HEY! Magazine North East Somerset edition by Tina Veater

FREE • NORTH EAST SOMERSET EDITION • ISSUE 58 • JULY/AUGUST 2017

Read more at www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

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WELCOME Director Tina Veater 07834 542955 | tina@ignyte-uk.co.uk Editorial Team Tina Veater info@ignyte-uk.co.uk Advertising Team Zoe Jenkins Theresa Saadeh Jane Groves 01761 410141 | info@ignyte-uk.co.uk Graphic Designer Pamela Evans Published by Ignyte Media Ltd Printed by Flying Colours Ltd, Weare, Somerset Business Address: Ignyte Media Ltd, Unit G5, Second Avenue, Westfield Industrial Estate, Radstock, BA3 4BH 01761 410141 info@ignyte-uk.co.uk While every care has been taken to ensure the data contained in the publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Ignyte do not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system in any form without the prior permission of the publisher. Distribution: We deliver to 7000 families through primary schools and other outlets in North East Somerset. The next edition is our Back To School issue & is filling fast.

Ever year as we write the Summer issue of HEY!, we are always aware of the forthcoming changes to some of our readers. These could be moving class, starting primary school for our nursery readers and sadly losing some of our readers as their children move to secondary school. We hope you have enjoyed HEY! over the last 7 years, but do not fear, even though you will no longer get the magazine,you can still keep up to date with us on the website, www.familymatters-uk.co.uk The changes coming in September can cause apprehension for both parents and children, so it’s important to keep the lines of communications open so that your children can talk to you about their thoughts and concerns. The sun has started to shine, the holidays are upon us and this magazine is packed full of ideas and suggestions on things to do and places to go during your summer break. Don’t miss the article on ways to keep your child learning through play and exploration this summer or the piece regarding the Summer Reading Challenge – a great way for kids to have fun and keep up their reading skills at the same time. We also have an interesting article about Cyber Bullying from the NSPCC and tips on what to do if your child is being bullied. With all the technology and social media channels children are exposed to, it is well worth a read. Are you always a parent that leaves the preparation of the new school year to the last minute? We suggest you relieve yourself of the stress and plan to start early. This maybe uniforms and schools shoes, or even just getting the stationary early – every little helps beat the last minute rush. Make sure you visit the website www.familymatters-uk.co.uk to enter our competitions and while your there, why not sign up to our newsletter giving you the chance to access exclusive offers through Family Matters only. The last issue gave our subscribers a 15% discount from Mini Mooos and Berry Barn and also a 15% discount on personalised name tags from Petit Fernand All of us at HEY! hope you have a wonderful Summer break, enjoy the time with the family and the good weather.

Tina Hey Magazine

@hey_tweeter

www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT NURSERY W

hen it comes to choosing our child’s nursery or preschool, we all feel very pressurised to make the right decision. Over one million children are looked after in day nurseries in the UK and the number is steady rising, so you are not alone in making these choices. Start by obtaining a list of nurseries and pre-schools from your local Children’s Information Service and you can start researching! It’s very important to book a visit to the nursery or pre-schools you are considering as you will be able to meet the staff and see how happy the children are. Look around several places and go for a full session if you can. Don't take your child on the first visit, unless you are sure they will not distract you. If you like the nursery, bring your child and assess their reaction. Ask other parents for their opinions, but remember their children may have quite different needs from your own.

SOME THINGS YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER AND CHECK: • Most nurseries are open from 8am-6pm but you should enquire about provisions for earlier drop off and later pick up if required and what are the additional costs for this service, if any? • Does your employer particular in a Child Care Voucher Scheme and does your chosen nursery accept the vouchers? • Is the nursery registered with OFSTED and ask to see the latest OFSTED report? • If you work outside the area, would it be beneficial to have a nursery closer to work or closer to home? • Is there an outside play area so that children can spread their wings and enjoy the fresh air? • Will your child have a key worker?

Learn and grow at Westfield School Nursery

• Think of drop offs and pick ups and how this fits with your daily routine. • What is the daily routine? Including snack meals, meal times, free play and activities? • Where do babies sleep during the day and if your toddler is still having a day time nap where will they be able to sleep? • For babies, do you need to supply the formula and nappies or are these provided?

Westﬁeld School Nursery provides play based learning for two year olds and preschool children within its purpose built rooms and the large outdoor spaces of the school grounds. This year we have installed a new all weather surface in the garden and climbing area to enhance the children‛s leaning. As part of the school, the nursery children are taught by a qualiﬁed teacher and we provide meals cooked on site. Contact the nursery on 01761 413662 to organise a visit.

Once you have found the nursery or pre-school you and your child are happy with, you can then relax and look forward to watching your child grow.

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EARLY YEARS ENTITLEMENT For parents to get the 30 hour Early Years Entitlement from September, or anytime during the Autumn term 2017 parents must have obtained their eligibility code on or before 31st August 2017. If you apply on or after 1st September 2017 you cannot start claiming the extra hours until the following 1st January 2018. If you think you may be eligible please check via the HMRC checker: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk If you are unable to access the Internet, there is a helpline available 0300 1234097. To see what help you can get with childcare costs, take a look at the Government Childcare calculator at www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator

B ra n d n e w 2y r o l d u n it o p e n in g A u tu m n 201 7 Exp e rien ced , w el l qu a l if ie d sta f f P u rp o se bu ilt N u rse ry ro om s with secu re ou tsid e p la y a re a I d ea l sta rt f o r y o u r child 's ed u ca tio n a l jo u rn e y

An Outstanding Pre-School & Forest Club in the heart of the Chew Valley

Pre-School

Forest Club

t: 07971 330577 | e: bsps@hotmail.co.uk bishopsuttonpreschool.org.uk registered charity No: 1172849

Please contact us to arrange a visit or find out more: 01761 412289 or visit our website: www.midsomernorton primaryschool.com

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THE BENEFITS OF YOUR CHILD ATTENDING A NURSERY OR PLAYGROUP Regardless of the reason of why you send your child to nursery or pre-school, you can be assured that there are many positive benefits which will have a direct impact on your child’s development now and as they progress to school. Day nursery staff work closely together using a key worker policy, meaning that one person will take an overview of your child’s care and development. Your child’s key worker is likely to have a quick chat with you at the end of each day to let you know what your child has been doing and more than likely telling you what a fun day they've had.

As well as increasing your child’s independence and confidence and having the companionship of other children and learning to play properly with others, your little one will have the chance to make relationships with other adults. This will help them learn that other people as well as parents can be trusted and liked. Joining a nursery or pre school is a huge adventure for many children because it is the first time they go and do something on their own with other adults who are not relatives or very close friends.

At pre-school or nursery, your child will have a wider variety of play equipment and toys than you can provide at home. They will have to learn how to share toys and take turns which is all character building.

If your child settles happily they she will gain valuable experiences of happy separations, learning to do without you and knowing that you can go and be trusted to come back later.

Your child may also get the chance to use climbing frames or sand pits that you might not have space for at home. They will also have the fun of playing in groups, maybe pretending to be on a spaceship, in a hospital, school or whatever anybody feels like doing.

And let’s not forget the advantages for the parent. Having your child in a playgroup or nursery – even if it is only a few hours a week - gives you some valuable time to yourself.

