News & Views

News & Views Join Perform for confidence building fun this Autumn term

Perform weekly classes are packed with drama, dance and singing but have a special focus on developing confidence, communication, coordination and concentration. They don’t worry about whether children get their lines or moves right, instead, they use a mix of drama games and fun activities which boost self-esteem and allow every child to shine. Their magical end of term shows for friends and family are a wonderful celebration of everything the children have achieved.

The Perform curriculum focuses on fun, friendship and laughter alongside catchy songs and funky dances. Class material is specially designed by Perform, with apps, downloads and videos for the children to enjoy at home. Classes are available for ages 4-7 and 7-12 with a new creative theme each term and, this autumn, they’re taking their 4-7s to Outer Space while the 7-12s will be appearing in Bluebeard’s Bride.

To book a no-obligation FREE trial class at Cambridge or Newnham visit www.perform. org.uk/try

They’re offering Families readers a special £40 introductory discount on bookings made by 15th October – just quote CAM151021 T: 020 7255 9120 / enquiries@perform.org.uk

Milton Maize Pumpkin Patch

Almost 18 years ago in July 2003, Milton Maize set out on a mission to create a fun, clean and safe space for families to enjoy the Summer holidays. Last Summer, due to the pandemic, the owners decided not to host a maze event, and after a lot of soul searching they decided that the time was right to formally end the maize maze era on the farm. “It has been an absolute pleasure to welcome nearly half a million of you over the years and we thank you for your support in helping to grow the business into something so special.”

As one door closes, another one opens; and excitingly Milton Maize would like to formally announce the return of a Halloween event at Rectory Farm. This October they will be opening their doors again to the Milton Maze Pumpkin Patch. This will be a pick your own style event and they can’t wait to welcome you all back on the 16th & 17th October and 23rd – 31st October There will be many different varieties of pumpkin to choose from: tiny ones, warty ones, orange ones (obviously), white ones and Monster ones. There will be a variety of Instagram opportunities around the site with colourful displays of pumpkins and squash so you can get that special photo. They will also have a plentiful supply of wheelbarrows for you to carry your hoard back to the car.

All activities in the Field of Fun are included in the entrance price. Any pumpkins you choose are charged separately at the end of your visit. To book visit www.themiltonmaizemaze.co.uk

WIN! To win a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children entry to the Milton Maze Pumpkin Patch (worth £24.00), simply visit our Facebook page @FamCambsMag and like & share our Pumpkin Patch competition post.

FREE family fun with Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over two thousand local people and organisations and thousands of volunteers. This year’s festival will run from 10th to 19th September and feature more than 1000 free events.

Every year in September, places across the country that are either not usually open to the public or would normally charge an entry fee, throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences for free.

There will also be hundreds of FREE interactive activities for children, including dressing up, craft, woodland walks and railway rides.

Co-ordinated nationally by the National Trust with support from the People’s Postcode Lottery, the celebration brings together thousands of organisations and properties across England.

New events will be added to the festival directory every day.

Visit www.heritageopendays.org.uk

TANTALISE YOUR TODDLERS TASTE BUDS

Having developed the first ever scratch-cooking range designed specifically for babies and toddlers, Piccolo are expanding their offering following popular demand and introducing seven new family favourites to their collection. This includes two flavoured and easy to prepare risottos and brand new stir-in sauce flavours and sizes to cater for different cooking occasions.

As with all Piccolo products, these are made using 100% organic produce, balanced ingredients and are low in salt and sugar.

Piccolo continues their mission to make nutritious food accessible for families everywhere, with the RRP of £1.50 for single serve cooking sauces to £2.75 for risotto meals.

These new products will be available in major retailers including Sainsburys, Coop & Ocado this month.

Jeans for Genes Day

Jeans for Genes Day is a chance to raise money for children affected by a genetic disorder. From 13th to 19th September, get your nursery, school or workplace to wear their jeans and raise funds to support children with genetic disorders.

Around one in twenty five children are affected by a genetic disorder, with thirty thousand babies and children newly diagnosed in the UK each year. Jeans for Genes Day is an annual fundraising event for Genetic Disorders UK which is a charity that aims to provide support to the individuals and families affected by genetic disorders.

Jeans for Genes Day is an easy way to raise awareness around genetic disorders, educating children and adults alike. Plus, it’s an opportunity for everyone to donate to an important cause and support children who are suffering.

More info: www.jeansforgenes.org

The Scouts have launched a new Money Skills Badge for Beavers and Cubs which will help build children’s confidence and understanding of money with creative, fun and hands-on activities.

