IN THIS ISSUE:

Welcome to our 2023 parties issue! Children’s parties are always memorable - usually for the right reasons! There are so many ways to celebrate, and hopefully you will get some ideas from our pages devoted to parties.

It’s a lovely time of year to be outside, so our Get Outdoors! page and our What’s On guide are packed full of inspiration to get out into the fresh air with the family. Amazingly, we are not far off the end of another school year, so, if you are looking ahead to the summer holidays, you will love our article on travelling with grandparents and will also find our holiday clubs directory useful to fill in the gaps over the long summer break.

As always, we have some great-quality articles on education, including how handwriting affects self-esteem, and we go to Leighton Park School in Reading to Meet the Head.

I hope you enjoy the May/June 2023 issue!

Families Thames Valley West is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Thames Valley West are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Thames Valley West. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

20-23

Where is Families Thames Valley West?

WIN a family day ticket to Odds Farm Park

Odds Farm Park, near Beaconsfield, has teamed up with Families Thames Valley West to offer one lucky reader a family day pass (2 adults and 2 children) to visit the children’s activity farm.

The visitor attraction is one of only 29 farms in the country approved by the Rare Breeds Trust, a conservation charity working for the survival of the UK’s rare breeds of farm animals and equines. Visitors to the 35 acre farm can see over 16 rare breeds on site that are classed as ‘priority’ or ‘at risk’ including three Middle White pigs, ten Bagot goats and an Exmoor Pony. The farm’s own Tamworth pig is now so critically endangered it is considered as rare as the Giant Panda or the Sumatran Tiger.

To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous family prize worth over £75, simply answer the following question: How many Bagot goats does Odds Farm Park have?

Email your answer to editor@familiestvw.co.uk quoting ‘Odds Farm Park’. The closing date for entry is 31st May 2023.

For more information, call 01628 520188, visit www.oddsfarm. co.uk, or like and follow @OddsFarmPark on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest news and updates.

Terms and Conditions

1. There is no alternative prize or cash alternative. 2. Travel to Odds Farm Park is not included, and winners have to make their own travel arrangements when visiting. 3. Prize not valid with any other offer or promotion 4. The winning entry will be picked at random and contacted following the closing date.

The Rumble under the Rug at Reading Rep Theatre

There’s something rumbling under the rug. What could it be? Is it an alien, a tiger or a monster? Never fear – Dr. Hubbub has arrived to investigate, but he needs your help!

Join us on this interactive adventure to discover who is hiding under the rug, and how we can make them welcome in our world.

Writer and director, Helen Eastman returns to Reading Rep Theatre after sell-out successes with Alby the Penguin Saves Christmas and Alby the Penguin Saves the World.

Tickets are £5 and perfect for 4–7-year-olds and their families.

Catch it at Reading Rep for a limited run from 31 May to 3 June, after touring Reading schools and libraries. The tour performance is perfect for younger children aged 18 months to 3 years; see more details on Reading Rep’s website.

Find out more and book your tickets at www.readingrep.com/therumble-under-the-rug

Equal access to school sports for boys and girls

Girls will be granted equal access to all school sports as part of a package of measures unveiled by the government following a campaign by the Lionesses after their historic Euro 2022 win.

Schools will be told they must deliver a minimum of two hours of PE each week and that girls and boys should be able to play the same sports in lessons and extra-curricular clubs, where wanted. The government said the measures would be backed by over £600 million in funding over the next two academic years, specifically designed to help improve the quality of PE and sports in primary schools.

Leah Williamson, the England captain, greeted the announcement –on International Women’s Day – by saying: ‘this is the legacy that we want to live much longer than us as a team’.

More info: https://bit.ly/UKGovSchoolSports

Congratulations to Charlene Muzambi, who won family tickets to The Little Welly in Henley from our March/April 2023 issue!

Join in during Walk to School Week

A generation ago, seventy percent of us walked to school – now it’s less than half. 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 15 to 19 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 steps - from 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 at www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school

A gymnastics club that’s breaking the mould: Esprit Kids!

