Every Child magazine 2010 by Affinity Magazines

t’s l ren to oo Pa ide sch gu ting r sta

The number one parent’s guide for children starting school

ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST

Tick all the boxes with our handy guide

BIG STEP!

How to help them on their way

HEALTHY KIDS Expert advice on childhood illnesses

TOP 10

READING BOOKS Your child will love

LOVELY LUNCH BOXES & AFTER SCHOOL SUPPERS

Tempt their taste buds with Annabel Karmel’s healthy meal-time menus

plus

curriculum information • homework guidance • early years foundation stage • ICT • talking to the teacher • literacy & reading Numeracy & maths • diet & nutrition • school sports & exercise • TOYS & GAMES • learning through play

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Letter From the Editor The number one parent’s guide for children starting school Pa sta gu rent rti ide ’s ng to sch oo l

ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST

1BIG

STEP!

pictured: DAISY

HEALTHY KIDS

TOP 10 G BOOKS READIN

BOXES & LOVELY LUNCHOL ERS AFTER SCHO SUPP Tempt their taste buds

s with Annabel Karmel’

Cover image by: Elodie Negrinotti

healthy meal-time menus

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commercial director

Charles Porter

Editorial DIRECTOR

Amanda Gerrard

Art Director

Marlon Ruddock

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01865 848 810

EVERY CHILD™ magazine is owned and published by Affinity Magazines USA Ltd. ©2010 Affinity Magazines USA Ltd. 171, 266 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DL, UK Phone: 01865 848 810 Fax: 01865 848 015 www.affinitymagazines.com

© Affinity Magazines USA Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission of Affinity Magazines USA Ltd. Affinity Magazines USA Ltd do not endorse or make any representation or warranty, express or implied, with respect to the products, services or information advertised herein, including but not limited to any warranty of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. We recommend that you independently evaluate all products and services before purchasing. Health information in this magazine should not be used as substitution for medical opinion. Always seek professional medical advice for any health concerns. The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the advertised product or service. If you have any questions about a product advertised in this magazine, ask a professional for more information.

ongratulations on your child starting school. Apart from the anxiety and worry that this momentous occasion often carries with it, you are probably also filled with pride and excitement at what this new experience will bring to your child. For some, it will be a sprinting bolt for the school gates and all smiles and waves goodbye until home time. This is especially true for those children who have some familiarity with “big school” through an adjacent playgroup or through older siblings already well established at the same school. But for others, the experience can be a little more daunting, both for your child and for you. How long has it been since you last stepped into a classroom? What sort of memories does it bring back? Don’t worry, Every Child magazine is here to help you help your child through the first few terms of school. We give you expert advice on helping you to settle your child into school, how to communicate with teachers and problem solve early on, and even encourage you to join in with the life of the school. We have the very best information on curriculum issues especially numeracy and literacy, and show you how you can help your child through learning outside school in everyday situations. There’s also great advice on health and welfare issues. Because we know how important a balanced and nutritious diet is to keep them fuelled up for their long day at school, we asked children’s food expert Annabel Karmel to suggest some tasty suppers and super lunch box treats, and she really does tick all the right boxes. Every Child magazine is here to help you get the best out of school for your child and every child starting school because every child matters. Good luck and enjoy

Tina White Editor

Every Child

After-school snacks, lunchboxes or just a sneaky sandwich, Princes pastes make a fuss-free meal in minutes. erfect.

There’s a range of 10 tasty flavours to choose from and no artificial colours or flavours to worry about. And with convenient long shelf lives, you’ll cut down on food waste – so they’re great value too.

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contents

26 STARTING SCHOOL

NOTICE BOARD

ONE BIG STEP

ALL IN A DAY’S PLAY

ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST

All the latest news and advice for school starters.

cover

Expert advice on starting school.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

A look behind the scenes at a Primary School.

26 31

Your uniform & equipment guide that ticks all the boxes.

AFTER SCHOOL SUPPERS

LEARNING AT HOME

OUT OF SCHOOL CLUBS

TOYS & PLAY

HOW KIDS PLAY

PIGGY BANKERS

cover

Test their taste buds with Annabel Karmel’s tasty lunch box treats.

FLOSSIE CRUMS AND...

WHAT IS ONE PORTION?

cover

Annabel Karmel is top of the class when it comes to delicious and healthy after school suppers. Test these delicious recipes out today.

LUNCH BOX TREATS

DO YOUR BIT!

cover

FOOD & NUTRITION

The Enchanted Cookie Tree. Enjoy baking iced cookies fit for fairies. Get their portions right with this essential 5-a-day guide.

How to get involved in your child’s school. How to bring the classroom home. Make the most of out of school clubs. How to make the most of toys and playtime. Learn what one reader found out when she observed her children playing. Its time to invest in their financial futures.

EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM

FIRM FOUNDATIONS

GOODBYE SAT’S?

Your guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Is this the beginning of the end for Sat’s?

LITERACY

109

BOOK WORMS How to give your child a head start with reading.

LOVE READING

READING IS FUN

If you only read 10 books this term, let them be these. Test your bedtime reading skills with our helpful quiz.

31 NUMERACY

CONFIDENCE IN NUMBERS

1,2,3 FOR ME

Count on us, maths can be fun. Try our selection of counting books. They all add up.

ICT

TECH IT OUT How to help your child excel at ICT.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

THE SCHOOL NURSE

ATISHOO-ATISHOO!

How schools work to keep your child in safe hands. cover

Your common childhood health issues taken care of.

MANAGING ALLERGIES 100 All you need to know. BULLY YOU! 103 Expert advice on tackling bullying. CAN WE HAVE A DOG PLEASE? 106 Great advice on owning your first pet from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

FUN & ACTIVE LIFESTYLES 108 Great sporting ideas from Youth Sport Direct.

SPORT IN SCHOOL 109 All you need to know about PE. 10 WAYS TO… 112 Keep your children fit and healthy. Every Child

BACK TO

SCHOOL

Short, tall, big or small.

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starting school

No t I C e B O a r d Latest news, views and information to help you and your child get the very best out of school life!

Time for

a cuppa!

Recent research has confirmed what we all knew already – that a nice cup of tea – or coffee – is good for you. In response to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association about the potential health benefits of tea and coffee, Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study adds further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not harmful for most people, and may even lower your risk of developing or dying from heart disease. “However, it’s worth remembering that leading a healthy lifestyle is the thing that really matters when it comes to keeping your heart in top condition.” Says Mason. However, “Having a cigarette with your coffee could completely cancel any benefits, while drinking lots of tea in front of the TV for hours on end without exercising is unlikely to offer your heart much protection at all.” So go on, the the kids are off to school - put the kettle on - you deserve it, and its good for you!

Trust school food? As a parent you have every reason to worry about the provision of school food. Especially after Jamie Oliver exposed the school food scandal. Well there isn’t a turkey twizzler in sight anymore and there are several organizations that are responsible for the maintenance of good food standards in both primary and secondary schools. The School Food Trust is one of the bodies that are responsible for setting standards and they have set out 14 nutritional standards and food standards per pupil per day. Did you know that there are prohibited foods too? Prohibited foods include sweets and crisps due to their high sugar and salt contents. Chocolate and nuts are also not recommended. `A good lunch should contain a balance of nutrients including carbohydrate for energy, protein and fruit and vegetables. For further information on the standards set for food provided in schools go to www. schoolfoodtrust.org.uk

A Bit of Rough & Tumble Please Dad

“Active free-play can improve cognitive development”, says child psychologist Anthony Pellegrini, “the idea that all types of play – from fantasy to rough and tumble – have an important if not critical role in child development.” And the research suggests, parents and professionals should not equate play fighting with serious fighting and not to label a child as ‘aggressive’ simply because he or she prefers this type of play. Pellegrini suggests that children be given numerous opportunities for this type of play. The team also report that fathers rather than mothers are more likely to initiate active play with their children with about a third of fathers regularly engaging in rough and tumble with their children. Every Child

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starting school

Let Girls

Be Girls

It’s no secret that the worlds of entertainment and celebrity encourage girls to believe their sexual attractiveness is paramount – and recently, many Mumsnetters (parents and carers using the popular parenting website mumsnet.com) were alarmed to see that this trend was increasingly visible in the products that retailers were marketing at young children. A growing number of toys and clothes were cited as examples such as sexy slogans on young girls’ tops and high heels for five year-olds. In response to this Mumsnet’s ‘Let Girls Be Girls’ campaign was launched in early 2010. The campaign aims to curb the premature sexualisation of children by asking retailers to commit not to selling products that “play upon, emphasise or exploit their sexuality.” The result a few months on is that this parent power has successfully persuaded retailers to withdraw inappropriate products. Backers of the campaign include: Bhs, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Next, Boots, Clarks, Marks & Spencer, George at Asda, Mothercare, Start-rite and Hush Puppies. Mumsnet are absolutely delighted that so many high-street names have decided to take the lead on this very important issue. For more information go to www.mumsnet.com

Change 4 life Change4Life is a government backed initiative that aims to prevent people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat better and move more. The campaign aims to inspire a societal movement in which everyone who has an interest in preventing obesity, be they Government, business, healthcare professionals, charities, schools, families or individuals, can play their part. Change4Life has loads of healthy eating tips and recipes, and fun ways to exercise. Change4Life is here to help you and your kids eat well and move more. If you are worried that your chid is overweight. Talk to your doctor and ask for help from a dietician. Avoid starting your child on an aggressive diet. Instead, make long-term changes to healthy eating for all the family, and

Younger Children get a head start with

Going to school for the first time can be a daunting experience for many children, but leading supplementary education provider Kumon can help get your child off to a confident start with unique maths and English study programmes. Focusing on each child as an individual, Kumon equips them with fundamental learning skills and ensures that they study at a level that is right for them. Progression is built on the back of solid foundations, and and they keep a close eye on younger learners to enable them to achieve later on. For more information or to enrol, call 0800 854 714 or visit kumon.co.uk.

get your child involved in sports and exercise. Go to: www.nhs.uk/change4life Aim to increase your child’s intake of fresh fruit and vegetables – they should be having five portions every day (see our article on page 43 for some useful advice. Reduce fat and sugar intake by limiting these types of ‘treats’, and replace with seasonal fruit and lighter snacks such as yoghurts and rice cakes. Children enjoy sitting together for a family meal – try Annabel Karmel’s inspiring recipes on page 26. And, because being overweight is often a family problem, measuring the BMI of adult family members is a great place to start making changes together for a healthy family lifestyle. Go to: www.bhf.org.uk for your BMI calculations. Every Child

e n O p e st

Starting school is probably the single biggest step taken by your child so far. Don’t worry though because this transition can be a smooth and exciting journey

hen your child starts school, she’ll be experiencing a whole new world outside the family. It’s an exciting time for you and her, full of challenges and opportunities for her to fulfil her potential and lay the foundations for success in later life. Schools today are very different from when you were in class. They’re fully equipped with new technology, and the environment for learning and having fun is much more stimulating than it used to be. Children and parents now have plenty of opportunities to visit the school before term starts, to familiarise themselves with the new and bigger surroundings. But despite these preparations, it’s only natural that you and

12 Every Child

your child may feel anxious. Whatever your concerns – and whatever your own experiences of school – try to be as positive as possible about school in front of your child, as children easily pick up on their parents’ anxiety and become even more nervous. Read books to your child that reinforce the image of school as a place where she can have fun and meet new friends. Try Ruby’s School Walk by Kathryn White, illustrated by Miriam Latimer (Barefoot Books, £10.99) or Starting School by Allan and Janet Ahlberg (Puffin Books, £5.99). If you have any major concerns, speak to the school, ask other parents how they’ve coped or seek advice from organisations such Parentline Plus (see Find Out More, p15).

starting school

My experience

‘Communication has made all the difference for us’

Early days By the time your child starts school, you’ll probably be familiar with its layout and where the children hang their coats, have their lunch and go to the toilet. But now she’s in school, don’t be afraid to ask your child’s class teacher about her daily routine. Your child will feel reassured if she knows in advance when there will be reading on the mat, when the register is taken and when she’ll be doing PE. Saying goodbye in the early days can be emotional, but try to send your child off with a smile and a wave. If she appears upset, remember that she’ll probably settle quickly once you’re gone. And don’t forget to reassure her that you’ll be picking her up after school. Collecting your child promptly at the end of the day is particularly important in the first few weeks. If a registered childminder or grandparent will be picking up your child, make sure she won’t be late, as this could fuel your child’s anxiety.

racy Webber says that when her daughter Louise settled in quickly and easily at the nursery attached to her local primary school, she knew she’d adapt equally well to school. Sure enough, Louise enjoyed a smooth transition from nursery to primary school. Now seven years old, she’s enjoying her classes and getting good grades for most subjects. Tracy says, ‘The teachers are brilliant. They give the parents a sheet every Monday which tells us what’s going on for the whole week. If there’s a problem, they’ll make sure we know about it. But they also give us the good news when things have been sorted out.’

ue Matthews* used to dread going to collect her son Daniel* from school because she was ‘always being pulled to one side by a teacher and told he’d done something wrong’. In retrospect, Sue believes Daniel started school too early, at just two weeks after his fourth birthday in August. ‘Academically, Daniel was fine, but he was very immature and had difficulties sleeping,’ she says. ‘It affected his concentration and he wasn’t always able to read other children’s body language. I felt this was sometimes being interpreted as naughtiness. ‘When I spoke to the Reception teacher, she was very sympathetic, and good communications between myself, her and the other teachers eased the situation. They asked me to indicate in his reading book when he’d had a bad night, so they could anticipate any problems. Daniel’s now doing fine.’

* These names have been changed to protect identities.

My experience

‘It was tiredness, not naughtiness’

‘Starting school is about separation. Children are apart from their parents – in many cases, for the first time – in a more structured environment. The first few days are about managing that separation successfully.’

Taking time to adapt Adjusting to the new pace of school life doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s perfectly normal for your child to feel very tired at the end of the day. This may make her irritable, or she may display out-of-character behaviour. Make allowances for this by not arranging too many after-school activities in the first few weeks. You’ll be keen to know what your child has been doing during the school day, but it may be best to let her tell you in her own time. She may just want a snack and time to relax with or without you. To gauge how her day has gone, it may be better to start by asking her who she played with. But listening is a priority, so set aside time to talk when she’s ready. Don’t be surprised if your child hasn’t eaten

everything in her lunch box or has rejected her school lunch. If she’s nervous in the first few days at school, she may not have a large appetite. Establishing a regular routine with set mealtimes and bedtimes will also help her settle into her new routine. ‘Starting school is about separation,’ says Claire Halsey, a clinical psychologist specialising in child behaviour and development. ‘Children are apart from their parents – in many cases, for the first time – in a more structured environment. The first few days are about managing that separation successfully.’ Telling children they’re going to be ‘grownup’ now they’re at school isn’t always helpful, either. ‘Some children may revel in

that, but others may not feel like being grown-up just yet,’ Halsey explains.

Making new friends Forging new friendships is a key element for a happy school experience. But according to Angela Holland of Parentline Plus, children need to understand that not all their peers will behave or react in the same way. For instance, one child may rush up to another and give them a hug in the hope that they’ll be friends – only for the other child to shun them and run away. ‘You need to help your child understand that her classmates will have varying social skills, different levels of confidence and shyness, and different attitudes towards Every Child

14 Every Child

starting school

My experience

personal space, so that she doesn’t feel rejected and hurt,’ says Holland.

‘The school was friendly and reassuring’

Building independence Teaching your child to look after her possessions is an important part of fostering her independence. And there are a number of other practical ways of teaching her to be more self-reliant. According to Holland, encouraging your child to dress herself and wash her hands are part of this process. However, if your child has difficulty tying her shoelaces, Holland suggests buying her shoes with velcro straps (assuming the school uniform allows this). If doing up lots of buttons is a problem, wearing polo shirts may be an option. Holland also suggests rehearsing with your child what she should do when she wants to go to the toilet. Make it clear that it’s fine to tell the teacher when she needs to go.

Clare Frost remembers crying on her first day at school, and says she felt nervous when her son Kieron started school last September. But gradually increasing his hours at nursery to a full day before moving up to school ensured a smooth transition. Kieron’s primary school also helped by sending a questionnaire asking for details of his likes and dislikes, and his favourite toy. ‘I was anxious about how he’d adapt, but the fact that the school was so friendly from the start really reassured me,’ she says. ‘It also helped that Kieron had an older cousin already at the same school.’

It’s good to talk Always keep the school and, in particular, your child’s class teacher informed about any concerns you have. If you’re worried that your child is unhappy, don’t hesitate to express your fears to her class teacher. Likewise, if you have a particular strategy for calming your child when she’s upset, such as talking about pets or a favourite toy, this information could be useful to her teacher. But Halsey emphasises that timing is key when trying to talk to a teacher. There’s little point in attempting to discuss your concerns when she’s surrounded by crowds of children and parents before school starts. Instead, having a quick word after school or making an appointment is a sensible approach. You can also communicate with her by letter, email or through your child’s reading book. If it’s difficult to visit during school hours due to work commitments, let the school know. Effective two-way communication is fundamental to your child’s experience of school. Your involvement will not only help to boost your child’s behaviour and academic achievement, it will also help her feel happy during her all-important school days.

findoutmore For more information why not try the following: ParentsCentre www.parentscentre.gov.uk

Parentline Plus www.parentlineplus.org.uk

The Standards Site www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/ parentalinvolvement

Read Settling Your Child in School: A Parent’s Guide by Michelle Wallis (Crown House Publishing, £6.99)

Every Child

All in a DaysP Playy When you first learn what your child does all day, you might think that its all fun and games. Don’t be fooled though, the Early Years Foundation Stage activities are crefully planned and monitored for maximum learning and pupil engagement. We take a look behind the scenes at Southwater Infant School to find out more

here are children using the interactive whiteboards to hone their maths and literacy skills, while others are dressing up, riding bikes, constructing their own toys out of a range of materials, or playing with sand and water. Welcome to free-flow time at the Southwater Infant School near Horsham in Sussex. It’s a hive of activity today. All the pupils in the four Reception classes have come together and have free rein to use whatever toys and equipment they want. It’s all geared to what head teacher Sue Winn describes as a ‘workshop’ approach. ‘It’s very much a hands-on, interactive way of learning,’ she says. ‘It’s cross-curricular rather than being subject-based, and old-fashioned “chalk and talk” methods don’t feature at all.’

