UK Forces Education Guide 1 2015 by Forces & Corporate Publishing Ltd

Cover photo: The Plantastic interactive exhibit at The Horniman Museum Page 32

Culford Rugby Star

The Blame Game

A Class Act

Allergy UK

Blue Peter Book Awards

A Barefoot Journey

Book Reviews

What's on at Horniman Museum

and Gardens

Kids Party Games

Thank You Gifts

Bright On!

Summer Accessories

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Forces & Corporate Publishing Ltd Hamblin House, Hamblin Court Rushden, Northants NN10 0RU Tel: 01933 419994 Editor: Joanna Barnes Design: Hayley Smith Sales: Amanda Mains www.forcespublishing.co.uk sales@forcespublishing.co.uk ÂŠ No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in this magazine can be accepted by the publishers or printers. Advertisements are included in good faith. The MOD or any Service Establishment is not responsible for the advertiser or its advertised product or service.

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Culford Rugby Star Gets International Call-Up Culford School Rugby Scholar, Tom Brown, has been selected for the Welsh Under-16 International Rugby Union squad. Tom, 15, already plays for some prestigious teams including the Northampton Saints, Bury St Edmunds and the Welsh Exiles. He is delighted to have been called up and will now concentrate of making the final team. Tom Brown: Rugby Talent Nurtured by Culford School Tom is an exceptional rugby talent and a Culford Rugby Scholar who has been described by Culford’s Director of Rugby, former international rugby player Mark Bolton, as having, ‘a great all-round skill set; only 15 but very physical and a biggame player.’ His selection for the Welsh Under-16 International Rugby Union squad is a testament, not just to his skill and commitment, but to the exceptional rugby coaches, facilities and flexibility that Culford School offers its Rugby Scholars.

Rugby Scholarships at Culford School Culford offers Rugby Scholarships from the age of 13 and they are aimed at nurturing rugby talent. Culford School Rugby Scholars receive year-round training programmes that include; skills and team training three times a week, coaching linked to club and county rugby structures, strength and conditioning training in Culford’s state-of-the-art onsite Sports and Tennis Centre, sports psychology and a bespoke curriculum that allows them to develop as rugby players whilst still receiving the first class education for which Culford is renowned. 6 Education Guide

The Blame Game Kate Saines When a child fails at school, is it the fault of their parents or teachers, or do they only have themselves to blame? Recently, two of my children – aged four and seven – were visited at school by a former Olympian. They remembered two things about him. Firstly, that the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to him was when his shorts split in public (this anecdote brought the house down). And, secondly, that he had urged them to follow their dreams. “What’s your dream?” I asked my sevenyear-old. “To be a vet,” she said. I was incredibly proud that my first born was so keen to enter a profession so worthy and stimulating. But then a thought struck me - how she would feel if she didn’t get the grades or if we couldn’t afford the tuition fees to send her to veterinary college. Would she feel like a failure? And, if so, who would be to blame for shattering this dream she was encouraged to follow with such determination?

"While it might be difficult to pinpoint blame to one person or instance when a child fails, what everyone seems to agree is that failure does not have to mean The End." 10 Education Guide

Naturally, as a parent, I would blame myself, first and foremost. I would have wished I spent more time helping her with her maths and science homework instead of working. But, maybe I should have clocked up more working hours to afford a tutor to help her pass her exams and to provide a bigger university fund? But, then, I would probably have been disappointed with the teachers for not

pushing her enough. And I might also have been angry and directed a lot of blame at the education system for not supporting my child’s needs. And what about my daughter, should she not have tried harder? It is her dream, her responsibility, surely? Ashamed as I was of this stream of consciousness, it is one which is all too familiar in our society. For when something bad happens, when a person fails, we immediately look for someone to blame. Take the London Riots of August 2011. After the initial shock of the devastating events had died down, the blame started. Parents, we read in media reports, were bringing up their children in dysfunctional families without a shred of control, discipline or moral standards. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, pointed the finger at London’s “chillingly bad” schools. He believed the high levels of nihilism demonstrated by protestors could be tackled, to start with, by introducing better standards of literacy and numeracy into classrooms. Then the “youths” or “yobs” or “young people” were blamed, for the fear they instilled in their teachers and parents with threats of physical violence, which left the adults powerless. It wasn’t just parents, teachers and children who were hauled through the mud for this failure of our young people. The media’s liberal distribution of violent images was the problem, said some. As was social media’s ability to provide the vital communication, which aided and abetted rioters and looters. Countless essays, articles and blogs have been written on the subject. No one, however, has reached a firm conclusion about ‘who’, if anyone, was really to blame.

Liz Geary, a mother-of-two, who is also a teaching assistant, said it is never really just one person’s fault when a child fails. But she also believes that every child is different, and this creates complexities which make it impossible to pile the blame at just one door. “Some children just never meet the expected levels due to health or learning difficulties,” she explained. “However, most children will and it is not the sole responsibility of a teacher or teaching assistant for children to achieve their maximum potential. “Parents have to take responsibility to positively reinforce their child’s learning too.” It is a sad fact that not enough parents are able to sit and listen to their children reading, she explained. And it’s not because they don’t care. It is because they have heavy time constraints, or their own abilities – in some cases – do not facilitate their children’s learning. Liz said, as a teaching professional, she found parents were very quick to point the blame at teachers. But she said that teachers all worked incredibly hard to ensure a positive environment and therefore could not be blamed for all a child’s failings. “Parents and parents’ peers need to take responsibility,” she said, “to ensure that children in the education system at present are given opportunities to become full and functioning members of society now and in the future.” But, if some reports are to be believed, the fact parents do not have time to sit down and read with their children is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of problems teachers face.

