Family Matters | October half term 2020

SOUTH WEST EDITION

OCTOBER 2020

stay safe this fireworks night

www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

school news

WELCOME

Look at you go! You’re already half way through your first term of the school year! Well done!

We’re sure at this point you’re starting to get into the swing of things and getting used to your new bubbles and the new rules that are in place. This issue, we want to mention the C word as little as possible, so we’ve filled it with fun things to help you celebrate getting this far and enjoying the change of the seasons!

While there might not be as many events happening as usual, we’ve still included suggestions for how to have fun over bonfire night, even if you aren’t going to a large display this year as well as a host of fun recipes you can make at home so you can easily create the atmosphere of the usual autumn events!

If you want to appear in our next issue, don’t forget to send us over your achievements for our WOW feature! We love hearing from you whether on social media or by email, we love celebrating with your with your achievements and sharing them, so do submit your photos on our website, get in touch with us on Twitter or Facebook at @ukfamilymatters or send us an email on news@ignyte-uk.co.uk For now, enjoy your half term and we hope you enjoy this issue of Family Matters!

p7 keep your pets happy this fireworks night

p8 seasonal recipe ideas

p12 suffering with eczema

p15 why it

pays to shop early for Christmas

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Half Term at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells If you want to get out and about safely with the family this October Half Term, why not make a visit to The Bishop’s Palace in Wells, where they’ll have plenty to entertain the kids with their Half Term Family Trail.

Designed to get young and old alike to explore the 14 acres of Palace Gardens, the “Squirrels and Leaves” Half Term Family Trail will give you an excuse to enjoy the fresh air and autumn views.

The site is open from 10am-4pm daily and, when they’ve finished the trail, the little ones can enjoy playing in The Dragon’s Lair natural play area which has been recently re-furbished.

The Bishop’s Table café will be open with inside and outside seating, for breakfast, snacks, lunches and hot & cold drinks.

Pick up a trail from the Shop or download from the Palace website, and head off together on an autumn adventure!

If you’re choosing to host your own firework display in your garden rather than heading out to an organised event this year or if your usual event is cancelled or operating on a limited capacity, here are some top tips to make sure everyone has fun while staying safe!

Did you know that over 5,000 children a year are rushed to hospital after receiving burns around bonfire night? Most of these injuries happen at smaller events, so it’s important to set out some rules and stick to them.

Make sure to keep your fireworks stored in an appropriate place before the big day. It’s advised to store them in a metal box until you are ready to use them.

be t place to feet The safes or 60 18 metres e sure d n u ro a is ak nfire, so m ome from a bo s r o e p a ro to set up bonfire e th d roun markers a er guests n and oth re d il h c o nd. s ere to sta know wh om any a away fr re a e th p s, fences Set u es, hedge se. e tr , s g in ca build etc, just in or sheds avoid you should , e m ti e 11pm Check th orks after loud firew ave urs who h o b h ig e n y Inform an y may not like the the s a ts e p reworks. noise of fi

Make sure to read the individual inst ructions before starting th e display.

Have a bucket of water at the ready.

Remember to alw ays hold the firework at arm’s length and to lig ht it with a taper or firework lighter.

Don’t go back to a firework once you’ve lit it, they can take some tim e to get going, so al ways leave them .

If you’re in charge of lighting the fireworks, avoid any alcohol, you should be in cont rol at all times!

Don’t throw spen t fireworks into a bonfire!

After you’ve finis hed, make sure on ly adults help with the clear up and that they all use glov es or tongs to co llect any rubbish to avoid hurting themselv es!

If you’re planning to give the kids sp arklers, be aware that th ey can reach up to 2,000 degrees! Never gi ve them to childre n under five and keep a cl ose eye on any ch ild ren who are over fiv e. Never give a sp arkler to a child to hold in their bare hand an d make sure that no one runs with one, or waves one around. Spent on es are still very ho t, so make sure that everyo ne knows not to pick them back up again.

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KEEP YOUR PETS HAPPY

this firework night

Whether there are big displays or small private ones, fireworks are not as fun for animals as they are for us humans. If you have pets, or know someone that does, make sure to follow these suggestions to make sure that they have a safe and happy firework night – just like you!

CATS, DOGS AND OTHER INDOOR PETS If you have pets that generally live indoors, make sure to keep them in the house if you know there are going to be fireworks going off, especially cats, as we all know they like to go off on little excursions and could be gone hours!