Rhyme and reason

Advanced skills teacher Dee Taylor (below, right) helps children develop speaking and listening skill s. Here they use the Jolly Phonics programme, which head teacher Sue Winn says has the benefit of being high ly visual. ‘The children learn a series of rhymes, and carry out actions to help them remember the sounds,’ she says . ‘From hearing and saying sounds, they start to blend them into words.’

t star

Photographs © Peter Arkell Shot at Southwater Infant School, Horsham

Setting the scene Before the children come to Southwater, staff will have visited them in one of the 15 pre-school settings that feed the school to see how they have fared in the early phases of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This way they can ensure a seamless transition into the Reception class at their new school. When they arrive, the children are given as much opportunity as possible to initiate their own learning, and they have a free choice in selecting activities. Three times a week the Reception classes operate ‘free-flow’, where the children can move around the impressively resourced classrooms at will. One of the great strengths of the school is that all the staff are experienced Early Years practitioners, and understand that young children learn through play, explains Sue. The

16 Every Child

emphasis is on teaching children the skills of learning: how to listen, and how to focus their attention, collaborate and sustain their concentration to complete a task. Advanced skills teacher Dee Taylor believes free-flow time gives children the chance to consolidate their learning. ‘If we’ve been doing something on weighing – for example, using balances and scales – in the morning, during free-flow time in the afternoon we’ll put that equipment into the water trays or sand trays,’ she explains. ‘The children then have time on

their own to explore and experiment.’ Free-flow time also provides opportunities for staff to undertake an ongoing, formative assessment, which is carried out through observation and recording in a way that demonstrates what the child knows, understands and can do.

Making progress The staff are dedicated observers, each armed with sticky labels where they write their observations. They check the child’s name

starting school

Ready, steady, go!

There’s no stopping this group of boys as they take to the ‘road’ to explore. One of the key early learning goals covers children’s physical development, such as control, coordination and their ability to handle equipment. Racing around on bikes is fun, but it’s also a vital part of the learning process. Research shows that boys need to be active to enable them to concentrate.

out Splashing ab the water oloured bibs and out comes

On go the brightly-c n learning about weights and tray. If the children have bee into ng, they can put the theory measurements in the morni ng rni lea part of the maths early practice in the afternoon. As or in class what ‘heavier than’ goal, they will have discussed h its y can use the water tray wit ‘bigger’ mean, and then the es. elv discover it for thems funnels, boats and bowls to

and then initial and date the label so that the class teacher knows who has carried out the observation. All comments are then stuck into the child’s developmental record book. ‘The children are expected to be at level three when they arrive at Southwater and should progress to levels seven or eight by the time they leave – or in exceptional cases, level nine,’ says Sue. By the summer term, free-flow time is reduced to twice-weekly sessions as more teacher-led activities are introduced. This is in

preparation for the more formal teaching of Key Stage 1, to give the children a grounding in the basics of maths, literacy and science. According to Sue, the principle behind freeflow, is ‘if you get it right in the Foundation Stage, the children will be learners for life.’ As I watch the mixture of joy, intensity and skill demonstrated by the children as they undertake their activities, it confirms her view that children learn best ‘when they feel happy, when they can feel, hear and see, and when they are working with their peers’.

Roll with it

It’s a topsy-turvy world for this of young girl! Whether this form s ain rem on ch cat transport will uld sho it s to be seen, but perhap carry a health warning: may cause dizziness!

cont inues Every Child

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Typical booster cushion

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At BRITAX, we are always striving to ensure that we offer the maximum protection for your child as they develop, and with recent research showing that side collisions account for 20% of child car seat crash fatalities** we have decided to stop selling our booster cushion. Booster cushions are better than no child car seat, however, they offer no side impact protection. We highly recommend a BRITAX highback booster, which offers the essential side impact protection for your older child with optimal head protection and body containment. Look out for offers on our ADVENTURE, KID, KID plus and KIDFIX models. * Reference: Loughborough University, 21st International Tech Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, 2009 Stuttgart

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starting school

5 room Emergensocy cial and

The personal, ing emotional early learn e th goal emphasises ing importance of develop th good relationships wi t en cid ac e th peers. Here, ent rtm pa and emergency de ol ho Sc t at Southwater Infan en att d looks busy, as nurses a to their patients. It’s d an be popular place to ren’s ild a good test of the ch rt of ability to work as pa a group.

locks ilding an Building bam (right) is bu

Four-year-old Ad are encouraged entire airport. Children rials and their to use a range of mate e things. So does he imaginations to mak e day? He ponders want to be a pilot on want to be a doctor,’ for a moment. ‘No. I people well.’ he says. ‘They make

Getting arty a teaching assistant,

After 13 years as s witnessed Pauline Goward (left) ha ching. ‘It’s a dramatic change in tea d to be, and use more hands-on than it ials available,’ there are so many mater ng a remoteshe says, narrowly avoidi eers towards controlled bug which car a girl’s artwork. her as she comments on

h finis

Every Child

starting school

g n i t r Sta ool sch

s l a i t n e s s E checklist P Make sure that your little one looks the part by following our starting school checklist

PSpecialist items

As your child starts full time school you need to feel reassured that they have the correct and appropriate clothing and kit for all of their daily activities no matter what the season. Children will feel more secure if they dress the part and wear the schools required uniform. You may have already bought your child’s schools crest embroidered school wear from the school where you can purchase new or good second hand items at end of term uniform sales. Or of course there are the local independent specialist retailers serving schools in your local area.

PNon-specialist items

However these shops can be expensive for non-specialist items such as the required black, grey or navy trousers, shorts or skirts, white shirts, blouses, summer gingham dresses and standard P.E kits . A good place to buy these at great value prices and convenience is during your weekly shop at your supermarket. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA for example have fabulous, good quality items that won’t break the bank. Also your high Street favourites such as British Home Stores or Marks & Spencer will be able to supply all your standard uniform needs under one roof.

PWash and wear

These items are usually made out of the easy care cotton/polyester mix that is easy to wash and wear - often not needing any more than 40º wash and a tumble dry. However there will be some ironing required for shirts and blouses for example but this is a small price to pay for a child that looks first in class!

PWinter wear

A warm winter coat, hat, scarf and gloves are essential to keep little ones warm as it gets colder during this first school term. Teaching them to put their shoes on without help and to fasten up their coats is very important so that they can get out to play at break and lunch times quickly.

Every Child

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o t f f O ? l o o h c S

mith

Joe S

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Telephone 01635 298326

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starting school

ses are s e r d r e m m u ys and s er terms Shorts for bo m m u s d n a spring very hot ideal for the t e g n a c d n u ygro when the pla

PSchool shoes

Well fitting and sturdy school shoes are a must for any child starting school. Some children will require specialist shoes for wider fitting feet for example and you may feel more secure if your child has had a proper fitting for shoes. Clarks and Hush puppies for example are especially reassuring for fittings. However there are great high street and destinaton stores such as Brantano and of course the supermarkets will have great outdoor school shoes as well as indoor plimsoles which most schools require. The ones with the velcro strap are very easy for children and teachers to put on in a hurry rather than lace ups. Wellington boots are a real favorite with small children as they are easy to take on and off and there are some lovely fun designs around to bring out their individuality - but do check the school uniform protocol first.

PLabelling PSummer wear

It may seem a long way away at the moment but summer will come and it can get hot - sometimes! Shorts for boys and summer dresses are ideal for the spring and summer terms when the playground can get very hot. A sun hat and high protection sun lotion are required on hot and sunny days. Apply sun lotion before school and some schools may ask you to provide your child with a bottle of sun lotion with his name on it in his tray for when it is very hot and sunny. Sandals that are suitable for running around in and are easy to take on and off should be worn in the summer to let little feet breath.

Little ones lose things, especially smaller items like gloves and scarves so make sure that all their uniform and accessory items are well labelled. A wash proof marker pen will suffice where possible and is a quick and easy solution for busy mums. Sew-in embroidered name tags are a very permanent and easily identifiable solution where marker pens are not possible but will need ordering from school, your local school wear retailer or on line from companies such as easy 2 name. Indoor plimsoles - usually black and all identical in the cloakroom must be clearly labelled with their name for the teacher to read. And for those little ones who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet learnt to identify their name a small picture such as a flower or a boat drawn onto the inside sole is a great idea for little ones to identify their own plimsoles.

Every Child

starting school

PSchool bags

Your child may not need a school bag straight away, so check with the school first before buying one. Most primary schools will issue a book bag in which children can bring their reading book home and back to school again every day. This book bag is an essential communication method too as it will also be stuffed with school news letters, briefings, letters, calendars of events etc as well as prized schoolwork to bring home paintings, craft items, drawings and other take home items.

PStationery

At the Early Years Foundation Stage most schools will supply all of the in school materials necessary as little ones are less able to look after their own possessions in school than older children. However learning doesn’t stop at the school gate and to encourage your child to follow through some of the things he has learnt in school there isn’t anything better than a well stocked stationery/art and craft cupboard. Lots of coloured pencils and crayons, safety scissors, glue, plain and coloured paper etc., will really inspire your child to be creative, and to practice his hand writing and other new skills.

PLunch boxes

If your child will be having packed lunches they will need a compact lunch box which is easy to carry to and from school and should have a small beaker for water so that you don’t need to buy expensive ready to go drinks. It should be easy to clean and should be clearly labelled. Be warned there is a lunch box competitive spirit and the very latest trends will be asked for by your little ones both in terms of the design itself and the contents. In terms of design Star wars, Ben 10, Power Rangers, etc. are popular with boys at the moment and girls are very much liking Disney Princesses, Charlie & Lola and Dora The Explorer for example. And in terms of the contents there are lots of healthy and not so healthy lunch box favorites. See our lunch box feature on page 31 for inspiring healthy lunch box fillers.

iform School un

t s i l k c e h c The essentials Skirt /trousers Polo shirt/blouse/ shirt Socks Shoes Coat

Winter kit Winter coat with hood

PWash and reuse

Most household items can be reused and be very much appreciated by your school for art and craft materials. Toilet roll holders, margarine tubs, yoghurt pots, laundry tablet and powder boxes etc., the list is endless and so are the possibilities. Plus you will be teaching your child to be resourceful and to care for his environment.

Sweatshirt/cardigan Wellington boots Warm hat Scarf Gloves

Summer kit Skirt/shorts Light cotton dress

Stationery checklist

Sun hat

Although your child may not need to take any thing to school it is important that they have to hand plenty of resources to keep them busy and creative at home and to follow through with what they have been making and learning at school. Here’s some ideas to get you started:Coloured pencils and pens Pencil sharpener Crayons Plain paper & card Coloured paper & card

Glue Safety scissors Craft materials Sticky tape Paints & brushes

summer shoes

PE PE shorts T-shirt Tracksuit Sports socks Trainers

Every Child

l’s Annabel Karme

Delicious After School Suppers

Bored of the same old tea time meals? Here’s some of Annabel Karmel’s favourite after school suppers that prove how healthy food can be delicious and fun 26 Every Child

food & nutrition

FUSILLI WITH SALMON IN A LIGHT CHEESE SAUCE WITH SPRING VEGETABLES This is a favourite recipe of mine; it’s a delicious combination of spring vegetables and tender chunks of salmon. It makes a delicious after school supper and a meal for the whole family. The sauce couldn’t be simpler –just stir together the ingredients and heat through. ●● 200g fusilli ●● 2 tbsp light olive oil ●● 1 onion, finely chopped ●● 1 clove garlic, crushed ●● 100g orange pepper cut into strips ●● 100g broccoli florets ●● 1 medium courgette (150g) sliced and the then cut into semi circles ●● 250g salmon fillets ●● 200 ml fish stock ●● 150g crème fraiche ●● 200 ml vegetable stock ●● 150g tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and cut into chunks ●● 75g parmesan cheese, grated ●● Salt and freshly ground black pepper Cook the fusilli according to the directions on the packet. Heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the orange pepper, broccoli and courgette and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes stirring occasionally until tender. Meanwhile cut the salmon into chunks. Put into a saucepan cover with fish stock and poach over a gentle heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked. Remove from the pan, strain and set aside. Stir the crème fraiche and vegetable stock into the cooked vegetables and bring to a simmer. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and chunks of salmon and simmer for two minutes, then stir in the parmesan cheese and season to taste. Toss the drained fusilli with the sauce taking care not to break up the chunks of salmon. MAKES 4 PORTIONS

Chicken Balls with Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce Chicken balls with apple have always been a signature dish of mine. Lots of mums tell me how popular they are with their children. Delicious with spaghetti and tomato sauce, they can also make tasty and nutritious finger food perfect for little hands. You could also try making these with minced turkey instead of chicken. If you are freezing this, freeze the chicken balls and tomato sauce in individual portions and cook the spaghetti fresh.

Tomato Sauce

●● 2 tbsp olive oil ●● 2 medium onions finely chopped (approx 200g unpeeled weight ) ●● 1 clove garlic, crushed ●● 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes ●● 100 ml water ●● 1 tbsp tomato puree ●● 2 tsp sugar ●● ¼ (quarter) tsp dried oregano ●● salt and pepper

Chicken Balls ●● 250g minced chicken or turkey ●● 1 small apple, peeled and grated ●● One and a half tsp fresh thyme leaves ●● 25g freshly grated Parmesan ●● 30g white breadcrumbs (made from sliced white bread with the crusts removed) ●● A little salt and freshly ground black pepper

●● Plain flour to dust hands ●● 3 tbsp sunflower oil for frying To Serve ●● 25g spaghetti or other pasta shapes per portion ●● a little chopped parsley or basil (optional) 1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions gently for about 10 minutes until softened. Spoon half the onions into a bowl and leave to cool (these will be used for the chicken balls). Add the garlic to the onion left in the pan and sauté for 1 minute, then add all the remaining sauce ingredients plus 100ml of water. Cover and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Meanwhile to make the chicken balls, add the mince , grated apple, thyme and parmesan to the onion in the bowl.Add the breadcrumbs and season with a little salt and black pepper . Mix together well. With floured hands, form teaspoons of the mixture into about 20 small balls. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and brown the balls all over. Transfer the balls to the pan of tomato sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes uncovered. 3. Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and toss with the chicken balls and sauce. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley or basil. If you wish. MAKES 5 PORTIONS

Recipes from '100 Pasta Dishes' (Erbury Press £9.99) Every Child

Once upon a time, in a land of fun and laughter…

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Frujies are delicious little pots of jelly made with real fruit pieces and they love making lunchboxes fun. And as happy tummies make for happy endings, there are no baddies like artificial preservatives or colourings – just freshly sealed loveliness that doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge. So add a little jelly fun to lunches and snacks, and find Frujies in the non-chilled desserts aisle.

food & nutrition

Chicken Satay add to the bowl, along with the soy sauce, honey (rub a little oil on the spoon to make the honey slide off more easily when measuring) and peanut butter. Whisk together. 4. Put the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of cling film. Use a rolling pin or mallet to bash the chicken into thin escalopes, around 1/2 cm/1/4 in thick. Slice each breast into 5 strips and toss in the marinade. Leave for 10 minutes. 5. Meanwhile make the sauce. Put the peanut butter, coconut milk, water, sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Warm gently, stirring constantly, until everything has Marinade melted together. Bring to a simmer and cook ●● Small piece ginger use one eighth of a 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove teaspoon grated ginger from the heat, stir in 1 tsp of the leftover lime ●● 1 clove garlic juice and set aside. ●● Juice of 1 lime 6. Preheat the grill to high. ●● 1 tbs soy sauce 7. Thread the chicken strips onto the skewers ●● 1 tbs runny honey and put on a foil-lined baking sheet. ●● 1 tsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) ●● 2 small chicken breasts cut into long strips 8. Grill for 5 minutes (around 5cm/2 in from the flame), turn and grill for a further 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Sauce 9. Carefully remove the skewers and put ●● 100g crunchy peanut butter them on a clean plate. Warm the sauce ●● 75m coconut milk again slightly and add an extra tablespoon ●● 75ml water of water if it has become too thick. Drizzle ●● 1 tbs sweet chilli sauce (or to taste) a little of the sauce over the skewers and ●● 1 tsp soy sauce You will also need 10 wooden skewers soaked serve the rest in a bowl, for dipping. Makes 10 skewers in water for 30 minutes. 1. Scrape the skin from the ginger using the Try this! tip of a teaspoon. Grate the ginger finely, you Spicy satay skewers – add 1 tsp curry paste or need 1/8 tsp. Put in a large bowl. curry powder to the marinade. Mild or medium, 2. Crush the garlic with a garlic press of the depending on how hot you like them! back of a teaspoon. Add this to the bowl. Recipe from The After School Meal Planner by 3. Squeeze the lime, measure out 1 tbs and Annabel karmel (Erbury Press £14.99). This is a must for any peanut butter lover. Its my favourite recipe for Satay Chicken and really simpe to prepare. It would work for prawn or beef skewers as well as chicken. A little tip. If you freeze fresh ginger first, its much easier to grate… Peanut butter is a nutrient dense and energy giving food, providing an excellent source of protein, folic acid, calcium and zinc. Zinc plays an important role in building up a strong immune system.

Tortilla Pizza Margherita I love thin crust pizzas and wheat tortilla wraps make an ideal “instant” base - turning deliciously crisp in the oven. It is also ideal for smaller children who find the slimmer base easier to eat. Sometimes the air bubbles in the wrap puff up a bit as the pizza bakes – but they deflate as soon as they come out the oven, so don’t panic! You can use your favourite tomato sauce recipe or shop-bought sauce, or try my recipe for a speedy tomato sauce, (See p27). ●● 1 wheat tortilla wrap ●● 2 ½ tbsp tomato sauce ●● 30g (1oz) grated cheddar or mozzarella 1. Preheat the oven to 200c/400F/Gas 6/Fan 180. 2. Put the tortilla wrap on a baking sheet and spread over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle over the cheese. You can also add any toppings that your child may like (see suggestions below). Bake for 8-9 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the base is crisp. Cut into triangles and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Suggested Toppings Try any two toppings, if using.

●● 1 small slice ham cut into thin strips ●● 2-3 black stoned olives, cut into rings ●● 1 cherry tomato, cut into rings ●● 2 cubes drained canned pineapple, cut into dice ●● 1 tbsp diced red pepper ●● 1 rasher bacon , cooked until crisp and crumbled ●● 1 tbsp drained canned sweetcorn ●● 1 spring onion, sliced ●● 2 mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in a little oil ●● 3-4 very thin slices courgette, brushed with a little oil before putting on pizza ●● 1 tbsp grated Parmesan ●● 2 sunblush tomatoes, cut into small pieces Makes 1 portion ‘Top 100 Finger Foods’ (Ebury £9.99) Every Child

How much can you pack into your child’s lunch box? Put Baco into your child’s lunch box and you’re giving them that little bit extra. Because not only are Baco Rainbow bags designed to make packed lunches simple, they can make them fun too. Your children can make friends with the Rainbow gang with stickers and printed bags and at www.bacorainbow.com.

And now with Baco EasyCut packed lunches couldn’t be easier. Designed with convenience in mind, the new EasyCut cling film dispenser is speedy to use in four easy steps. Dispensing a perfect tangle-free easy cut every time - you’re in complete control of your cling film.