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In 2012, the chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, revealed evidence that teachers were increasingly being required to take on the role of parents and instil traditional values into children. Schools were being forced to teach basic principles such as good manners, and the importance of effort and diligence, because of failings at home, he said. Indeed many reception class teachers, it has been reported, are finding they need to change nappies because parents have been unable to toilet train their children before they start school. Surely this is distracting them from the real job in hand? Anastasia de Waal, chair of charity, Family Lives, and director for Family and Education at independent think tank, Civitas, said as a former teacher herself, she thinks not. “When I was teaching we were told we were not social workers, we were teachers. But the reality is that teachers want to tackle these obstacles,” she explained, “or the children will never reach the next level of their education.” Anastasia believes, when apportioning blame for failure, we have to remember that

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every case is different. She thinks failure can happen for a number of reasons, and while home life has a huge influence on children’s success or failure, so can teachers. “Children can do badly in reading if they don’t have a good teacher, they can progress less quickly. But it also depends on how motivated the children are by their family life,” she explained. And she added that, particularly as children got older and went to secondary school, their personalities can have a huge influence on their abilities. Primary age children, she explained, tended to be very accommodating. But by the time young people reach secondary school it’s not uncommon for them to stop pulling their weight. But there are other factors which can affect a child’s failure. Divorce, separation, domestic violence, even arguments at home have all been attributed as causes of lower educational attainment for children at secondary school. A study by the University of London’s Institute for Education in 2013 also discovered that factors such as having large numbers of siblings or parents with poor literacy skills could badly affect results amongst primary school children. Anastasia said: “When looking at why failure happens we can only work on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes there is a very clear socio-economic distinction.

Children from poorer backgrounds tend to do less well.” Anastasia said that teachers looked upon these factors as obstacles to achieving children’s targets but they also aim to overcome these hurdles. Parents, however, also need to take responsibility for providing boundaries for children and parenting those boundaries. Ultimately, failure is something which all children will endure at some point. Anastasia believes there is no point in airbrushing the fact it happens, and she thinks trying to pretend everything is positive just confuses children. But children can learn that they have the power to deal with failure. Liz said: “All kids need to know that making

mistakes is good as they can learn from them, and use them to apply themselves next time in a test or lesson. “Seeing disappointment from a parent only causes anxiety and ultimately withdrawal from education, which makes it even harder in the classroom.” While it might be difficult to pinpoint blame to one person or instance when a child fails, what everyone seems to agree is that failure does not have to mean The End. I remember, as a child, my brother being distraught when he was turned down for his dream job of RAF technician because he did not have the required “C” grade for GCSE maths. He had failed, and his dream was shattered. But he decided to try again. He got himself a job as an office junior, saved up some cash and paid to do a Maths GCSE evening class. He got his head down, he studied hard and this time he passed, reapplied to the RAF and was accepted. He eventually gained 92 per cent in the RAF’s maths technician course and went on to have a successful career. He demonstrated that, yes, you can fail. But instead of trying to decide who to blame, he simply took control and tried again at achieving his goal. And it really paid off.

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A Class Act

Do you remember your school days and the children you spent most of the day with for several years? You’d most definitely have come across a clown, a bully and the quiet girl or boy who never said boo to a goose. Since your school days, things haven’t changed and the infrastructures of the school class remain the same, even for your child. In every class, from primary to secondary school, you will usually see at least 6 personality types; the class clown, the quiet one, the leader, the class bully, the high achiever and the ‘typical’ child. 14 Education Guide

Parents evening can be a nerve wracking experience. Depending on whether the teacher announces that your child is settled and achieving good grades or that he/she can be disruptive or rude and ‘difficult’, you will either burst with pride or squirm and wonder what you did wrong. Fear not – there’s no need to panic and little reason to mass-buy ‘better parenting’ books if the latter so happens to be you.

make up for it with humour. In other pupils, however, the clown can be an extrovert, exercising his/her easy going and opinionated nature. Obviously such behaviours can be a distraction to other pupils and can sometimes hinder their own education if not kept under control. Overall, the clown makes friends easily by being assertive, self-reliant and confident, all of which are useful life skills.

The Class Clown

The Quiet Child

Firstly, the clown is commonly known to be the class joker. Traits of the clown include the craving to be centre of attention and disrupting the class with jokes, comments and general silliness. In some cases the clown lacks confidence and consequently attempts to

Retiring and introvert are two qualities of a quiet child. Usually these children are a teacher’s joy as they sit quietly and get on with the lesson, posing no disruption at all. From the child’s point of view, they are cautious around their peers, often fearing judgement and

negative opinions; these children keep themselves to themselves by sitting quietly on the social side lines. A consequence of their personality is that quiet children form lasting, genuine and worthwhile friendships due to their level headed and fair disposition.

The Leader The leader is fair and often firm in their dealings with other children, particularly younger children during play; a leader will guide and dictate play and/or group work. Every child is a leader at some point, directing and organising play and work whether at school or within his/her home. This leadership and organisation will be beneficial throughout

their education and future employment.

The Bully A power imbalance, essentially, is at the heart of bullying. That is, a bully carries out sustained and continuous physical, mental/ emotional and verbal attacks as a route to high selfrighteousness by controlling or harming the victim. Of all six child types, the bully is the most serious. For more information on bullying, visit http://www.bullying.co.uk.

The High Achiever A high achiever is a child who is confident in their ability, organised and highly successful in their academic work. Level headed and able

to form strong friendships, a high achiever is often a quiet child. Such characteristics set the child in good stead for a very successful academic future, although some may experience negativity from the clown or the bully at some point.

The Typical Child The typical or ‘average’ child is the most common type of character in the class. He/she is versatile, able to interact with many different personalities and generally goes through their schooling without any major hiccups. Their reliable character equips them with the skills to be well rounded individuals in later life, able to tackle life in a fair, level headed way, similar to the quiet child and high achiever.

Whichever ‘type’ your child is, rest assured they will be carving out their own tactics to be the best they can be. Experiences with opposite characters will strengthen their ability to deal with different personalities as they get older and throughout their adult and working life. Your child will learn to recognise the characteristics of the bully and the leader etc. from an early age and will learn how to work with them in the future, in the most productive and effective way.

