to share, to engage well with family and friends and to be happy. At your party, keep the focus on what unites people: laughter, love and friendship.

Celebrate

Learn From One Another

Being sensitive to all needs is important but so is avoiding segregation, which can be divisive. So don’t feel you can’t invite children of other faiths to your party and ask their parents if there are seasonal traditions or foods they enjoy – perhaps a mum may offer to bring some food they traditionally have to celebrate festivals. Ultimately as a parent, you want to teach respect. Children are accepting and good at embracing the multi faith experience – we can learn a lot from them.

Santa Specials

See Santa on a steam train!

Coming together is a celebration whatever the occasion and it may well be that you choose to manage the ingredients of your party with individual ingredients of other faiths… with games, food and music to suit all.

If there is anything that you are not sure about, my advice would be to check with the parents of the children you’ve invited about your plans, just to make sure they are happy too. This can be especially true of the food you serve, as you’ll need to know if the children are unable to eat certain foods for religious, cultural or medical reasons.

Chances are, if the children you have invited say yes, the party will be a success for all and who knows – perhaps you’ll all learn a little more about each other in the process!

Emma Oliver is a journalist who has worked for various magazines and websites, mainly covering travel and parenting. She is also a mum to two young girls. When she's not off gadding she can be found blogging - WritingLifeAsItIs.blogspot.co.uk

Dickens’

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November/ December 2015

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Oxfordshire Magazine

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Ten Best Christmas Gifts for babies & children 1. Glass Christmas Angel Bauble £10. My 1st Years With a beautiful angel inside, this glass bauble is a great gift for baby’s first Christmas. Engraved with a message over three lines with up to 20 characters on each line.

6. Apptivity iPad Case £32.99 Fisher Price There are so many apps for babies now to educate, fascinate and soothe but the last thing you want is sticky fingers and drool all across your iPad. Step forward the Apptivity case, which covers your pad and offers chunky handles for your baby to hold, as well as three colourful rings.

2. Christmas Pudding Leggings £11.

Blade and Rose How cute will your baby look crawling around on Christmas Day in these seasonal striped leggings with a cheeky Christmas pudding on the tush. They’re made from, soft fabric with a thick waistband for comfort and you can add matching socks, a bandana bib and a hat.

7. Five Piece Bath Fun Toy £12.99 Brother Max Bath time can always be fun with this neat set of bath toys that not only amuse your baby but help to get her clean too. There’s a sprinkler scoop with a chunky colourful handle, a wash mit with a shaker in the middle, a brush to practice hair grooming, a rattle and a wearable wrist toy. They are all BPA, PVC and phthalate free.

3. Pirate Ship Personalised illuminated Canvas from £55.95 Illuminated Canvas A picture for your baby’s nursery wall but with a twist; not only can you have your child’s name on the canvas but it lights up, showing an illuminated window in the ship and on the masts.

8. Octotunes £17.99. Lamaze Not just a colourful toy, this is also educational as every time your baby plays with one of the Octopus’ legs, it plays a different note. It’s designed to stimulate your baby’s imagination and to help with developing motor skills.

It comes with a song book and it has a pleasant vanilla perfume.

Ten Best Christmas Gifts For Babies

4. Maya Organic Peppy Five Stackers £25.95 Igloo Kids These stacking toys are hand made from quality wood and finished with child-safe paint and lacquer.

Sweet to look at, your baby will also enjoy taking the stacks apart and gradually learning to put them together again.

5. My Wondercube £17.99 My Wondercube This fabric cube toy was invented by a mum inspired by how fascinated her baby was with a box of tissues. Inside the bright colourful organic cotton cube are soft squares that your child can pull out of the cube, pull apart, stick back together and push back inside. Each square has a squeak or a crinkle or a rustle and it’s machine washable too.

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November/ December 2015

Ten Best Christmas Gifts For Children 1. Magic Elf Door £20. The Magic Door Store Creating a whole world of imagination and anticipation, these sweet doors can be put at the bottom of a wall or even on a tree in the garden.

Your child will love leaving little gifts for the Elf or Fairy and who knows – they may even get a response!

2. Bon Bon Bear £30. Hamleys Every child needs a teddy as a best friend, so treat your little one to a bear from the World’s most famous toy shop. Bon Bon has glossy cream fur, a hand-embroidered face and the Hameys name embroidered on the sol of one foot. For Christmas, he also sports a fetching red bow tie.