ONCE YOUR PETS ARE INSIDE

OUTDOOR PETS (RABBITS, GUINEA PIGS ETC.) If possible, move your pets inside, if not, then you can move their hutches or pens into a garage or shed.

If you can’t move them inside: • Cover up their cages/hutches/enclosed areas with a breathable blanket, this can help deaden the sound, but also block out the light to help them feel more secure.

• Give them extra bedding to give them somewhere to hide.

By doing these things, you can make sure that everyone in your household enjoys firework night!

• Shut and secure any windows and doors that lead outside so they can’t run off if they get scared.

• Where possible, close blinds and curtains, depending on how close the fireworks are and how thick your curtains, you can block out much of the sound and the light which will help your pets.

• Build them a den to help them feel secure – this is useful if you have young, old or particularly timid pets. Get some blankets and cover up an area they like to sleep or usually hide in so they can take themselves off and feel secure.

• Try putting on the TV or some music so that they are distracted by familiar sounds.

• Don’t make a fuss of them or get angry with strange behaviour, just give them some space and act as you usually would.

There are a number of products you can buy that release a soothing scent or noise that can also help, if you’re worried that your pets might need a little extra help to stay calm during the firework season, make sure to speak to your vet.

Do you have any other suggestions for keeping your pets safe during firework season?

You can let us know, find us on Facebook or Twitter @ukfamilymatters ukfamilymatters |

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Seasonal treats you can make at home:

apples!

Toffee apples

Adults to make - children to supervise.

You will need

6 large apples red ones are best, but any apple is fine 6 wooden skewers 300g golden caster sugar 3tbsp of golden syrup 5 tbsp of water Optional decoration – nuts, fruit, sprinkles

Step 1

Put six apples in a large bowl and cover with boiling water, this will remove any wax on the apple’s skin and will help the toffee stick. Leave them in the water for a few minutes and then drain them and dry them with a paper towel – be careful as they might still be hot!

Step 2

Gently push a wooden stick into the top of each apple and through the core, make sure they don’t come out the other end, just push them in enough to make them secure. Put the apples, skewers up on a baking tray lined with non stick paper.

Step 3 – Make the toffee covering.

Add 300g of golden caster sugar to a medium sized pan with 3 tbsp of golden syrup and 5 tbsp of water. Swirl the water so it covers the sugar, but don’t stir it, heat the mixture on a low heat until the sugar dissolves and then turn up the heat and boil the sugar syrup until it reaches 140 degrees. Use a sugar thermometer to get an accurate temperature, if you don’t have a sugar thermometer, place a bowl of very cold water next to the hob, using a clean spoon, carefully take a little of the syrup and drop it into the bowl of cold water, when the syrup hardens immediately when it hits the water, you are at the right temperature.

Make sure not to stir the caramel at any time, just swirl it gently in the pan.

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Step 4 – Cover the apples and set

Once you’re at the right temperature, dip each apple holding on to the wooden stick into the caramel quickly. Be careful not to touch the caramel at any time. For an even coat, tip the pan slightly while rotating the apple, repeat quickly with the other apples, if the mixture is too stiff, return it to the heat until it softens up.

Step 5 – Optional decorating

Leave the apples to cool on a baking tray, skewer side point up, for plain toffee apples. If you want to decorate them, immediately after dipping them in the caramel, sprinkle them with nuts, fruit or sprinkles. Make sure to sprinkle your optional toppings rather than dunk the sticky apples, otherwise you might end up stuck to the bowl!

Leave to set for at least half an hour before eating!

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Toffee apple crumble

Elements which everyone can get involved with.

You will need

Step 1 – The prep

1.5 kg bramley apples 150g butter 8tbsp of toffee or caramel sauce shop bought is fine 175g plain flour 1.5 tsp ground ginger 25g rolled oats 100g soft brown sugar

This bit should be done by an adult, start by preheating your oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4.

Peel and core the apples and cut them into chunks and add to a sauce pan with 25g of the butter and 2 tbsps of water.

Step 2 – cooking the apples

Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook over a low heat until the fruit starts to soften, spoon into a large ovenproof dish and spoon the toffee sauce over the top.

Step 3 – the topping

This bit the kids can get involved in! Measure out the flour, ginger and butter and lightly rub them together to create something that resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the oats and with an adult, carefully scatter over the top of the apple mixture, finish by sprinkling the sugar over the top.

Step 4 – the cooking

Get an adult to place the oven proof dish on a baking tray and put in the oven for 40-50 minutes until the topping is crisp and golden.