You could have been reading your advert instead of this! Advertise for as little as £45.00 Call 01761 410141 or email info@ignyte-uk.co.uk East Harptree Nursery Pre School & Forest School ww.ehnps.co.uk

New hours from September 2017 Mon - Thurs: 8am - 6pm, Fri: 8am - 5pm Term time only 30 hour funding places available

Please contact us on 01761 220191 or 07931 267598 Email: ehnps1@yahoo.com

Next Steps Nursery @ St John’s Redﬁeld Road Midsomer Norton Caring & nurturing learning environment For children aged 2 - 5 years Purpose built nursery in grounds of St John’s Primary School Open 8am – 5.30pm Mon to Fri Please contact Suzanne Dando, Nursery Manager on 01761 235588 www.nextstepsatstjohns.co.uk

Op en ing so on ...

Hidden Garden Day Nursery & Pre-School

Pows Orchard, Midsomer Norton victoria@hgdn.co.uk / 01761 568188 www.hiddengardendaynursery.co.uk

Open Monday to Friday, 7.30am-6.00pm all year

For children from 6 months to 5 years

10% discount

Enrol in May & receive a 10% discount for June, July & August.

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71 PLACES

6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS

FOREST SCHOOL IS A KEY APPROACH TO LEARNING WHICH UNDERPINS THE FREE RANGERS ETHOS AND IS INCORPORATED INTO OUR DAILY PLANNING. AT FREE RANGERS WE BELIEVE A CHILD’S HAPPINESS IS THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH LEARNING IS BUILT. OUR HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF NURTURE EVERY CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-CONFIDENCE TO ENSURE THEY EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITIES ON OFFER AT FREE RANGERS. IF AS A FAMILY YOU VALUE OUTDOOR LEARNING AND ALL IT OFFERS CHILDREN WITH REGARDS TO THEIR HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE DO COME FOR A LOOK AROUND.

WWW.FREERANGERS.ORG.UK 01761 411328 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Is your child two years old or under? Are you thinking about looking into Early Years Education at a nursery setting that focusses on play based experiential learning? Do you believe that learning in green, outdoor areas with a heavily child led ethos is the key to a happy foundation on which to build your child’s future learning? If so, then we are pleased to let you know we currently have availability from September 2017 for children aged 6 months to 2 yrs old. If you would like to book for a show around and further information please phone 01761 411328 or email admissions@freerangers.org.uk

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DEBUNKING COMMON BEDWETTING MYTHS Any psychological or behavioural problem should be managed independently of the bedwetting symptoms. It's best to talk to your doctor about this. Periods of change and stress in a child’s life can explain why they may suddenly start to wet again after even a long stretch of dryness (known as 'secondary enuresis'). Children who have late onset of start wetting again after a period of dryness should always have their bowel and bladder assessed - they may have become constipated for example.

MYTH NO 4:

here are many myths around bedwetting - what causes this common, but complex childhood condition and how it should be treated. Here are ERIC’s answers to just a few of them.

MYTH NO 1:

"Punishing children will help them to stop wetting the bed." Children and teenagers don't have any control of their wetting so punishing them for it is like telling them off for coughing or sneezing. Getting annoyed with children for wetting is very likely to harm their self-esteem and add to their feelings of shame and isolation. Rather than promising a reward or treat for a dry bed, it's more effective and positive to rewards their efforts to be dry something which they do have control over.

"There's no point treating bedwetting - children grow out of it eventually." Bedwetting can and should be treated. According to the UK's NICE guidelines on the management of bedwetting in children and young people, all children who wet the bed should be seen by a health professional from the age of five years. A recent study has shown that taking a 'watch and wait' approach and not seeking help means that children could be suffering from this condition and other bladder problems for far longer than they need to.

MYTH NO 5:

Bedwetting can and should be treated from the age of 5 years.

There’s lots of information about the reasons why children are wet at night and the various treatment options on the ERIC website: www.eric.org.uk/Pages/Category/ bedwetting and ERIC has a bladder and bowel helpline which is answered by expert advisors

A doctor or nurse at a bedwetting clinic can check children for underlying reasons for the wetting such as a urinary tract infection or constipation and get these treated if necessary. Our bedwetting flowchart explains more about the different stages of treatment.

MYTH NO 2:

"Children wet the bed because they're lazy." Bedwetting can be very tiring and stressful to deal with for everyone involved, but it's not something children do on purpose. It happens when they are asleep, so is outside of their conscious control. Living with bedwetting can be really distressing for the sufferer so some deal with their feelings by going into denial, hiding wet bedclothes and acting as if they aren't bothered. It's really important to reassure children that bedwetting isn't their fault and they're not the only ones who do it.

MYTH NO 3:

"Bedwetting is caused by stress and emotional problems." Bedwetting isn’t caused directly by psychological issues such as stress and anxiety, but dealing with it can cause emotional problems, especially low self-esteem. Bedwetting is also associated with an increased risk of behavioural problems such as ADHD.

"Taking children to the loo when they’re asleep will cure their bedwetting." "Lifting' children to the toilet when they're asleep is something which may work for a while, but it's only a way of managing their bedwetting rather than curing it. It basically helps to get a dry bed rather than a dry child as you are deciding when they should do a wee rather than them responding to their own full bladder signal.

Contact details: ERIC’s helpline is open Monday - Thursday 10am - 2pm Tel. 0845 3708008/Email: helpline@eric.org.uk (Calls to the helpline cost 9.6p per minute, plus the phone company's access charge). ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity (www.eric.org. uk) is the only charity dedicated to the bowel and bladder health of all children and teenagers in the UK. ERIC has been raising awareness of bowel and bladder issues since 1988. ERIC provides expert support, information and understanding to children and teenagers and enables parents, carers and professionals to help them establish good bowel and bladder health.

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GETTING KIDS INTO NATURE A

lack of safe and family friendly green spaces, too much traffic and stranger danger are stopping parents letting their children play outdoors. Excessive health and safety rules along with the rise of technology and indoor entertainment like computer games and smart phones are also to blame from the lack of interest of playing outside. The National Trust have a report presenting compelling evidence that we as a nation, and especially our children, are exhibiting the symptoms of a modern phenomenon known as ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’. You can see the report in full at www.nationaltrust.org. uk/documents/read-our-natural-childhood-report and it is a very interesting read. They state ‘Our nation’s children are also missing out on the pure joy of connection with the natural world; and as a result, as adults they lack an understanding of the importance of nature to human society. If we do not reverse this trend towards a sedentary, indoor childhood – and soon – we risk storing up social, medical and environmental problems for the future.’

‘There will be some who will consider the aims of this report and its associated campaign impossible to accomplish. They will argue that society has changed since the days when children roamed free, and that itis now too late to reverse the trends of the past few decades. But The National Trust is not trying to put back the clock to some nostalgic, rose-tinted image from the past. This is all about looking forward, and creating a new world: where the sight of children playing outdoors, without parental supervision, is the norm rather than the exception.’ If you would like to try and get your child more interested in Nature, why not give the 50 things to do before you 11 ¾ challenge, designed by The National Trust a try? You can print the 50 things activity list from www.nationaltrust. org.uk/50-things-to-do and see how many you can tick off this summer. Have fun!