3. Personalised Christmas Sack £22. Harrow and Green For when a stocking just won’t do, these quality hessian sacks can be personalized with your child’s name and left under the tree on Christmas Eve. It has stenciled wording on it with “Delivery Date 25th December” as a reminder to Santa.

9. Personalised Wooden Star £9.50Not On The High Street A lovely keepsake, this wooden star can be personalized with a baby’s name and birth date or any characters you like to celebrate his first Christmas. It is finished with beeswax and arrives in an organza bag.

4. Sudokube £5.95. Prezzybox If you used to love the Rubik’s cube, this is a great new take on the classic game that’s good for maths-minded kids. The idea is to get all the numbers form one to nine on each and every side of the cube. If nothing else, it will keep the kids quiet until lunch is ready.

10. Newborn Star Gift Set £24. JoJo Maman Bébé For any baby born in 2015, this is the perfect gift set and the stars are a nice nod to the Christmas season. The set comprises of an embroidered sleepsuit with matching star hat and a JoJo bunny that will be treasured all through childhood. It comes in a gift box and is suitable for babies from newborn to three months.

5. Constructive Eating Cutlery Set £14. The Great Gift Company Fussy eater?

You’ll soon find your child likes to eat when you encourage them to play with their food! There’s a fork shaped like a forklift, a spoon that’s a frontloader truck and then there’s a bulldozer to help your child push food onto the fork or spoon.

6. Superman Cape Towel £15. Debenhams Bathtime refusals?

With this clever super hero towel, your little one can ‘fly’ to the bathroom and then save the world once they’re clean again. This is a fluffy and soft towel with Velcro tabs that’s perfect for wrapping him up for cuddles after bath time is over.

7. Bath Bomb Factory £12.99 Argos There are several Wild Science kits and this one will create a beautiful bathtime.

With all the ingredients to make scented, fizzing bath bombs, it sparks your child’s interest in science too. In fact, it support Key Stage Two and there aren’t many bath products that can make that claim.

8. Style One Direction £5.95 Prezzybox If your child is a huge Directioneer, he or she can dress up the boys from the band with this tongue-in-cheek set. Whoever is their favourite , they’re all here just waiting for you to style them. There’s also an activity book packed with band facts and stickers.

9. Rainbow In My Room Nightlight £25. Debenhams This colored projector sends a rainbow onto the wall or ceiling of your child’s room and is great if your child is a little scared of the dark. It has two modes, a fully beamed rainbow or a more soothing glow that fades in and out. It has an auto shut off feature and is battery powered.

10. Colour Your Own Palace £13.99. Calafant If you child would love to live in a palace and princes costumes litter her floor, this is a great way for her to play at make believe.

The large and strong cardboard palace is assembled without glue or scissors and can be decorated with coloured pens, pencils, glitter – anything they like.

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Ten Best Christmas Gifts for Mums & Dads Ten Best Christmas Gifts For Mums 1. Mini Biscuit Selection £30 Biscuiteers With colourful snowmen, a tree and reindeer, this is a sweet and thoughtful gift for a busy mum who may not have much time to give herself a treat.

2. Luxury Mummy Spa Kit £39.99 Love Boo A great gift for mums, this is the ultimate home pampering kit. With three products inside – Bosom Buddy, Body Wash and Miracle Oil, they will leave skin glowing and firmed and they can help prevent stretch marks. They are safe for use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

3. Mini Indoor Herb Garden £24.95 Gifts Direct With the increase in popularity of gardening and cookery programmes on the television, this sweet little garden will help you create your very own tiny allotment. It comes with three tiny plant pots with drainage holes that fit neatly in the fence. Inside the shed are tiny snippers, soil pellets and a packet of three kinds of seeds; coriander, basil and oregano. The shed can be used to store more seeds for next time.

4. Fail-Safe Fondant Dessert Kit £19.99 Lakeland Make up to six individual puddings with light, fluffy chocolate sponge on the outside and a gooey, melting chocolate middle. With clear instructions and easyrelease silicone moulds, it’s easy to make a decadent dessert just like Nigella.