Visit us at www.baco.co.uk and find out how Baco makes life easier.

food & nutrition

Lunch s t a e r boxT

These tempting lunch box selections from Annabel Karmel tick all the right boxes

lunchbox is a great way to make sure your child is getting a healthy and nutritious lunch. And it seems that taking a lunchbox to school has become even more popular. “Almost half the children in this country take a packed lunch to school and it is estimated that over 5 billion lunchboxes are made for children each year in the UK,” says Annabel Karmel, cookery expert and author of Lunchboxes (£6.99, www.annabelkarmel.com) But preparing a lunchbox every morning can be nothing short of a disaster, and children can be fussy about what they will and won’t eat after it’s been sitting in a lunchbox all morning. “Children are all different, but by and large what they want is a quick fix – a packet of crisps and a chocolate biscuit that can be wolfed down in minutes saving maximum time for the playground,” says Annabel. “It’s never going to be what parents want: good food that will sustain them until lunchtime.” So Annabel has come up with a few handy tips to help you get your child packed up and off to school without any hassle, and with a healthy, delicious lunchbox in hand. Then try out some of Annabel’s tasty ideas and a

few of her favourite lunchbox recipes. Who knows, they might inspire you to make your own lunchbox!

Annabel Karemel’s delicious healthy lunchbox tips: Give easy to grab-and-go foods such as clementines already peeled and covered with plastic wrap or cut kiwi fruit in half and let them scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon. Lunches can be prepared the night before to save time the next morning. You can prepare pasta salads, sandwich fillings, fruit compotes or include something from last night’s dinner, like soup in a flask. Keep a supply of frozen bread, rolls, bagels, pitta bread, etc., for emergencies. Cut sandwiches into shapes using cookie cutters or thread fruit on to straw to make a fresh fruit skewer because however healthy food is, it won’t get eaten unless it’s tasty and appealing to your child. During colder weather, include something hot in a lunchbox. Serve up delicious homemade or good-quality bought soup in a wide-mouthed mini thermos flask.

ALL SORTS

OF SANDWICHES

A sandwich is just two slices of bread with filling inside but there are zillions of variations. Try bagels instead of bread or wraps for a change..

Ham or Pastrami with Honey Mustard Mayonnaise: Mix together 1 tbsp mayonnaise, quarter tsp wholegrain mustard and a quarter tsp honey. Spread the mustard mixture on the bagel, put a slice of ham on top followed by a slice of tomato or thinly sliced cheese and a couple of lettuce leaves. Cover with the other half of the bagel

2. Marmite and Butter 3. Tuna Mayonnaise with Spring

Onions and Sweet Corn or Tomato

Sliced Turkey, Swiss Cheese, Tomato, Lettuce and Salad Dressing or Mayonnaise

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

Roast Beef, Lettuce, Pickle Slices, Tomato and a Little Mild Horseradish or Mustard

Hummus Mixed with Grated Garrot and Thinly Sliced Cucumber

Every Child

food & nutrition

CHICKEN REUBEN

●● 1 x 18cm /7 in wheat tortilla wrap ●● 1 tbsp mayonnaise ●● Half tablespoon ketchup ●● 2 to 3 drops lemon juice ●● Small handful shredded lettuce (little gem, romaine or iceberg) ●● 30g cooked chicken ●● 2 to 3 cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup and lemon together. Spread over the wrap. Scatter lettuce over half of the wrap, then layer chicken and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper .Roll up and cut in half. Wrap in foil or clingfilm.

KIDDIE SUSHI ROLLS

TOMATO, MOZZARELLA AND PESTO WRAP

●● I x 18cm / 7 in wheat tortilla wrap ●● 1 tsp pesto ●● 1 tbsp mayonnaise ●● 1 large tomato, skinned, deseeded and finely sliced (push out as many seeds as possible. Pat dry on a paper towel. ●● Half ball mozzarella, sliced (60g) ●● Drizzle of olive oil (optional) Mix together the pesto and mayonnaise and spread over the wrap. Arrange the tomato and mozzarella down the centre of the wrap. Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil (optional). Roll up and cut in half. Wrpa in foil or cling film.

Other good fillings would be tinned salmon mixed with a little mayonnaise, tomato ketchup and chopped spring onion with cucumber strips or strips of Cheddar with slices of tomato and cucumber. ●● 1/2 (half ) x 185g tin tuna ●● 2 tbsp mayonnaise ●● 1 and a half tbsp tomato ketchup ●● 2 drops of Tabasco or to taste ●● 2 slices white bread, crusts removed ●● 2 in length of cucumber cut into strips ●● 2 in length of carrot, coarsely grated 1. Using a rolling pin, flatten the bread until about 5 mm / 1/8 in thick. 2. Mix the tuna together with one tablespoon of the mayonnaise and the tomato ketchup. Spread the remaining mayonnaise over the bread and then spoon the tuna about a quarter of an inch from the edge of the bread in a line. Arrange the cucumber strips on one side and the grated carrot on the other. Roll up from the tuna end and press down to seal. Trim ends to neaten using a sharp knife, then cut into three little rolls. You can prepare this the night before, wrap in cling film and cut into three in the morning. MAKES ONE PORTION Every Child

food & nutrition

ANNABEL’S OAT BARS Everyone who tastes this asks for the recipe and it only takes minutes to prepare. Its another good recipe to encourage children to get involved in making something for their lunchbox

APPLE AND CARROT MUFFINS WITH MAPLE SYRUP These deliciously moist muffins are very easy to make so its fun for your child to make them at the weekend and then take them to school in their lunchbox. Suitable for freezing ●● 75g (3oz) self raising flour ●● 75g (3oz) plain flour ●● 50g (2 oz) caster sugar ●● 25g (1 oz) dried skimmed milk powder ●● 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ●● ½ teaspoon cinnamon ●● Quarter teaspoon salt ●● Half teaspoon powdered ginger ●● 125ml (4 fl oz) vegetable oil ●● 3 tbsp maple syrup ●● 1 tbsp honey ●● 2 eggs, lightly beaten ●● Half tsp vanilla essence

●● 1 large apple, peeled and grated ●● 75g (3 oz) carrots, peeled and grated ●● 65g (2 ½ oz) raisins 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 2. Combine the flour, skimmed milk powder, baking powder, cinnamon salt and ginger in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the honey, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla essence. Beat lightly with a wire whisk until blended. Add the grated apple, carrots and raisins to the liquid mixture and stir until just combined. 3. Line a muffin tray with paper cups and fill until two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You can also make mini muffins which are ideal for children they will take 15 to 20 minutes to bake. MAKES 12 MUFFINS

●● 85g butter ●● 90g brown sugar ●● 55g golden syrup (3 tbsp) ●● 100g oats ●● 30g Rice Krispies ●● Quarter tsp salt ●● 40g dessicated coconut ●● 40g chopped dried apricots (ready to eat) ●● 30g cranberries ●● 30g raisins ●● 40g chopped pecans (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 170C / 325 F / Gas 3. 2. Line a 20 cm square tin with baking parchment with the parchment coming up the sides. 3. Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large saucepan. 4. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until butter and sugar have melted. Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining ingredients. Spoon into the prepared tin and press out in an even layer (a potato masher is good). Bake for 25 minutes until golden around the edges. Cool completely in the tin, then lift out and cut into 12 small bars. You may need to store these in the fridge. MAKES 12 BARS

You Can Cook

£2 off

Get your children cooking and enjoy £2.00 off with Annabel Karmel's new step-by-step cook book for kids. Order your copy of "You Can Cook" Special offer price of £7.99 including free p&p (RRP is £9.99). Call the DK Bookshop on 0845 130 7778. Quote reference DKAKEC. Or visit www.shop4online.co.uk/DKAKWEC The offer is subject to availability. Customers should allow up to 28 days for delivery. Offer open to UK only.

Every Child

OV4022

food & nutrition

Flossie Crums and The Enchanted Cookie Tree Flossie Crumbs loves baking and has fairies living in her garden at 22 Maple Syrup Lane. Do you know what happens when you’ve got fairies living at the bottom of your garden? Well one minute you’re drawing quietly in your bedroom and the next you’re off on another fairy tale adventure. Can you help Flossie Bake these delicious Iced Welcoming Cookies to celebrate the birth of baby Cornflower the new Romolonian Fairy Princess?

Recipe from ‘Flossie Crums and The Enchanted Cookie Tree’ By Helen Nathan (Pavilion Children’s books) £8.99 Enjoy reading this enchanting story and baking delicious cookies and other magical recipes from Helen Nathan's second Flossie Crums fairy adventure recipe book. For more info go to www.flossiecrums.com

Every Child

Create delicious meals for you and your family

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Now you can make healthy, nutritious food for you and your family with the new Kenwood triblade hand blender range. with the unique triblade system, you can make light work of sauces, soups, vegetable purĂŠes and baby food. whether you are using the Big Footâ&#x201E;˘ pan blender, Chopper or Masher attachments, all your meal and snack requirements can be created with ease. See instore for the new range of Triblade hand blenders from Kenwood www.kenwood.co.uk hB724

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food & nutrition

* Baking equipment from: www.flossiecrums.com

Every Child

Oily fish or cereal?

How would your kids like their Omega-3?

Just two spoonfuls of Linwoods Milled Organic Flaxseed stirred into cereal, yoghurt or a creamy dessert, gives your kids as much Omega-3 intake as eating a portion of oily fish! 52% of the fat in Linwoods Milled Organic Flaxseed is the essential fatty acid Omega-3 (ALA). Omega-3 may help promote a healthy heart and brain development in kids. It’s a great source of dietary fibre, iron and calcium too. In fact, Linwoods Flaxseed provides a range of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to you and your family’s health. Linwoods Flaxseed is cold-milled to preserve all the nutritional content and to aid quick and easy absorption into the body. It’s easily added to your children’s food, or you can add it to your own home baked treats. Smart cookie! Other tasty and nutritious products in the Linwoods Healthy Super Foods range include blends of various nuts, seeds, berries, cocoa and Q10.

Available from grocery shops, health food shops and many pharmacies across Ireland. For more information contact info@linwoods.co.uk or call 02837 568477.

linwoods healthy super foods

nurture by nature

food & nutrition

* Baking equipment from: www.flossiecrums.com

Every Child

Everyone’s favourite, pasta! Recipes so easy and delicious everyone will clear their plates

Offer Price £6

Buy Annabel Karmel’s NEW Pasta book as well as other books in her range at 40% off plus free postage and packaging at www.rbooks.co.uk/echild enter the code echild at the checkout

Offer Price £9

Offer Price £7.80

Ebury Press is an imprint of Ebury Publishing, A Random House Company / www.rbooks.co.uk

Offer Price £4.20

www.annabelkarmel.com

food & nutrition

IS WHAT PORTION

ONE

Children should be eating five-a-day, but how do you know what should be eaten at each meal? Here’s our guide to the amount of fruit and vegetable your child should eat each day. Then turn the page for easy five-a-day recipe ideas

A PORTION OF FRUIT Adults and teenagers: 80g – or a large Granny Smith apple. Children: 40g – or a mediumsized Pink Lady apple. Fruit can be fresh, frozen or canned. They all count, so the more eaten per day the better!

A PORTION OF Vegetables Adults and teenagers: 80g – about three heaped tablespoons. Children: 40g – about two level tablespoons. Vegetables can be fresh, frozen or canned. Apart from potatoes, which are classified as a starchy food, the more eaten per day the better!

A GLASS OF JUICE Adults and teenagers: 150g – about a quarter of a pint. Children: 75g – about an eighth of a pint. You can drink as many glasses of fruit juice as you want, but because juicing loses essential fibre, only the first one of the day counts towards your five-a-day. But watch the calories and the effects on children’s teeth, as most fruit juices have high-sugar content.

EXTRA, EXTRA, read all about it…

To add extra five-a-days into your children’s daily quota, get them to nibble on some of the following deceivingly healthy snacks: Fruit: Dried fruit, fruit crisps, small cans of fruit, smoothies, real-fruit ice lollies, jelly with fruit in, fruit salads, and, of course, just pieces of good, healthy fruit. For an extra yummy treat, serve sliced fruit with a low-fat yoghurt dip. Vegetables: Carrot batons, sugar snap peas, baby sweet corn, celery sticks or sweet pepper pieces. All are delicious dipped in hummus and taramasalata, or simply dipped in a light mayonnaise. Great as part of a lunch box, starters or TV nibbles.

A PORTION OF BEANS Adults and teenagers: 80g – about three heaped tablespoons. Children: 40g – about two level tablespoons. Again, eating more than one portion doesn’t count, as they don’t contain as many vitamins as fruit and vegetables.

A PORTION OF salad Adults and teenagers: 80g – about the size of a dessert or cereal bowl. Children: 40g – about half a cereal bowl. Lettuce can be mixed with heavier salad vegetables such as tomatoes, grated carrots and cucumber to get the weight needed. You can eat as much as you want and it all counts!

Every Child

Your Bit

There are lots of fun and exciting ways that you can get involved in the life of your child’s school so come on join in!

t needn’t just be your child that starts school this September, you yourself could be going in through the school gates too and lending a hand in all sorts of useful ways. Schools welcome and encourage the skills and experiences provided by parents. In fact, getting involved in your child’s school is a great way of not just supporting your child but also of supporting the school. ‘There are real benefits of becoming part of the life and work of the school,’ says Michele Kitto who is a primary

44 Every Child

School Governor. ‘It’s a great way of getting to know the workings of the school, the teachers and pupils as well as giving you the chance to have your say and influence school processes.’ For many mums this will be the first time that they have walked into a school – apart from pre-school open days, and orientation visits – and the experience can be as daunting for mum or dad as it can be for children. The smells, the memories – bad and good, the first meeting with a teacher or head teacher. All of these initial

experiences can bring back powerful feelings about your own experience at school. But getting beyond this and spending time in the school in all sorts of useful ways can be very rewarding and help get the most out of school for your child and you. There are lots of different ways of getting involved from being a governor to helping with school trips, helping out with fund raising, or helping out in the classroom or with the school play, it all helps and your child’s school needs you!

parental involvement

My experience School Governor

Becoming a School Governor All schools have a governing body, which includes parent Governors elected by parents for a four-year term. It has a range of legal responsibilities, including employing staff, setting budgets, agreeing educational and curriculum targets, and ruling on staff and parental grievances. Typically, Governors spend a couple of hours a week on school business, including termly meetings of the governing body, and more frequent committee meetings. While it can be a rewarding role, governorship can also be demanding. If you’re interested in becoming a Governor, speak to established parent Governors about the role. Your child’s school or local authority can provide details of when the next elections will be held.

ence My experi

The Parent Teacher Association Parent Teacher Associations are not all about making jam to sell at the school fete, jumble sales or tea making at parents evening, although these are essential elements of the job, PTAs are also much more, and an excellent way to get involved in your child’s school. The Department for Children, Schools and Families says the aim of PTAs is ‘to foster better relationships between parents and their children’s schools.’ The National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA) says, ‘Your PTA can be whatever you want it to be’. Both views are valid. PTAs have a specific role in maintaining links between parents and schools – but they can be so much more.

Teaching Assistant

urch of England d out at Wickford Ch lpe he es, Jam to m mu decided to make a Emma Crooks, joyed it so much she’s en d an sex Es in ol Infant Scho n class and career out of it! he was in the Receptio en wh er ch tea s es’ t out the library ‘I approached Jam first tasks were to sor My lp. he y an ed ed ne asked if she ildren reading. m and listen to the ch me books in the classroo might misbehave with es Jam t concerned tha he w ho see to e ‘To begin with, I was nic s really he didn’t – and it wa in the classroom, but . ren ild ch er been on interacted with the oth lk to church, and have ildren when they wa ildren ch the ing tch ‘I now go with the ch ely experience wa lov a s wa It rk. s. pa lar try pil es and cater a trip to a coun about seeing butterfli ed cit ex g t of tin ou r get ree d ca an exploring ed to make a out so much I’ve decid I’d ng lly, lpi tua he en ed Ev t. joy en an e ist ‘I’v a teaching ass me co be to e urs ed co a olv it, and enrolled on recommend getting inv cher training. I highly love to go on to do tea ool.’ with your child’s sch

When Ayerton started at the playgroup attached to Dr South’s Primary School in Oxfordshire, mum Michele Kitto knew immediately that she wanted to get involved in the machinery and daily workings of the school. ‘I became a School Governor just over a year ago because I wanted to be more involved in the local school. As a specialist primary art teacher, freelance author and editor I thought that my skills would prove useful and as the school was on the verge of appointing a new head teacher I wanted to get involved ‘I read in a school newsletter that the school was looking for a Governor – I think there was one other applicant at the time but I was given the post. In many cases I think you can approach schools and let them know that you are interested.’ ‘When we were going through the process of appointing a new head teacher there were more hours involved but now its less. We meet six times a year with the full governing body which is always in the evening for a couple of hours, then everyone is in a committee or two that meets about once a term. I am chair of the curriculum committee, a role that I really enjoy and feel I can bring my expertise of primary education.’ ‘In the last week I have hosted and run the curriculum meeting, been to a staff meeting to discuss a project and helped at an open day showing prospective parents around – this is not a normal week! It is fun and you can give as much as you want to the experience, all the Governors have different skills and time commitments and all contribute different things. Email is wonderful to keep in touch and our clerk of Governors keeps us all in order and up-to-date with info, training opportunities and is there to help us along. We are always welcome at the school and we make visits to the classroom and are always invited to school events such as the recent May Day – with wonderful maypole dancing and a May queen.’

Every Child

the big day

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parental involvement

There are lots of different ways of getting involved from being a governor to helping with school trips, helping out with fund raising, or helping out in the classroom or with the school play, it all helps and your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school needs you!

Every Child

parental involvement

My experience PTA member A PTA needs a constitution, terms of reference and committee members. The constitution will set out who can join. This may just be parents and teachers, or nonteaching staff, families and ex-pupils, too. The committee is elected at an annual meeting – another legal requirement. In most schools, this is held in September, and is a good opportunity to find out more about the PTA’s work. Finding people to take on formal committee roles such as chairman, treasurer and secretary is often one of the biggest challenges, but it’s essential to operating legally and effectively. If the PTA raises funds – as almost all do – it may need to register as a charity with the Charity Commission. As well as being a possible legal requirement, it will bring it many tax-related benefits. Established PTAs can sometimes seem like a clique, as often a small number of people are left to do all the organising. However, new blood is essential, and you should find new recruits are welcomed enthusiastically.

Helping out in the classroom and the playground and school trips and… The children gather around Pega the horse, bursting with questions about how old he is, how often he needs feeding, and if he really

likes to eat dried up grass. They excitedly try on riding hats, tentatively have a go at brushing his flank or combing his mane, and burst into fits of giggles when he empties his bladder in the playground. This unusual lesson isn’t being led by a class teacher, but by Helen Coleman, mum to Charlotte, nine; James, seven; and Sarah, five – all pupils at Wickford Church of England Infant School in Essex. Helen is one of many parents who take an active interest in their children’s school. As well as taking her horse to the school for a one-off special lesson, she also listens to children read in class, has helped out on a school trip, filmed the school play so it could be viewed during an open evening, and volunteered to count and send off sports vouchers.