As a high level gymnast herself and having worked in traditional gymnastics clubs for many years, Courtney Hows (28) has learnt a lot about the sport. From this experience she has gone on to develop a brand new type of children’s gymnastics at a learning centre in Winnersh: an intimate, bright, warm, clean and colourful space, with fantastic facilities for children and parents alike.

Courtney says, “Over the years I have spoken to a lot of parents, and all they really want is a happy healthy, confident child and we do exactly that, by encouraging kids to just be kids! We give ALL children the same respect, no matter what their innate ability, and that builds happy, confident young people, who feel safe and engaged in this amazing sport. This why our classes are designed to be small, so our trained instructors can help your child on a more individual level.” www.esprit-kids.co.uk

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 9 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.

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 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 Crowthorne, Goring, Henley, Newbury, Reading, Twyford or Wokingham. Just visit www.perform.org.uk/try, call 020 7255 9120 or email enquiries@perform.org.uk

Perform fun continues into the summer holidays with Wizard of Oz holiday courses in Wokingham - don’t miss the Perform in the Park summer festival of children’s theatre. Visit performinthepark.uk to book.

To make a retrospective claim, parents must act by 9 February 2024. More info: https://bit.ly/BenefitsGovUK

Open Days: May & June

Open days may need pre-booking. Please check before visiting.

Cheam School, Headley, Newbury, RG19 8LD 01635 268242 cheamschool.com

Saturday 20 May, 10am–12:30pm

Crosfields School, Shinfield Road, Reading, RG2 9BL 0118 987 1810/crosfields.com

Wed 17 May 9:30am (early years stay and play session)

Kidmore End Primary School, Chalkhouse Green Road, Reading, RG4 9AU 0118 357 3149 kidmore-end.co.uk

Thursday 29 June, 9:30–11am

Leighton Park School, Reading, RG2 7ED 0118 987 9609 leightonpark.com

Friday 12 May, 9am (open morning)

Friday 16 June, 9am (open morning)

Luckley House School, Wokingham, RG40 3EU 0118 978 4175 luckleyhouseschool.org

Tuesday 6 June (year 5 taster day)

Thursday 15 June (open evening)

Queen Anne’s School, Henley Road, Caversham, Reading, RG4 6DX 0118 918 7300 / qas.org.uk

Saturday 20 May, 9:30am (open morning)

Reddam House, Bearwood Road, Sindlesham, Wokingham, RG41 5BG 0118 974 8300 reddamhouse.org.uk

Saturday 13 May

St Joseph’s College, Upper Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5JT 0118 966 1000 / sjcr.org.uk

Thursday 4 May, 9:30am –11:15am (pre-reception–year 6 with stay and play)

Thursday 11 May, 9:30am11:15am (years 7-10)

Monday 26 June (year 5 day)

Tuesday 27 June (year 5 day)

The Oratory Prep School, Goring Heath, RG8 7SF 0118 984 4511 oratoryprep.co.uk

Saturday 20 May

World Book Day at Dolphin School

Thursday March 2nd is celebrated up and down the country as ‘World Book Day’.

For Dolphin School, this is a particularly special occasion for Year 6 students, who come off timetable for the day to act as Young Reporters: the day starts bright and early with a 7.30 ‘breakfast briefing’ with the morning papers and BBC News 24 over orange juice and croissants; the children then work in teams to research the day’s news and compile a front page of their chosen stories; they finish by presenting a Newsround-style broadcast ‘live’ to an audience of peers and parents.

Here they are, hard at work, reporting on our ‘local interest’ story – a World Book Day costume catwalk with the rest of the school.

www.dolphinschool.com

The Acorn Centre at St Joseph’s College, Reading

The Acorn Centre at St Joseph’s College, Upper Redlands Road, Reading offers competitively priced, year-round care for 3–4 year olds in a safe, stimulating environment. The children receive exceptional nurturing from experienced staff. The ratio is one member of staff to every four pupils and there are two teachers who are supported by Early Years Practitioners and apprentices.

Lunch is prepared freshly on site and daily meat-free options are always on the menu. We would love to show you around and if you would like more information or to arrange a visit, please contact admissions@sjcr.org.uk or visit www.sjcr.org.uk

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