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CYBER BULLYING By Sharon Copsey, NSPCC head of service for the South West NSPCC TIPS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING BULLIED INCLUDE: • Tell someone you trust – it could help you report the cyber-bullying and give you more confidence to deal with the situation • Don’t reply to any nasty messages you receive. Keep the messages that you’ve been sent so that you can show someone • Don’t share, comment, or like any bullying posts. Sharing or commenting could make it worse. • Remember you can call Childline any time for free on 0800 1111

AND IF THE CHILD IS BEING A BULLY:

o-one can deny the online world is an excellent resource for children and young people. It can be used for learning, playing games and connecting with friends. But along with the undoubted benefits of the internet, come dangers that can pose a risk to a child at any time. Children no longer just have access to the internet through a desktop computer at home, they have mobile phones, laptops and tablets. It means when bullying and abuse happens online, it can feel like there’s no escape for the child. It can happen wherever they are, at any time of the day. And as fast as parents can find solutions, the internet changes and presents more problems. A recent survey by the NSPCC and O2 found that four in five children feel that social media companies aren’t doing enough to protect them from pornography, self-harm, bullying, and hatred on their sites. The findings are revealed in the latest Net Aware guide, the UK’s only parents’ guide to 39 of the most popular social media sites, apps, and games used by young people. The guide asks parents and children to review the most popular sites, apps and games that children are using on a number of factors, including seeing inappropriate content, ignoring age restrictions and communicating with strangers. It also offers advice on how to set parental controls on different devices. They can be used to filter and block content, restrict information that can be shared, set limits on time spent online and at what time of day, and set different profiles for different family members. Here are some tips from the NSPCC about how to discuss internet safety with children and young people: • Sit down as a family and discuss boundaries, and what’s appropriate and what’s not • Write a list together of the sites, apps and games your child likes. You can talk about what they might see on the sites using the list as a reference • Talk about anything they, or their friends, have seen online that made them feel uncomfortable

• The first step is realising that you’ve been involved in bullying. We all make mistakes and it doesn’t make you a bad person • Tell someone you trust who may be able to offer you some advice about what to do • Go back and delete any upsetting or nasty posts, tweets or comments • Talk to others involved and encourage them to stop the bullying. It only takes one person to make a big change • Say sorry to the person who was bullied. This can mean a lot • The important thing is to learn from it and change the way you act in the future There’s more information available online at www.net-aware. org.uk or www.internetmatters.org.uk, or by calling the NSPCC’s online safety helpline on 0808 800 5002.

• Make sure they know how to block someone, where reporting functions are and how to keep information private • Talk to them about being ‘share aware’. Would they share their phone number in person? Explain that online behaviour should mirror behaviour in real life • Try to explain that talking to strangers isn’t always bad, but they should be careful about what they share and know that sometimes people aren’t who they say they are • Does your child know what ‘personal information’ is? Talk to them about sharing their email address, full name, phone number, address and school name – and why it’s important There’s a lot to discuss so it’s easier to have conversations little and often, rather than trying to cover it all at once. As children get older, how they use the internet will also change. It’s important for parents to keep talking to them. Having the right information will keep parents and other adults feeling confident and in control.

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July 15

What’s On

Corston Country Fair A traditional country fair, which offers something for all the family, from beer tent, bouncy castle, brass band, cakes, classic cars to chuffy the train ride, tea tent, vintage tractor and everything in between. Fair opens 2pm and closes at 5pm Entry is £1 for adults and free for children.

July 21

Bristol Harbour Festival One of the country’s largest free festivals is back with a bang. Over 200,000 people attend the festival each year to enjoy, quite literally, miles of entertainment along the stretch of the city’s harbourside including live music, circus performances, food markets, theatre, dance and on-the-water displays. Free all day event.

July 22 - September 3

Will you take up the challenge and become a Wildlife Ranger this summer? Every day throughout the summer holidays you can discover a world of wildlife at Slimbridge with Dusty Duck. Each wild task you take on will earn you a sticker and take you one step closer to becoming a Wildlife Ranger! Collect your FREE Wildlife Ranger log book on arrival and complete at least 4 of our exciting daily activities to get your Wildlife Ranger badge. See more at www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge

July 21 - 22

July 24

Free children's craft event Part of summer Library reading challenge. 2.30pm - 3.30pm at The Hub. Free, but please collect a ticket from the hub - places are limited so don’t delay. The Hub, Paulton.

July 25

Nutty Noah: Wear Your Pants With Pride If you’re looking for something exciting to do with the kids this summer, join the king of fun for a very silly show for all the family. Nutty Noah, one of the region’s top children’s entertainers, will delight children and adults alike, with his mix of comedy, music, magic and unbridled fun.The show is playful, explosive and full

of energy; a truly unique blend of pure daftness and inventive genius that has to be seen to be believed. Audiences should come prepared to enjoy hysterical original songs, a good dose of audience participation, and positively no educational content whatsoever! Grab a seat, hold on tight and have as much fun as your kids! Komedia, Westgate Street, Bath.

July 30

Vintage Transport Festival at Avon Valley Railway A special weekend celebrating our rich road, rail and river transport heritage. Organised in conjunction with the Bristol Vintage Bus Group. 10am - 4:30pm. Avon Valley Railway, Bitton Station, Bath Rd.

July 30

Music In The Park Come and join us for an afternoon of FREE music-1.30-5.30pm Bar 12-6pm. The Mangledwurzels - an amazing last show for you, also support act from Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band! Collett Park, Shepton Mallet www.collettparkcafe.com

August 10 - 13

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta A jam packed four days of fun for the whole family, with breakfast and balloons at dawn to the night glows on Thursday and Saturday after dusk, when the balloons glow to a soundtrack of music. Event is free, with concessions made for parking. Ashton Court Estate Bristol BS41 9JN.

August 11

Dragon’s First Breath Ages 6 to 11. Create a paper craft dragon’s egg. 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm. Included in admission price, no need to book. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge Street, Bath.

August 12

Table Top Sale Refreshments will be on sale, All money raised will go to East Harptree Nursery. 1pm – 3pm, The Theatre, East Harptree.

August 20

Mid-Somerset Show Bringing you The Mid-Somerset Show, the only one day agricultural show in the South West with free entry for pedestrians. A fantastic family day out with something for everyone from dog shows and cheese tasting to livestock displays and crafts stalls. Cannard’s Grave Road, Shepton Mallet.

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August 25

Cowtastic Fun with Tractor Ted Join Tractor Ted at Farrington's Farm Shop for some 'Cowtastic' Fun! Have fun bouncing on the giant Tractor Ted Bouncy Castle before scooping up balls in the Tractor Ted Digger Den! And this is before you go off to the Cowtastic Play Barn! Ride the 3.9m Death-tastic slide, tread the Rope-tastic sky walks and enjoy ball cannons, tunnels, towers and so much more. With 6000 sq ft, there’s plenty of room for your little monkeys to climb, swing, slide and jump about. Full details at: www.farringtons.co.uk/farm-park Home Farm, Main Street, Farrington Gurney, Bristol, 11am - 3pm.