5. The Giant Stocking £15. Prestat This is packed with 12 delicious hand made truffle chocolates, one for each of the twelve days of Christmas. There are three velvety chocolate truffles, three rich, dark truffles, three snowy white truffles and three of the luxury brand’s award winning sea salt caramel truffles, all wrapped in rich chocolate.

November/ December 2015

6. Classic Coffret of Diptyque Candles £60 Space NK This is a luxurious set of candles and though there are cheaper brands, the intense perfume of these lasts well and is good value for money. There’s Figuier, the scent of fig wood, Baies which has bouquets of roses and blackcurrant leaves and Roses, smelling like a freshly picked bouquet.

7. Handbag Organiser £12.99. Periea So you have more than one handbag and when you want to swap quickly from one to the other, it’s such a chore swapping over all the things you just can’t do without. But no more! This handy organiser has 11 pockets to keep everything in just the right place and it’s black, so will suit the inside of any bag. There’s even a clip for your keys and it’s machine washable.

8. Personalised Heart Bracelet £29 Merci Maman When you’re a mother, it’s lovely to have reminders of your children and this bracelet keeps your little ones close at all times. With a quality leather wrist strap, you can add hearts or other charms with your children’s names on them, engraved in silver.

9. Miniature Bath Oil Collection £39. Aromatherapy Associates A great gift if you’re not sure if the woman in your life needs to relax or be invigorated, these tiny bath oil phials have a range of fragrances to promote good sleep, energise, relax or help you to de-stress!

10. Portable Phone Charger £19.99. Anker Easy to pop into a pocket or bag, this tiny charger will hold a full phone’s worth of charge to use just when you need it. Then simply recharge with a USB plugged into your computer. Comes in several colours.

Ten Best Christmas Gifts For Dads 1. Car Driving Day from £495 Virgin Experience Days If you have a special gift in mind and he’s a car lover, what better way to say you love him than with a car driving experience that will blow his mind? He can take a Ferrari or Lamborghini around a race track with expert tuition for the right speed and turning point.

2. Haig Club Scotch Whisky £44.95. Haig If he fancies himself as a David Beckham type, this will be his tipple of choice. From Scotland’s oldest whisky distillery, this is smooth and pleasing on the pallatte and looks great too.

3. Coffee Subscription £7.95 per month Kopi For just £7.95 per month, your coffee lover can receive a little shot of caffeine kindness to your door. Sourcing only from small-scale farmers and including a tasting booklet, this is an education in coffee.

4. Laptop Bag £55. Herschel He can look smart but still hip with this soft-sided messenger bag that’s just the right size for a laptop. It has the Herschel signature striped lining and has a padded section for any laptop up to 13 inches. The shoulder strap is padded for comfort and can be removed.

5. Leather And Brass Book Cover iPad Case £33.95 Zazzle If you love old leather bound books and the look of PaperBlanks notebooks, this iPad case is great. In several different designs these are custom made with premium book cloth and finished with a glossy laminate.

They hold the iPad securely and have rubberized edges so it doesn’t slip.

6. Fitbit Charge Large Activity Tracker £84.99 Fitbit If he’s trying to get fit, this will help keep track of activity and calories. On a chunky wristband this tracks steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned, floors climbed and active minutes. It even helps monitor your sleep patterns.

7. CoolTec Shaver £99.99. Braun With an aluminium bar built into its head, this will not heat up as you shave, minimising redness and itching. Shaves closely and best of all it’s waterproof up to 5m – though why you’d shave under water is beyond us.

8. A Gentleman’s Guide to Beard and Moustache Management £6.95. By Chris Martin If he’s gone all trendy Hoxton Man with a bushy beard and tufty moustache, make sure he knows how to groom with this tonguein-cheek book. It does actually have some great tips on trimming, waxing and maintaining facial fuzz as well as a guide to famous hair celebrities from Marx to Des Lynam!

9. Self Stirring Mug £9.95 Prezzybox For the man who has everything – or the lazy – this has a little switch that, when flipped, will stir the contents of this mug. Juts insert batteries. Just don’t put it in the microwave or dishwasher!

10. Personalised heart tray and Love Heart Sweets £14.95 The Gift Experience Nothing says I Love You quite like Love Heart sweets. Remember slipping them to your crush when you were at school? This tray has space for your personalised message that will be revealed as the sweets are eaten.

