FR EE
South West
IN THIS ISSUE
Halloween Autumn activities Education October 2023
Familiesonline.co.uk
October 1 Familiesonline.co.uk
2 October
Familiesonline.co.uk
CONTENTS
Welcome
In this issue
Autumn is a beautiful time of year so take a look at our suggestions for activities to do with the kids outside. Enjoy our Autumn scavenger hunt or try one of our familyfriendly walk suggestions when half term rolls around. It won’t be long before your child starts to get excited about half term and, in particular, Halloween. So take a look at our fab Halloween cooking and craft ideas and download our free Halloween activity pack! We’ve also got great suggestions for board games for the family as the nights draw in. Look out for our fabulous giveaways too! Apply inside and you’ll also ensure you always receive this magazine and can take advantage of more content and goodies on offer.
Eleni
Editor, Families South West London
4 8 11 13 15 16
Education Halloween activity pack Autumn scavenger hunts Giveaways Fun board games Screen-free rainy day activities 17 Family-friendly walks for autumn 18 Halloween food ideas 19 Spooky Halloween crafts
Get in touch Competition winners from our May/June issue Congratulations to all our winners. You can find a list HERE
rhs.org.uk/wisley
Spooktacular half term fun Sat 21 – Sun 29 Oct Follow the fangtastic family trail around the garden this half term and look out for scary sights. Discover creepy crawlies and spooky stories with Halloween fun for all the family. Your visit supports our work as a charity.
RHS Registered Charity No: 222879/SC038262
Familiesonline.co.uk
October 3
EDUCATION
Teacher talk
Getting your school acronyms muddled? Confused by terminology your child’s teacher is using? Check out our handy guide. Blended Learning: A mixture of face-to-face and online teaching. Blending: The merging together of the separate sounds in a word. CAHMS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services CATS: Cognitive Abilities Tests. These assess strengths and weaknesses in reasoning and are used in some primary and secondary schools. Circle time: This is time that children spend sitting on the mat or on chairs in a circle to discuss a particular topic. Core subjects: These are the subjects making up the core part of the overall curriculum, such as English and maths. Differentiation: Teachers can vary activities in class depending on the ability of different children and HHHH HHHHH HHHH The Times
Musical Theatre Review
Evening Standard
‘a DYNAMIC, FAST-PACED GALLOP of a SHOW, BOLD and SPIRITED... like SIX’s LITTLE SISTER’ Bouquets and Brickbats
make sure that each student is appropriately challenged. DfE: Department for Education. EAL: English as an additional language. Early Help Assessment (EHA): An assessment which identifies children and families who need support. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): The Early Years Foundation Stage includes Nursery and Reception classes. The focus here is learning through high quality play. When your child moves from Reception into Year 1, more formal teaching is introduced. Fine motor skills: The ability to make movements using the small muscles in our hands and wrists. These are important when learning to write or threading a needle, for instance. Foundation subjects: Non-core subjects eg History, Geography, IT, DT, Modern Foreign Languages, RE, Music, PE and Art.
BASED ON THE BOOK BY
KATE PANKHURST AND PUBLISHED BY BLOOMSBURY
WINNER
THU 30 NOV – SAT 2 DEC *Booking fees apply
4 October
atgtickets.com/Wimbledon
*
UK THEAT AW RE
BEST FAMARD ILY SHOW
Want the rest of the alphabet? READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk
Familiesonline.co.uk
October 5
EDUCATION
Can dyslexia be the key to success?
By Jemma Zoe Smith
It can be worrying when your child is diagnosed with dyslexia and, with one in ten people in the UK challenged by dyslexia to some degree, this is a situation that many parents face. I’m dyslexic. I hold three Oxford degrees, am a qualified teacher and run two businesses. I was diagnosed after my first year at university, meaning that I went through school without any support or accommodations. I knew that I had to work for longer than others (I started my GCSE revision the day I started Year 10) and certain subjects, like French, were much trickier. You’ll be walking in the air... “Sheer theatrical magic” The Times
The stage show based upon the book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson and produced by John Coates Music and Lyrics by Howard Blake
Choreographed by Robert North Directed by Bill Alexander Design by Ruari Murchison Lighting Design by Tim Mitchell
Family of 3 from £90*
*Family of 4 from £120. £3.50 booking fee for online and telephone bookings. 50p per ticket building maintenance levy applied to all bookings
18 Nov - 30 Dec 2023
6 October
The days of believing that students with dyslexia just need to try harder are over; now, schools and universities employ dyslexia specialists and provide accommodations such as extra time for exams, so that dyslexic students aren’t left at a disadvantage. In fact, concrete evidence shows that a high percentage of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, compared with the general population. Famous dyslexic entrepreneurs include Sir Richard Branson, Anita Roddick and Jamie Oliver.