September 2

SheppyFest 2017 at Sheppy’s Cider Farm SheppyFest music & cider festival. We enjoyed it so much last year that we are making SheppyFest 2017 event bigger and even better! See more at www.sheppyfest.com.

September 3

Festival Time at Choldertons - T1 on the farm Join us for a fabulous charity event from midday until 10pm,

the perfect way to end the school Summer Holidays! There will be FOUR amazing bands doing sets throughout the day, a bar, BBQ, Hog Roast, Pimms Tents, Facepainting and so much more! Cholderton Charlies Rare Breeds Farm, Amesbury Road, Cholderton.

September 10

The Frome Agricultural & Cheese Show The Show is a must see annual event. Over 350 trade stands provide a non-stop shopping experience showcasing international as well as local fine food, cheese, crafts and other British produce. The Show also offers village green entertainment, a countryside pursuits area, a livestock village and much more. 8.30am – 6pm The Showground, Bunns Lane, West Woodlands, Frome.

September 17

Time for Bricks Amazing lego displays, Lego robots, Children’s build competition, raffle, refreshments and much more. In aid of Time is Precious, Centurion Hotel, Midsomer Norton. 11am - 4.30pm. For info or tickets, visit www.timeisprecious.org

To read more about these events or find out what else is on, visit

www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

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BEACH GAMES 1. FILL THE BUCKET This is the beach version of a

classic party game. You will need two large buckets and two smaller buckets or cups. Separate the family into two equal teams and place the buckets up on the sand, about 50 feet from the edge of the water. At the word “go,” the first person on each team races to the water, fills the smaller bucket or cup and runs back to dump it into the big bucket. Once the person has dumped the water, the cup is handed to the next person on the team who repeats the process. You can continue the game until the buckets are full, or set a time limit and see who can put the most water in the bucket before time is up.

2. SHARKS AND MINNOWS This beach game can be played on the shore or in shallow, still water. One person is designated as the shark, with the other players being the minnows. If the players are older, blindfold the shark to make the game more challenging. The shark has to tag the minnows as they run around the shark. As each minnow is tagged, he or she becomes a member of the shark’s team and now help the shark tag the rest of the minnows. The last person who is tagged is crowned the fastest minnow. 3. SAND DARTS There are many ways to play this beach game. One of the easiest is to draw a large circle in the sand, with

several concentric circles inside that one. The players stand several feet away from the dartboard and toss pebbles or shells onto the sand trying to get as close to the centre as possible.

4. CHANNEL RACE This beach game works best if there

is a slight slope leading to the water. You will need as many ping pong balls as there are teams. Each team digs a channel from the starting point to the water. At the starting line, the teams set a ping pong ball into the channel, then dump buckets of water into the channel so that the ball moves down to the water. The longer the channel, the louder and more frantic the race becomes.

5. BEACH GOLF You can use any kind of Frisbee or flying disk for this beach golf game. It can be as simple or as complicated as you would like. Set out a number of objects such as overturned buckets, plastic water bottles and umbrellas on the course and have each team try to hit the goals in order.

6. BOCCE BALL Also called bowling or boules, this is a classic beach game in many parts of the world. You can invest in an actual bowling set, or make your own with one small ball and one larger ball for each player. One player throws the target ball onto the sand, and each player has to toss the ball, trying to get as close to the target ball as possible. Check out the rules of beach bocce at beachbocceball.com.

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DAYS OUT T

urn off the tv, lock up the PlayStation and have a great day out with the children.

The Summer holidays are nearly here and it is a great time to spend some family time together and take some time out from the hustle and bustle of the normal daily routine. Whenever school holiday time comes around, are you left asking the same question? Where can I take my children to experience a great family day out? So how can you make the most of the precious time you and your children get together? If you and your partner have arranged to take some time out of the office, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to waste it by doing chores while your children sit in front of the TV all day. Family fun, not family friction should be the order of the day. Spending time with your children is also an important aspect of childhood development and happiness.

CHILDREN UNDER 4 GO

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Wolvershill Road, Banwell, Weston-super-Mare LOCATED NEAR ANDOVER, HAMPSHIRE, JUST OFF A303

01264 773 850 www.hawkconservancy.org @HawkConservancy

@hawkconservancy

CHARITY NO: 1092349

There are plenty of things to do with children in the local area, whether you’re feeling flush, looking for cheap days out or - even better - a free family tourist attraction. We are lucky to have many fantastic places to visit on our doorstep and the coast is only an hour away. Taking your kids on an educational day out can give them and you some of the best fun there is. Choose wisely and they won’t even realise they’re learning whilst playing. There are lots of child-friendly, interactive museums and historical venues around designed to excite and engage your family. Toddlers and young children understand the world around them by touching, so make sure you’re going to a place where you won’t have to constantly say ‘no – don’t touch. Farms and zoos are a great way to engage kids of all ages and again you can make the trip educational for them. Why not make a list of which animals you definitely want to see. Then once you get there, see who the first person is to spot their favourite animal. It’s always good to make a game out of the experience. Another good game is getting your children to do impressions of each animal. It’s important to make your children aware of what to expect from the animals. Kids have to approach animals carefully and understand animals can get upset if they’re not nice. Some animals may want to rest or to hide. Get as much information as you can before you go about the animals you are going to see.

SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER West Woodlands Showground

a live music stage Lots of NEW Attractions including featuring The Wurzels

ITING THE MOST EXC NG INDOOR KARTI IN TRE CEN R-MARE WESTON-SUPE

THROUGH THE GO, AIRLOCK YOU NA INTO THE ARE TO FACE YOUR TOUGHEST . GE.. LLEN CHA

ral Craft Livestock, Ru petitions m co ne ui Eq & Horses

NEW Music Stage fe The Wurzels! aturing

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NEW Agri-Village attractions including Tractor Ted!

of Hundreds

l Exceptiona k! Food & Drin

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ds Trade stan

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FULL DETAILS & TICKETS AT FROMECHEESESHOW.CO.UK Admission from 08:30 - West Woodlands Showground Nr Frome, BA11 5ES

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A day at the seaside is the ultimate summer day out and also free. There are loads of things you can do as a family. Why not play games like “Let’s Bury Dad”, Build a line of sandcastles, then see who can squash them the fastest, Make sand angels by lying in the sand and waving your arms backwards and forwards or dig a shallow water pool for perfect splashing.” Whatever you decide to do, here is a checklist of things you may need to remember to make the day run as smoothly as possible: • If you’re headed for an outdoor attraction, don’t forget to leave your wellies, raincoats and brolly in the back of the car (just in case). You never can tell with the British weather! Or alternatively make sure you include some sunscreen, hats and sunglasses if the weather is behaving. • It’s handy to pack up a change of clothes for the kids (little accidents happen when you least expect them) and a packet of wet wipes can be a godsend! • Bring an emergency snack and drink for the kids. And possibly even yourself! • Don’t forget your road map, even the best navigators take a wrong turn sometimes! Whatever you do or wherever you go this Summer Holiday, make sure that it is fun and enjoyable for you all. This way you will have a fantastic and memorable family day.

www.choldertoncharliesfarm.com Currentl y only and unde £5 per person r 2’s go F REE!

