What's in this issue?

4. News & Views

6 Feature 'Weaning'

7. Baby News

8. What's On

10. Feature 'Handwriting'

11. Feature 'Please listen to me'

12. Feature 'What is the CPA approach in maths?'

13. Feature ‘Developing Independent learning’

14. Clubs & Classes

EDITOR: Lisa Exell 01945 861336, editor@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Amanda Dawson, admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA: Amanda Dawson, admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk

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St Mary’s named in ‘World’s Leading Boarding Schools’ Top 250 list by Fortune

Prestigious independent day and boarding school, St Mary’s, has been ranked as one of the top boarding schools in the world for 2023, in a new Top 250 list published by Fortune magazine. The school was also the only Cambridge school featured in the list to achieve the highest five-star rating.

The ranking is based on thousands of recommendations made by school heads, boarding school consultants, parents, and alumni. The list consists of 250 top-rated global boarding schools, each marked with ratings of either four or five stars and aims to help families from across the world choose the very best boarding school option for their children.

Headmistress at St Mary’s School, Charlotte Avery, said: “We are incredibly proud that we’ve been recognised by Fortune as one of the top boarding schools in the world. Fortune is well known for its influential lists, and to be the only boarding school in Cambridge to get a five-star rating is a huge accolade. Our inclusion in the Fortune list is testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone that works at St Mary’s.”

The school’s first-class education offering was recently highlighted when it received the highest grade of ‘excellent’ in its Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection.

Fortune is a global leader in business journalism and a worldrenowned authority on the top companies and education institutions across the world.

To view the full list of top-rated global boarding schools, please To view the full list of top-rated global boarding schools, please visit: fortune.com/education/boarding-school-guide/leadingboarding-schools

Independent School Focus: Cambridge International School

Cambridge International School is a thriving international school for 2 - 11 year olds and a welcoming community of children, parents and staff from the local area and overseas. With a focus on pupil well-being, the school ensures that the children are learning in an unpressurised environment with a focus on them becoming confident, happy and resilient individuals.

Cambridge International School has small class sizes (maximum of 16) and has 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.

Family fun with National Children’s Gardening Week

This summer, why not get involved in National Children’s Gardening week?

Happening from 25th May to 2nd June, in the 'warm' half term at the end of May, means that pretty much throughout the UK children can plant all their favourite plants with less fear of weather damage or the need for complicated protective growing.

As well as simply good outdoor fun, gardening has been shown to have many benefits to health and wellbeing including being more physically active and feeling happier and more connected with the natural world.

There are many ways to get involved with National Children’s Gardening Week from DIY activities at home, to attending an event at local garden centres. More info: www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk

The school makes full use of their surrounding environment in Cherry Hinton Park and puts an emphasis on learning through being in the outdoors. They are also open to innovative approaches and are accepting students who would like to learn with them on a flexible basis. If you would like to visit the school, they have an Open Morning on Friday 12th May 9.30 am11.30 am. For further information please contact admissions@cischool.co.uk www.cambridgeinternationalschool.co.uk 01223 416938

Bereavement benefits for unmarried co-habiting parents

Bereavement benefits have been extended to apply to unmarried couples with dependent children, opening up the payment to thousands more families.

From 9th February, the eligibility criteria for Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance have been extended to include co-habiting parents, not just married couples. The benefits are intended to help parents with the financial impact of losing a partner.

It means that more children who lose a parent will be equally supported, no matter the legal relationship status of their parents.

The Bereavement Support Payment of almost £10,000 will benefit unmarried parents going forward and will retrospectively apply to many unmarried parents who were bereaved between 2018 and now. To make a retrospective claim, parents must act by 9th February 2024. More info: bit.ly/BenefitsGovUK

National Vegetarian Week

Reduce your meat intake to help the planet National Vegetarian Week takes place from 15th to 21st May and will highlight how switching to vegetarian meals can reduce your carbon footprint and benefit the planet.

The National Food Strategy says the UK should eat thirty percent less meat by 2030. For people who eat meat every day, this can be achieved by going meat-free on just two days a week.

Evidence shows that plant-based food is better for the planet, has far less carbon emissions than meat and for households on tight budgets it can also be a cheaper, healthier choice.