Share your skills and abilities There are lots of ways you can contribute to the learning experience at your child’s school. If you’re creative, you could help out with art displays, music or drama projects. Or you could support a lesson that fits in with your own interests. ‘Many parents come into school to talk about their culture or religion,’ says Debbie Rogan, head teacher at Wickford Church of England Infant School. ‘For instance, when we were doing a project on weddings, one

John Porter helped establish the PTA in a brand new school and has enjoyed every minute of it for the last 15 years. ‘My children attended, Rushy Meadow Primary School in Carshalton, Surrey in the first year of its existence. The school was newly built, and so had no track record, good or bad. The staff were young, and the pupils were almost all first or only children, as younger siblings automatically followed their older brothers and sisters into more established local schools.’ ‘Establishing the PTA known as Friends of Rushy Meadow, or FoRM, helped to overcome much of the caution felt by parents and teachers. A programme of social events, including summer and Christmas fairs, quiz nights, and family discos, gave everyone the chance to interact on a social level, and helped establish the school community. Fifteen years on, FoRM is now a vital part of a thriving primary school, helping to run everything from fund-raising events to after-school clubs. I have enjoyed every minute of my involvement with the PTA and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in helping at their child’s school.’

Every Child

the big day

parental involvement

of the Muslim mothers brought in her wedding dress, which the children found fascinating.’ It’s not just about mothers, fathers and extended family members can get involved as well. ‘Dads are sometimes less comfortable doing something where they’re on display,’ says Rogan. ‘But they may be happy to help with cutting back bushes, tidying up the adventure playground or putting out equipment in the morning.’

A learning experience Parents are often needed to help with reading or writing, but you may feel daunted at first. ‘Some parents come in to help with painting or modelling, and build their confidence until they’re ready to help in other ways,’ says Rogan. ‘It’s about having fun with the children.’ ‘Also, getting parents more involved with their child’s learning means they get a more accurate picture of their education than if they just relied on parents’ evenings and the end of year report,’ she explains. ‘Some people believe the emphasis of education is still on fact-learning, whereas we now teach children to be resilient, flexible and creative in their thinking, so they’re not flummoxed when new things come along. It’s about teaching them not to be frightened to get things wrong. It can be difficult to persuade parents that this is important unless they see it in action.’ If you don’t have fond memories of school, seeing how much fun school can be may change your view – and this increased confidence can rub off on your children. Perhaps most importantly, by being more aware of the skills your child needs, you’ll be more confident about helping him at home. When children start school, the first couple of terms can make a big difference, says Rogan. Her school has linked up with a local

college to provide a 10-week programme where parents can spend half a day a week familiarising themselves with the curriculum. A tutor also talks to them about how they can help their child at home. Then the children join in for the last part of the session to do something relevant to that section of the curriculum.

Reaping the rewards Maria Semak is the coordinator of the AMBER project (Adult Minorities Breaking Educational Restrictions) in Nottingham – a scheme designed to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning. ‘The rewards of getting involved in your child’s school life are tremendous, for both the parent and the child,’ explains Semak. ‘The child becomes more confident if the parent is excited and positive about the school. And once the staff get to know you, they’ll feel more comfortable about approaching you if there are problems – and you’ll feel more confident about approaching them. It becomes more of an equal partnership in educating your child. There are also opportunities for parents to develop their own careers and learning.’ All schools have a legal responsibility to engage with parents, and they are increasingly aware of the benefits. ‘Research shows that what parents do with their children at home carries a lot of weight in terms of their educational attainment,’ says Semak. ‘By establishing the idea of a partnership from day one, you start a lifelong relationship in learning.’ So although it may be tempting to drop your child off at school and forget about him until three o’clock, try getting involved. Whether it’s popping into the coffee morning or bringing a horse to school, it’s up to you!

Join in! If you want to help out at your child’s school, let the class teacher know you’re interested. ‘Make friends with someone on the staff,’ says Maria Semak from AMBER (see main text). ‘Suggest ways of getting involved, such as with swimming lessons or accompanying a school trip. Don’t think you have to go straight into a classroom situation. There are lots of ways to assist, from working on the vegetable patch to helping organise a social event. You’ll quickly establish networks with other parents who can help you make that breakthrough.’ Before you can volunteer to work with children, you’ll have to be checked with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). This is a legal requirement for all people working with children, but unless you have a criminal record, especially concerning offences against children, it’s nothing to worry about.

findoutmore The NCPTA offers legal and constitutional advice, as well as ideas for fund-raising. For more information, visit: www.ncpta.org.uk For more on the role of school governors, visit: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk

Every Child

Every Child Six Steps Back to School Article.indd 1

11/08/2010 17:29

Back to school Back and back on track!

After six weeks of holidays, the first week After six weeks of holidays, the first week back to school can be daunting for even the back to school can be daunting for even the most confident child. most confident child. Here are a few tips to help them make the Here are a few tips to help them make the transition smoothly. transition smoothly. Get them excited! Get Askthem lots ofexcited! questions about their new schedule. Showing

Askinterest lots ofinquestions about their all the exciting thingsnew theschedule. new termShowing will bring will interest in allfocus the exciting things the newrather termthan will bring will help them on feeling grown-up daunted. help them focus on feeling grown-up rather than daunted.

Re-establish the old order Re-establish the old During the holidays all order of the work that you have put into term-

During holidays all to of the workofthat have put into termtime the routine seems go out theyou window. Sensible sleep time routine seems to go out of the window. Sensible sleep patterns can be the hardest to reinforce so it is good to start patterns be theathardest to reinforce so itstart is good to start setting can the alarm least a week before the of term. setting the alarm at least a week before the start of term.

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Make it fun The “Back to School” shop can feel like the signal that the holidays Make it fun over.toLetting out like newthe pencil cases Theare“Back School”them shoppick can feel signal thatand thestationery holidays can help relieve that sense of disappointment and help them get are over. Letting them pick out new pencil cases and stationery about that the new canexcited help relieve senseterm. of disappointment and help them get excited about the new term.

Talk it through If your child is suffering with start of term jitters, remind them Talk it through

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parental involvement

HOME

Learning at

Learning doesn’t stop when the school day does, there are plenty of ways to support your child at home

s a parent or guardian, you’ve had a huge impact on your child’s life so far. And now he’s started school, you can also make a difference to his education as well. The way you support him now can influence everything from his attendance and motivation, to future test scores and, eventually, his career options. Getting involved in your child’s homework is one way to do this. For many, the word ‘homework’ conjures up images of endless repetitions of times tables and spelling lists. But things are changing, and homework for young children is much more likely to be active and fun, and to involve the whole family.

Liaise with the school There are many ways you can support your child at home – one of the most important is to find out what he’s doing in school. If you’re planning a trip or a day out, ask your child’s teacher what the class are learning at the moment and link your visit with this. Or get some books from the library on the current topic – librarians will be happy to help you. It’s a good idea to know some of the practical issues too, such as how letters are formed and when his class uses capital letters, etc. If your child is learning one way of forming a letter at school and another at home, this may lead to confusion. Make a point to talk regularly to your child’s teacher and other adults at school to see what sort

of activities they suggest for home learning. Is there a Toy Library, a home/school diary scheme or a copy of the teacher’s planning that you could use to help you with ideas? As you begin to get involved in activities that extend your child’s learning, remember that they’ve already had a long day at school. More pressure at home can easily turn off the enthusiasm, so here are six ways to help them succeed at home: Integrate learning in a natural way: At this early stage homework is not always a rigorous or formal activity in the way you probably think of it. Rather children are encouraged to bring the classroom home by discussing and extending what they are learning with the whole family in all sorts of settings. Day trips and family activities are excellent opportunities to talk about what your child is learning. Dress up and acting out activities are also a good way to make learning fun. Take a break: Offer a snack and have a bit of ‘down time’ after school and before you start any other activities. And always be with your child as he does his homework. Never let a child of this age do activities on his own. Don’t overdo it: Use your judgment and stop when your child has had enough. About 10 to15 minutes is often sufficient at the end of a school day. Research says an hour a week is plenty for children in this age group.

Be positive: Don’t make homework a chore for you or your child! If you’re too busy one night, just take a break and try again tomorrow. The same goes for your child. If he’s feeling tired, or had extra activities after school, leave homework until the next evening when he’s feeling fresher. Display his work: If your child writes, draws or makes things at home, encourage him to take them to school to show his teacher and friends. Display his work where it can be seen regularly – for example, on the fridge door or kitchen notice board. Seeing his work valued will help him to value it as well. Reading is key: Even with the internet and other technology, your child will be lost if he can’t read. If you can’t find time to read his school book every day, make an effort to read a bedtime story together. Even if pressures of the day prevent all other activities, the bedtime story should be sacrosanct!

3 simple ideas

1 2 3

Cut out 3 letter w ords from old magazines and mix them up

Walk in the park and collect leaves, sticks, gr asses etc. to make a collage Sing-a-long nurs ery rhymes while driving, pl aying, tidying up etc.

Every Child

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parental involvement

Out of School

Clubs

With the new extended schools agenda your child may have the opportunity to have fun inside and outside of school

ut of school clubs form part of the Government’s extended schools agenda, along with breakfast clubs and holiday clubs. Extended schools are designed to help balance work and family commitments, whilst providing children with study support, and offering them a broader range of experiences and interests. Under the Government’s “extended services” initiative, all schools have until 2010 to provide access to childcare, either on their own premises or nearby, from 8.00am to 6.00pm to give state school pupils the same opportunities as those in the private sector. That is not to say that all schools will provide out of school care themselves, some will, but others will out source the provision. If schools can demonstrate that there is little or no demand for extended services, they can satisfy the Government requirements merely by signposting to other local provision, such as childminders or nearby out of school clubs. However, if there is a definite need, schools are required to implement out of school care, but again this does not have to be provided by the school itself. Some schools opt to fulfill the requirements themselves, others invite individuals, playgroups, or other private childcare providers to fulfill the requirements on their behalf.

Out of school clubs offer a range of activities for children, including: Study support, Play and recreation, Fitness classes, Drama, Sport, Music, Arts and crafts. Out of school clubs are registered with and inspected by Ofsted, and have to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) if caring for children of five years or younger (ie children in the reception year). Under EYFS regulations out-of-school settings are required to have an adult-to-child ratio of one to eight for children in the three to seven age group.

Cooking clubs A great example of out of school clubs are cooking clubs. A number of cooking clubs for children have popped up across the country, many connected to schools, youth clubs or community centres. Cooking clubs for kids are a great way to give children the building blocks for a healthy future and there is plenty of information available from various organisations, to help new clubs get started. One such organisation is ‘Let’s Get Cooking’, a Lottery-funded, nation-wide club that is fronted by celebrity chef Prue Leith. ‘Let’s Get Cooking’ has established a network of cooking clubs for kids at over 2,000 locations, with

plans for a further 3,000 by the end of 2010. Here, they teach children and their parents about the basics of healthy eating, including healthy and affordable meal planning, where food comes from and how to prepare simple, tasty meals. The Government’s Food Standards Agency has set up an organisation called ‘What’s Cooking?’ that has been designed to promote a positive attitude towards healthy eating in families. This initiative promotes basic cooking skills that are suited to all members of the family. Ask your child’s teacher about the availability of after school clubs and activities.

findoutmore Out of School’s Alliance www.outofschoolsalliance.co.uk Advice on setting up and running all types of out of school clubs. Lets Get Cooking www.letsgetcooking.org.uk Advice on setting up and running cookery clubs. What’s Cooking? www.continyou.org.uk The Food Standards Agency’s advice on setting up and running cookery clubs.

Every Child

parental involvement

Toys&Play Help your child get the most out of playtime by choosing and using toys wisely

lay is an important part of learning and child development, both in terms of physical development and intellectual and emotional / development. Children with access to a wide range of well selected toys are more likely to be challenged and stimulated. Whether playing alone or with others, quietly or with enthusiasm, play is the way children explore their world and create imaginary ones. Children between the ages of 4 and 7 are developing at a rapid pace and will enjoy many different types of play such as: active play, imaginary play and logical play. They will be developing many skills from play for example: physical skills, social skills, cognitive skills and personal skills.

Choosing Safe Toys Always make sure the toys you buy conform to safety standards. There are a number of organisations working to make sure that toys purchased in the U.K. conform to safety Standards and as a result most toys available will not present a risk to your child. Be careful when selecting second hand toys, as there is no guarantee that they are safe. Check The Packaging: There are three things to look out for: The Lion Mark. This is the best symbol of safety and quality backed by a rigorous Code of Practice developed by the British Toy and Hobby Association. Do not

confuse this with the familiar CE mark. The CE mark is not a consumer standards mark. The CE mark is a mark of conformity assisting in the free movement of goods within the European Community. Age Advice. Look for age advice on packaging to check that the toy or game matches the age range of your child. Do not give toys intended for 5+ years to younger children because they may have small parts or other dangerous aspect to it. Toys too old will frustrate younger children and vice versa. Always read any safety advice and follow the manufacturers instructions on how to use the toy or game.

Play Pointers

Safe Play For maximum benefit children should feel secure and comfortable in their surroundings. With supportive adults present and a wide assortment of toys to play with. Fun Toys Toys should be fun and engaging. To be fun they must match the child’s maturity and challenge their skills. Where practical let your child be part of the purchasing or selection process. Get involved Play with your child whenever you think it is appropriate. Although they may be more independent now and able to play alone try getting the whole family involved in board games or video games is great fun. But do be aware of the ‘rules of play’, as mum Anne commented on playing snakes & ladders with 5 year old Rosie, “If I dare try to speed things up, comment on the rules or even attempt to win I have to stop myself because when you’re down there on the play mat there is only one person in control and only one winner and that is definitely not me.” Every Child

parental involvement

‘Although girls and boys play differently they are alike in basic ways. Both need variety in their play, variety in their toys and encouragement to play actively or more quietly’ Keeping Toys Safe

Tidy up Always try to tidy up, this helps prevent accidents and damage to toys. Check the toys regularly. If toys do get damaged throw them away as their safety cannot be guaranteed. Don’t get them mixed up If younger children play with toys that are too mature for them because they are mixed in with your older child this could be dangerous. Change batteries Make sure that batteries are working so that your child can get the most out of the toy. Dead batteries and corroded batteries are dangerous. Be careful with Garden toys Make sure that swings and climbing frames are fixed onto grass not concrete and that inflatables such as paddling pools are emptied, deflated and stored away out of reach. Small children can drown in tiny amounts of water.

Toy Trends The effect on your child of an increasingly consumer society is that they will inevitably want the latest must-have toy, game, action figure or doll. The increase in competitive

consumer goods and the role of the media in promoting such items means that children are becoming aware of these desirable objects at a younger age. Therefore the urge to possess a specific object or to adopt a certain lifestyle starts at an early age. Young children need to be liked, to belong to a desirable group of age mates and to be accepted. They achieve this by imitating popular kids – their dress, behaviours, speech and their game sets. Most people believe advertising to be at the root of this but this has not been proved. The popularity for Barbie dolls, Pokemon, Tamogotchis, and Cabbage Patch dolls for example were established before any promotional advertising appeared for these products. Advertisers may later capitalise on youth fads but are not necessarily responsible for creating them. Youngsters create fads for themselves. They look up to popular children and older children of the same sex. Peer pressure is an extremely strong force that will come into play as soon as your child starts school and mixes with other children.

Pink for Girls Blue for Boys One of the first things that may have struck you when you first started buying toys for your child is the striking gender differentiation of toys on the shelves. Girl’s toys tend to have pink packaging and be a toy that can be groomed and moved around sedately such as My Little Pony or Polly Pocket or of course nurturing such as baby dolls, kitchen equipment or doctors and nurses type toys. Boy’s toys tend to be more active, mechanical and come in darker packaging, dark blue or blacks and reds. Manufacturers of course are responding to demand and research shows that girls and boys may be biologically predisposed to these types of colours and toys. However the jury is still out as Sociologists argue that these preferences are learned from a very young age, possibly as babies and are socially constructed. Although girls and boys play differently they are alike in basic ways. Both need variety in their play, variety in their toys and encouragement to play actively or more quietly. The most important message from play studies and research is that a fun, safe and loving environment in which to explore the world through pay is the best way that you can support your child at any age. Every Child

How kids Play We asked Mum of three, Samantha, to select some toys for twins Daisy and George (5) and Henry (8) to play with last summer and to watch them play. This is what she found…

Daisy

Daisy selected ‘Moon Sand Sweet Delights Ice Cream’ (£9.99) and ‘Moon Dough Diner’ (£9.99)

How was Play?

Why?

Mum: “The packaging is very clear, it was easy to identify the contents and how to use the sand and dough. The price was very reasonable, they are aimed at 3+ and Daisy loves creative toys”. Daisy: “I like the boxes they are pink and I like ice cream and burgers, I always wanted moon sand but I never got it before”.

60 Every Child

Mum: “Really lovely, I hardly had to show Daisy how to use the sand and dough, she used her knowledge from sand castle making at the beach on holiday. She preferred the dough and the diner and was busy making burgers, fries and pie all afternoon. She made ice creams too, as an extra treat. She developed a very sophisticated role-play and imaginative game for herself, and everyone else. I was amazed at how long she was engaged in the game (over 2 hours), and how developed her communication skills are - albeit a little bossy with her brothers but there is nothing new there! I was worried about the mess but as we were outside it didn’t matter and as she hasn’t stopped playing with both sets all summer indoors and out the mess isn’t an issue as she gets so much enjoyment out of them. A quick dustpan and brush and its all tidied up. Daisy: “I love the diner and I like the dough most because it is soft and I like making all the food. I like the ice cream one too but you can’t eat it because it’s sand and that would be silly”.

parental involvement

George & Henry

George (pictured below) and Henry chose Bakugan 7 in 1 Maxus Dragonoid (£39.99)

Why?

Mum: “The packaging is very impressive and clearly explains what’s inside. The boys wanted to combine their allowance to get this one toy and it suited both as it is aimed at the 5+ age group and would challenge both of them”. Henry: “I always wanted this, I’ve seen it on TV and I really want it, its sooo cool”. George: ”I like the red one, and we can make it, it shoots aliens”.

How was Play?

Mum: “I couldn’t believe how well the boys worked together to make the Dragonoid. It was very challenging, even for Henry but they kept at it together for an unprecedented 2 hours – unbelievable for boys with the concentration spans of goldfish! Once they had it built a fantastic imaginary battle game ensued which lasted for another half an hour and really tested their powers of co-operation and imagination. If Henry hadn’t have been there to help George I don’t how far he would have got in making the Dragonoid himself but would be a great opportunity to get older siblings, and parents involved in play. I will definitely help him next time if Henry lets me get a look in that is”. Henry: “Awesome!” George: “Awesome!”