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Opportunities for all to Excel Boys & Girls 9 to 18 – Full Boarding & Day Strathallan is unique not just because it consistently delivers outstanding academic success but it offers a wonderful allround education. Located in 153 acres of beautiful countryside, the facilities at Strathallan are magnificent. We are a full boarding school with 12% international pupils from 33 different countries, offering an all-round education. Our focus is very much on our 556 pupils. With a 7 day week and no set exeats (weekends pupils have to leave the campus as the school is closed) this makes a wonderful environment to allow children to grow and develop. Most of our teaching staff live on campus with their families. The aim of our founder, Harry Riley, in 1913 was that the School should offer such a variety of academic work, games and activities that there is the opportunity for all pupils to excel at something and therefore gain in experience and confidence for their own advantage and the service of others. Choosing the right school for your child is not easy. Each child is unique and has individual needs. The school you choose has to be responsive to those needs – and strive to create an environment in which school days are positive and fulfilling, laying firm foundations for the future. At Strathallan, we offer the best of both worlds – a small, caring community combined with top-class facilities. From the first day, we offer a supportive, nurturing community and we challenge our children, encouraging them to be as good as they can be. We allow them to thrive within a supportive environment. It is a world where children make friends easily and where our staff ensure exceptional standards of care both within and beyond the classroom. Our pupils are nurtured, motivated and inspired; it is a home from home where they feel safe and happy and therefore excel in and out the classroom. Most importantly, our children leave Strathallan confident, happy and ready to fact the next stage of their education. Providing fantastic opportunities for every pupil to achieve, through a clear and committed focus on the individual, pupils enjoy a high level of nurturing support from teachers who are passionate about their subjects - as well as being high-quality practitioners. All this gives them the very finest preparation for the future. And the results are there for all to see… The A-Level results have been consistently high over the last 4 years, making Strathallan one of the top co-ed A-Level schools in Scotland.

But it doesn’t stop there… All boarding houses provide modern accommodation. Senior Houses feature individual study-bedrooms for privacy, with common room and leisure facilities for socialising and relaxation There is wireless broadband throughout. The Junior House is designed to cater for children who wish to enter the School at ages 9 to 13 and is situated within its own campus. . It is a home from home where they feel safe and happy and therefore excel in and out the classroom. Like our senior pupils, our juniors have access to everything which Strathallan has to offer. This enables them to grow up to be independent, confident, responsible and happy individuals who make the most of our world of opportunity and easily find their feet in the senior part of the School. There are extensive playing fields surrounding the buildings and these include six rugby pitches, four cricket squares, two floodlit synthetic hockey pitches, nine hard tennis courts, two netball courts and a nine-hole golf course; including very successful Tennis and Clay Pigeon Shooting Academies that allow pupils to compete at national levels in these sports. Just two hours away from London Although having the luxury of the surrounding Scottish countryside, it only takes about two hours to get from London Heathrow to the School, which is much more convenient than many other boarding schools located within the UK. It takes just over 35 minutes to get from Edinburgh Airport to the School and flight duration from London to Edinburgh is less than 1 hour! And Strathallan is a truly exceptional School. In every way. We’ll leave the last word to a former parent… ‘We are convinced that we made the right decision in placing our daughter at Strathallan. The School has been instrumental in her achieving her highest academic potential and ultimately gaining a place at Cambridge, quite apart from having a wonderful time - which I know she will look back on with great fondness for the rest of her life.’ We encourage families to visit us - for more information please contact Tessa Howard-Vyse on +44 (0) 1738 812546 or marketing@stathallan.co.uk to discuss a Visit or a Taster Day: http://www.strathallan.co.uk

Allergy UK

An estimated 21 million adults in the UK suffer from at least one allergy. Allergic reactions range from mild, to incredibly serious and can lead to anaphylaxis, which is potentially fatal. It is also useful to bear in mind that an allergy can develop at any stage in life. Although we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fully understand why allergies occur at different stages of our lives, in people with a genetic likelihood they may be triggered by illness or stress and an allergy develops as a consequence.

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Food allergies occur when your immune system becomes confused â&#x20AC;&#x201C; instead of ignoring harmless food proteins, it triggers a reaction, which leads to the release of chemicals from particular blood cells. It is histamine and other inflammatory chemicals, which cause the classic allergy symptoms of hives or swelling. More severe reactions are known as anaphylaxis, and this condition may be life threatening. Features include difficulty breathing, wheezing, feeling dizzy, and collapse, (A nettle type rash called urticaria is usually present as well). This is often a rapid onset after allergen exposure. The person becomes

unwell very quickly and needs prompt treatment with adrenaline. If they have had these serious types of reactions before or are at risk of them, then they should be carrying an adrenaline auto injector and have been seen for a full consultation, history and diagnostic testing with an allergist or Immunologist, so this risk can be assessed and appropriate advice given. If there is a history of Asthma, then it is essential that the asthma is well controlled. If a reliever inhaler (usually blue Ventolin inhaler) is being used frequently or the person /child regularly wakes in the night coughing, then this is a sign that their asthma is not controlled, and this is a serious risk factor that worsens the outcomes of an anaphylactic reaction. So get asthma treated, controlled and sorted. See your GP for further advice. It is also important to treat hay fever-like symptoms called rhinitis, such as a constant runny nose with clear fluid, congestion and sneezing. Ask you pharmacist or GP for best treatments.

Leading the fight against allergies Food allergies are much more common amongst children who come from families where other members suffer from allergy. Babies who suffer from severe eczema are particularly at risk of having food allergies, for example a baby with severe eczema before three months of age is very likely to suffer from food allergies. Most serious food allergies start in infancy and early childhood. They are caused by a relatively small number of different foods. Milk and egg allergy are the most common and tend to disappear during early childhood. The other common food ‘allergens’ vary depending on where you live in the world, with peanut and tree nut allergies being most common in the UK. Currently around 2% of UK school children are allergic to peanuts. This type of allergy can be so severe that it can affect breathing and blood pressure as well as causing swelling and itchy rashes. This requires immediate medical treatment as it can become life threatening.