Step 5

Serve warm with ice cream, custard or cream - enjoy!

toffee apple sponge

Adults to make - children to enjoy eating!

You will need

75g unsalted butter 100g muscovado sugar 50ml double cream ¼ tsp of vanilla extract 3 large apples 1 tbsp lemon juice 4 slices of shop bought madeira cake

Step 1 – The prep

Step 2 – the cooking

Turn up the heat and cook for a further five minutes stirring until the apples have softened and the sauce is starting to resemble toffee. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.

Adults are needed for this bit, in a medium pan, melt the butter, muscovado sugar, double cream and vanilla extract over a low heat.

Peel, core and slice the apples and then add them with the lemon juice to the butter concoction and then stir and cook for around three minutes.

Step 3 – the serving

While the apple mixture is cooling, toast the cake slices under a hot grill for around 1-2 minutes each side until lightly golden. Divide the slices between you all and top with the apple mixture.

You can then serve with ice cream, cream, custard or eat it as it is!

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W h

d a A Lov s a w e la o

Every October, we celebrate Ada Lovelace Day, but who exactly was she and why do we celebrate her?

Ada Lovelace was the world’s first computer programmer and every October, there is an international celebration of the achievements of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. Here’s everything you need to know about this extraordinary lady!

The facts:

Ada Lovelace was born on 10th December 1815, she was the daughter of Annabella Milbanke and the famous poet, Lord Byron.

Her mother insisted that she be taught logic, science and maths from a young age, something that was virtually unheard of at the time. This lead to her having a huge fascination with machines from childhood onwards.

When she was 19, she married the aristocrat William King, who was later made the Earl of Lovelace, so from 1838, she was known as Lady Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (or just Ada Lovelace).

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In 1833, she met and became friends with Charles Babbage, the inventor of the computer. He had created a design for something called the Analytical Engine, although it was never built, the design features all the things seen in modern computers.

Ada studied the plans for the Analytical Engine and wrote a number of early computer programs to help make it work, including codes to help it use letters and numbers the way computers do now. She also created a method to allow for the machine to repeat instructions, something known as looping which is still used in computer programming today!

In the 1940s, Alan Turing, the man who used computers to crack codes from the German army during World War II, was inspired by her notes and they went on to help him create the modern computer systems we still use now.

Sadly, when she died in 1852, her contributions to the field of computer science were largely unnoticed.

However, since then she has received lots of awards for her work, including having a celebration day named after her, computer languages named after her and other programs!

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SUFFERING WITH ECZEMA ANTIHISTAMINES If your eczema is triggered by allergies, having antihistamines to hand can really help soothe the problem areas. You can pick them up from pharmacies or as part of your weekly shop in supermarkets and they come in both tablet and liquid form. If you find the over the counter dosage isn’t quite enough, speak to your doctor to see if they can prescribe you stronger ones or ones that specifically target skin complaints.

MOISTURISE REGULARLY During the colder months as autumn starts to become winter, make sure to regularly moisturise your and your children’s skin to avoid dry spots. As we are all washing our hands more, you might find that the skin on your hands starts to crack or dry out, so moisturising will also help with that! Make sure to add moisturising to your usual washing routine and use a moisturiser aimed at sensitive skin before and after washing to keep the moisture locked in. You can find plenty of moisturisers that are perfect for kids and those with skin problems in pharmacies or at the supermarket, but if you’re really concerned, you can ask a pharmacist of your GP for recommendations or medicated moisturisers.

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Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions and many people tend to get flare ups around this time of year as the weather starts to get colder and dryer. If you are someone who suffers from eczema, here are some top tips from the National Eczema Organisation to help make those flare ups a little less uncomfortable.

If you have eczema you’ll know that it can affect your skin in lots of different ways depending on where it is on your body. The most common spots are in the creases of the elbow and the backs of the knees which can be very irritating and uncomfortable, especially for younger children. It can also flare up because of stress and as we start to settle back into school or start looking towards Christmas, this can cause it to play up a bit too.

AVOID CERTAIN CLOTHES Some materials are just more irritating than others, where possible try to avoid wearing wool or other materials that are already a little itchy. Try to stick to fabrics like cotton which are more breathable. Many school uniforms use wool in their production, so if this is a problem, try speaking to the school about alternatives.

SPEAKING OF CLOTHES… Eczema can be made worse by sweating and overheating, so try dressing the kids (or yourself) in layers, so you can easily remove clothing as needed to stop overheating and add more to keep warm as the weather changes.