Oxfordshire Magazine

11

Bake with the kids

Christmas Cookie Tree Decorations Ingredients

You will need

Plain flour, 200g

A large bowl

Cool butter, 100g

Sieve

Caster sugar, 50g

Flat baking trays

Writing icing (white, green, red)

Clean pencil

Decorations in silver, red, green, gold or white

Star cookie cutters (or other festive shapes) Silver, gold, white, green or red ribbon

Time needed: 30 minutes (including baking time) Oven 320F/ 160C/ Gas mark 6

12

Step 1:

With your child, measure the flour and then let your little one spoon the flour into the sieve, held above the bowl. Sift the flour.

Step 2:

Add the sugar

Step 3:

Add the butter, cut into cubes

Step 4:

With clean hands, show your child how to rub the butter into the flour. Keep rubbing then kneading and it should come together into a ball

Step 5:

Without over-working the dough, roll it out on a flat surface, dusted with flour

Step 6:

Using the cookie cutters, help your child stamp out star shapes and place them on the baking tray.

Use the blunt end of the clean pencil to make a hole at the top of one of the points for the ribbon.

Step 7:

Bake at 320F/160C/Gas 6 for 12-15 minutes until golden. When cool, decorate with writing icing and any other decorations you like, such as sugar balls. Hang on the tree!

November/ December 2015

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Great Gift Ideas and Days Out at Crocodiles of the World!

By Ema Murphy This Autumn I had the pleasure of taking my nine year old daughter Darcy and her friend Ella to Crocodiles of the World, for a fantastic day out and a truly educational experience.

Located just off the A40, between Witney and Burford, Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton is the UK’s ONLY crocodile zoo, currently boasting around 140 crocodiles, snakes, a Water Monitor, Tamarin Monkeys, otters and a cheeky, but very, very cute family of meerkats!

Crocodiles of the World offers a range of experiences, not just for children but for adults too, from all day and mini keeper experiences starting at just £35, involving

A Meerkat Keeper Experience

passionate and knowledgeable about the animals, which made us feel privileged to be in such safe and expert hands.

There is so much to see and do at Crocodiles of the World, which has more plans for expansion in 2016. This means there’ll be even more amazing crocodiles and other charismatic animals, including critically endangered species, to see and explore! feeding and getting to know the meerkats, while being fully supervised by one of the zoo’s professional keepers. You can even spend your birthday feeding crocodiles with a birthday party, not just for kids but for adults as well!

For more information about Keeper Experiences and a whole lot more, visit www.crocodilesoftheworld.co.uk to make your child’s Christmas and birthday’s or even just an average day out - totally unique and special!

With a café, an outdoor play and picnic area everyone is well catered for, with a jam packed itinery of activities and talks throughout the day. Feeding, touching and holding some unusual reptiles such as baby crocodiles and a Boa Constrictor were all part of our day. We were even lucky enough to witness a baby croc hatching from its egg in the incubator. It was AMAZING. But what really struck me was how the staff, including Shaun Foggett, the zoo’s founder, and Jamie and Terry too, were so

Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System Do you feel like the whole family is constantly ill and as one illness goes, another one comes along? Try these natural methods to boost your family’s immune system: Get enough sleep Sound obvious but the body repairs itself while we sleep. So make sure kids get plenty of rest when they are ill.

No Smoking Passive smoking can make cough, asthma and chest infections worse. It makes

November/ December 2015

kids prone to bronchitis and pneumonia and they can also get middle ear infections.

Eat a rainbow Different coloured foods offer different vitamins and minerals, so try to make sure that you offer a rainbow of fruit and veg each day.

Supplement If you find it difficult to get the kids to eat enough fruit and veg, make sure they get a good vitamin supplement that is appropriate to their age. Also

consider a pro-biotic, as a liquid or in yoghurt.

Sunshine The sun’s rays cause our bodies to make vitamin D, so get them out as much as possible.

Foods That Boost The System Certain foods are proven to help with immunity. Garlic is an antimicrobial product and some mushrooms like shiitake and maitake can give us a boost too.

Ginseng is also good for fighting infections and Echinacea can help protect from colds.

Oxfordshire Magazine

13

What's on

What's on November & December For a comprehensive list of what’s on at each venue please refer to the websites. We can only include a small number of events, space depending.