! Join us for Animal Handling, SO MUCH TO DO - FUN FOR ALL AGES g AND Tractor Rides! Racin Pig meet our adorable new babies, with our Tree Top Trail, Area Play nture Adve our have also We well as our indoor Playbarn! Zip-Line, Treehouse & Nest Swing as

Find us online for more information, events, competitions & more!

Amesbury Road, Cholderton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0EW (01980) 629 438 info@choldertoncharliesfarm.com

DON'T LET THE KIDS GET SUMMER BRAIN! S

ummer is here and with it comes family holidays, play time and day trips, along with some well deserved R and R. The last thing most children want to think about during the summer is learning. However, learning is as important during the summer as it is during the rest of the year. This summer, keep kids’ brains sharp by enjoying some fun learning activities.

PLAN A TRIP

Get kids to help plan the family holiday or a day trip. Have the children research possible destinations or attractions. As you plan the trip, talk to them about sticking to a budget and mapping out the best route.

GO ON A WALK

Head to the park or just walk around the neighbourhood. As you walk, point out different people, places, and items in nature that you notice. You can even turn the walk into a scavenger hunt and make a list of objects for kids to search for.

Mini Flippers session

Opening times

during term time means you can bring your little ones whilst its quieter at a reduced rate

Mon-Sat 10am-8pm Sun 10am-6pm Last bounce starts one hour before close

After Dark Disco’s

Unit 9K Aldermoor Way Longwell Green Bristol BS30 7DA

Birthday Parties, FlipFit fitness classes & special events

Tel: 0117 961 2043

healthy & awesome fun for all the family . fully accessible . no age restrictions . wall to wall trampolines trampoline pyramid . foam pit with two Olympic trampolines . practice your flips dedicated kid’s arena & smaller foam pit . under 5’s can bring a FREE adult with them Free adult Mon - Fri in term time only . refuel in our cafe!

HELP IN THE COMMUNITY

Use the summer as a chance to get kids involved in community service activities. Pick up litter at the park, visit a nursing home, or sign up to help at an animal shelter.

STUDY THE STARS

Since the weather is warmer and kids donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to get up early for school, summer is also the perfect time to stay up late and look at the sky. Grab a map of the constellations and see how many kids can find or try to catch a glimpse of a shooting star as it streaks across the sky.

VISIT A MUSEUM OR FACTORY

Use the summer as a chance to check out local museums. Many towns have museums with free or inexpensive admission fees.

PLANT AND MAINTAIN A GARDEN

If you live somewhere with a garden, consider giving kids a small area to plant and maintain a garden. Kids can plant fruits, vegetables, or just pretty flowers. Older kids can research the best plants for your area and draw out a plan for the garden.

COMPLETE A READING CHALLENGE

Challenge kids to read a variety of books this summer by completing a summer reading challenge. Kids can try to read at least one book every week during summer holidays. Check out your local library for this years challenge

KEEP A DIARY

At the end of every day, encourage kids to write down their adventures. Keeping a journal a great way to help kids improve their writing skills.

FARM

GUS, The baby giraffe

Visit me this summer at

www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk 01275 852606

PUZZLES Colour me i n !

World Horse Welfare

Glenda Spooner Farm A fun family day out this Summer!

Meet the Horses, Summer Trail, Fun Activities and much more! Open Wednesday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, all year round Bistro open from 10am - 4pm Farm open from 11am - 4pm

FREE ENTRY! World Horse Welfare Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre Brincil Hill, Kingsdon, TA11 7LA t: +44 (0) 1935 841442

Wordsearch H

Find your way through the maze

Can you find these words? Aeroplane Lilo Barefoot Mosquito Beach Parasol Boat Passport Camera Sand Coach Souvenirs Delays Suitcase Flip Flops Sunbed Frisbee Sun Burn Holiday Sun Cream Hotel Sun Glasses Ice Cream Swimming Pool Jet Ski Towel

HEY! competitions WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO WOOKEY HOLE! Deep in the heart of the Mendip Hills you will find Wookey Hole, the UK’s largest cave system. For centuries people have been marvelling at these astounding caves and their natural beauty. NEW for 2017 is Chamber 20. Recently blasted tunnels now give you access to this amazing chamber, which opens up previously unseen caverns and formations. Visiting Wookey Hole Caves also includes over 20 fantastic attractions in the one ticket price! With access to Circus Shows, Kids Play Areas, Mirror Maze, Penny Arcade and much much more, Wookey Hole is a great day out, whatever the weather! Explore The Unexplored and visit Wookey Hole today!

For your chance to win a ticket for your family (up to 4 admissions) just answer this question: Who turned the Wookey Witch to stone?

WIN A FAMILY TICKET FOR 4 TO CREALY! Voted 'Family attraction of the year' Crealy Great Adventure Park is the Southwest's No.1 family day out. Complete with wild rides, masses of indoor play areas, live shows, and the friendliest animals. And for those rainy days we have over 75,000 sq. ft of indoor play to explore, including the Buddy Bear's Kingdom and the new exciting play frames. Ticket to be used by the 31st October.

To win, simply answer this question: What is Crealys accommodation area called?

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO BRISTOL AQUARIUM! Dive into the ocean and discover the wonders of the deep in our colourful aquarium, right in the heart of Bristol. Explore more than 40 naturally-themed displays and spot the thousands of amazing aquatic creatures, including tropical sharks, rays, seahorses, puffer fish, piranhas, and so many more. Open daily and children under three go free Its fintastic, whatever the weather! www.bristolaquarium.co.uk

For your chance to win a ticket for your family (up to 4 admissions) just answer this question: How long is the largest shark at Bristol Aquarium?

FIVE TREASURE TRAILS VOUCHER CODES TO BE WON! A Treasure Trail is an imaginative way to explore towns, cities & villages across the UK with a self-guided themed walk. An easy to follow route will enable you to crack the clues whilst taking in some of the most fascinating sights along the way. By solving the fiendish clues on the Trail, you’ll be discovering whodunit, finding the location of the buried treasure, or completing the mission like a true secret agent.

For your chance to win a voucher code to order your Treasure Trail online, just answer this question: How many trails do Treasure Trails have in Somerset? HOW TO ENTER

To be in with a chance of winning these fantastic prizes, simply visit www.familymatters-uk.co.uk and click on the Competitions button, complete the form and enter your answers. It couldn’t be easier! Closing date for entries: 20th August 2017

WINNERS FROM THE LAST ISSUE: Poppy Clark, Daisy Watson, Daniel Field, Mae Parkins, Vanessa Sedlakova, James Manley and Martha Davies-Hayball

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GET READY FOR SCHOOL GET THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND UNIFORM IN ORDER

One good thing about shopping for uniforms and school supplies, though, is you can bring your children with you and use it as a reminder that school is approaching—and maybe even get them excited about it. Who doesn’t like brand new sharpened pencils? Even picking out a new backpack (if one is needed) can be exciting.

WORK ON HOMEWORK - LIKE PROJECTS FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER

hen the lazy days of summer are coming to a close, it’s time to start preparing your child for a more scholarly mindset. Here are a few tips to get them out of lazy mode and ease the transition for both of you.

Many schools have reading lists and book reports due on the first day of school. Working on those towards the end of summer can help them transition into school mode. While you might not necessarily want to assign “homework” during summer and kill the last few days of joy, there are plenty of fun ways to get children into a more productive learning mindset - even if they’re just fun video games.