KEEP HYDRATED When it’s cold out, reaching for a glass of water, squash or juice is probably the furthest thing from your mind, but staying hydrated can really help if you’re in the midst of an eczema flare up. Make sure to drink plenty of water (or squash or juice, but not too much of the sugary stuff!)

Do you or any of your family suffer from eczema flare ups at this time of year? What are your tried and tested methods to clear up stubborn patches? You can share your advice on Facebook or Twitter, just tag us, @ukfamilymatters ukfamilymatters |

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A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

.

D E T R SO

Why it pays to shop early for

Christmas.

It’s still autumn but Christmas goodies are already creeping onto supermarkets’ shelves.

Retailers are bringing the start of the festive shopping period ever forward, and it could be worth following their lead.

Here are some reasons why it pays to start your Christmas shopping early.

A relaxed approach.

We’ve all seen, or been in, the huge queues that form at bus-stops and in shops, or experienced the grid-locked traffic that all happen in the final run up to Christmas. With the current pandemic, getting started early means you can avoid all that stress and get ahead if a lockdown occurs.

A head start.

The must-have toy or gadget of the year can sell out in the weeks leading up to Xmas, so as soon as you know that you need to get someone something very specific – go buy it. If it’s the must-have thing, it’s unlikely to be in any preChristmas sale, so don’t dally.

Time to get it right.

Sit down as soon as you can to write your list of who you need to buy for and what they would like.

If you don’t know what to buy, make use of the time you have to gather some intelligence by subtly asking what people would like. Do this too close to Christmas and you’ll be found out!

Time to hone your present list.

If you get organised quickly enough, you might find you can come to an agreement with those beyond your immediate family and friends not to exchange gifts – or set a ‘cap’ on the cost. This doesn’t mean playing scrooge, present buying can easily get out of hand – so try and be realistic. Does everyone on your list really belong there?

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A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E Save money.

Be on the look-out for deals like 3 for 2 and make the most of them. Yes, there are deals to be had in the run up to Christmas, and online retailers will often have flash sales, but other popular products may actually be left out of the deals you see around today.

Spread the cost.

Aside from buying presents, December is an expensive month with many families paying out extra for utility bills, extra miles in the car and bigger food bills. According to YouGov, the average family spends £820 on Christmas.

Starting your Christmas present buying early means you can soften the impact on your bank balance.

Time to check your goods.

If something you buy is faulty, it is much better to sort this before Christmas Day rather than see the disappointment in someone’s face when it transpires that the gift doesn’t work – particularly battery operated toys or electrical goods for children.

More time for Christmas!

Ideally, Christmas should be a holiday – a time to relax and spend time with the family. While some of the stresses and strains are unavoidable when there is so much happening within a few short days, taking care of all your shopping early leaves with more time, energy and motivation to prepare for the aspects of Christmas that are fixed in time like the turkey roast!

Sort your Christmas cards too.

With shops stocking Christmas goods early, you can get stuck into your Christmas card list now.

Satisfaction.

There’s something supremely satisfying in hitting 1st December knowing you’ve got Christmas sorted. But try not to look smug about it!

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Do you know your Greek gods?

Ancient Greek storytellers travelled from village to village, telling stories about the ancient gods and used the gods and myths around them to explain naturally occurring events, such as why the sun travelled across the sky, or why flowers bloom.

The Greeks believed the twelve most important gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus. From here, they kept an eye on life below and from time to time, they would interfere in what was going on. They could send storms if they were angry and decide who was victorious in wars.

Below are some descriptions of the Olympians, but can you put the name to the description?

1....................................... king of the gods 2....................................... wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage 3....................................... brother of Zeus, ruler of the underworld 4....................................... brother of Zeus, ruler of the seas 5....................................... sister of Zeus, goddess of the harvest 6....................................... daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom 7....................................... son of Zeus, god of war 8........................................ son of Zeus, messenger of the gods 9........................................ goddess of love Answers: 1. Zeus 2. Hera 3. Hades 4. Poseidon 5. Demeter 6. Athena 7. Ares 8. Hermes 9. Aphrodite 18 |

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LATEST SCHOOL NEWS

EVENTS

DIARY DATES

YOUR SUCCESSES

News and Reviews TRUST CHARITY OF THE YEAR I am delighted that we have confirmed the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust will be our chosen charity across the Midsomer Norton Schools’ Partnership this academic year.