Families cannot be responsible for any changes of dates or other details.

Fireworks

Christmas Events

6 Nov Botley School Fireworks

20 Nov Light Night

Elms Road, Botley, Oxford, OX2 9JZ botleyschool.org.uk Fireworks display, food, drinks and glowsticks! Tickets available from the school office, Barclays Bank in Elms Parade, Elms Parade Library. £15 family ticket on the gate, £12 in advance.

6 Nov Spectacular Musical Fireworks

Hanborough Playing Fields, Roosevelt Road, Long Hanborough, OX29 8JG oxfordshirecotswolds.org Fantastic musical firework display, parking, BBQ, fairground, refreshments, food, mulled wine and more! Gates open 6pm, Display 7pm. £4 adults, £2 child

7 Nov Oxford Roundtable Firework Display

South Park, 75 Hill Top Road, Oxford, OX4 oxfordfireworks.co.uk Open at 4.30pm; funfair and food village, JackFM Soundstage and live music from 5.30pm. Fireworks from 6.45pm and bonfire lit afterwards.

Purchase tickets online from www. oxfordfireworks.co.uk. Profits are donated to local charities. Over £800,000 was raised last year!

7 Nov Standlake & Cokethorpe Sea Scouts Fireworks

Standlake Village Hall, Rack End, Standlake, OX29 7SB group.rn98.co.uk Entrance from 6pm for fireworks at 7pm.BBQ from 6pm and bar serving beer and mulled wine plus Tombola stalls!

8 Nov Witney Fireworks Display

Witney Rugby Club, Hailey, OX29 9UH oxfordshirecotswolds.org Great fireworks event. Gates open 3pm, Best Dressed Guy Fawkes competition and bonfire from 3pm and lots more. One not to be missed in West Oxon!

14 Nov Yarnton Firework Show

The Turnpike, 2 Woodstock Road, Yarnton, OX5 1PJ At Littlemarsh Sports Field (behind the Turnpike). Tickets in advance from Yarnton Post Office, Red Lion or Yarnton Blues FC. From 7.30pm

14 November/ December 2015

Pitt Rivers Museum, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW prm.ox.ac.uk The legendary light night is back and for the first time, both the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural History will be plunged into darkness ready for you to explore by torchlight. 18.00-21.00 / £3

20-22 Nov Oxford’s Christmas Lights Festival

Queen's Street, Oxford, OX1 1AB www.oxfordschristmas.com/ The Light Festival brings Oxford's communities together with an exciting cultural programme.

20 Nov Winter Light Night

Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH ashmolean.org/events Take part in festive family activities, enjoy live music, indulge in Christmas treats in the café and start your Christmas shopping too!

Free entry.

21 Nov – 3 Jan 2016 Xmas Ice Skating

Millets Farm Centre, Frilford, Nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX13 5HB www.milletsfarmcentre.com Why not experience the magic of ice skating outdoors with a real ice rink at Millets Farm Centre near Abingdon. Experience the thrill of skating outdoors on the real ice rink.

23 Nov – 11 Dec Skate with a Snowman

Millets Farm Centre, Frilford, Nr Abingdon, OX13 5HB milletsfarmcentre.com Give your child the magical chance to skate with a fun and loveable Snowman. Have tea with him and receive a surprise gift too. Child £14.99, Adult £8.99.

Opened by Mrs Moneypenny from the Financial Times and C4's SuperScrimpers. Over 40 stalls, with traditional hand-crafted gifts, food, entertainment plus the town lights switched on at 6.00pm. From 10.00am-7.30pm.

10 Dec – 20 Dec Oxford Christmas Market

Queen's Street, Oxford, OX1 1AB oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk Visit Broad Street's annual Christmas market to get in to the festive mood. With the sound of choirs singing carols, unusual and handmade gifts, festive wooden stalls and the aroma of mulled wine and cinnamon - this is a truly magical experience.

17 Dec The Secret History of Oxford's Christmas

Museum of Oxford, St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1BX oxford.gov.uk Join local author Paul Sullivan for a festive look at Oxford’s Christmas past, for something a bit different for this time of year. 6pm-7.30pm.