If you suspect that something in either your or your child’s diet is causing more delayed symptoms such as eczema or reflux then it can be helpful to keep a food diary to see if the relationship between having the food in the diet (and your diet if you are breast feeding) and the symptoms, is consistent. If it is, then the diary could be helpful to your doctor. When a food that is eaten daily is the cause, such as milk and wheat, it is not easily apparent. Food allergy can potentially have the greatest impact upon the lifestyle and choices you make. Some people will even choose not to holiday abroad due to safety issues surrounding their or their child’s allergies. Allergy UK provides translation cards which can help to alleviate the worry when it comes to travelling abroad. The translation cards are available in over 35 languages and you can use these when eating out in another country, to alert the waiting/cooking staff of

"Most serious food allergies start in infancy and early childhood"

your food allergy or to state that you are having an allergic reaction and need an ambulance. The Allergy UK Forum and Facebook pages are very useful when it comes to sharing tips, ideas and recommendations on where to go to eat or travel with your family if you have to consider allergies when making lifestyle choices. They are also great places to talk to others who may be going through a similar experience. It’s useful to have a good support network around you and you can often find comfort by surrounding yourself with others who share similar experiences. Education Guide 19

Allergy UK

"Allergy UK provides translation cards which can help to alleviate the worry when it comes to travelling abroad " Awareness around food is improving. Food labelling changes that came into place in December 2014, mean that all pre-packaged food products now have to have the 14 most common allergens labelled boldly within the ingredients list. The new regulations also apply to loose foods and restaurant menus. According to the new regulations, restaurants should be able to provide the customer with a full ingredients list of all their recipes in order for the customer to make a judgement as to whether the meal is completely safe for them to eat. Although the new changes could cause some initial confusion, they should 20 Education Guide

bring beneficial results in the long term for people living with food allergies. If you think you may have an allergy, it is advisable to see your GP. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, they may refer you to an allergist for assessment. It is beneficial to receive a correct diagnosis before any expensive or excessively time consuming changes are made to your home environment or diet which may restrict nutritious food groups, resulting in deficiency, which is why it is also important to consult a dietician if you suffer with food allergies. All children with diagnosed food allergies should be referred to a specialist dietitian. Although living with an

allergy can seem very restrictive and unsettling, with clear understanding of the issues, including managing daily life and dealing with an emergency situation, the impact of food and environmental allergy can be managed. Allergy UK is on hand to help anyone who has, or thinks they have, an allergy or intolerance. We have extensive information available on the website (www. allergyuk.org) and also a team of friendly helpline advisors who are there to support and advise anyone who may be having difficulty coming to terms with or understanding their condition (01322 619898).

Two teachers win Blue Peter Book Awards voted for by children The Silly Book of Side-Splitting Stuff and The Spy Who Loved School Dinners win children’s book prize Two teachers, who have written funny and silly books, are top of their class as they win Best Book with Facts and Best Story in the Blue Peter Book Awards 2015, voted for by hundreds of schoolchildren. Pamela Butchart, who teaches philosophy at secondary school, won Best Story with her latest title The Spy Who Loved School Dinners, which was illustrated by Thomas Flintham. Andy Seed, a former primary teacher and deputy head for 17

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years, won Best Book with Facts with The Silly Book of Side-Splitting Stuff, illustrated by Scott Garrett. Both were delighted to be crowned this year’s winners and viewers were able to see them receive their awards on Blue Peter from Waterstones Children’s Laureate 20132015 Malorie Blackman, as the show celebrated its 15th anniversary of the prize. Pamela, who did a book-signing for The Spy Who Loved School Dinners on her wedding day, exclaimed: ‘WOW! Is this real-life?! I’m shocked and utterly over-themoon about winning this fantastic award! It means the world to me that children voted for my book! Thank you.’ Andy, who grew up watching Blue Peter, said: ‘To win a Blue Peter Book Award is a proper thrill not just because it revives all those happy childhood memories but

because the show today does a truly significant job in raising the profile of books and reading at a time when this is needed more than ever. To win any award is a delight but to win the Blue Peter Book Award sets my spine tingling like nothing else.’ The illustrators of the books also expressed their excitement about winning the prize. Thomas Flintham said: ‘Hooray! What fantastic

Book Trust

news! It was exciting enough just to be nominated but to have won has forced me to do a little dance!’ Scott Garrett said: ‘I was so excited to hear that we’d won the Blue Peter Book Award! Blue Peter was a big part of my early years. We’ve all grown up with it and to be part of it AND get an award is something very special to me- I can’t wait to get my badge! Illustrators don’t get inundated with awards, so I’m over the moon to have been awarded this one. Here’s to books!’ A panel of judges including Tom Gates author Liz Pichon, Rastamouse creator Michael de Souza, The

Bookseller journalist Anna James, and non-voting chair of judges, Blue Peter editor Ewan Vinnicombe, selected the shortlist from publishers’ submissions. These were then read and voted on by more than 200 children from ten schools across the UK to decide the winners in each category. The winners were announced on a special World Book Day morning bulletin of Newsround. Pupils at Perry Wood Nursery and Primary School in Worcester said it was an ‘honour’ and ‘exciting as only ten schools in the whole of England can choose the winners of the Blue Peter Book Awards.’

The enormously popular Blue Peter Book Awards are managed by reading charity Book Trust, which works with schools to get more children reading for pleasure. The Awards celebrate the best authors, most creative illustrators and the greatest reads for children. Ewan Vinnicombe, Editor, Blue Peter said: ‘It’s fantastic that in our 15th year of the Blue Peter Book Awards we have given 200 children across the UK the chance to vote for their favourite books. Pamela and Thomas, Andy and Scott should be really proud and Blue Peter will continue to promote children’s books and our viewers’ love of reading.’ Education Guide 23

Keep up-to-date with the Awards at www.booktrust. org.uk/bluepeter and on Twitter by following @ Booktrust and #BPBA The Blue Peter Book Awards have been celebrating children’s literature since 2000. The reading charity Book Trust has managed the Blue Peter Book Awards since 2008. The 2014 winners were Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell for Best Story and Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders: World War II by Tony Robinson and illustrated by Del Thorpe for Best Book with Facts www.booktrust.