We have chosen this charity because of the excellent work they have led supporting disadvantaged children and also tackling discrimination. We live in a society where prejudice is still at large, often unseen and unreported. It is our duty in schools to do all that we can to educate children about right and wrong; to support children and our communities to understand why prejudice is so destructive and to help those who are disadvantaged.

by Alun Williams, CEO MNSP Alun Williams, Midsomer Norton LOTTERY FUNDING AWARDED Schools' Partnership.

TO FROME BIRTH TALK Frome Birth Talk, a maternal mental health charity based PLAY AREA GIVEN in Frome, are celebrating a multi year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund which will see them £30K GRANT receive £97,000.

The five year funding protects the future of the charity’s free professional counselling service for pregnant women and new mothers as well as its social groups, exercise classes and well-being activities, all of which are geared towards improving the mental health of new and expectant mothers.

Work began in September on Longwell Green’s William’s Close play area which has been given £30K from South Gloucestershire Council to replace the old play equipment with new.

The park’s old spiral slide is one piece of equipment being removed on health and safety grounds as the design is no longer compliant with current play area safety standards.

Instead, the play area will have a new slide tower which is more suitable for young children and has accessible features for children with mobility issues. The council has also pledged to improve the rubber surfacing.

For more information on the workshops and sessions, email fromebirthtalk@gmail.com.

Usually sessions take place at Frome Community Hospital, however due to current restrictions, they are operating remotely for the time being.

St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School Charlton Road, Midsomer Norton BA3 4BD ‘Growing Together Through Christ’

Family owned & run A caring & professional service

Midsomer Norton’s and Radstock’s only independent veterinary practice Puppy & kitten starter packages Puppy parties Pet Health Club Vaccinations Pet passports Pet behaviourist Neutering

01761 412132 enquiries@midsomervets.co.uk www.midsomervets.co.uk

Where every day is an OPEN DAY We are a smaller than average school and pride ourselves on our caring approach and our ability to meet every child’s needs, helping them develop and ensure they reach their full potential, whilst growing in the love of Christ. We welcome children of all faiths.

We also offer wrap-around care as well as an independent on-site Nursery.

Come and see for yourselves what the St Benedict’s experience can do for your child.

Please call 01761 418594 to make an appointment Email: stbenedicts@educ.somerset.gov.uk www.stbenedicts.info

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BARNARDO’S OFFER SUPPORT FOR FROME CHILDREN Barnardo’s are providing a new service for Frome children and young people who are missing out on needed support during the coronavirus pandemic. The new project is managed

by Barnardo’s and funded by the Department for Education offering online counselling, therapy and face to face support where possible.

According to the service, anyone can refer a child or young person to the service, which is free to access. It aims to provide a lifeline for young people struggling with their mental health, who might have special educational needs, be a young carer or need help in any other aspect of their lives.

Sarah Crawley, regional director of Barnardo’s, told local reporters: “The coronavirus pandemic has meant that vulnerable children and young people have been hidden from vital support services. Many have been suffering in silence and are in danger of being left behind if their needs are not met.

That’s why Barnardo’s is leading a consortium of more than thirty charities to identify and support children who are at risk of harm.”

For further information, you can visit www.barnardos.org.uk/seehear-respond helpines are open Monday to Friday from 9am – 9pm and weekends from 10am-6pm. Call 0800 157 7015.

ALL CHANGE AT ELMHURST! Everyone at Elmhurst School have given a warm welcome to Claire London, Jo Gough and Becky Gamble who are joining the school this term. Other changes at school is that Olivia Cave has moved from the WAP team and is now based in Rowan Class, Karen Crafer is now in Elm Class and Molly Wilkins has joined Fir Class.

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FUNDING AVAILABLE TO STAY ACTIVE South Gloucestershire Council has secured £40,000 of funding to help children aged 10-14 stay active through the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic by connecting them with local organisations who can support and advise them.

Following a successful bid to the Youth Endowment Fund, which is an independent charitable trust set up by the Home Office, the council will be working with various local partners including youth organisations and schools to provide activities in communities across the South Gloucestershire council area.

There will be up to 40 six week programmes which will include a wide range of subjects. The projects will be focused on areas of the district where there are fewer activities on offer and where anti social behaviour might be an issue.

FROME COLLEGE HEAPS PRAISE ON GCSE AND A LEVEL STUDENTS Frome College has praised the fantastic results achieved by its GCSE and A Level students. According to the college, both sets of students have achieved some of the best grades they have ever seen. Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, students were unable to sit the exams as they would usually, so this year, the results were based on predicted grades.