5 Dec Christmas Craft Fair

Museum of Oxford, St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1BX oxford.gov.uk Christmas Craft fair in The Old Museum with artists and craft makers who frequently stock the Museum’s gift shop shelves. A great place to buy that special, Oxford Christmas present! 10am-5pm

5 Dec Silver Star Children's Christmas Party John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU silverstaroxford.org/ Children's Christmas Party for all the family held in the Tingewick Hall at the JR. Raising funds for this

invaluable unit at the John Radcliffe hospital. 12noon to 3.00pm.

13 - 16 Dec Witney Christmas Market

Market Square, Witney, OX28 6AB marketsquaregroup.com Experience festive cheer with a mix of seasonally-decorated stalls and marquees, the Square will be transformed into a Christmas retail wonderland.

14 Nov – 4 Jan 2016 Ice Skating Experience

Wyevale Garden Centre, Bicester Avenue, Bicester, OX25 2NY wyevalegardencentres.co.uk/icerinks Get your skates on and take to the real ice to spin, twirl and glide (or hold on tight to the side). Enjoy mulled wine, hot chocolate, festive snacks and lots of other treats!

Theatre & Music 7 Nov Once Upon a Snowflake

Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1DY pegasustheatre.org.uk Liza has gone missing, and no-one knows where she can be. One thing’s for certain: those mysterious Winter Sprites have something to do with it. These tiny elf-like creatures can be found hiding in pockets, shoes and sock drawers, watching everything and hearing everyone. But how are they connected with Liza’s disappearance? Will they help to find her? 11am & 2pm £9 or £6

15 Nov Puss in Boots

Cornerstone, 25 Station Road, Didcot, OX11 7NE cornerstone-arts.org Would you trust a talking cat? You

26 Nov Didcot Christmas Street Fair

Town Centre, Didcot, OX11 8LL toxfordandoxfordshire.com/whatson/Didcot-Didcot-Christmas-StreetFair/ Didcot Christmas Street Fair this year will celebrate the Tudors. Visit the website for more details.

28 Nov Woodstock Christmas Market & Lights St Mary Magdalen Church, Park Street, Woodstock, OX20 1UG familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

What's on never know, he might turn you from a pauper to a prince just like the hero of this story. Using smoke and mirrors and hidden trapdoors you’ll see how this sure-footed feline fools both the King and the Ogre to put his master at the top. Ages 4+ 2.00pm / £8, £6

17 Nov – 10 Jan 2016 Robin Hood

Didcot, OX11 7NE cornerstone-arts.org/ Join three children on an unforgettable bedtime adventure: a journey through the attic at the top of an old house. As they discover the delights and secrets hidden inside, they’re taken on a rollercoaster ride of story, song and surprise. Ages 3+ 2:00pm / £8, £6

Theatre Chipping Norton, 2 Sprint Street, Chipping Norton, OX7 5NL chippingnortontheatre.co.uk Time for yet another famous CN Pantomime! Deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest, a band of Merry Men live free, led by their dashing young hero – Robin Hood. Have lots of fun at the Panto!

22 Nov Cushion Concert: Koto

Jacqueline du Pré Music Building St Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DY sthildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp-music-building/ familyed Regular Cushion Concerts on Sundays, for children aged from 0-5 and upwards with their families.

Introducing an exciting range of different instruments. 10.00am.

27 Nov – 10 Jan 2016 Aladdin

Oxford Playhouse, 11 Beaumont Street, OX1 2LW oxfordplayhouse.com Join Widow Twankey, Aladdin, Princess Perfect Rose, Wishee Washee the Dog and Pee King the Duck on their adventures in the ancient city of Ox-A-For. *Gong!* Soar with us as we Reach for the Stars on a magic carpet ride of non-stop panto thrills, spills and downright silliness. Panto classics, Sing-along tunes, Hilarious for all ages, Slap-stick mess and sweeties.

Lots of chances to get involved!

Tickets from £15. Booking advised.