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org.uk/bluepeter Blue Peter is the longest running children’s magazine programme in the world. As well as the Book Awards, the show’s family of presenters, live studio home, amazing competitions, incredible challenges, live music, interviews with celebrities, access behind the scenes, pets, makes and bakes, free games online and most importantly its commitment to the audience are all long standing elements of this iconic show. www.bbc. co.uk/bluepeter Book Trust is Britain’s

largest reading charity. It has a vision of a society where nobody misses out on the life-changing benefits that reading can bring. Book Trust is responsible for a number of successful national reading promotions, sponsored book prizes and creative reading projects aimed at encouraging readers to discover and enjoy books. www.booktrust.org.uk

A Barefoot Journey It all began in 1993: Tessa Strickland, a single mumof-three who had spent over a decade working for multinationals Penguin Books and Random House, had decided that corporate life was not compatible with bringing up her children. At the same time, Nancy Traversy had just resigned as financial director of a design group in Covent Garden, following the birth of her first daughter. Tessa’s vision was to create playful yet educational children’s picture books – books that would instil a respect for cultural diversity and a love of the planet. However, she did not have any formal business experience. Nancy, Canadian by birth, had done a business degree at Queen’s University, Toronto, and gone on to train as a Chartered Accountant at Price Waterhouse. When the two women met, they realised that between them, they had the skills they needed to get started. Twenty-two years later, Barefoot Books has grown to become an internationally acclaimed publishing house,

with offices in Summertown, north Oxford and in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Tessa is based in Oxford, Nancy in Cambridge. To date, the company has published over 600 books for children aged 0 – 12. Among its bestsellers are an award-winning version of ‘The Gigantic Turnip’, which has been sold in 22 languages; ‘The Animal Boogie’, a singalong song set in the Indian jungle; and ‘The Barefoot Books World Atlas’ by umbrella-carrying BBC ‘Coast’ presenter Nick Crane. The accompanying Barefoot Books World Atlas app was chosen by Apple last summer as one of its top ten apps and has seen over 4,000,000 downloads to date. For Tessa, starting the business coincided with leaving London for a rural life in Somerset. Having been brought up in rural Yorkshire, she wanted her children to have the kind of freedom she had enjoyed as a child. ‘I also wanted them to have time and space to write and paint, dig and dream – and of course, I wanted these things for myself as well.’ But getting the business on its feet was not without its challenges. Tessa comments: ‘I naively thought that if the business stayed small, I could work around my young family,

"Barefoot Books has grown to become an internationally acclaimed publishing house, with offices in Summertown, north Oxford and in Cambridge, Massachusetts." 26 Education Guide

meeting them at the school gates and fitting my work into the middle of the day.’ That lasted less than six months. Tessa soon found that she needed help with childcare and she had to put in long hours, getting up ahead of the children and returning to her desk after they had gone to bed. Still, being home-based had many advantages: ‘I felt far more at ease being under the same roof as the children, knowing that if there were any dramas, I could leave my desk and be with them straight away. I also think that my working from home gave them a strong work ethic from an early age. They were welcome in the office, as long as they were quiet – the worst crisis was when my older son, Francis, aged ten, took it upon himself to reprogram the computer system and change its password to ‘dolphin’. By this time we had a number of employees, both in Bath and in London, and a company network. Francis’s experiment wrought havoc on the system until our IT team managed to repair the damage.’ By 1998, it was clear that Barefoot Books had the potential to become an international business, so Tessa and Nancy opened an office in North America. Three years later, in the summer of 2001, Nancy and her family moved from London to the east coast. This was one of the darkest times for the business: they took out a lease on an office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when the real

estate market was booming and invested heavily in a mail order campaign. Six weeks later, the events of September 11th saw the market crash and consumer sales plummet. Big book chains such as Borders (now bankrupt) and Barnes & Noble returned stock in lorryloads. Much of it had not even been opened and put on the shelves. As the women navigated their way out of this challenging period, the digital revolution was gaining momentum and Amazon was becoming a household name. Then came the financial crash of 2008, which eroded sales with European publishing partners and led to brutal cuts (still ongoing) to library budgets in the UK. To counter these challenges, Tessa and Nancy focused on partnering with smaller businesses who share the company’s values. They also developed The Barefoot Ambassador Programme. This is a social selling model which enables men and women who want to start their own businesses to do so on their own terms, in their own time. The Barefoot Ambassador Programme is now the heartbeat of the business, with a 1500-strong membership that is growing daily. Ambassadors are people from all walks of life – some are former teachers, some former tax advisors, sports coaches, marketing executives. The programme is open to anyone and the company supports both newcomers and more experienced members with online training, forums, chats and face-to-face workshops across the country. The highlight of the year is the

" The Barefoot Ambassador Programme is now the heartbeat of the business"

annual conference, which runs in both countries, and each quarter brings with it an array of incentives and challenges with fantastic prizes. The only outlay is £89.99 for a set of Barefoot’s bestselling titles – a business in a box. ‘At the worst, you have a collection of fabulous books for your family at half their retail price’, says Tessa. Today, the hub of Barefoot Books’ UK business is its flagship studio in Summertown, north Oxford. As well as housing the company’s offices, the studio acts as a retail outlet for the company’s books and related gift products, has a busy cafe and runs two free storytelling sessions a day. Workshops for everyone from tots to teens to adults take place on the first floor, which can also be booked for birthday parties and other special events. The studio is open six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday. The common thread that

links the different activities is storytelling. For the founders, ‘Stories are the way we make sense of the world in all of its confusion and beauty. They act as road maps for us, not only during infancy and later childhood but throughout our lives.’ Tessa says: ‘I’m often asked how I came up with the company name, Barefoot Books. It actually came to me out of the blue – it seemed to sum up what I wanted to do: to create stories that remind us of our contact with the earth and our common humanity. Different cultures have adapted to different environments over thousands of years, and designed different types of footwear to do so. But when we take our shoes off, all of us are the same. I wanted, in sometimes very simple ways, to express this: to honour the child from Tanzania as much as the child from Scotland, Portugal, Columbia.’