Conclusion About Observing Play

“I really enjoyed watching Henry, George and Daisy play in a more observant way than usual and actually really engaging with them in their playtime. I realised just how much they are learning and at such a pace. I am amazed at how sophisticated their play is, especially their technical ability shown in using the toys and their communication skills shown through imaginative role-play. I am going to be much more watchful and select toys more carefully in the future”.

Every Child

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parental involvement

Piggy Bankers Now that you’ve sent your children off for their first day of big school, it’s the perfect time to think about their financial future

rom bedtime stories to reciting times tables, it’s all about making sure that our children flourish into adulthood. But what we sometimes forget is that we can help our children’s financial future right now. By encouraging saving and and rewarding sensible spending, parents are teaching their children the essentials of a secure financial future.

Its a gift Grand Parents, Aunts and Uncles and other relatives can help provide your children with the best gift of all for birthdays and other special occasions - the gift of saving. How many times has your child received an unwanted gift? Not only is this wasteful but can be a disappointment to your little ones who are too young to understand that an unwanted gift was chosen out of affection. Next time a relative asks what would be a good present why not suggest a small cheque to go into the bank or voucher options such as National Savings & Investment’s tax free Children’s Bonus Bonds are a good option. Rather than another Easter egg your child could receive a little towards a nest egg. Visit www.nsandi.com

Designed with children in mind Children and young people enjoy tax free savings up to the age of 18, so it’s a good idea to start them with a savings account as early as possible. Many Banks and Building Societies offer specifically designed savings accounts for children. Some offer free piggy banks to get them started, some offer cash cards, and others on-line banking. All of these add-on’s encourage important numeracy skills and

make banking fun! See individual providers for some of the great packages available.

Child Trust Funds Recently the Government introduced a Government sponsored Child Trust Fund scheme to encourage parents to make regular monthly payments into a Long Term Trust Fund. There are three types of trust fund, with an incremental level of possible return and risk: a Savings Fund, a Stake holder Fund and a Share Trust Fund. Parents were given a £250 voucher on the birth of their child and then a second £250 at age seven to be placed into a Trust Fund to encourage savings for large expenses such as University fees. However on May 24th the new Government announced that it intends to reduce and then stop Government contributions to the Child Trust Funds. This means that the £250 vouchers at birth and at age seven will no longer be available. Children born before December 31 will receive a £50 voucher. If your child has a Child Trust fund the good news is that it will continue to run as normal. This means that it will: ✔✔ continue to benefit from tax efficient investment ✔✔ Up to £1,200 per year can still be contributed ✔✔ Their CTF will continue to run up to their 18th birthday If your child does not have a CTF is is never too late to start, check with individual providers regarding the products available, but remember there is always a risk attached to investments linked to the stock market. The only low risk

option is a savings based fund involving regular contributions which has the opportunity of increasing over time. As interest rates increase then the investment increases also.

Premium Bonds Premium Bonds are an investment where, instead of interest payments, investors have the chance to win tax-free prizes. When someone invests in Premium Bonds they are allocated a series of numbers, one for each £1 invested. The minimum purchase is £100 (or £50 when you buy by monthly standing order), which provides 100 Bond numbers and, therefore, 100 chances of winning a prize. You can hold up to £30,000. With 23 million bondholders holding £26 billion worth of Premium Bonds nationwide. Premium Bonds are one of Britain’s financial success stories. They are a fun, yet serious way of saving, combining the chance of winning taxfree prizes with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your capital is 100% secure. Anyone aged 16 or over can buy Premium Bonds. Bonds can also be bought for a child under 16 by the child’s parent, guardian, grandparent or great grandparent. Premium Bonds cannot be held jointly and are not transferable to another person.If you are a parent or guardian buying Premium Bonds for your child under 16, you’ll need to give the child’s details and your details on the application form. If you’re the child’s grandparent or great grandparent, you’ll need to give the child’s details, the parent’s or guardian’s and your own. The parent or guardian will be responsible for the Bonds and will receive notification of the purchase. The Bond certificates will be sent to the purchaser to confirm their purchase. Any prizes will be sent to the parent or guardian. Every Child

Firm

Foundations Your child may be starting her first year at school, but her education actually began much earlier than she may have thought

f your child has just entered the Reception class at school, you’d be forgiven for thinking she’s in her first year of formal education. In fact, this is her final year of what’s called the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). ‘The Foundation Stage is the first brick in the wall – and the most important one,’ says Monica Galt, former head teacher of King’s Road Primary School in Manchester. ‘It prepares the children for all their future learning.’ EYFS education lasts from when your child has just turned three to when she’s five, and it’s the first phase of her education under the National Curriculum. But hopefully, she will have been blissfully unaware that she was being educated at all! Instead of formal teaching, the idea of EYFS education is that children learn through play and organised activities in a relaxed, but purposeful, environment. ‘Play comes naturally to children,’ Monica says ‘They’re mimicking things they’ve observed, and learning with all their senses – seeing, feeling, hearing – and they’re learning language development too. Most importantly, they’re happy while they are playing, and don’t even realise they’re learning. ‘In fact, we learn through play all our lives. For example, although we acquire sports skills when playing football or cricket, we also

64 Every Child

learn emotionally too – when we have to deal with team members’ reactions to us dropping the ball, for instance,’ she adds.

Now your child is in school Until recently, when your child started in Reception, her teacher would have carried out a ‘baseline assessment’ of her learning needs and abilities. However, if your child has been to nursery or pre-school, she’s now likely to arrive at school with an EYFS score. And about six weeks into the new term, her teacher will carry out another assessment to verify that your child’s score accurately reflects her abilities. But don’t worry – it’s not like taking an exam! Your child won’t even be aware that she’s being assessed. The teacher will simply observe how she copes with normal classroom activities, or perhaps look through a book with her to see how she reacts to the story and pictures. During this year, your child will be expected to progress and develop her skills. But again, she’ll barely be aware of any changes, and many activities will be the same as they were at nursery or pre-school. ‘The Foundation Stage is more important today than ever,’ says Monica. ‘A warm, happy atmosphere is so important for children, and a good Reception class provides a caring, colourful and rich atmosphere for learning.’

early years curriculum

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A warm happy atmosphere is so important for children, and a good reception class provides a caring, colourful and rich environment for learningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Every Child

early years curriculum

Early Years Foundation Stage learning goals EYFS education comprises six areas of learning and six sets of goals that your child is expected to attain by the end of her Reception year. Each set of goals is divided into ‘stepping stones’ to show what your child knows, understands and can achieve. The six areas of learning are as follows:

Personal, social and emotional development

This area aims to build up your child’s self-confidence, so she can take an interest in her surroundings, understand her own needs, be able to dress and undress herself, and be able to share as part of a group. One goal is to ‘form good relationships with adults and peers’, and the home corner in the classroom is often used to develop this.

Communication, language and literacy

This involves developing your child’s listening, talking, reading and writing skills, while enjoying stories, songs and poems. She’ll hear and repeat sounds, link them to letters of the alphabet, begin to learn to read and write familiar words, and hold a pencil.

Mathematical development In this area of learning, your child will learn about numbers, quantity, shapes, space and measurement. She’ll also be introduced to concepts such as ‘heavier than’ or ‘bigger’, often through using sand and water play.

Knowledge and understanding of the world

This involves investigating and understanding the things, places and people around your child. She’ll build things using a variety of materials, find out about past events, and explore other cultures and beliefs.

Physical development

Being active is vital to help develop your child’s coordination and control of her body, as well as how she handles equipment.

Creative development

In this area of learning, your child will explore colours and shapes, sound, texture, movement, and stories.

The FOUNDATION Stage Profile At the end of her Reception year, your child’s progress will be recorded in an Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP). This is a picture of what your child has achieved, knows and can do, and is based on observations of your child in the six areas of learning (see right). The profile may also include examples of her work and information from you or your child about what she thinks she does well. There are 13 scales on which your child will be assessed, and these are based on stepping stones within the early learning goals. For example, one of the stepping stones for communication, language and literacy is to recognise that the sound of an ‘A’ relates to the written letter ‘A’. A numeracy stepping stone is to recognise numerals and simple shapes. Elaine McGee, head of EYFS at Manchester’s King’s Road Primary School, says, ‘When children have covered the majority of stepping stones, then they’re working within the early learning goal for that area.’ Your child’s profile will be used to inform her Year One teacher about her abilities and learning needs. If you would like to view it, just speak to her teacher.

Every Child

early years curriculum

‘The EYFS aims to create a seamless system for supporting children’s development from birth to the age of five’

A guide for parents If you want more in-depth information about EYFS, log on to the DCSF website at www.dcsf.gov.uk and visit their Early Years Foundation Stage The National Strategies section for further information and resources as well as an in-depth look at EYFS. Most schools produce their own user-friendly guides, so just ask your child’s teacher.

What about tests? News headlines about testing and grading children at very young ages may have led you to believe your child will be put under pressure to perform, causing both you and your child undue stress. But that’s really not the way EYFS learning and goals work. Most of the time, your child will simply be playing and having fun. Sometimes she’ll be able to choose her own activities – at other times activities will be initiated by her teacher in indoor and outdoor classrooms. The aim is to help your child learn to concentrate and develop particular skills, such as using scissors and gluing card. These will be introduced gradually, building on your

child’s existing skills and knowledge, so she’s not made to feel out of her depth.

The future of early education As of September 2008, the Early Years Foundation Stage replaced the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, Birth To Three Matters and national standards for day care. The EYFS aims to create a seamless system for supporting children’s development from birth to the age of five. This is great news, as there will be a strong emphasis on parental involvement, while learning activities will be individually tailored to each child’s needs.

The early years foundation stage profile The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) will be the same as the old FSP in terms of principles, method and the amount of information given to local authorities. There will, however, be some small changes to ensure that the profile reflects the new early learning goals for communication, language and literacy. This is because the government wants schools to make greater use of phonics (linking sounds and letters) when teaching children to read.

findoutmore To find out more about the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), visit: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk For information on the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, visit: www.qca.org.uk

Every Child

e y b d o o Goo

to Sat's

On May 10th over a quarter of primary schools boycotted Sat’s testing in response to the inadequacies of the system, but does it herald the beginning of the end of this contentious test?

hildren in England sit more tests than any other pupils in the world, and the government’s education watchdog Ofsted rigorously assesses schools. If we’re not careful, targets, tables and tests could dominate school life in England. So do all these procedures mean your children will learn more, be happier in school and fulfil their potential? Or are test scores becoming more important than education?

Testing, testing

Children are tested when they are 7, 11 and 14, and these results are published in league tables that are used to rank schools and for use in future Ofsted inspections of the school. When comparing schools, the standardised testing

70 Every Child

provides a measure of educational attainment that can be helpful for parents. But last year’s debacle over the handling of pupils’ test scores has put a spotlight on the issue leading to further calls to scrap league tables and rely on a more well-rounded approach to testing. Over the years, many have questioned whether standardised testing shows pupils’ aptitude or if it just pushes students to learn how to be tested. A recent report by the select committee on Children, Schools and Families found that test results tend to be used for the purpose of school accountability and therefore schools push ‘teaching to test’. The report continues, ‘In particular, we find that the use of national test results for the purpose of school

accountability has resulted in some schools emphasising the maximisation of test results at the expense of a more rounded education for their pupils.’

A time for change

Official league tables no longer operate in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. When they were scrapped in Wales in 2001, Jane Davidson, who was Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills at the time, denounced them as ‘divisive and demoralising’. And she’s not alone in that way of thinking. Warwick Mansell, author of Education by Numbers: the Tyranny of Testing (Politico’s, £16.99), believes that although league tables and national tests have some advantages

early years curriculum

Can I as they ‘provide relatively simple statistical information to enable parents to compare schools’– they can lead to schools becoming obsessed with their test performance. Consequently, teachers could end up ‘spending months coaching children for national tests, marginalising non-tested subjects and passing on some of their pressure to pupils,’ suggests Mansell. ‘League tables do more harm than good and should be replaced by a system where descriptive information is available about a school’s qualities, perhaps through expanded Ofsted reports.’ The National Association for Head Teachers (NAHT) has similar concerns. Ian Foster, assistant secretary at the NAHT, says: ‘If teachers are testing to see where a child needs to go next and where to push them, then that is fair enough. But when testing is used to compile league tables and pillory so-called unsuccessful schools, that is when it is wrong.’

Results under attack

Last year, the handling of the national tests brought into question the validity of the results, as many schools found inaccuracies on the marking of pupils’ tests, and inefficient administration through lateness and failed delivery of some tests. The NAHT was inundated with complaints from teachers listing grievances about the quality of marking that included problems such as undermarking, lack of consistency and wrongly marking children as absent on some tests. This created a lack of credibility concerning the results and brought up further questions concerning league table positions and Ofsted inspections of schools during the school year.

All change

In 2005, the nature of inspections changed, triggered by complaints from teachers that inspections were causing a lot of stress. Since then, Ofsted has shortened visits, with

read the

Ofs te d report

■■A school is meant to receive

its Ofsted report 10 working days after the inspection has been completed. You are entitled to a free copy of the summary, but the school may charge you for the cost of copying the full report. You can also read a school’s report by logging on to the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk

■■The National Curriculum

test results for each school in England are listed in a league table showing how they compare with other schools. These can be found at www.dcsf.gov.uk/ performancetables

Every Child

Years

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early years curriculum

inspectors observing fewer lessons. Schools now have two days’ warning that inspectors will be visiting, whereas under the previous system they were given between six to 10 weeks. Despite these changes, a survey conducted in 2008 by the National Union of Teachers found 80 per cent of teachers still said inspections make them anxious. However, an independent report of the shorter inspections by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) found three-quarters of schools said the new inspection system has already contributed to school improvement. The changes to inspections are still ongoing as Ofsted intends to implement new inspection changes as of this year that could result in more drop-in inspections after they gathered suggestions from parents and pupils.

More reliable

League tables and standardised testing still seem to be the order of the day to gauge a child’s education and attainment, but Foster says, ‘The government says parents like information like league tables, but I have been a head teacher in four schools and parents rarely asked me about them.’ He believes Ofsted reports are generally more reliable than league tables, but that these, too, have their faults. ‘They are only done every three years and are predicated on results,’ he says. ‘Reports depend very much on the inspection team – some tend to be good, but not all.’ Parents’ wisest course of action is to make up their own minds. Foster believes that, ‘They need to go into the school and see what the atmosphere is like to get a real sense of whether that school is right for their child.’

Is this the end of Sat’s?

On May 10th 2010 over 1 in 4 schools boycotted the Key satge 2 (year6 – age 11 ) Sats tests. The action was led by the National Association of Head Teachers and National Union of Teachers but members were free to stage the action or not. Mick Brookes, the general secretary of the NAHT, said it was wrong that a whole school should be held to account by a set of tests taken by one year-group. “Of course schools need to be held to account. But they need to be held to account for what every child is doing in the school and the breadth of the curriculum, not just narrowing it down to English and maths.” NUT general secretary Christine Blower said the boycott would make “the annual ritual of naming and shaming schools through league tables impossible”. She added: “It is essential that government listens to and engages with the profession in constructive talks about reforming. Unions are pushing for formal exams to be replaced with a system of teacher assessment. But they are still opposed to data being used to produce school-byschool league tables. Mick Brookes, NAHT general secretary, said: “We are not comfortable with teacher assessment being used for league tables. In some ways, the same schools will be at the bottom of these league tables, but at least they will be using valid data rather than the results of Sats.” Perhaps we can conclude that this is not the end of Sat’s but possibly the beginning of the end.

NAHT Comment on Sat’s Boycott Over a quarter of schools boycotted SATs this year because of a firm conviction that they are a deeply flawed method of assessment. They don’t show how well children are learning; they don’t show how good a school is; they divert time and attention from learning to testing; and they punish the leaders and teachers who work in our most challenging schools and disadvantaged communities. Testing has its part to play; and schools test pupils regularly, but it should be used to inform teacher assessments, which have been proven this year to be rigorous and robust. Externally moderated teacher assessments give parents a view of their child’s progress based on a whole year of judgement; they give timely and accurate data to secondary schools and enable inspectors to accurately judge schools’ performance. Parents need and deserve hard facts about how well their school is doing and which school is right for their child. SATs do not provide those facts. We look forward to engaging with the government and other professional groups on a fundamental review of assessment and accountability in schools.” Russell Hobby, NAHT General Secretary designate. On 2nd August 2010

Every Child

Wor ms

Give your child a head start with reading skills by following some tried and tested tips

ost parents of children starting school are concerned about reading. And rightly so. Even in our modern multimedia world where we can get entertainment and information at the flick of a switch, reading is still the bedrock of education. Your child needs literacy skills to succeed – first at school, and later on in every aspect of life. But it’s not just about learning skills and passing tests. If your child is to be truly literate, reading has to come as naturally as talking. This takes practise – lots and lots of it. And for that, your child must want to pick up a book (or a magazine or comic – there are lots of ways to practise reading). Learning to read isn’t just about gaining skills, it’s about learning to enjoy reading. The payoff is worth it. Literacy skills increase

74 Every Child

your child’s brain power in many ways, improving her language, developing her thinking skills and pushing up her IQ. According to one leading neuroscientist, becoming a reader actually changes the architecture of the brain, making it easier for a child to concentrate, plan, organise her thoughts and communicate with other people.

How do children learn to read? Experts have argued about the best way to teach reading for nearly 200 years. Some put their faith in phonics (knowing how letters stand for sounds – c-a-t makes cat, sh-ee-p makes sheep) so the child can decode the words on the page. Others claimed that comprehension (understanding what words mean) was more important.

Between the late 1970s and early 1990s, when experts were emphasising the importance of enjoyment and practise in reading, there was a period when teaching literacy went out of fashion altogether. Teachers were told to leave children with a lovely picture book and they’d work it out for themselves. But this didn’t prove to be the case for most children, and the trend dented both children’s educational development and many adults’ confidence in the school system. It’s now generally agreed that literacy skills need careful teaching. Today’s experts agree that both phonics and comprehension are important. But they also recognise the important skills underpinning phonics and comprehension, skills that don’t come as naturally for today’s children as they may have for earlier generations.

literacy

5ways top

TiP

to help your child enjoy reading

‘Listening to stories helps develop children’s interest in reading – if they enjoy hearing books read aloud, they’ll want to read them for themselves’

There are lots of ways you can help your child develop a love of reading and books. Here are a few ideas:

Share nursery rhymes and songs from books such as Mother Goose Remembers. Let your child choose a new one for you both to learn every week, and practise it in the car, at the bus stop, in the bath – whenever you’ve got a spare minute. As your repertoire grows, make sure you have regular ‘song and rhyme’ sessions together to exercise your child’s auditory (hearing) memory.