29 Nov Up in the Attic

4 Dec - 9 Jan 2016 Treasure Island

The North Wall, South Parade, Oxford, OX2 7JN thenorthwall.com Another wonderful production by The Creation Theatre. This time it's cutlasses and cannon fire on the high seas. Jim and Long John Silver are on the trail of pirate treasure. Leading a crew of the scurviest sea dogs you ever saw and following a battered old map they’ll find more than they bargained for. For ages 5+. £13.50-£32

8 Dec – 2 Jan 2016 Alice at Christmas

The Mill Arts Centre, Spiceball Park, Banbury, OX16 5QE millartscentre.co.uk This winter Mill Arts will be returning to Wonderland for a second-helping of Alice, by giving the production a touch of the Creation Theatre’s festive magic as well as adding music, puppetry and acrobatics. For all ages 5+ £14-£18

Cornerstone, 25 Station Road,

19 - 24 Dec The Snow Dragon

Jacqueline du Pré Music Building St Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DY sthildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp-musicbuilding/familyed Regular Cushion Concerts on Sundays, for children aged from 0-5 and upwards with their families. Introducing an exciting range of different instruments.

10.00am.

4 Dec - 2 Jan 2016 A Christmas Carol

Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1DY pegasustheatre.org.uk The Pegasus festive season shows take a well-known, familiar story and adds a Pegasus ‘twist’ – funny, playful, with emotional clout and a hint of something darker. Ages 7+ the performance contains sound and visual effects that some young children may find unsettling. £7.50£18.50

in this magical production. 11am & 2pm. £5

6 Dec Cushion Concert: Festive Folk

10 Dec – 3 Jan 2016 Dear Father Christmas

Burton Taylor Studio, Beaumont St, Oxford, OX1 2LW oxfordplayhouse.com There’s trouble at the North Pole.

Father Christmas needs your help...

Suitable for ages 3-6.

Cornerstone, 25 Station Road, Didcot, OX11 7NE cornerstone-arts.org/ Cornerstone's excited to announce their Christmas show; a Tall Stories’ magical tale, The Snow Dragon. Billy is a spoilt young goat whose parents give him everything he wants. The night the legendary Snow Dragon is meant to bring more goodies, Billy bumps into a pack of hungry wolves in the forest. How will he escape and has he been naughty or nice? Ages 3+. £7-£12.50, £38 (family)

13 Dec OSJ Prom: Christmas Carols

Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH ashmolean.org/events Festive cheer with this evening concert, courtesy of the Ashmolean Voices choir in this seasonal edition of the OSJ Proms. Booking essential. 7.30–9.30pm. £25 chair, £10 cushion

13 Dec Funday Sundays - Puppets Go Wild Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1DY pegasustheatre.org.uk The latest addition to the Funday Sunday line-up is from Wild Boor Ideas. 11am & 2pm. £5

Business opportunity for Motivated, enthusiastic, professionals 5-10 hours pw Earning potential £200-£1000 pcm Call 07733 228 038

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13 Dec The Abonminable Snowman

Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1DY pegasustheatre.org.uk This is the snowy tale of a lazy boy, a greedy woodcutter and a large and lonely snowman. Wave your wand and find out if friendship will conquer all

AN OXFORD PLAYHOUSE PANTOMIME Friday 27 November 2015 to Sunday 10 January 2016

for boys and girls 18 months - 7 years Classes being run on:

Written and directed by Steve Marmion Join us on the magic carpet for Aladdin – this year’s GENIE-us Playhouse Panto.

With plenty of jokes for adults and children, it’s the perfect festive treat to share with friends and family.

As much a part of Christmas as mince pies and crackers.

HHHHH

Oxford Times on

Beauty and the Beast 2014

Ticket Office

Saturdays Lord Williams Lower School Thame OX9 3NW For class times visit

midbucks.kiddikicks.co.uk /timetable

01296 290204

Call Email midbucks@kiddikicks.co.uk

free trial sessions – get in touch for details

November/ December 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine 15

Rye St Antony is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3-18 (and boys 3-11). Established in 1930 as a lay Catholic foundation, the school is situated in a beautiful 12-acre location overlooking the city of Oxford.

11+ and 13+

Scholarships Closing date for applications: Friday 22 January 2016 Visitors are welcome throughout the year.

Please telephone the Registrar, Fern Saxton, to make an appointment.

Pullen’s Lane, Oxford OX3 0BY

01865 762802

Big enough to challenge: small enough to care

enquiries@ryestantony.co.uk www.ryestantony.co.uk

Award-winning tuition Maths & English ages 5 -14

New skills Confidence Enthusiasm

Free trial session - book today!

Oxford 01527 910 222 www.explorelearning.co.uk 16 November/ Call 01993December 815 966 2015 to advertise with us

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