Sadler’s Wells presents the Birmingham Rep production of
White
Several teachers mentioned that I may want to look into dyslexia as I displayed some of the traits such as poor organisation and time management. But because I scored well in exams and no-one really knew about it in my family, it wasn’t something I looked into until university.
So can dyslexic students actually have an advantage over their peers? READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk
260+
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Senior School Destinations
Registration Deadline 2024 Entry: Friday 3 November 2023 Nursery, Reception and Years 1 to 8
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150+
Musical Ensembles
Co-curricular Clubs, Activities and Trips
Senior School Opening 2025
15+
Stage Productions
2025 and 2026 Deferred Year 9 Entry Friday 5 January 2024 7.00am - 7.30pm Contact our Admissions team to book a tour on 020 8766 5525 or email admissions@dulwichpreplondon.org
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Sports Played at Every Level
Acres of Open Space and a Swimming Pool
Wrap Around Care
12+
School Community Events
Apply for a free or subsidised place 220 pupils at Dulwich receive a bursary. Find out more by scanning the QR code
Bursaries of up to 100% of fees are available
“I knew it was right for him when we visited the school. Something just felt right, like he belonged there.” Parent
dulwich.org.uk/bursaries Familiesonline.co.uk
October 7
GET A FREE HALLOWEEN ACTIVITY PACK FIVE spooktastic activities guaranteed to get your child in the Halloween spirit HALLOWEEN WORDS
Hal loween
Name: ______
halloween word scramble
LOWEEN Jumper! Design your own HAL
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of the words
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___ Date: ___
____________
in the box bel
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find in the grid
?
HALLOWEEN WITCH
GHOUL GOBLIN
WIZARD PUMPKIN VAMPIRE
BLACK CAT BROOMSTIC K TRICK
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DOWNLOAD HERE!
8 October
Familiesonline.co.uk
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Primary School
Places available in Nursery (full and part time) and other classes. We are a Catholic Primary School that also welcomes families from other faiths and cultures. Our school aim is to develop the full potential of each child: spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially. We celebrate the uniqueness of each child Prospective parents are warmly invited to contact us directly to find out more and to join a tour.
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Primary School, Victoria Drive, SW19 6AD • 020 8788 7420 ptaylor@olqh.net ourladyqueenofheaven.wandsworth.sch.uk
Familiesonline.co.uk
October 9
10 October
Familiesonline.co.uk
AUTUMN
Enjoy autumn outside Take your pick from one of these FREE downloadable autumn Scavenger Hunts and encourage your child to enjoy the new season outdoors.
The Practical Forest School Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Woodland Trust Autumn Scavenger Hunt
The Ladybirds Adventures Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Woodland Trust Autumn Tree Treasure Hunt
My Kids Time
Baker Ross Autumn Scavenger Hunt
Autumn Treasure Hunt Get outdoors and go on a treasure hunt with your kids, finding and matching autumn treasures.
Autumn treasure hunt Ideal for appreciating the autumn season and getting outdoors. No checking online until you get home! On the next page you’ll find pictures of eight different autumn treasures to find in the park or woodlands. Remember, the Woodland Trust has a great guide to woodlands near you. Once you’ve found them, write in the name of what you’ve found. Get your grown up to help you. Then take a look at the pictures in a row at the bottom. Each picture has some kind of connection to your treasures. It might be where the treasure comes from or maybe where you find it. When you’ve worked out the connection, draw a line from each of your autumn treasures to the picture at the bottom that is connected to it. And hey presto, you’re done! And hopefully you’ve found an autumn treasure you can keep or learned something you didn’t know. Have fun!
Ruby Tuesday Books Autumn Treasure Hunt Familiesonline.co.uk
Families Autumn Scavenger Hunt What am I?
I am a:
I am an:
I am a:
I am an:
I am a:
I am a:
I am a:
I am a:
DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE
Science Sparks Autumn Treasure Hunt October 11
12 October
Familiesonline.co.uk
GIVEAWAYS
True’s Mushroom House Playset Giveaway
Hama Beads in Small Storage Box Giveaway
Worth £40 each
6000 Hama beads and 3 uniquely shaped pegboards for endless 3D designs 2 sets available *T&C’s apply
Come and play with True and Bartleby
Ages 3+
Multi-level house complete with furniture 5 Available
APPLY HERE
APPLY HERE T&C’s apply
Battle Heads Mothership playsets to giveaway! Pilot the ship and enter the battlefield with this two-in-one vehicle collectable 5 available
MOZART
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR: PHILIP MACKENZIE SOPRANO: ALICE MACKENZIE
HOWARD BLAKE
The Snowman Projected onto a large screen with a live orchestral accompaniment Plus other pieces to be announced
“You would be hard
pushed to find a more pushed to find a more magical Christmas magical Christmas experience" experience” The Times
The Times
APPLY HERE Cadogan Hall, Chelsea, Sunday 17th December 2023 at 2.00 and 5.00 Tickets: £34, £32, £28, £18 from the Cadogan Hall Box Office Tel: 020 7730 4500 www.cadoganhall.com
*T&C’s apply Familiesonline.co.uk
All orders subject to a transaction fee unless made in person © Snowman Enterprises Limited “The Snowman” by Raymond Briggs is published by Puffin. Image © Snowman Enterprises Ltd www.thesnowman.com
October 13
New baby classes - £10 per session!