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Book Reviews

Here at The UK Forces Education Guide, we were lucky enough to be sent a selection of Barefoot Books to review. With plenty of children between us, here's what we thought -

The Princes Breakfast

Joanne Oppenheim, Miriam Latimer & Hugh Bonneville My 3 year old daughter absolutely loved this book and the story CD meant she could enjoy it in the car too! As a parent, I liked that the story takes you around the world and talks of other cultures that my daughter had not been previously aware of. The bright illustrations and rhyming style kept my daughter engaged throughout and I know we will be reading this again and again! Jo and Amelie Aged 3

The Wheels on the Bus Melanie Williamson, sung by The Amador Family This is a lovely story which is based on the importance of teamwork in the community. It is easy to read and captured my 4 year old daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention immediately with its colourful illustrations. The facts at the back of the book were an added bonus and ensures your child learns something new. The accompanying CD allows you to enjoy the story to music and is a fantastic addition. Natalie and Jess Aged 4

An Island in the Sun

Stella Blackstone A beautifully illustrated voyage through blue seas to an island where we meet a special friend. Sunny skies, soaring birds, dolphins and sandy beaches all come together in a tale that children of all ages will love. Ben and Aiden Aged 3

Space Song Rocket Rideb

Sunny Scribens An absorbing and educational trip through space and the earth, taking in the stars, the sun, planets and our very own Milky Way. Supported by stunning artwork and songs, Space Song Rocket Ride is an adventure through the Universe we live in and a great read that parents and children can really get involved with together. Ben and Aiden Aged 3

The Feathered Ogre: A Story From Italy Fran Parnell and Sophie Fatus I read this Italian folk story to my two sons, aged 6 and 8. The story tells of the heroic journey of the gardener Pirolo in his quest for an ogres feather which has the power to heal the sick. Illustrated in a way my children loved, the story has some great characters including a brave heroine which is quite unusual for traditional folktales. The story is broken into 5 chapters making it a ideal bed time story and my son was able to read along with me. Richard and Jack Aged 8 and Tommy Aged 6 28 Education Guide

Starlight Grey: A Story From Russia

Liz Flanagan This is a Russian, Cinderella style folk tale about a boy called Ivan, his magic horse and his two mean brothers. Imaginative illustrations help tell a story, similar to Cinderella, and my boys loved it. I feel that this book would suit most ages but as there is a reference to death, I would consider if you are ready for the questions that may follow. The thing I enjoyed most about this series of books is that you are introducing your children to other cultures and that they are learning stories which are unique to different parts of the world. Richard and Jack Aged 8 and Tommy Aged 6

My Big Barefoot Book of Wonderful Words

Sophie Fatus This big, sturdy book, with its bright and vibrant cover, is instantly appealing to toddlers. Packed full of fantastic illustrations and over 700 words to learn, this book is perfect for your little one. I read this with my 22 month old and she delighted in spotting all the different objects and people. Whilst there were lots of words that she knew and proudly announced, there were also lots she didn’t which meant she was learning and was happy to read the book over and over. Jo and Flori Aged 22 months

Garden Rhymes & Animal Rhymes

Clare Beaton Ideal for the not so gentle baby or toddler, these board books are beautifully illustrated by fabric illustrator Clare Beaton. Inside are simple rhymes and poems that are just the right length to keep even the youngest reader engaged. My one year old daughter loved these books and was equally happy having them read to her as she was being left to look through them by herself. Being board books meant there was no worry that the pages were going to be ripped and they were the perfect size for her to hold. Corinne and Isabella Aged 1

Competition

Three lucky winners can win some Barefoot Books simply answer the following question:

Where is the Barefoot Books UK Flagship Studio? 1st prize is 3 books • 2nd prize is 2 books • 3rd prize is 1 book (Prizes dependent on age of child) We will send age appropriate books (4 through to 10+) to the winners. Send your name and address with the correct answer and the age of your child(ren) to: competitions@forcespublishing.co.uk or Hamblin House, Hamblin Court, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 0RU Education Guide 29

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t a n o s ' t a h W Horniman Museum and Gardens Forest Hill, London We are the Horniman Museum and Gardens, an inspiring, surprising, family-friendly, free attraction in South London's Forest Hill. We've been open since Victorian times, when Frederick John Horniman first opened his house and extraordinary collection of objects to visitors. Since then, our collection has grown tenfold and includes internationally important collections of anthropology and musical intruments, as well as an acclaimed aquarium and natural history collection. Unusually for such an important museum, you can see our collection up-close and face-to-face. You can even pick up, try on and play with some of our objects. Our visitors come time and again to explore our free museum, take part in our activities and enjoy our 16acre gardens. And they discover something fascinating and mesmerising every time.

Nature Late Thursday 14 May 6.30-9.30pm Nature is really hotting up in the creative world. From reinventing taxidermy, 1920s nature films with live electronic scores to street artists painting wildlife, cocktails, food and more, discover why nature is so hot it’s cool. Part of Museums at Night. Tickets: £5. Over-18s only. 32 Education Guide

Regular Family and Weekend Events

Horniman Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 9am - 1.30pm A locally sourced, locally sold farmers’ market selling vegetables, meat, fish, bread, flowers, hot food and much more in our glorious Gardens. Free entry

Mud Kitchen Friday 24 April and Friday 22 May 11am – 12.30pm Under 5s and their families can get messy playing with earth and water and making mud pies in a relaxed informal atmosphere! Please dress appropriately. Free. Drop in.