Children start forming their spending and saving habits as early as age 7 and, unlike in other countries, money management skills are not part of the core curriculum in England’s primary schools.

Qualifying for the Money Skills Badge will involve children selecting from up to twenty fun, hands-on activities to complete their badge.

Part of the motivation behind the launch of the badge is the disruption to maths and numeracy learning caused by the pandemic. It’s hoped that the badge will help around two hundred thousand children ages 6 to 10 hone their financial literacy skills.

More info: www.scouts.org.uk/news

Visit the Family Learning Festival

The Family Learning Festival which runs from 16th to 30th October is a national celebration to inspire a love of learning in family life.

Organisations across the UK, including schools, libraries, museums, children centres and galleries will be staging a range of FREE and low cost creative family learning activities.

Organisers of the festival, the lifelong learning charity Campaign for Learning, believes learning that takes place in the family and home should be valued as much as learning that takes place in school classrooms and formal education. The family is where we learn important life skills and positive attitudes to learning, which enable us to become confident, motivated lifelong learners.

To find a local event, visit www.familylearningfestival.com

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning returns

The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s Cancer Support biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer and is dedicated to bringing people together over a cuppa to raise vital funds.

This year’s official event date is 24th September but Coffee Mornings can be held at any time.

Before Covid-19, many patients told Macmillan that being diagnosed with cancer and going through treatment was the scariest thing that they could imagine. These anxieties and concerns have only increased during the pandemic, meaning that Macmillan needs support from the British public more than ever to continue to provide the crucial support needed by people living with cancer.

More info: coffee.macmillan.org.uk

CELEBRATE ROALD DAHL STORY DAY

Every September the life and works of one of the best children’s authors of all time is celebrated on his birthday, 13th September.

During his lifetime, Roald Dahl wrote 20 children’s books and published 48 books altogether. He created over 500 new words and character names and his books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.

Join fans from all over the world to celebrate favourite Roald Dahl characters, stories and moments. Get dressed up as your favourite Roald Dahl character at a Dahlicious Dress Up Day event being held at school, community groups and libraries, or host your own by downloading the Roald Dahl Story Day Party.

Visit the Roald Dahl Story Day hub for resources to decorate your home or classroom.

More info: www.roalddahl.com/roald-dahlstory-day

IMPINGTON IB STUDENTS SHINE

100% of International Baccalaureate (IB) students at Impington International College have passed their IB Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP), achieving an average point score of 36, beating the global average of 33.02.

Receiving their results, 30 years after the programme was first introduced at the College, 26% of students attained 40 points or more, with 4 students achieving 44 and 45 – the maximum possible point score. These accomplishments have secured student places at Oxbridge, Russell Group and leading international universities along with a number of top Drama Schools to study a multitude of subjects including Biology, Law, Acting and Psychology.

Reflecting on the results, Jo Sale, Vice Principal at Impington International College, said: “After another challenging year, we are thrilled that the hard work, dedication and resilience of this year’s student cohort has resulted in such tremendous achievements and offer our heartfelt congratulations to all of our students. They will be deeply missed but we are delighted to see them leaving to follow their dreams. As one of the first state schools to offer the IB in the UK, exceptional outcomes like these demonstrate the strength of the programme and its impact on students’ progression since its introduction.”

BookTrust Storytime has revealed this year’s prize shortlist

Celebrating the very best books for sharing with babies and children under five, the shortlisted titles will be central to a new national pilot that the UK’s largest children’s reading charity is running in partnership with libraries. Launching in the Autumn, the pilot is designed to support disadvantaged families engage with their local public library and develop an ongoing reading habit.

Selected by a panel of experts, the six titles in contention are:

• I Really, Really Need a Wee! by Karl Newson & Duncan Beedie - a hilarious toilet tale of determination. • Octopus Shocktopus! by Peter Bently & Steven Lenton - a brilliantly bonkers story about welcoming newcomers. • No! Said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs – an empathic debut exploring tears and tantrums. • The Whales on the Bus by Katrina Charman & Nick Sharratt - a fantastically funny reimagined version of a well known nursery rhyme that everyone can sing along to. • Lenny and Wilbur by Ken Wilson-Max – a bold and colourful celebration of friendship. • Arlo The Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep by Catherine Rayner - a mindful bedtime book. The prize, which promotes the life-changing benefits of sharing stories with young children and is run in association with the CILIP Youth Libraries Group and librarians, has this year been incorporated into the new national pilot, BookTrust Storytime.