Monday 10:00-11:30 Thursday 12:30-15:00 Sundays 9:00-10:00 1.00-2.30 1/2 hour classes Max 6 in a class
FREE Trial ! South West Swimming School Bookings now open: 020 8767 2723 admin@swswimschool.co.uk www.swswimschool.co.uk
Helping g childrre en believe e they can dvaccination do o anything the development of the UK schedule?
SW Swim School
ASK ABOUT OUR The 6-in-1 Part 2 Vaccine Study TWO WEEK TRIALIs your child nearly 12 months old? Would you like to assist in We are inviting children who have not yet been given their 12Singing, dancing an nd acting classes for month routine immunisations to take part in our research 4 - 18 year-olds study. BA AT A TTERSEA
Children 07 taking in our study will be given some of their 956 part 288928 battersea@stagecoach.co o.uk University Hospital’s routine immunisations at St George’s stagecoach.co.uk/batterssea Vaccine Institute.
• New swim school at City of London School in the heart of the city by the Barbican
• Swimming classes for all ages on Sunday mornings • Learn to swim or improve with us • Opening offer of two FREE Adult or Child classes
BOOKINGS NOW OPEN: 020 8767 2723
info@swswimschool.co.uk | www.swswimschool.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk 14 October
FamiliesSWLondon
6-in-1 vaccines protect young children FULHAM 498 213142 against 07 diptheria, tetanus, whooping fulh ham@stagecoach.co.u uk Haemophilus cough, stagecoach.co poliovirus, .uk/fulham m influenzae b and hepatitis B virus. Our PU UTNEY study will help to understand how best 020 8099 9861 to use these vaccines. puttney@stagecoach.co.u uk
gecoach.co y be offered one or two .uk/putney Childrensta taking part in our study will doses of a vaccine which helps protect against chickenpox
WIMBLEDON 020 8946All 340 the0 vaccines given in our study are wim mbledon@stagecoach.co.uk fully licensed for use in children in the UK. stagecoach.co.uk/wimble edon Creative Courage For Life®
For further information about the study, please contact the study team: +44 (0)208 725 5382 or 6in1@sgul.ac.uk
Stagecoach Performing Artts is the trading name of Stagecoach Theatrre Artts Limited. Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools are operated under franchise and are independently owned by their Principals. Stagecoach an nd Creative Courage For Life are registered trademarks of Stagecoach Theatre Artts Limited.
March/April 2023 • Families South West 37 Familiesonline.co.uk
ACTIVITIES
Fun board games that encourage development
It’s the perfect time of year to invest in a new board game and these are not just brilliant fun, they also encourage aspects of children’s development.
Feed the Woozle
Fosters self-regulation in young ones in a fun and silly way. Ages 3-6. £21.15.
Zingo Bingo
Life on Earth Matching and Memory Game
Great for encouraging focussed attention, Ages 3+. £6.
Spot it Junior!
Children have to learn to suppress their first impulse. Ages 4+. £14.39.
Develops language skills and self-regulation. Ages 4+. £18.50.
Shopping List
Fast paced game which tests memory and matching skills. Ages 3+. £8.30.
Hey, that’s my Fish
Sequence for Kids
Melissa and Doug Suspend Junior
Kingdomino
Practises turn-taking, planning, prioritising and boosts short term memory. Ages 4-7. £29.35.
Familiesonline.co.uk
Promotes planning, decision making and fine motor skills. Ages 4+. £16.49.
Award-winning game of strategic fish hunting. Ages 8+. £17.23.
Improves spatial awareness, decision making and executive functioning. Ages 8+. £22.35. October 15
ACTIVITIES
Screen-free rainy day activities
We asked Isabell Fisher, co-founder of Little Hands Learning for some easy-to-set-up activities that will appeal to little hands, eyes and brains.
Art and craft
Treasure hunt
This doesn’t need to be overly complicated. Often keeping it simple is far better than creating something elaborate. Try making a paper boat and see how far it travels or creating tealight holders out of old jam jars by gluing on pieces of tissue paper. These also make lovely homemade presents for grandparents.