Art Makers Every Saturday 1.30pm & 2.45pm Have fun with different art techniques to create something fabulous to take home inspired by the Horniman’s collections

or seasonal celebrations. Different themes each week, check the website. Tickets: ÂŁ3 Child, adults free. For families with children aged 3+.

Busy Bees Every Tuesday and Wednesday, (except 26 & 27 May) 10.30am, 11.15am, 12pm Horniman Museum and Gardens

Lively sessions for under 5s and their parents/carers during term-time. Activities change each week and include creative play, stories and songs or simple art and craft. Free. Collect tickets from the Ticket Desk area or Pavilion on the day. Please note: these sessions are not suitable for nursery school groups.

Discovery for All Every Sunday 11.30am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm Come and visit our Hands On Base and explore its thousands of real objects from around the world. Free. Everyone welcome including adults without children. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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Hands on Family Workshops Every Saturday 11.45am & 1pm Touch real museum objects and discover them with your family in these popular themed sessions for all families. 25 April: Puppets 2 May: Flying 9 May: Music (BSL) 16 May: Masks 23 May: Toys 30 May: Nature Free. For families with children aged 3+.

A World of Stories Every Sunday (except 5 April) 2pm & 3.15pm Our popular storytellers bring the Horniman’s collections and Gardens alive with enchanting stories from around the world. Free. For families with children aged 5+.

Hear it Live! Tuesday 28 April and Tuesday 26 May 3.30-4pm On the last Tuesday of each month, enjoy an informal live performance in the Music Gallery bringing to life the keyboard instruments on display in At Home with Music. Free

Dawn Chorus Walk Saturday 2 May 5-7am Join expert ornithologist David Darrell-Lambert on an early morning tour of the Horniman Gardens for International Dawn Chorus day and learn to identify the many bird songs

that make up the dawn chorus. Warm up with a hot drink and pastry after the walk and see some taxidermy birds in the Horniman’s Collection. Tickets: Adult £8, Child £5. For children aged 10 and above. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

May Half Term Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May Join us for a May half term full of activities and events inspired by our Plantastic exhibition including fabulous craft activities, pond dipping or minibeast hunting as well as sheep shearing and much more. Please see horniman.ac.uk for full details. Highlights include:

Discovery for All Monday 25, Tuesday 26 and Friday 29 May 2-3.30pm Come and visit our Hands On Base and explore its thousands of real objects from around the world.

Free. Everyone welcome including adults without children. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Family Art Fun: May Half Term Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May 11am – 2.45pm Free and fabulous craft activities inspired by springtime and our family exhibition Plantastic. Different activities each day include making pop up bees and Venus fly trap puppets. See horniman.ac.uk for full details. Free

Big Wednesdays: Sheep and Wool Wednesday 27 May 11am – 3.30pm Join us for a day of activities inspired by our woolly friends in the Animal Walk to find out all about sheep and wool and make a felt pompom. Free

Up the Garden Path with Miss Horniman Friday 29 May 11.30am, 1.15pm, 3pm Discover the stories and secrets of the Horniman Gardens with Miss Horniman on this storytelling tour. Free

Exhibitions and Displays

Plantastic Saturday 14 February to Sunday 1 November Explore the wonderful world of plants on a massive scale. From giant seeds and exploding cucumbers to sun-seeking flowers and a huge crawl-through root system, Plantastic’s interactive exhibits and games will bring visitors up close to all kinds of fantastic plant life revealing how plants are essential for life on Earth. Tickets: £3.85 Child, £7.15 Adult, £18.15 Family (prices include 10% voluntary Gift Aid donation). Free for Horniman Members.

Taxidermy is Dead Revisiting Romania: (Long Live Taxidermy) Thursday 12 March to Sunday 7 June Artist Polly Morgan is at the forefront of the taxidermy renaissance. This temporary display of new and recent work shows how taxidermy is not a ‘dying art’, but an evolving art form. Free

Plantastic Gardens Displays Saturday 30 May to Sunday 1 November Our family-friendly Plantastic exhibition will be accompanied, from late May onwards, by three specially designed and themed displays in the Horniman’s spectacular Gardens. The displays include a mass planting of sunflowers, a floral picture of the anatomy of a flower created from more than 3,000 bedding plants, and a beautiful border themed around plants that attract pollinating insects. Free

Dress and Identity Until 6 September 2015 This exhibition showcases elaborately decorated textiles, costumes and artefacts to explore how Romanian folk art has been used to express social and political ideas in the village and on the national and international stage. Free

Open Daily 10.30am - 5.30pm Tel 020 8699 1872. Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ

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Kids Party Games Party games are a great way to break the ice and help shy children feel more comfortable and involved in the party, especially children who may not know any of the other guests. Games should be age appropriate – remember that the younger the child the less able they will be to concentrate for long periods of time (and sit still!) so keep things simple and easy to understand for young kids. Older children will enjoy ‘brain teaser’-style or memory games, such as ‘What’s On the Tray’ and Charades. These tips for breaking the ice should help everyone feel relaxed too! 38 Education Guide

Here are some fun ideas to get you started:

front and repeat until the first player is at the start again.

Simon Says

Treasure Hunt

Mum or helper says “Simon says” hop on one foot, clap your hands, run round in circles, stand still, jump up and down etc, the list is endless. You can play this game so many different ways eliminate anyone who is slow to react, so you end up with just one winner. Stay on one theme e.g. making the sounds of animals, doing the actions of animals e.g. elephants, bunnies, crocodiles, birds etc. Or keep everyone “in” and do not eliminate anyone.

Can be played indoors or out. Can be tailored to a party theme. Hide different things or objects, the players have to either collect a set number or find a list of things, the first to complete is the winner. Objects can range from pieces of silver foil, chocolate coins, potatoes, pieces of a picture, hats gloves socks. This game can be played individually or in teams of players, but make sure that you have more than enough treasure so everyone can find something.