Emma Reynolds, Frome College’s Principal, said: “We are incredibly proud of the achievements and progress of all our students as they receive outstanding GCSE and A Level results.

Our young people should be applauded for all the years of academic work at college.”

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FREE SCHOOL MEALS TO CONTINUE IN WILTSHIRE Love Marlborough, a Wiltshire based charity which set up a service to provide free meals to children during the school holidays has received funding to allow them to continue to provide food for families in need.

Speaking to reporters, Simon Mills of Love Marlborough, said: “We have applied for and been awarded a grant from the Wiltshire Community Foundation to enable us to purchase food and, when times allow, deliver cooking training courses.�

EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES On Friday 25th September, Westbury Junior School celebrated European Day of Languages. In typical style, both staff and children threw themselves into the spirit of things and spent the whole day speaking new languages, food tasting and enjoying lots of other exciting activities!

Year 3 studied Polish and had a native speaker within the year group to teach the other children some key words. Year 4 chose Danish as their language, making delicious Danish pastries and learning some basic phrases. Year 5 studied Italian and designed their own pizzas using the correct Italian vocabulary. Year 6 looked at Mandarin Chinese and completed a maths lesson in Mandarin, learned how to use chopsticks and practised calligraphy skills writing Chinese characters.

Our Complex Needs Resource Base used their Welsh-speaking teaching assistant to support them in learning the colours in Welsh and making some special Welsh cakes.

Overall, a great time celebrating our multi-cultural society!

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LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Over the past few years, Westbury Leigh Primary School has been developing its school grounds to help enrich the curriculum and opportunities for outdoor learning experiences: the school's aim is all about children being inspired by the environment around them and aspiring to conserve their environmental future.

Mrs Grimsey explains: "We started with Shearwater Farm, where we have chickens, ducks and our two cheeky Golden Guernsey goats: Cinnamon and Nutmeg, all of whom are looked after by our pupils. We have recently developed Forest School too, which is led by our Forest School Lead Mrs Murray providing practical engagement and appropriate risk taking which helps all the children across the school to build selfesteem and confidence whilst promoting social skills".

Most recently, the school have been able to start planting an orchard after a generous donation of fruit tree saplings, this will provide the school with an additional habitat to study in science lessons for years to come.

Jenson from Year 6 said: "Digging the holes were hard work, we had to work out how big the hole needed to be to make sure the roots fitted and the saplings had to be upright and stable and make sure the worms, ants and grubs were taken care of.

After we planted them we all did a rain dance... and it did!"

GYMNASTICS AWARD Amirah, aged 10, who attends Stoberry Park, achieved her level 4 award in Gymnastics.

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WESTBURY LEIGH CE PRIMARY SCHOOL WELCOMES NEW STARTERS

What an inspiring start to a new school year for all our Westbury Leigh new starters. Despite the challenges of lockdown, Westbury Leigh has aspired to ensure every new family joining us is clear on what to expect so that transition is smooth and positive for everyone – and it’s worked really well.

Mrs Towler, who is the Early Years Lead, explains, “What a great start to the year we have had! Fun, laughter and lots of fabulous learning.

The children have settled amazingly well into their new environment; they are confident and happy and really keen to try new things. The children are loving spending time in the re-vamped outside area and have been thoroughly enjoying developing their learning through their play: using the big chalks to mark make, role playing in dens and wigwams and making great use of the space outside when using the trikes – they have even visited numerous exciting destinations on the outdoor train!

The children are enjoying painting colourful pictures, building farms, castles and forts. And very much enjoy using the computers and iPads. The children have made all sorts of delicious concoctions in the home corner and especially enjoy pretending to bake cookies. They have even been writing their own shopping lists. The highlight of the day is our daily dance session which is loved by all! “ Mrs Grimsey, Headteacher said, “As a whole school it has been a fantastic start to the term, the school team we have really missed hearing the children voices and enjoying their company.

We are looking forward to having many more adventures as we continue our journey throughout the year- a big welcome back to all our families!”

JUNIOR BAKER RAISES NEARLY £100 FOR CHARITY Eight year old Evie impressed her neighbours in Melksham recently by holding a bake sale to raise funds for Helping the Homeless in the South West. After inviting neighbours and putting up posters around her street, Evie was able to raise £91 for the charity. Well done Evie!

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