Put up an alphabet chart and teach your child an alphabet song. But don’t bother trying to teach phonics – it’ll be covered systematically at school, and if you push it too much at home you might end up boring your child and turning her off reading.

Building the foundations So what are the skills that underlie reading? One key skill is the ability to recognise and remember sounds. In the past, the only way to entertain small children was to sing or talk to them, which naturally helped them tune in to sound. By the time they entered school, children knew a wide range of nursery rhymes and songs, which prepared them for phonics. Nowadays, most pre-school children are more tuned in to passive entertainment on TV or DVD. But by interacting with them through talking, songs and rhymes, you’ll help develop their memory and ear for sound. Another essential skill is the ability to sit still, concentrate, and control eye and hand movements in order to read and write. Strangely enough, children develop these skills through moving about. Children in

Make sure your child gets plenty of opportunities to play with other children – especially outdoors, where she can run, climb, tumble, crawl and explore. This will help develop her language, confidence and self-control. the TV age are less active than in the past. Outdoor play, PE and moving to music will help them develop physical coordination and control. It also allows them to work off excess energy in preparation for concentration. This particularly applies to boys, who tend to need more opportunities to run about before they’re able to sit still. The main skill underlying comprehension is language ability. To develop this, children need lots of opportunities to talk (in play and organised activities) and to listen, particularly to stories. Watching TV doesn’t count – children only learn language skills through real-life listening and interaction. Listening to stories also helps develop their interest in reading – if they enjoy hearing books read aloud, they’ll want to read them for themselves.

Encourage your child to help you with shopping, cleaning, cooking and so on (being patient when she’s not helping at all!). Chat about what you’re doing, what’s going on around you, memories of the past and plans for the future – every little helps.

Don’t let your child watch TV for more than an hour or two a day, and don’t put a TV or computer in her bedroom – there’s a lot of research linking this to learning problems. For more suggestions, take a look at Detoxing Childhood: What Parents Need to Know to Raise Happy, Successful Children by Sue Palmer (Orion, £9.99).

Every Child

literacy

Love

Reading We have selected 10 of our favourite early years reading books for you to enjoy with your children Usborne Very First Reading 1: Pirate Pat Written by: Mairi Mackinnon Illustrated by: Carl Gordon, Mike Gordon  Part of the ‘Usborne Very First Reading’ Series Pirate Pat allows the very beginner reader to take part in a lively and exciting story, using short sentences and simple words made up of only the letters s a t p i n m d. Parents read the first three lines on each double page, setting up a rhyming pattern, and your child then reads the last line.

Usborne Very First Reading 2: The Dressing Up Box Written by: Mairi Mackinnon   Illustrated by: Kate Sheppard  Part of the ‘Usborne Very First Reading’ Series This the second in Usborne’s Very First Reading series introduces the letters g o c k ck e u r. The sentences are a little longer than in book 1 and your child reads more words overall. The repetition of ‘I can’ on each double page helps to build your child’s confidence and increase reading stamina. The objective of the 15 books in the Very First Reading series is to enthuse your child through rhyme to learn and to enjoy the art of reading and to read with confidence and enthusiasm, which in turn will result in reading becoming a lifetime’s pleasure. Each book

builds on material from the previous ones and together with the rhyming stories there are some superb illustrations in a range of different styles. You can also purchase all 15 in one boxed set together with a Parents’ Guide to the series. This series is ideal to compliment learning to read as the child starts school or even beforehand to give them a head start before they actually start school.

Usborne Very First Reading 3: A Bus for Miss Moss Written by: Mairi Mackinnon   Illustrated by: Steve Simpson  Part of the ‘Usborne Very First Reading’ Series As your child begins to read longer sentences, strongly supported by the rhyme and rhythm of the story the letters h b l ll f ff ss are introduced. At this stage your child will be reading as much of the story as you are.The objective of the 15 books in the Very First Reading series is to enthuse your child through rhyme to learn and to enjoy the art of reading and to read with confidence and enthusiasm, which in turn will result in reading becoming a lifetime’s pleasure. Each book builds on material from the previous ones and together with the rhyming stories there are some superb illustrations in a range of different styles. You can also purchase all 15 in one boxed set together with a Parents’ Guide to the series. This series is ideal to compliment learning to read as the child starts school or even beforehand to give them a head start before they actually start school.

Usborne Very First Reading 4: Dog Diary Written by: Mairi Mackinnon   Illustrated by: Fred Blunt  Part of the ‘Usborne Very First Reading’ Series Dog Diary introduces the letters j qu v w x y z zz. Your child will now be familiar with all the letters of the alphabet in their most regularly-pronounced forms, making it possible to read over 300 everyday words. This is a great achievement a boost to reading confidence. The objective of the 15 books in the Very First Reading series is to enthuse your child through rhyme to learn and to enjoy the art of reading and to read with confidence and enthusiasm, which in turn will result in reading becoming a lifetime’s pleasure. Each book builds on material from the previous ones and together with the rhyming stories there are some superb illustrations in a range of different styles. You can also purchase all 15 in one boxed set together with a Parents’ Guide to the series. This series is ideal to compliment learning to read as the child starts school or even beforehand to give them a head start before they actually start school.

Julia Eccleshare reviews - Who is Julia Eccleshare?

Julia Eccleshare is Children’s Boo ks Editor for the Guardian Review as well as an author herself.

Her Mother’s Face Written by: Roddy Doyle Julia Eccleshare’s comment: Shortlisted for the Bisto Irish Children’s Book Award. The first picture book from award winner Roddy Doyle is a heart-warming and gently reassuring tale about moving on and growing up. The writing is quite sublime and the luscious illustrations by Freya Blackwood compliment the words beautifully. Every Child

literacy

Farther Written by: Grahame Baker-Smith   Illustrated by: Grahame Baker-Smith FArTHER is another beautiful book by Grahame Baker-Smith – whose first picture book for Templar, Leon and the Place Between (written by Angela McAllister) received critical acclaim and is short listed for this year’s Greenaway Award.   When a father who dreams of flying goes off to war and

We recommend

Usborne Very First Reading Books The Very First Reading series, is designed for younger children to introduce them to reading together with their parents. Parents and children take turns to read from the page (the text clearly marked for who should be reading) and as the books progress in the series the adults read less and less and the child more and more. There are puzzles at the end to check the child’s understanding of the text and guidance notes for the parents. Beautiful illustrations help to motivate beginner readers. The objective of the 15 books in the Very First Reading series is to enthuse your child through rhyme to learn and to enjoy the art of reading and to read with confidence and enthusiasm, which in turn will result in reading becoming a lifetime’s pleasure. Each book builds on material from the previous ones and together with the rhyming stories there are some superb illustrations in a range of different styles. You can also purchase all 15 in one boxed set together with a Parents’ Guide to the series. This series is ideal to compliment learning to read as the child starts school or even beforehand to give them a head start before they actually start school.

doesn’t return, his son decides to make his dream come true. Grahame’s moving story, with stunning illustrations, shows how, with love and a bit of ambition, you can reach seemingly impossible goals .  Using photographic collage and illustration, this is the first book that Grahame has written and illustrated. Constantly experimenting with different styles of illustration, Grahame likes to challenge the conventional boundaries with his artwork.

Find Chaffy Written by: Jamie Smart   Illustrated by: Jamie Smart Lost! Can you help? A number of Chaffies have wandered off into the great wide world. They are friendly, trusting, but not very worldly, so volunteers are needed to help them find their way home. Some of the more adventurous Chaffies have trekked as far as th North Pole, while others are haunting a remote graveyard. They’re white and round, with a smiling face. They only have one and a half ears.

The Troll Written by: Julia Donaldson   Illustrated by: David Roberts The Troll longs for a goat but has to make do with fish for supper instead. Meanwhile, Hank Chief and his pirate crew are digging for treasure - but it seems they’ve sailed to the wrong island again. Julia Eccleshare’s comment: A picture book for kids that love Adventure. An original and witty version of a traditional tale which shows what happens when two stories get blended into one. The Troll lives under the bridge – which is where he is meant to live. And the pirates are out to sea searching for treasure – which is what they are meant to do. But things get a bit muddled up when the troll goes off in search of a billy goat and accidentally finds the pirates’ treasure. How all gets successfully resolved is brilliantly told in words by Julia Donaldson and in pictures.

The Bear’s Water Picnic Written by: John Yeoman   Illustrated by: Quentin Blake The bear has organized a picnic on the river for his friends. It’s the perfect day and everything is going swimmingly until they are disturbed by a loud croaking noise from among the lily pads. It’s the frogs! They want to join in, but the friends don’t fancy putting up with the noise, so they move on to a quieter part of the lake. Unfortunately they soon find themselves stuck on a sandbank, and only the frogs can help them! Julia Eccleshare’s comment: Best-loved illustrator Quentin Blake brings to life this lyrical, watery story. Pig, squirrel, hedgehog and hen are excited to join bear for his water picnic. They all love the quiet of the lake until they meet the noisy frogs! Searching for greater peace, bear and his friends float on but, it turns out that they need the frogs after all! If you enjoy Quentin Blakes’ hallmark illustrations then do check out his various other titles that have recently been reissued.

The Grunt and the Grouch: Big Splash Written by: Tracey Corderoy The Grunt and the Grouch are two of the most disgusting and badly-behaved trolls in the world - and the most fun! They keep bogies and ear wax in jars, and they never, ever have a bath! This brand-new series of three-in-one storybooks will bring out the troll in all girls and boys! Dive in with The Grunt and The Grouch as they gatecrash the opening of the local swimming pool, get all tangled up on a camping trip and come face to face with a little troll horror when they’re left to babysit Grunt’s mischievous cousin.

We would like to thank Lovereading4kids for their help in selecting these delightful early years reading books. For free opening extracts of all the books and more go to: Lovereading4kids.co.uk Every Child

Love

Books Encourage children to cherish books and love reading by following these easy tips

ou’re the best person to turn your child on to the joy of reading and make reading a habit. Children love to snuggle up and share favourite books. So read aloud to your child every day, even after she’s started reading herself. Borrow books from the library every week, and buy some favourite books to share again and again, plus add these great reading tips.

Build a library To encourage your child to read, set up shelves for her books that are accessible. Start building her library by requesting that family members and friends give books as gifts. Allow your child to pick out age-appropriate books based on her interests, which will make her eager to read.

Scatter books around As well as having a library shelf or bookcase it’s a great idea to scatter books around the house. On the kitchen table, in her bedroom, on the sofa for example. This will encourage her to pick up books during her daily play routines and encourage reading through out the day.

RA-RA-RA books Your child’s favourite books can become your ‘RA-RA-RA books’ (Read Aloud, Read Along, Read Alone). Read Aloud: Read the book to your child several times. Read Along: Encourage your child to join in, reading along with repeated or favourite lines. To begin with, she will simply be reciting from memory. But over time, children begin to associate the shapes on the page with the words they are saying.

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Read Alone: With repeated use, your child will learn more of the book until she gradually starts ‘reading’ it alone. Acknowledge her achievement when this happens, as it will reinforce her desire to learn.

song about cooking supper or getting a bath. Clap and dance around for extra fun. Start your own family band with common household products, such as pots and pans to drum and cans filled with nuts or dried beans to shake.

Books from school

Daily reading routines

When your child starts bringing home reading books from school, make sharing these as enjoyable as possible and give your child frequent praise. Don’t turn it into a lesson – encourage your child to decode words with phonics, but if she finds it hard, just give her the word and carry on. If your child is struggling with the books she brings home, let her teacher know straight away. Don’t view learning to read as some sort of race. Children learn at different speeds, so comparing your child with others is pointless. And rushing through a reading scheme often causes children to switch off, so take it easy. Keep sharing library books and RA-RA-RA books for the sheer joy of reading together!

Reading out the signs while driving will help your child understand how words are used in everyday situations. Driving is also a great time to spark conversations about the world around you. On shopping days, have your child help you write up the grocery list then point to and read out the labels at the store. Encourage older children to make their own grocery lists then let them pick out the items as you do your shopping. When takeaway is on order, show children the menu and let them follow along as you make supper selections.

Sing a silly song or recite a ridiculous rhyme Singing is a great way to get children to appreciate words, plus rhyming makes words a lot of fun. Recite nursery rhymes or make up fun songs about daily occurrences, such as a

Colour and draw Crayons, markers, coloured pencils – any type of drawing material – along with plenty of paper for creating masterpieces, should be accessible for children to use whenever their imaginations strike. Reading and writing go hand in hand, and often children will draw from stories they’ve been read to or try their hand at ‘writing’ their own stories.

literacy

Rhyming games are lots of fun. Try What can I see that rhymes with me?

How to play: Choose an object

in the room - e.g. 'clock' then think of something that rhymes with 'clock' - e.g. 'sock'. Then you say "what can I see that rhymes with sock?" Then look around the room together until 'clock' is answered.

Storytelling time Stories about your child’s life can’t be found in a book. Tell a story about your family, or just a funny story about giving the dog a bath. Studies have shown that children who are frequently exposed to a variety of stories have larger vocabularies. Your child may even start to come up with her own real or made-up stories. The stories might sound similar to your child’s favourite books, but it’s great fun to hear how the story will change to match her imagination.

Every Child

literacy

Reading is

seriously fun Children love books and reading is fun but don’t let the enjoyment make light of how important reading is. Test your own knowledge with the Booktrust quiz and find out why.

Appropriate types of reading for my child are:

a The books he brings home from school b Books specifically written for his age group c Anything that sparks his interest

My child is too active and won’t sit still for even a short book. I should:

a Coax her to sit through short stories throughout the day – make it a treat b Read the book and help him act out the story with his toys. c Try reading a story aloud while he is playing quietly on the floor

Reading encourages my child to: a Develop intellectually and emotionally b Become a good communicator and gain self-confidence c Understand himself, others and the world he lives in

Reading skills begin to develop: a Every day, as we enjoy reading, singing and talking together b When my child begins to read a book on her own c When my child is taught to read in school

When it’s time for reading, my

child always brings the same book. I should:

My child can read. Should I stop reading aloud to him now or should I: a Read him stories that are beyond his reading ability but not beyond his understanding – that way he will be keen to further develop his reading skills b Continue to read aloud and enjoy talking about the story and the characters c Treat reading aloud as a special time that you enjoy together

Read on for the answers…

a Buy him a new book and let him choose it himself b Read his favourite book as many times as he likes and then see if he will let you read another one too c Ask if you may choose a book to read to him and tell him why you like it d Join the library and widen her choice of books

Every Child

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literacy

s r e w s n A 1

All the answers are correct – set reading books from school are an important part of your child’s reading journey and books for his age range will extend his taste for books. But if you want children to really take to reading, you should allow them to read whatever catches their interest – from magazines to the internet. As long as the material is age appropriate.

2 3

All of the answers are correct – people who enjoy reading for pleasure lead enriched lives. Research has also shown that children who are read to from a young age, have a head start at school, receive better paid jobs and lead more successful lives.

All the answers are correct – it is never too soon to start loving books, stories, songs and rhymes as this helps your child to understand linguistics. Children, who enjoy books every day, take to reading more readily – like ducks to water – and this helps them when they start their formal education.

All the answers are correct – don’t make it into a battle of wills and try to avoid turning reading into ‘work’ or a chore to get through. Find ways of integrating reading into your child’s play and before you know it he will see that reading is fun.

All the answers are correct – old favourites will always be popular as children love repetition. It keeps your child interested and helps him to connect the way words are formed and written. However, it is also good for your child to have access to a wide range of different books. Selecting your own books is great fun, so do join the library and chose from hundreds of books.

‘It is never too soon to start loving books, stories, songs and rhymes as this helps your child to understand linguistics’

All the answers are correct – unfortunately, many families devote too little time to sharing each other’s company and talking together. Reading aloud and talking about the story and characters is a great way of keeping in touch with your child’s developing personality and his changing tastes and opinions. Talking together also allows them to develop their communication skills. Brain development and learning are a lifelong process and reading together should be enjoyed even after your child is old enough to read. Every Child

Confidence

1n numb3r5

Afraid of numbers? Don’t be, teaching and learning skills for numeracy have changed rapidly over recent years. Count on us, maths can be fun!

hether you’re aware of it or not, we all use maths every day – for instance, when we’re driving, shopping, measuring things or reading a timetable. It’s an inescapable part of the world around us. But for many, the journey to becoming numerate can be challenging. Rather than feeling confident with numbers and measures, many of us grow up fearing the world of mathematics. It’s not like that for most young children, though. Their first experience of maths will involve playing, sorting, matching, counting and reciting number rhymes. As well as being fun, these early steps towards mastering key concepts and skills are crucial in laying the foundations for confidence with numbers.

86 Every Child

Learning curve The methods for teaching maths have undergone various changes in the past 20 years. ‘Modern maths’ and ‘discovery’ learning in the 1960s and 1970s encouraged children to investigate numbers and discover skills, but little actual teaching took place. This was fine for children who were confident at maths, but a disaster for those who needed extra support. Then, in 1988, the National Curriculum clarified the areas that children needed to learn, and the National Numeracy Strategy in 1999 crystallised the most appropriate teaching methods for different children in each area of mathematics. There’s now much more awareness of how children learn maths and the best ways to teach them. They’re still encouraged

to investigate and explore, but this is underpinned with a careful development of the teaching of key skills and concepts.

Watch and learn Young children learn mathematical skills mainly by copying adults, with repetitive counting, talking and playing, so it’s important your child watches you use numbers in everyday situations. All children learn at different speeds, so make sure you let your child develop at his own pace. And remember, he’ll learn best if he’s enjoying himself. Once your child starts school, carefullyplanned, organised play will build on his early experiences, enabling him to explore, learn, practise and talk about his understanding. The ability to count is a key skill in maths. A

numeracy top

6ways TiP

to help your child enjoy maths

recent study found that children’s knowledge about numbers was related to their ability to recite sequences – counting forwards and backwards to five and 10 – before they started school. Through counting, your child can talk about numbers and get an understanding of their position in a sequence. It also gives him a feel for small numbers, which will help him when manipulating numbers in calculations.

How to help At every opportunity, count out loud with your child – this could be when setting the table for supper or climbing stairs – and point out numerals in your environment (for example, a number two bus), saying the number aloud. Practise and repeat, again and again – children love familiarity. Sorting and matching activities will help children understand the properties of numbers, shapes and objects. They need to talk about the similarities and differences between objects, for example, when sorting out the washing or shopping – ‘These are all red clothes’, ‘Here’s a pile of socks’, etc. They will understand the purpose of counting by finding the number of a set of items, and need to realise that the last number in a counting sequence represents the total amount in the group. Through sorting, children can then go on to compare numbers in two sets, to identify ‘more’ and ‘less’ or ‘fewer’. This is an important step in helping them understand the concepts involved in addition and subtraction, before they go on to learn the mental skills of adding and taking away numbers.