Hide some treasure and then create a map for your kids to follow. Make it more interesting (and last longer) by having the map lead your little pirates to different locations where each location’s ‘treasure’ is a clue to the next location. For more authenticity, scrunch up the paper and stain it with a damp teabag.
Design a board game
Easy science experiments
This is a fun way for kids to learn about design and teamwork. All you need is a piece of paper, some pens, some counters (maybe toy figures), some dice and some rules. Involve your children in working out what the game is about, how it works and decorate your board before playing!
There are lots of easy science experiments that can be tried at home with household items and they encourage kids to ask questions, make predictions and understand the world around them. Try making a lava lamp with water, food colouring and oil in a jar. Add an effervescent tablet and watch what happens!
16 October
Familiesonline.co.uk
AUTUMN
Family-friendly walks for autumn The great British countryside is full of stunning walks. Here are nine that are suitable for the whole family. So why not make a day of it?
Brecon Beacons National Park
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens
Tegg’s Nose Country Park
Stowe
Morden Hall Park An outdoor oasis in London – escape the concrete jungle!
Old Sarum
Explore the walks around this Iron Age Hillfort in Wiltshire.
Ham House and Garden
Seven Sisters Country Park
Sutherland’s Grove
Follow The Gritstone Explore the National Trail from Disley to Botanic Garden of Wales Try Ripon and Fountains Kidsgrove, through or Cantref Adventure Abbey walk or the Lost Tegg’s Nose in Cheshire. Farm. Spa trail.
Breathtaking countryside, lake and forest at Stowe in Bucks. Dogs on leads.
Fun walking & activities in the gardens of a seventeenth century manor in Surrey. Familiesonline.co.uk
Miles of coastline in the South Downs National Park in East Sussex.
From waterfalls to forest trails, a Scottish wonderland in West Argyll. October 17
HALLOWEEN
Spooky Halloween food ideas Make these delicious and super-scary Halloween recipes with the kids.
Meringue ghost ice-cream sundaes
Monster cookies
Chocolate mousse mud pots
Spooky sausage rolls
Pumpkin fondue with crispy bats & crunchy veg
Apple pie mummies
Haunted pizza
Banana ghosts
Monster burgers
18 October
Familiesonline.co.uk
HALLOWEEN
Spooky Halloween crafts Get crafting with this range of craft activities that will get the family in the Halloween mood.
Free printable bunting
Flying ghost stick puppet
Chalkboard paint pumpkin
Handprint spider
Rock skulls
Witches’ cauldrons
Halloween bowling
Haunted house
Puffy ghosts
Familiesonline.co.uk
October 19
M R E T F L A H R E B OCTO
KIDS GO FREE !
inspired r e t s o p t c e f r e p Make a sport by London’s tran 21-29 October
ps reative worksho C | l ai tr r e st o P g tion Puzzlin e poster competi iv st Fe | re at e h T Puppet
Book tickets now
2023.105_M_Global Poster Gallery_Oct Half term_Ad_Families_130x180mm.indd 1
17/09/2023 10:45
Explore Cutty Sark Enjoy family activities this half term on board this world-famous ship. Search ‘Cutty Sark’
Royal Museums Greenwich Cutty Sark | National Maritime Museum | Royal Observatory | The Queen’s House Greenwich Pier
20 October
Cutty Sark
Greenwich (only 8 mins from London Bridge)
Familiesonline.co.uk
LYCÉE FRANÇAIS CHARLES DE GAULLE DE LONDRES Excellence in International Education since 1915
Ages 3-18
|
French, Bilingual & British Curricula
100% BREVET +74% “Très Bien” Honours
|
Brevet & Baccalaureate
100% BACCALAURÉAT 67% “Très Bien” Honours
Did you know your child does not need to be a French speaker to join our school? For over one hundred years, we have been at the forefront
|
GCSE, IGCSE & A-level
100% GCSE/IGCSE* 78% A/A*/7-9
100% A-LEVEL* +62% A/A*
South Kensington South Kensington Primary School Nursery to Year 6
Collège-Lycée (Year 7-13) & British Section (Year 10-13) Ealing
of international education.
André Malraux Primary School
Nurturing skills and inspiring ideas.
Nursery to Year 6
Fostering confidence, solidarity and ambition. Helping pupils to develop into accomplished world citizens.
Fulham
Together, we will explore your child’s talents and
Marie d’Orliac Primary School
widen their horizons.
Nursery to Year 6
Meet us in November: Battersea Show & Open Days Dates, details & registration on our website
Clapham Ecole primaire de Wix Reception to Year 6
*Results of 2022 sessions
Familiesonline.co.uk
www.lyceefrancais.org.uk
October 21