It’s much less stressful to get back into school mode if we do it gradually, instead of suddenly realising “Oh no, the children go back to school this week and I cannot find their lunch-boxes and I am not sure what happened to their homework which is due to be handed in on the first day of term”. Even if you’re itching to finally get the children out of the house, a little preparation a week or two before school starts will start your family off on the right foot.

START ADJUSTING THE SLEEP SCHEDULE

The most basic thing is to have your children - and yourself, if necessary - go to sleep and get up a little earlier every day. So, at least a week before summer holiday ends, start setting the alarm clocks. Begin with a wake up time that is about an hour earlier than usual.

School Uniforms Norton Hill • Somervale • Welton Primary Shoscombe Primary St Benedicts Primary Fosse Way School • Westﬁeld Primary Mells Primary • Midsomer Norton Primary St John’s Primary High Littleton Primary St Nicholas Primary Leigh On Mendip Primary Camerton Primary St Julians Church School BUY NOW AND SPREAD YOUR PAYMENTS 77 High Street Midsomer Norton BA3 2DE Tel/Fax: 01761 418972

The

NEW family website in conjunction with HEY! Magazine Family Matters is the one stop destination for your family

PARENTING TIPS AND IDEAS

FAMILY PRIZ ES TO BE WON !

GUIDE TO YOUR LOCAL AREA

WIN!

www.familymatters-uk.co.uk Your chance to win Treasure Trails voucher codes, a family ticket to Crealy and a family ticket to Bristol Aquarium Simply visit www.familymatters-uk.co.uk, complete the competition entry form and you will be entered into the draw..

FIND US

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HAVE A GO AT HORSE RIDING FUN HORSE FACTS • Horses can sleep both lying down and standing up. • Horses can run shortly after birth. • Domestic horses have a lifespan of around 25 years. • A 19th century horse named ‘Old Billy’ is said to have lived 62 years. • Horses have around 205 bones in their skeleton. • Horses have been domesticated for over 5000 years. • Horses have bigger eyes than any other mammal that lives on land. • Because horse’s eyes are on the side of their head they are capable of seeing nearly 360 degrees at one time. • The fastest recorded sprinting speed of a horse was 88 kph (55 mph). • Estimates suggest that there are around 60 million horses in the world.

www.wellowtrekking.com

Accommodation & Riding Holidays Pony Trekking Riding Lessons Picnic and Play Area Refreshments Corporate Facilities Parties 01225 834376 Birthday RDA Centre

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READY, STEADY, GLOW!

eptember 9th sees the return of Glow in The Park: Longleat, with around 5,000 people due to form a river of light and colour, winding their way around the iconic Wiltshire estate. HEY! caught up with homeless charity Alabaré’s Events Manager, Rebecca and Glow Runner, Steph, to find out more about this family fun run with a difference! Rebecca said, “Last year was our first Glow in the Park: Longleat event so we were thrilled when over 3,000 neon-clad runners came along to take part. Everyone had such an incredible time; we had whole families taking part, as well as groups of friends and work colleagues. We just had to do it again this year!” For those who have not come across a Glow Run before, participants dance, jog, run or walk their way around a 6km night-time disco course. Glow Zones along the route include the Foam Zone, UV Paint Blast Zone and the groovy Time Tunnel! Runners come dressed the part, complete with florescent UV face paint and glow bangles (provided in the event pack), and add costumes, tutus, crazy

Kumon’s maths and English study programmes work to build your child’s confidence and inspire a passion for learning. To unlock your child’s potential, contact your local Instructor for a free assessment. Midsomer Norton Study Centre Jacqui Knowles 01761 411400

wigs – whatever takes their fancy! Steph, who took part last year said, “We did the run last year; I’m bringing a bigger group of girl-friends and their kids this time. My glow pack contained a sponsorship form and so we are trying hard to raise the little bit more for the charity, after all, I’d hate to be homeless.” Alabaré help thousands of homeless people each year who would otherwise be living on the streets or in crisis. Rebecca explains, “We have homes across the South West and Wales, helping people who are often hidden from view, struggling to survive. Our teams have over 25 years’ experience helping people overcome the trauma of losing their home, and rebuilding their skills and confidence and helping them onto successful independent lives again. We have homes for young mums and their babies, women escaping domestic violence, Armed Forces Veterans, young people living care to name but a few. We also have training centres, and support residents to find employment, training or volunteering opportunities.” “But we need help; we rely on the generosity of the public. Events like Glow in the Park:Longleat are so important to us. We are encouraging runners to ask their friends and family to sponsor them. We have teamed up with Longleat and Bishopstrow House Hotel & Spa in Warminster to offer some fantastic prizes to everyone who raises over £50 in sponsorship for us. Anyone raising over £300 can bag themselves and friend a Spa Day with a two course lunch – what an amazing day they will have!” Steph sums up by saying, “It’s a double whammy – we get the fun of the event and then if we do well with our fundraising, Alabaré will be rewarding us with a day out at the spa!" Why not make the most of your day and book their Run & Play package. You and your children will get to enter the park earlier, enjoy all that Longleat has to offer, get fuelled up at Tropical Storm café and then get ready to run (terms and conditions apply). To avoid disappointment, get your tickets now at www. glowinthepark.co.uk

Family Blessing Fun Day Wednesday July 26th 12-4pm @ Longvernal Primary School BBQ~Story-telling~Bouncy Castles~Games~Messy Play~ Popup Beach and more

kumon.co.uk Fees vary. Please refer to your local study centre.

And… it’s all free.

Www.msnmcc.org for more info

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READY, STEADY, GET MESSY WITH THE NSPCC’S MESSATHON

n obstacle course which challenges daring families to get as messy as possible in aid of a good cause is coming to Bristol this summer. The NSPCC’s new Messathon fundraiser will take place at Blaise Castle on Saturday, July 29 – and keen Messathletes can now sign up to take part. Children aged 4 and above will have the chance to splatter through mud, swoosh along water slides and scramble over hay bales during the exhilarating course, providing the ultimate day out for all the family. There will also be a ball pit, cargo net, wall climb and much, much more! Once mums, dads and kids finish the course, they can then make a day of it by visiting the event village and enjoy a variety of attractions on offer, including food stalls, games and entertainment. Cash raised through entry fees and sponsorship go to the NSPCC, as the children’s charity continues its fight for every childhood – no matter the obstacle.

And each participant gets a free t-shirt. Anna Keir, NSPCC Community Fundraising Manager for Bristol, said: “Messathon is the perfect event for bringing families together, getting them active, working as a team and of course, the one thing that most children love to do…getting messy! “Messathletes will have a fantastic time tackling several obstacles and challenges around the course, all in aid of the NSPCC. We wish all participants good luck in their fundraising and we would like to thank them in advance for helping the charity support and protect children from abuse.” Messathon events will also be taking place in Surrey and Hertfordshire during the summer months. To sign up and register for Messathon, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/ messathon. There are also volunteer opportunities at the event. For more information, email messathon@nspcc.org.uk.