Butterfly Balloon

Pin The Tail on The Donkey

In pairs take a big butter-fly-net and a balloon. The object of each player is to catch the rival’s balloon with the net as soon as possible, trying not “to loose” his/ her own balloon.

Draw or paint a picture of the back of a donkey without the tail on a big piece of paper or card draw on a big “x” where the tail should be, also paint a separate tail that will be pinned on or use “blue tac”. Each guest is blindfolded in turn and lead to the donkey, spin them round 3 times, then they have to “pin the tail on the donkey”. The one who has put their tail closest to the “x” is the winner. Either make different tails for each guest or mark the spot with their name.

Skittles Save 5 or 6 large fizzy drinks bottles, to use as your skittles, wash them out, paint or cover them. Place the skittles at one end of the room or garden, either in a group or in a line, mark a start line have 3 soft balls for the players to bowl towards the skittles. The player with the most skittles down is the winner, or give each skittle a different value and the one with the highest number of points is the winner.

Pass the Balloon Split the players in to 2 equal teams, the player at the front holds a blown up balloon under their chin, no hands allowed, they then have to pass the balloon to the next in their team so it’s under their chin, and so on down the line to the end, keeping the balloon under their chins as they pass it along. The first to the end is the winner, or last player to the

Bubbles Very simple but great fun. Blow lots and lots of bubbles into the air and let the children catch them. The more bubbles the better, so try and get help with this game otherwise you will be out of breath.

Find a Chair The chairs are put in a line with their seats facing opposite sides. The leader of the game takes a long stick and walks round all the players, who are sitting on the chairs. Then he strikes the floor with the stick near one of the players. This player stands up and follows the leader. So the

leader walks round the chairs, strikes with the stick near the players and very soon he is followed by all of the players. The leader makes different movements and all the rest repeat them. Suddenly the leader strikes with the stick twice. This is a signal for the players to take their places as soon as possible. The leader tries to take one of the places himself. The player who doesn’t manage to take a seat becomes the leader.

Red Blue Green Red means fast, blue means normal speed, green means slow. Choose different activities hopping, skipping, jumping, walking, dancing etc. Shout out the colours and activity.

Score a Goal Give 2 balloons to each player - a round and a long one. Using the long balloon as a bat the players must drive the round balloon into a box which is used as the goal. The player whose balloon is driven into the box the first is the winner. It’s easier to tell whom the winner is if the balloons of the players are different colours or write the players names on the balloons.

Tips for Breaking The Ice A great way to make everyone feel welcome and relaxed is to play ‘The Name

Game’ at the beginning of the party. To do this you will need to write out the name of each guest on a piece of card before the party begins. Colour the letters and cut out each one. Then prepare another strip of card with a piece of sticky-back Velcro attached to the back. Finally, make a chart of all the children’s names and pin this to the wall - just in case they don’t know how to spell their names. Scatter the letters throughout the room and, as the children arrive, ask them to hunt for the letters of their name. Once they have found them, ask them to stick them on to the piece of card with Velcro on the back to make their own name badge. Now everyone will know each other’s names and the ice should well and truly be broken! Another idea to warm the party up is to hunt for stars. Buy some packets of differently coloured little stars (or make some yourself) and hide them around the room before the party begins. The children need to collect as many pairs of the same colour as they can – the child with the most pairs wins. Alternatively, set up a simple craft exercise which will help the kids to get to know each other; something like colouring hats, for example. Cut out hat shapes and put them on a table with crayons or felt tipped pens for the kids to colour. The hats can be themed to match the party (e.g. pirateshaped hats/princess tiaras). www.netmums.com

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Thank the Teacher

s a e d I t f i G n u F

With the end of the school year fast approaching, we asked our resident crafter (Sales Manager Sally!) if she had any ideas for teacher’s presents with a difference. “It can be difficult at the end of the final term, when it’s time to say goodbye to the teacher that has looked after and taught your child for the last year. What do you give someone who has had such a huge influence on your child and their education. Too big a gesture and it will embarrass the teacher and alienate other parents. That said, I feel strongly about saying thank you and showing appreciation. Last year I opted for two presents; one from my daughter and one from me. I am an avid Pinterest 42 Education Guide

follower and love to see the different ideas on there. It was here I spotted the crayon letter and decided that that was what I was going to do. For this I used the ever reliable frame from IKEA, crayons (I chose Crayola – and purchased these cheap as chips from Asda), a cutting mat, stanley knife and superglue. There are different ways to cut your crayons; I did it by eye having found a nice shaped letter which I cut to match. I have seen people draw the letter and cut the crayons within and whichever you find easiest is fine. I cut all the crayons first, placed them and then one by one, glued them to

the backing card. This is a timely job but the outcome is amazing. I’m not sure whether this gift was purely as a thank you or whether I wanted a well done and a gold star from the teacher! As a gift from my daughter I went down a more personal route. Nearby to most towns you will find a pottery painting studio. I asked my daughter to draw her and her teacher on a piece of paper and she proceeded to draw the entire class (although I did have to check she hadn’t forgot anyone). I took it to the pottery studio and having looked at the different items for sale, I decided that a plant pot was the best option. I was provided with Carbon Paper (a tracing paper for pottery) and traced every member of the class onto the pot. The pottery studio then gave me two options; either I painted them on myself or I paid a small fee,

on top of the plant pot, and they would paint them on for me. To make it that little bit more personal, I opted to paint them myself. While we were there my daughter also painted mugs and coasters for the teaching assistants. I believe it is important not to forget the teaching assistants as although they may not lead the lessons, they still spend an awful lot of time with our children and provide invaluable help to the teachers. As this was my daughters first year at school, I also wanted to make an extra effort. All in

all it took just over an hour for my daughters class to be painted onto the plant pot and for my daughter to paint the mugs and coasters (which kept her nice and busy while I was painting). Gifts do not have to be expensive, or run of the mill and I think the thoughtful, personal ones are the best. Pinterest have literally 1000’s of ideas and the majority of these can be made at home”.

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Bright On!