During the week, you will be able to download a FREE digital book ‘Make Meals Better by Miles’ featuring recipes from famous chefs including Deliciously Ella, Miguel Barclay, Kwoklyn Wan, Jackie Kearney and Max La Manna. More info: www.nationalvegetarianweek.org

Clean Air Day 2023

Targeting air pollution, this year Clean Air Day will be on Thursday 15th June and brings together communities, businesses, education and the health sector aiming to:

• Improve public understanding of air pollution, both indoors and outdoors

• Build awareness of how air pollution affects our health

• Explain some of the easy things we can all do to tackle air pollution to help protect the environment and our health.

There are dozens of online events all day on the Clean Air Day website aimed at individuals, schools and businesses, as well as hundreds of events around the country for everyone to join. It’s the opportunity to try something different - from travelling without a car to closing your school’s street and having a street party. More info: www.bit.ly/CleanAirDayUK

Government to expand free childcare

Free childcare for working parents in England will be expanded to cover all children under five by September 2025, the government has announced as part of a wider program to get people back in work.

THE NEW HELP FOR PARENTS WILL BE INTRODUCED IN STAGES.

• Eligible working parents of two-year-olds will get 15 hours of free childcare per week from April 2024

• Children between nine months and two years old will get 15 hours of free childcare from September 2024

• All eligible under-5s will get 30 hours of free childcare from September 2025. The rising cost of childcare has been widely seen as a deterrent for some parents to go back to work or work full time.

Childcare in the UK is among the most expensive in the world and the government has been under pressure to provide more help for parents. More info: bit.ly/GovChildcare

Book a FREE summer term class with Perform

Summer term is here and there’s no better time for your child to try Perform. Packed with self-esteem boosting activities, Perform weekly classes round off the academic year with a fun and relaxed focus on developing confidence, communication, coordination and concentration. Using a mix of drama, dance and singing, these high-energy classes for all abilities are designed to allow even the most reticent children to shine.

This term, 4-7s will be setting sail on the Jammy Dodger for an adventure with

Evidence not needed for short mental health absence

Schools do not need to routinely seek medical evidence to authorise short-term pupil absences that result from mental health issues, according to new government guidance.

It comes as a report on the wellbeing of children and young people found the level of probable disorders has remained at ‘elevated’ levels since the pandemic and warned anxiousness increased in pupils of all ages last year.

In advice on dealing with absences caused by mental health issues published recently, the Department for Education (DfE) reiterated that schools are expected to ensure regular attendance. However, it added that there was no need to ‘routinely’ ask for medical evidence to support an authorised absence for mental health reasons.

In instances where children’s mental health causes them to be absent in the long-term or repeatedly, it ‘may be appropriate’ to seek medical evidence according to the guidance. More info: bit.ly/DofEAbsence the Mermaids & Pirates. Meanwhile, 7-12s will enjoy a laugh-out-loud adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in The Dream. The curriculum has an emphasis on fun with free apps and videos to watch at home.

Classes are for all abilities and every child is welcome to try a free class in Hills Road Sports Centre, Cambridge (Wednesdays); Newnham Croft Primary School, Newnham (Saturdays); St. Andrews Church Hall, Chesterton (Mondays); St. John’s Church Hall, Cambridge (Thursdays). Just visit www.perform.org.uk/try

Perform fun continues into the summer holidays with Wizard of Oz holiday courses at Newnham Croft Primary from 24th - 28th July. Don’t miss the Perform in the Park summer festival of children's theatre (see more on page 9). Visit performinthepark.uk to book.

T: 020 7255 9120 www.enquiries@perform.org.uk

Join In During Walk To School Week

A generation ago, seventy percent of us walked to school - now it’s less than half. So Walk to School Week was started to encourage more kids to get out of the car and walk to school. Walk to School Week is held from 15th to 19th May and is organised by the UK charity Living Streets to celebrate the health and wellbeing benefits of walking.

Families will be encouraged to walk, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to see the big differences that can come from small stepsfrom healthier and happier children to fewer cars outside the school gates. Free interactive wall charts and stickers are available to download. Schools can also obtain classroom packs to help teach children about the benefits of being active, with daily reward stickers and special rewards for those who travelled actively every day.

More info: www.livingstreets.org.uk/ walk-to-school