FORD FUEL OILS

www.fordfueloils.co.uk Suppliers of Home Heating Oil, Agricultural Diesel and Lubricants Also: Oil Tank replacement service Monitored top up service Boiler servicing and waste oil collection can be arranged

Farrington Fields I Estate Farrington Gurney

01761 452222

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SUMMER READING CHALLENGE THIS YEAR THEME

hildren's reading can 'dip' during the long summer holidays. The annual Summer Reading Challenge helps get three quarters of a million children into libraries each year to keep up their reading skills and confidence. The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children aged 4 to 11 to read six books during the long summer holiday. There is a different theme each year. Children can read whatever they like - fact books, joke books, picture books, audio books - just as long as they are borrowed from the library. Children receive special rewards each time they finish a book and there's a certificate for everyone who completes the Challenge. The Summer Reading Challenge is open to all primary school aged children and is designed for all reading abilities. Schools work with local libraries and give out information to encourage children to take part, and most libraries run Summer Reading Challenge linked early years activity for pre-schoolers.

The theme for the 2017 Summer Reading Challenge is Animal Agents, illustrated by the UK's best-selling children's illustrator Tony Ross. From solving the case of the graffiti writing to the strange case of a missing lunch, children will join in the fun with the Animal Agents by reading along. As children read library books on the Summer Reading Challenge, they will receive a host of stickers, some with mysterious smells. By collecting these clues in their detective folder, young readers will help the Animal Agents find out what's really been going on behind the scenes! Most libraries will start the Challenge on Saturday 15 July 2017. There is not an official end date for the Challenge. Each library authority will set their own finish date. Please check with your local library to find out when the Challenge will finish in your area. The RNIB National Library Service makes a selection of Summer Reading Challenge book collection titles available in accessible formats (Braille, Audio and Giant Print) for children who are visually impaired, or have visually impaired parents/carers. This material can also help children with learning disabilities and dyslexia.

GET INVOLVED

Head to your local library during the summer holidays and enroll. It's completely free and anybody can take part. If you're a parent or carer join us on our Facebook page for all the latest news. Children can chat, get reading recommendations and enter competitions on our Summer Reading Challenge website.

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News and Reviews LATEST SCHOOL NEWS

EVENTS

DIARY DATES

YOUR SUCCESSES

ST MARY'S PRIMARY SCHOOL FUNDRAISING ANTICS Huge congratulations to the children of Class 2, at St Mary’s Primary, Writhlington, who raised a staggering £900 (through a sponsored walk) towards the costs of a new Sensory Room: the most popular room in school! Everyone enjoys a little time in there, to calm, re-focus and stimulate the brain! Well done children! On June 17th St Mary’s Primary School, Writhlington held their second Summer Spectacular. And what a day it was! The whole school community, including a fabulous team - ‘Friends of St Marys’ all worked tirelessly to create a fun-filled day, raising money for the children at the school.

After School Care!

Collect from Paultons Infants & Juniors at 3pm and 4pm

ESSENCE CAFE Homemade cakes, light lunches, great Italian coffee and luxurious Italian Gelato ice cream Knickerbocker Glory, Banana Split, Chocolate Sundaes, Belgium Waffles, American Pancakes, Nutella Crepes, Ice Cream Cones & Tubs Using the finest ingredients and authentic Italian recipes, treat the kids on your doorstep Monday - Saturday 9am - 8pm

Unit 2 Holly Court, High Street, Midsomer Norton, Radstock BA3 2DB 01761 419977

Help to attend school clubs Hourly charged care Permanent sessions & one-offs Adult & children led activities Local area visits Space to relax & do homework Home cooked evening meal Milly: superstarspaulton@gmail.com or 01761404227 Scout Guide and Community Hall, Plumbtree Close, Paulton

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CLASS 3 BATH ABBEY SINGING PROJECT On Tuesday 6th June, Class 3, from Farrington Gurney Primary, had an exciting day when they joined five other schools to take part in the Bath Abbey Schools’ Singing Project. The children had learnt and rehearsed seven songs during Term 5 in preparation for a concert that evening. They practised from 1pm until 4pm during the afternoon, along with the other choirs and a small orchestra of percussion, brass, piano and organ. The concert was sold out and it was great to see so many parents and carers watching them perform. As well as being joined by the composer and lyricist of the ten movement piece ‘Written On Water’, Jon Monie, famous for the Bath Pantomime, was also performing narration during the movements. It was an exhausting day, but it was also very enjoyable and an experience the children will remember for a long time.

HIGH LITTLETONS FOREST FRIDAY

LOCAL MINER VISITS WELTON PRIMARY

High Littleton School were delighted to have started their weekly 'Forest Friday' sessions with the Reception Class. The children enjoyed themselves in the woods, building dens, making mud pies and planting fruit and veg. The 'Forest Friday' session is an inspirational process, that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and selfesteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees.

Last term, Welton Primary School studied the local area as part of a school-wide project. Each class spent time investigating and exploring different areas. Some classes wrote persuasive leaflets and stories, some explored local parks, some visited local churches and secondary schools and all have been to Radstock Museum. Selwyn Rees, a local ex-miner, gave up his time to come into school for an assembly where the children could ask him questions about his time working in the mines. It was a great opportunity for the children to speak to someone who has actually experienced some of the things they had been reading about.

Jacarandas

M us

h ic wit

ar , Daddy, a grandp ent, carer or any specia l grow Mummy n-up !

Award Winning Coffee Shop

Come and enjoy ice creams, milkshakes & our children’s menu this summer 109B High Street, Midsomer Norton 01761 410888

Fun, educational and sociable music sessions for babies and preschool children in Midsomer Norton.

Jolly Babies

from 3 months to approximately 18 months.

Music With Mummy

from approximately 16/18 months to 3 years.

Three-Four Time

for 3 and 4 year olds (children attend without their grown up).

Please contact Jen McCallan for more information Telephone: 07801 072525 or 01761 419894 Email: jenoi@hotmail.co.uk Find us on Facebook: Music with Mummy Midsomer Norton

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MIDSOMER NORTON PRIMARY SCHOOL GET ACTIVE SCHOOL SPRING GAMES Midsomer Norton Primary School children took part in the School Spring Games on the 27th of April where they won bronze medals in both the cycling and hockey events. Finn M also won a gold medal for best boy cyclist overall. The archery team worked hard and had a fantastic day but unfortunately were pipped to the post in the medal placing.

YEAR 3 & 4 GYMNASTICS 8 of Midsomer Norton Primary Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talented Year 3 and 4 pupils took part in the local schools gymnastics competition. In the Level 1 competition they placed 4th and in the Level 2 competition they placed 2nd. Darcy won a gold medal for best girl overall.

PSJ SCHOOL ASSEMBLY THEME The school held a special assembly for Years 1 to 6 to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester and to show solidarity with their families. Whilst facing up to the fact that such events leave people sad and confused, they also considered how very rare such events are in this country compared with many places around the world. The school finished by considering that the best response to such events is to pull together, to assert that love is greater than hatred, to live out their values daily by showing everyone equal respect.

PEASEDOWN ARE TRIUMPHANT AT CRICKET TOURNAMENT. Mr Lucy from Peasedown St John Primary took a group of Year Five and Six girls to Keynsham Cricket Club for a Kwik Cricket tournament. It was a beautiful sunny day and the girls were fantastic. They managed to win 4 games and finished 2nd in their group with a great display of batting, bowling and fielding. Well done girls for representing Peasedown so well!

UBLEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW CLASSROOM What a wonderful afternoon Ubley School had celebrating the official opening of their new classroom! Many joined them in the opening as well as many members of the village community, which was a real joy to see. Thanks was said to the children and staff who prepared a wonderful art exhibition throughout the school as part of their ArtsMark journey, it was a real treat for the visitors to see the quality work the children created. The new classroom is a really successful addition to the school, the children in Year 5 and 6 can enjoy their new space and it has enabled the school to use the playground in a much better way.

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FUN IN THE SUN AT NEXT STEPS NURSERY Children at Next Steps Nursery, based at St. John’s Primary School have been enjoying the recent sunny weather in their well-equipped outdoor play area. They have been making sure that the plants in the new bespoke, raised borders are well-watered and playing in their new mud kitchen and covered sand shed. The nursery has its own secure outside play area that the children can access daily, along with trips into the woodland with the Forest School Leader.

HIGH LITTLETON’S VISIT TO LONDON On a Wednesday morning at 8am, Mr Gunning, Mrs Beale and I jumped aboard a coach along with twenty very excited Year 6 children as we embarked upon our annual trip to London. However, this year was no ordinary trip: this year’s trip was Wicked! Having been dropped off at the Natural History Museum we made our way down Knightsbridge towards Buckingham Palace, where we were greeted with the sound of sirens as two policemen on motorbikes came rushing towards us, closely followed by a car of some importance. As the car made its way past us, we took a closer look and waved in the hope that it might be someone famous. At that point a young gentleman leaned forward, waved and then he was gone. On closer inspection of one of Mr Gunning’s photos, we had only been waved at by HRH Prince William! Having briefly met the

future King, we carried on towards Hamley’s where the children spent a few minutes, before we managed a thirty minute sprint across London in time to watch the matinee performance of Wicked. I’d like to congratulate the children for their exemplary behaviour during the whole day and to my staff for getting the children safely around the capital.

FARRINGTON WIN FINAL LEAGUE MATCH At the end of Term 4, Farrington Gurney Primary played their final football league match of the season against Farmborough. It was a really exciting match, with lots of goals and a final result of 5-4 to Farrington. Winning this last match of the season meant that Farrington Gurney ended up joint league winners alongside High Littleton and St Benedict’s. The team will be receiving league winners’ medals in the next few weeks and will have the trophy for part of the year. Well done to all 13 children who represented the team in the league this season.

Local Bab

y & Tod

dler Swimming

Get your little one water confident with our fun lessons across Bath & Wiltshire 07393 419796 www.turtletots.com www.fb.com/ttbathwilts bathandwilts@turtletots.com

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PUPILS ENJOY PORTRAITINSPIRED ARTS WEEK

WELTON PRIMARY ENTER THE BLOODHOUND PROJECT

Pupils and staff at St. John’s Primary School have enjoyed an Arts Week based upon the ‘Take One’ programme, organised by the Holburne Museum in Bath. They enjoyed a week of cross curricular learning, inspired by a portrait painting (Arthur Atherley by Sir Thomas Lawrence). Pupils participated in lots of activities and specially organised workshops including writing diary entries, designing and making frames and exploring the work of other portrait artists. EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) pupils 'jumped in' to a self-portrait, posing for a photograph which represented their interests or personality and then decorated a background with wonderfully vivid and colourful designs. Key Stage One pupils worked alongside teachers from Somervale School’s Art department to create incredibly striking, Roy Lichtenstein inspired pop art and Key Stage Two children created intricate ceramic self-portrait cameos. Year Four pupils were lucky enough to visit the Holburne Museum where they were able to see the original art work that our week was based upon and participate in an organised portrait painting workshop. At the end of the week, the whole school and parents were treated to a fantastic exhibition of art in the school hall. Some of the children’s work was exhibited at the Holburne Museum between Thursday 29th June and Sunday 2nd July. Arts Co-ordinator, Miss Libby Jones, was delighted with the success of the week: “The pupils and staff worked incredibly hard to produce some wonderful, creative and inspired work during our arts week. I would like to express my thanks to the members of staff from St John's and Somervale School art department who helped to organise and run workshops."

The BLOODHOUND Project is using a 1,000mph world land speed record attempt to inspire the next generation to enjoy, explore and get involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Schools were invited to take part in a competition. Here is a photo of the participants from Welton School who took part. Ethan, Tilly, Maddie and Ted. A big well done to Ethan who came second in the South West regionals.

ZOOLAB VISIT TRINITY At the start of the new term, Trinity had a visit from Zoolab. Jess from Zoolab came along with a variety of animals and the children met a bearded dragon, a snail called Gary, a scorpion that glows in the dark, a snake called Tango and finally a pair of mice named Franky and Benny. The children got the opportunity to handle the animals and Jess taught them about their habitat and the food they ate. The children had a great time and were very well behaved when handling the animals.

WELTON PLAY AT TWICKENHAM Welton Primary Rugby team were invited to play in a tag rugby tournament at Twickenham Stadium and then watch the Premiership Rugby final on Saturday May 27th. The school were invited to represent Bath Rugby having taken part in the Premiership Rugby Foundation 'Something to chew on' healthy lifestyle project. To play at Twickenham was an incredible experience for the children!

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WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT Leah C aged 6, from Peasedown St. John Primary, has achieved her Stage 1 and Stage 2 swimming certificates. Well done Leah!

Congratulations to Jessica from Welton Primary school who recently came second in a Chess competition for her age group. Well done Jessica!

Bethany Wall age 9, from Turtle Class Westfield Primary school has passed her Stage 6 in swimming. Fantastic swimming Bethany.

Amelia Shell from Kilmersdon CofE VA Primary School, Ospreys Class aged 8 has achieved a certificate for swimming 10m front crawl. Excellent work Amelia.

Chloe Wall age 4, from Buzzards Class Kilmersdon Primary school has passed her level 1 trampolining proficiency award. Well done Chloe.

Lottie Fooks-Bale age 5, from Clutton Primary School has been awarded a Headteacher's Award for 'fabulous writing' and a 5m swimming certificate. Great work Lottie.

Lily Winsley aged 7 from St Vigor and St John School achieved a distinction in Modern Theatre Dance. Well done Lily!

Miya was presented with the Headteacher's Award for Term 5 for hard work and impeccable manners in school. Well done Miya.

Imogen was presented Key Stage 1 Star Reader Awards for Term 5 at High Littleton C of E Primary School. Keep up the good work Imogen.

Joseph was presented Key Stage 2 Star Reader Awards for Term 5 at High Littleton C of E Primary School. Well done Joseph.

Millie Adams, age 7 from Midsomer Norton County Primary School has achieved a level 3 Swimming Certificate. Well done Millie.

Amelia Pearce from Kites Class at Kilmersdon CofE VA Primary School, aged 10 is pictured with her trophy and rosettes for horse riding. 1st in show jumping grade 1 under 12’s mid-west regionals, 1km endurance riding course, 2 ‘specials’ in recognition of good efforts for cross country and dressage. Well done Amelia.

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