Positive steps Even if you’re not confident with maths, you can help give your child a positive view of maths by using small numbers in everyday activities, and by supporting the work being done at school.

Whenever you get an opportunity – perhaps when shopping, cooking, driving or playing games – talk about the numbers one to 10. Count and sort, match objects to numbers, and generally make numbers part of your child’s everyday language. To help support his learning, try some of the activities in the Top Tip panel (right), and remember to work as a team with your child’s teacher. Find out what the class is learning and ask your child about the maths he has been doing (remembering, he may describe it as ‘just playing’!). Reinforce and practise skills and concepts that the class has recently learnt, rather than trying to race ahead.

Playing the game Dice, board games and card games are fantastic for working with numbers in a fun and motivating way. Children use numbers while playing games without realising they’re practising maths skills and using mathematical language. Board games, such as Snakes and Ladders, are great – and the talking that takes place while you play is even better. There are also plenty of practise-type books available from publishers, such as Letts, BBC and WHSmith. Many of these are now well written and illustrated (not just dull pages of sums!), and with careful progression and content to match the ability of your child. Follow the same advice as earlier – choose books as reinforcement, aimed at the right age for your child, not at a level beyond his ability. It is very tempting to think the maths looks easy, but do remember your child’s age! Although there are many maths computer games for young children, they can be rather isolating with no interaction, so make sure you sit alongside your child to talk about the on-screen activity. And one final thought on practice books and using a computer – short 20-minute spells have far more impact than a long stretch of an hour or so, and will be much more engaging for your child.

findoutmore For some free downloada ble and great ideas for teache resources rs and parents go to www.teachingid eas.co.uk and firstschoolyears.com

Write numbers Give your child lots of opportunities to write numerals from zero to 10 in different ways – using pencils, a stick in sand or soil, with paint or simply in the air.

Sorting activities Collect stones or leaves and put them into piles. Draw circles in soil with a stick (or use string on grass) and write numbers one to five in the circles, then fill them with the correct number of stones. When shopping – ask your child to show you things that look the same and things that are different, such as colours, sizes and shapes.

Matching activities When outside, match objects that are the same colour, such as cars, flowers or doors. Collect leaves or stones and ask your child to group similar items together.

Ordering numbers Using toy animals, cars or people, line them up in order and use ‘first’, ‘second’ and ‘third’, to relate to the position they are in. You can also use the concept of ordering in stories you have read. For example, ‘Who does the gingerbread man run away from first?’ Lay clothes out in order and count them while your child is getting dressed.

Comparing activities When sorting shoes, books, bricks or toys, use the language of comparison as the first steps towards measuring. Sizes can be big, small, large, little, long, thin, wide, huge or tiny. Time can be described as quick, slow, fast, a long time or a short time, while comparisons can be the same, longer, shorter, taller, wider, smaller, thicker and quicker.

Adding & subtracting Play hiding activities with a yoghurt pot or margarine tub and small objects such as counters, coins, beads or pegs. Count out five of the objects and hide three under the pot so only two are visible. Ask, ‘How many counters can you see?’ ‘How many counters are in the pot?’ Lift the pot to check.

Every Child

Ananya now has increased ls, conďŹ dence leve e she wants to giv. everything a try Ananya, 5 Niru, mother of South on gt rin War Study Centre

Build a foundation for learning with Kumon At Kumon your little one is exposed to letters and numbers from the start. Through tailored developmental activities we nurture their potential, encouraging a long-lasting enthusiasm for learning.

0800 854 714 kumon.co.uk Ref Quote: Every Child Magazine Fees vary. Please refer to your local study centre.

2 3 for

numeracy

Counting books are a great way to get them in the mood for maths

It’s Time To Sleep You Crazy Sheep!

Out for the Count by Kathryn Cave (Frances Lincoln, £5.99)

by Alison Ritchie (Little Tiger Press, £5.99) This book is about a frustrated girl trying to fall asleep. But her naughty sheep won’t stay still long enough to let her count them. Although this isn’t a specific counting book, the fantastic rhyming story is great fun and the silly pictures of sheep doing ballet and skiing make this a perfect book for reading aloud – see if you can count the sheep!

The Number Garden by Sara Pinto (Bloomsbury, £6.99)

This is another great book to start out with early counters as children learn about numbers through two rabbits that love to garden. Lots of really great illustrations and fun flaps will be a major draw for little readers but they will also get a great introduction to counting.

Beautifully illustrated by Chris Riddell, this is a variation on counting sheep. When Tom finds it hard to get to sleep, he begins to count pythons, pirates, vampire bats and ghosts – which is much more fun! A flowing rhythm makes this an excellent book for reading together with your child.

The Real Princess: A Mathemagical Tale by Brenda Williams (Barefoot Books, £6.99)

A nice ‘mathematical’ take on The Princess and the Pea, this introduces children to basic addition, subtraction and multiplication and division and even includes a Test Your Maths Skills section, so will be a great companion once children have grasp on numbers and counting. It also has some fantastic illustrations that bring to life this fun numbers story.

123 Sea!

by Julie Fletcher (Caterpillar Books, £4.99) Although this is a great early book to read to your child, because of its chunky pages and numbered tabs, it will also be a great addition when they start to read on their own. With bright, colourful pictures it will be a fun way to get your child matching the numbers to the fun marine animals.

Cleo’s Counting Book

by Stella Blackstone (Barefoot Books, £4.99) This is a really fun little rhyme book that gets children to count to ten then back again. It’s an engaging and colourful book that is perfect for effectively teaching counting and encourages children to read on their own. Lots of great pictures round out this fun book.

Every Child

Tech it out

Information and Communication Technology in primary schools has developed rapidly over the last few years and plays a core role in the foundation Stage curriculum. Here’s how to help your child excel in ICT.

magine a computer screen filled with letters of the alphabet. Hover the cursor over the ‘A’ for a moment and it turns into a pile of shiny red apples. Move to the ‘G’ and a ghost appears. If you click on the image, the screen fills with ghosts making a gentle, ghoulish whine. The only way to quieten them is to ‘touch’ every image in turn. Or picture another scenario. Maybe the screen shows a simple sentence to accompany a picture, but your five-year-old doesn’t recognise one of the words. Click on the loud speaker and a voice reads the sentence for them. And so it goes on. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has a huge part to play in children’s education, and there’s plenty of research highlighting its benefits. In 2005, I carried out a small-scale study called ICT in the Foundation Stage – A positive impact on learning?, and was very heartened by

90 Every Child

the views expressed. All the Early Years practitioners questioned felt ICT had a positive impact on teaching and learning, and most used the internet with their classes. They stressed the importance of making a wide range of ICT resources available at all times, and of being seen to make good use of ICT themselves. Good advice, I’d say.

Fuel their interest

There are many ways you can support your child’s growing interest in technology. Why not use a talking book on the computer to promote his reading skills and interest in books? Or use a child-friendly website to foster early number skills? When going shopping, talk to him about bar-code readers at the checkout. Or, when out in the street, explain how zebra crossings work and what the little green man means. Safely show your child how to use some of the ICT devices and apparatus around the home, and get him to share his knowledge with siblings or other children (and no doubt some adults too!). In schools, ICT is a subject in its own right, although more often than not it’s taught in the context of other subjects. Here’s a guide to how ICT is used across the curriculum.

Beyond the PC ICT includes a wide selection of tools – not just computers and software – but many other resources such as programmable toys, printers, scanners, digital cameras, DVDs, CD-ROMs, audio CDs, the internet, interactive whiteboards, TV and radio. Encourage children to use all these and others as soon as they are ready. Children are fascinated by technology, so nurture and stimulate their interest and they’ll soon reap the benefits.

When it comes to ICT in the Recepti on class, your child’s teacher is exp ected to:

Give opportunities for the use of ICT to develop skills across the areas of learning

Encourage children to observe and talk about the use of ICT in the environment

Encourage children to show each other how to use ICT equipment

Foundation Stage ICT Communication, language and literacy

Blossoming literacy skills such as learning the alphabet and letter recognition can be developed using content-specific software (subjectbased programs) such as Clicker 5 (www.cricksoft.com/uk/products/ clicker). And stories and nursery rhymes in the form of talking books are always a delight. Click on that difficult word and it’s highlighted and read to you. Click on that flower and a bee buzzes away. Click on the chimney of that house and a puff of smoke rises from it. A word of advice though, research shows that if you sit with children while they use these programs and talk about what they are doing, their reading skills will improve more quickly.

Mathematical development

There are many CD-ROMs and websites that will promote mathematical development, including counting skills, number recognition and simple addition and subtraction. Getting your child used to using a calculator (preferably one with a large keypad) is also a good idea. Programmable or remote-control toys will assist you in developing his directional skills and gaining an understanding of shape and space. When your child is ready to move into Key Stage 1, you may like to encourage data handling by using one of the many simple graphing programs available. He could carry out simple surveys to find out which is the most popular fruit in the family or how many different coloured cars he can see from the front window.

Creative developmen t

ICT

Physical development

ICT is a great way to develop skills in art and music, and a simple paint program is excellent for early mark making (drawing). If you already have it, you could try using Microsoft Paint with your child, but an age-specific program will keep him occupied for longer. Various tools and colours can be used to create wonderful works of art. (Needless to say, a colour printer is essential here!) As for developing musical creativity, there are some lovely software packages to help young children develop their appreciation of music and create their own tunes. Try Music ToolKit from www.2simple.com, it’s excellent. Or for budding artists, Clicker Paint (www.cricksoft.com/uk) is a sophisticated new program that’s easy to use. There are also a number of websites that foster your child’s creative side. The links on this website (www. btinternet.com/~tony.poulter) will help you to find several art and music sites, but my favourites at the moment are: for art – the Jackson Pollock site www. jacksonpollock.org, and for music – the Tweenies Song Time www.bbc.co.uk/ cbeebies/tweenies/songtime.

Many of the activities mentioned so far will help promote mouse and keyboard skills, but there are plenty of programs and websites specifically aimed at developing these in an entertaining way. However, this area of learning is about more than getting to grips with computer hardware. ICT resources can be used to build awareness of the human body, health and well-being. Why not join your child as he moves to music on CDs, videos, DVDs and the internet? Better still, use microphones, digital cameras or video cameras to record her performance!

Personal, social and ent emotional developm

Using ICT helps children learn to share and take turns. The computer monitor or other ICT device becomes the focus for working together and can support the decision-making and problem-solving process. In time they become good communicators who speak well and are prepared to listen to others. ICT is so versatile it can even help to develop these skills in role-play and outdoor play. Role-play is far more meaningful to young children if they use real objects (rather than ‘pretend’) so a real computer with printer in an ‘office’ scenario might be a good idea. With outdoor play, how about taking a digital camera or a video camera on a nature walk?

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Any of the activities in the two previous sections also cover knowledge and understanding of the world, the only area where ICT is overtly mentioned in the government guidelines for this age group. Using computers, CD-ROMs, the internet and programmable robots is all part of this particular area of learning. Why not use some of these ICT resources to broaden his knowledge of the world? For example, your child could learn more about a recent holiday destination using Google Earth. Or you could encourage him to develop his interest in science with the BBC’s Science Clips website www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml.

Every Child

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health & wellbeing

The

School

Nurse

The role of the school nurse runs far wider than nits and jabs, together with the local health team your child's health care is in safe hands

tarting school can be an anxious time for both children and parents, but one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is your child’s safety. Throughout the country, schools are working in partnership with local health professionals to extend health and safety provisions far beyond sticking plasters on grazed knees after playground accidents. If you’re concerned about the welfare of your child once they pass through the school gates, bear in mind that schools and local health teams are working together to ensure the wellbeing of children in their care. In the event of any playground scrapes, or more serious injuries, the school should have a member of staff on hand who is trained to deliver first aid. A first aider will also accompany children when they go off-site, for example, on school trips.

The school nurse The responsibility for monitoring your child’s health and development on an ongoing basis usually falls to the school nurse or a member of a local health team. School nurses have a wide range of responsibilities, including supporting children with chronic health problems, and running immunisation and vaccination programmes, parenting programmes and bedwetting clinics. The school nurse may also be able to refer children to specialists if needed, such as a speech therapist or an asthma or diabetic nurse. Jane Bruce, head teacher of Papdale Primary School in Orkney, explains, ‘Our school nurse visits weekly and is involved in the routine screening of pupils. She also deals with any concerns parents have about their child’s health, such as hearing or sight

Healthy Schools Status Dealing with existing health problems is only half the story. The government is also encouraging schools to take a proactive approach to health with initiatives such as the Healthy Schools Programme. To achieve Healthy Schools Status, schools need to show a commitment to personal, social and health education; healthy eating; and physical activity. Part of this is achieved through the curriculum, but school nurses are also involved. For example, at Archbishop Sumner Church of England Primary School in South London, school nurses run an after-school club, Fit4Kids, where children can enjoy activities such as exercise, cooking, dancing and gardening. Ask your school if they offer a similar scheme.

problems, and weight checks. We also have visits from an NHS dietician and a dental hygienist as part of our curriculum.’ School nurses can also train teachers to be aware of medical problems. Elsa Chadaway, a school nurse in the West Midlands, explains, ‘I recently held a consultation with parents, and invited them to talk to me if they were concerned about their child’s weight, health or fitness. I’ve also held a training session for teachers on asthma, and trained them to administer adrenaline in the event of an extreme allergic reaction. Parents can also ask to see me for advice on bed-wetting, allergies or eating problems.’

Ongoing medical problems If your child has a chronic health problem, contact the school as soon as possible (if you haven’t already) to discuss your child’s needs. This is especially important if staff need to store or administer medication, or have to keep an eye out for the sudden onset of symptoms. ‘If a child needs ongoing support, their parents and the relevant school staff should have a meeting to draw up a care plan before school starts,’ advises Chadaway.

‘This acts as an agreement between the parents and the school on the child’s care. For example, one child who started Reception class in my area last year has severe epilepsy, and was likely to need emergency care in school. The child’s mother phoned me to talk through her child’s needs and the concerns she had. I was then able to work with her and the school to draw up a care plan.’ In the event of any acute health problems, such as an outbreak of head lice, schools will normally send out an ‘alert letter’ suggesting you check your child’s head. You’ll then be able to seek advice on suitable treatment options from the school nurse or your local GP surgery.

findoutmore To find out more about the Healthy Schools Programme, visit: www.healthyschools.gov.uk

For other health-related issues, visit: www.parentscentre.gov.uk www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Every Child

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health & wellbeing

Atishoo - Atishoo

we all fall down September isn’t just the start of the new school year, its also the start of the colds and bugs season. Make sure your child’s health issues are taken care of with our quick guide

hen your child starts school, she’ll face a range of new situations and challenges. Spending time around larger numbers of children than at pre-school or nursery means she may pick up more germs and bugs – not to mention such delights as nits and verrucas! Meanwhile, new physical activities and the rough-and-tumble of the playground may mean she comes home with occasional cuts and bruises. It’s all part of growing up, but you can be ready to treat health problems with our guide to the most common illnesses and injuries your child will face at school…

CUTS, BRUISES AND BROKEN BONES Talking to your child about safety in the playground – being careful when climbing and not walking in front of swings, for instance – will lower the risk of accidents, but all children end up getting a few bumps and scrapes. Any injuries at school will initially be treated by a first aider or the school nurse – but you can help speed up the healing process.

Cuts and grazes ‘If a cut is deep or bleeding heavily, your child may need stitches and a tetanus injection,’ says child health expert Dr Miriam Stoppard. ‘However, minor cuts and grazes can be

treated at home. Gently clean the wound with water and sterile gauze. Apply antiseptic cream such as Savlon (£3.99 for 50g), and cover with a plaster or gauze pad (don’t use cotton wool as fluff may stick to the wound). Change dressings daily,’ she adds.

Bruises ‘A bruise is rarely serious, unless it worsens over time, indicating a broken bone; or appears for no reason, which can suggest an illness such as leukaemia,’ explains Dr Stoppard. ‘Minor bruises need no treatment, but for a large, painful bruise, a cold compress will help keep swelling down.’ The herb arnica can also help – try Nelsons Arnica Cream (£5.82 for 50g).

Strains and sprains A strain (overstretched muscle fibres) and sprains (torn ligaments) are common in wrists, knees and ankles. ‘Sprains can be especially painful and take months to fully heal,’ says Dr Stoppard. ‘The tearing causes bleeding into the joint, leading to swelling and bruising.’ To aid recovery, follow the RICE process: rest, ice (to reduce swelling), compression (with a firm bandage) and elevation (raising the injured part). Your child may need crutches or a sling, and Arnica may also help.

Fractures ‘If your child is in extreme pain or has a misshapen limb, they should be X-rayed in case of a fracture (broken bone),’ says Dr Stoppard. ‘Don’t try to straighten it yourself, and don’t move the child if bone is sticking through the skin, as you may increase the damage,’ she warns. Once the bone has been immobilised in plaster or a tight bandage, keep it dry and the bone should heal in six to 10 weeks. You could also have a word with the school nurse about physiotherapy exercises. Every Child

health & wellbeing

When should I? Inform the school of health issues...

Always tell your child’s teacher about any injuries or illnesses, whether mild, serious or ongoing. He can make allowances for your child and, if necessary, speak to the school nurse so a care plan can be put in place. Always inform the school if your child has had an infectious condition. If your child needs medication kept at school (e.g. asthma inhalers or insulin), a nominated member of staff will be responsible for them.

Keep my child off school... You probably know instinctively if your child is well enough for school, and you certainly shouldn’t send them in if they have any of the symptoms described in ‘Call the doctor’ (below). Also, keep her at home: For 24 hours after diarrhoea or vomiting has stopped. If she has a temperature higher than 100°F (38°C). If she has an infectious disease. Schools have different policies on mild infections such as conjunctivitis, thread worms, ringworm and head lice, so call for guidance. If you keep your child at home, inform the school straight away. You may need a doctor’s note if she’s off for more than a few days.

Call the doctor... Call your GP if your child has: Laboured breathing. A temperature higher than 102°F (39°C) or higher than 100°F (38°C) for three days. Diarrhoea for more than 24 hours. Nausea or vomiting for more than 24 hours. Refused food for more than 24 hours. Head pain, dizziness or blurred vision.

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COLDS AND BUGS

Ear infections Spending time around lots of other children, it’s inevitable that at some point your child will come home with a bug. Don’t worry – these conditions are common and easily dealt with.

Colds and flu ‘The average schoolchild has six colds a year,’ says Dr Jane Collins, paediatrician at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. ‘Caused by viruses, symptoms include a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a cough or sore throat, and fatigue. Most colds clear up within a week without treatment. ‘Keep your child comfortable in a warm, well-ventilated room, and give them plenty of fluids. If symptoms haven’t improved after 10 days, or they’re struggling to breathe, call your GP, ‘ she adds. A healthy diet rich in vitamin C will boost your child’s immunity, making it less likely she’ll catch colds and will recover more quickly. Herbal echinacea tincture can also boost immunity (suitable from age six). Try Echinaforce (£9.25 for 50ml). Junior paracetamol can ease pain and discomfort, while Vicks VapoRub (£4.39 for 100g) or Olbas Oil (£3.99 for 28ml) will help them breathe. ‘If your child has a high temperature, aching muscles and drowsiness, they may have flu, which is more serious and can lead to bronchitis, pneumonia or other complications,’ adds Dr Collins. ‘Treat similarly to a cold and call your GP if symptoms are severe.’

Ear infections are common in children, and are caused by bacteria or viruses. The ear may fill up with mucus or there may be a discharge. Other symptoms include earache, dulled hearing, itching and a high temperature. ‘If the infection doesn’t clear up in a few days or your child seems very unwell, consult a doctor as they may need antibiotics or ear drops, or it may be a complication of a more serious infection,’ says Dr Collins. ‘In the meantime, relieve the pain with junior paracetamol, and give them a covered hot water bottle filled with warm water to hold against their ear. Don’t let them swim or bathe until the infection has cleared up.’

Tummy bugs ‘Stomach bugs leading to diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain are usually caused by a virus in the air, contact with infected faeces, or bacteria in food (food poisoning), ‘ says Dr Collins. ‘Let your child rest and give her plenty of fluids. Offer bland foods such as bananas and white rice, but don’t force her to eat. Avoid milk and highfibre foods. If symptoms haven’t improved after 24 hours, call your doctor, as your child may have something more serious or may become dehydrated.’ Be fastidious about hygiene, especially after your child goes to the toilet, to avoid spreading infection.

health & wellbeing

UNWELCOME PASSENGERS

Verrucas and athlete’s foot Shared changing rooms means verrucas are rife among school children. And sweaty feet stuck inside hot shoes all day is a recipe for athlete’s foot! ‘Verrucas are highly infectious, so encourage your child to wear flip-flops in communal areas,’ advises Dr Collins. ‘Every day, use a pumice to remove hard skin from the verruca, then cover with a fresh salicylic acid plaster. Or try a treatment such as Bazuka (£5.99 for 5g). Stubborn verrucas may need treatment from a chiropodist. ‘Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that thrives in the warm, moist areas between the toes. Keep feet clean and dry, use cotton socks, and air shoes after use. Combat the fungus with antifungal powder, such as Boots Dual Action Athlete’s Foot Powder (£2.99 for 75g), or tea tree oil.’

Long term illness Unfortunately, sometimes an illness takes hold and your child may need to be off school for longer periods. Every year, around 100,000 children can’t attend school due to illness or injury. If your child is one of them, your Local Authority (LA) has a legal duty to provide her with as much education as her medical condition allows – whether at home or in hospital. If she’s likely to be off sick for more than three weeks, or regularly misses school due to chronic illness, tell the school’s Education Welfare Officer or the LA. They’ll work with the school, health professionals and the home teaching service to draw up a personal education plan for your child. This might include sending her work to be undertaken at home, working with a home or hospital tutor, and monitoring her progress. Your child’s class teacher should try to maintain some social contact between your child and her classmates (perhaps through cards, videos and visits). He’ll also try to facilitate a smooth reintegration back into school when your child returns. This may involve part-time attendance to start with, and extra support to fill the gaps in her learning. For further information, visit www. dcsf.gov.uk.

When should I? Call an ambulance? Get your child to hospital as quickly as possible if she:

Has stopped breathing, is breathing with difficulty or is choking. Is unconscious or having convulsions. Has a head injury. Has a serious burn, a deep wound that’s bleeding heavily, or you suspect a broken bone. Has eaten something poisonous or something toxic has gone in her eyes. If you suspect damage to her neck or spine, don’t try to move her yourself – call 999.

findoutmore For more information check out the following links: NHS Direct: 0845 4647 Baby & Child Healthcare by Dr Miriam Stoppard (Dorling Kindersley, £16.99) BMA When Your Child Is Ill A Home Guide for Parents (Dorling Kindersley, £12.99)

The big ‘M’

Just the word ‘meningitis’ is enough to strike fear into any parent or guardian. But what exactly is it?

Head lice and nits Is your child’s head always itching? Look carefully and you may see tiny head lice or nits (eggs) and red bites on the scalp. Don’t be ashamed, it’s not a hygiene issue – head lice actually prefer clean hair. But you can reduce your child’s risk by discouraging her from sharing hats, combs and brushes. ‘Treat your child with an over-the-counter anti-lice shampoo or lotion such as Nitty Gritty, Lyclear or NYDA – and treat the rest of the family at the same time, even if they don’t have symptoms,’ says Dr Collins. For a natural option look for products that contain rosemary and tea tree, a great way to repel lice. Fairy Tales Hair Care Rosemary Repel hair products ensure clean and lice-free hair.

98 Every Child

‘Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord,’ explains Dr Miriam Stoppard. ‘There are several types. Viral meningitis isn’t too serious, but bacterial meningitis can cause brain damage or even death if not treated early. Babies are routinely immunised against meningitis C, but it doesn’t protect against other types, so it’s important to be aware of the signs.’ Symptoms to look for include: High temperature Intolerance of bright light A purple rash that doesn’t fade when you press a glass over it

Headache Stiff neck Drowsiness and confusion

‘Sufferers may not show every symptom, so if you suspect meningitis, consult your GP immediately or go to A&E and insist on being seen at once,’ advises Dr Stoppard. ‘If your child does have meningitis, they’ll be treated with high doses of intravenous antibiotics.’ The Health Authority is responsibile for informing the school of your child’s meningitis so they can take precautions for other pupils, but it’s worth checking they’ve been told. For more info, visit www.meningitis.org.

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SAY NO TO NITS !

The start of the new school term brings the inevitable head lice season with it, but don’t worry there are gentle and effective treatments available. What are head lice? Head lice are tiny wingless insects that are barely visible to the human eye. They live on the human head and hair and feed by sucking blood through the scalp. Female lice lay eggs in sacs (which are also known as nits) that stick to the hair shaft and usually hatch within seven to 8 days. Lice are normally dull in colour and easily camouflaged, although the empty sacs are white and shiny and can sometimes be found further down the hair shaft as the hair grows out.

Looking for head lice and nits Its recommend that you check your children’s hair regularly, especially if there has been an outbreak at school. The easiest way to check is by combing through the hair and looking for live lice or nits. For best results use a specially designed detection nit comb or fine-toothed comb. Then follow these steps: 1. Brush or comb through hair to detangle, then switch to a special fine-toothed detection comb

2. Start at the middle of the front of the scalp 3. Comb the whole hair strand by strand from the roots to the ends 4. After each stroke, examine the teeth of the comb for lice and nits 5. Remember – nits may be found further down the hair shaft, but lice will be close to the scalp. Behind the ears and the nape of the neck are also favourite spots 6. Continue combing section by section until the whole head has been searched 7. Start treatment if a living louse has been found and clean all combs to avoid infestation of other people. Lice can live on the scalp without any symptoms appearing, but you can also look for an itchy head and lice droppings on the pillowcase.

Forms of treatment If you have found either a louse or nit in your child’s hair, you should tell the school and check the whole family for infestation. If a live louse is found - the only sign of an active infestation - treatment should be started immediately. There are two main methods of treating lice:

1. Topical: There are two different types of topical treatments and they are available as lotions, sprays, shampoos and mousses: XX Non-traditional (non-chemical) products that contain cyclomethicone or dimeticone. These work by coating the lice and kill them physically, e.g. by suffocation (e.g. NYDA®). Unlike the chemical treatment, lice do not become resistant to these products. Usually treatment should still be repeated after seven days, but some of the treatments (e.g. NYDA®) are active against lice and nits and are designed to work after one application. Nevertheless also for this product after 7 days the hair should be checked again and if necessary the treatment should be repeated. XX Traditional (chemical): products with a neurotoxic mode of action that contain insecticides, e.g. malathion, phenothrin or permethrin. To work effectively, these formulas have to be treated generally twice. However, there is the possibility that head lice may have already developed resistance to such chemical formulas.

2. Wet combing: A time-consuming

method that involves wetting the hair and applying a normal conditioner before repeating the steps used in checking for lice. The conditioner helps lice to lose their grip on the hair. For effective results, hair has to be combed through methodically for at least 30 minutes and repeated every three days for four weeks.

NYDA® Head lice treatment ■■ ■■

NYDA® is a non-toxic approach to treating head lice. In contrast to many other products, NYDA® is effective against lice as well as nits. NYDA is dual formulation dimeticone. Due to its innovative dual action, the two dimeticones of differing viscosity rapidly penetrate deeply into the respiratory system of lice, larvae and nits, blocking all oxygen uptake. Within 60 seconds of application lice show no vital signs.

■■

■■ ■■

It is a gentle formula, safe for use in children and comes in a convenient pump spray. A bright orange NYDA comb is also provided which easily slides through the hair, detecting lice and nits. The lice cannot escape through the fine teeth of the comb. Contains: Dimeticone 92% Manufacturer: Pohl Boskamp, Germany.

Every Child

Managing

Allergies Worried about managing allergies now that your child is starting full time school? Feel reassured that your child is in safe hands

amantha Peters first suspected her son Michael was allergic to cow’s milk when she tried to wean him at four months old. It was another three months before Michael was formally diagnosed with milk and soya allergies, by which time he’d almost stopped eating and was suffering from eczema as well. By the age of two, Michael had also been diagnosed with allergies to eggs, nuts, fish and shellfish, the latter two producing, at their worst, a rash, diarrhoea and sudden swelling. Unfortunately, childhood allergies are on the increase. According to Allergy UK, it’s estimated that around 40 per cent of children have an allergy or will develop one. This can be anything from respiratory allergies such as asthma, hay fever and pet allergies, to skin problems, including reactions to nickel and the sun; food allergies, for example, to eggs, peanuts or milk; and chemical sensitivities, such as to toiletries and air fresheners. ‘Nobody knows exactly what causes allergies,’ says Jane Bentley, young person’s development manager at The Anaphylaxis Campaign. ‘There are quite a few theories, but nothing is conclusive. We do know it appears to increasingly affect people in the west.’ One theory is that western societies are

100 Every Child

now too clean, and children’s bodies are unable to build up resistance to bacteria they would normally have come into contact with on a routine basis. Changing diets in the west over the past 30 years are also thought to be a possible trigger, with foods such as nuts being eaten all year round rather than just in the appropriate growing season.

What should I tell the school? If your child has an allergy, there are many ways his school can help him. When Michael went to nursery at two and a half years old, the staff were very supportive. ‘Michael was the first child with allergies they’d accepted at the nursery, so they trained their staff and got their caterer to provide him with special meals,’ explains Samantha. ‘They also helped teach Michael

My experience ‘We put our trust in the staff’ Ella Stoneham, six, was diagnosed with severe milk and egg allergies at six months old. She suffered severe eczema and vomiting and was also found to be allergic to soya, sesame seeds and peanuts, as well as having asthma and hay fever. Ella’s condition was managed well at her nursery, where all staff were made aware of her needs and were trained to use an EpiPen. But her mother, Sarah, was very anxious about sending her daughter to school – Ella goes into anaphylactic shock (see page 52) if she comes into contact with milk or eggs. ‘We enrolled Ella at a school where they agreed to cook separate school dinners for her,’ says Sarah. ‘They have an area of the kitchen where they cook just for her and use separate utensils. But we have no control over what other children are eating and worry that Ella will end up eating something she’s allergic to. ‘Every day we put our trust in the catering staff, teachers and other children. But we feel it’s important to strike a balance between keeping Ella safe and not preventing her from having a normal life.’

health & wellbeing How are

Allergies treated?

Eczema

Food allergies

Allergic reactions to foods ofte n occur within minutes. The mo st common triggers are milk, egg s, peanuts, wheat and seafood. One of the most disturbing reaction s is anaphylactic shock, where the immune system thinks the body is under threat. Sympto ms can come on very quickly and include itching, a swollen thro at or tongue, abdominal cramps, nausea, collapse and, in extrem e cases, unconsciousness. In its worst form, anaphylactic shock can be life-threatening. Treatment is usually epineph rine (adrenaline), which can be injected quickly using an EpiPen .

Asthma

More than 1 million children in the UK are being treated for asthma, which affects the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. When triggered by an allergy, the muscles round these tubes tighten and become inflamed and swollen. An attack may lead to coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. Treatments include inhalers and steroids. Regular swimming often reduces the symptoms of asthma.

about good and bad foods, using pictures to explain why he couldn’t have certain foods, such as ice cream.’ Whatever allergy your child has, both you and the school need to be able to recognise symptoms and, in the case of serious allergies, react immediately. Make sure you keep the school informed about your child’s condition. His teacher or the school’s first aider may need to be trained to use an EpiPen (see box, below), or to understand preventative measures such as antihistamines. ‘The most important thing is to have a meeting with your child’s teacher and work out a care plan, so staff know exactly what to do if your child has an attack,’ says Bentley. The Department of Children, Schools and Families, in partnership with the Department of Health, has also issued the following guidelines for school children with medical needs:

Explain your child’s condition to teachers and staff, and pass on as much written information about it as possible. Draw up a management plan with school staff that includes your child’s name, address and date of birth, and details of his allergy.

3 4

Outline an emergency procedure and attach it to your child’s medication pack. Encourage teachers to talk to your child’s classmates about allergies to help them understand the condition. Ask for a copy of the school’s Medicine Administration Policy, and speak to the head teacher or your child’s teacher if you need clarification.

The emotional cost Children who suffer from severe allergies that limit their everyday activities may find they get excluded at school or become bullied. ‘If children have an obvious condition such as severe eczema, other parents may think it’s contagious and stop their children from playing with them,’ explains Bentley. ‘Or children with food allergies may not be invited to parties because parents are worried about giving them foods that will cause a reaction.’ With this in mind, Allergy UK has launched the Blossom Campaign (www. blossomcampaign.org), which aims to stop the social exclusion of children with allergies and provide advice and support for parents and teachers. ‘It’s about raising awareness,’ says Lindsey McManus, director of the campaign. ‘Our aim is to stop children being isolated.’

Eczema is skin condition that affects about 5 million people in the UK according to the National Eczema Society. There are several types of eczema which are caused or worsened by an allergic reaction. Symptoms include dry, itchy skin which may weep and bleed. It can be uncomfortable and unsightly, leaving children feeling self-conscious about their appearance. Treatments include emollients to hydrate skin and steroids.

Hay fever

Hay fever is an allergy to pollen from trees, grasses, weeds and flowers. Allergic rhinitis is a similar condition, only the reaction is caused by house-dust mites, spores from fungi and mould, animals, or food additives. Symptoms include sneezing; an itchy, blocked or runny nose; red, itchy or watery eyes; and headaches. Symptoms can be eased with antihistamines.

findoutmore Many organisations produce guidelines and recommendations for schools and parents on how to cope with children’s allergies. Log on to the following sites for more details: Allergy UK www.allergyuk.org The Anaphylaxis Campaign www.anaphylaxis.org.uk Asthma UK www.asthma.org.uk National Eczema Society www.eczema.org Department for Children, Schools and Families www.dcsf.gov.uk

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health & wellbeing

BULLYYOU!

Whether your child is being bullied or is a bully himself there are tried and tested ways of dealing with this sensitive issue

s a parent, seeing your child in pain is always upsetting. But when that pain is inflicted intentionally by one of her peers, it’s even more distressing. Unfortunately, bullying is more common than we’d like. According to Bullying Today, a report by the Children’s Commissioner for England, as many as half of all children may experience bullying at some point in their lives. ‘We’re getting more calls from parents of young children,’ says Brenda Stafford, development manager of the charity Kidscape. ‘Behaviour that used to be labelled as banter, like name-calling, is now seen as bullying – which it is.’ ‘Bullying can also involve being pushed, pinched, hit, kicked and subjected to gossip and rumour,’ adds Chris Cloke, head of child protection, awareness and diversity at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). ‘It can also include having your property stolen or taken away.’

specific questions, such as how she’s feeling,’ he suggests. ‘The trick is to find a balance between a normal conversation and digging a bit deeper.’ If you know your child is being bullied, inform the school of what’s happening. Since September 1999, schools have had a legal duty to combat bullying. They also have access to materials for teaching the social and emotional aspects of learning, including combating bullying. ‘The school needs to know as much as possible about the situation, so arrange a meeting with your child’s class teacher and explain what you think is going on,’ advises Quinn. ‘Let them know that you’d really like to find a way for this to be resolved, and ask the teacher to keep you in the loop regarding how things progress. Striking up a dialogue with staff at the school will go a long way towards resolving the situation.’

What can I do?

‘It’s important to challenge bullying tendencies at an early stage,’ says Richard Piggin, senior policy and communications manager at Beatbullying. ‘This is not only to protect the victims of bullying, but also the bullies themselves. Not confronting hostile behaviour early on increases the likelihood that a bully will continue to follow a pattern of violence, and show aggressive tendencies later in life. ‘Early intervention – with intelligent work around conflict, anger management, friendship and relationships – is therefore very important in primary education. Educating young people is crucial for shaping their behaviour later in life.’

If you suspect your child is being bullied, you need to find out the facts – but it’s important to tread carefully. ‘If you confront your child directly, she’s unlikely to tell you the truth straight away,’ explains John Quinn of the campaign group Beatbullying. ‘The last thing she wants to do is make the situation worse. She may also be worrying about causing you anxiety or stress.’ A good time to catch your child for a casual chat is at teatime, advises Quinn. ‘Start up a normal conversation about how the day has been, then go on to ask more

What about the bully?

Is your child

being bullied

A child who’s being bullied may have unexplained bruises or scratches, or may have sudden mood swings. She may also:

✔✔ Become unwilling to go to school ✔✔ Say she feels ill before school ✔✔ Be frightened to walk to and from school

✔✔ Begin to lag behind in schoolwork ✔✔ Begin to ‘lose’ possessions with no real explanation

✔✔ Become silent and withdrawn, particularly after school

✔✔ Become aggressive or anxious ✔✔ Lose her appetite ✔✔ Have regular nightmares and/or begin bed-wetting

✔✔ Ask for money or begin stealing ✔✔ Bully younger siblings Your child may not show all these signs of being bullied, just two or more could suggest there’s a problem. In extreme cases, bullying can lead to suicide. Although rare, it underlines the importance of parents and schools working together.

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health & wellbeing

Not confronting hostile behaviour early on increases the likelihood that a bully will continue to follow a pattern of violence, and show aggressive tendencies later in life.

How schools

tackle bullying Successful anti-bullying strategies in primary schools often focus on buddy schemes and peer mentoring to support victims and dissipate tension before it escalates. At Abbott Community Primary School in Manchester, Year Six children are recruited to support their younger peers. ‘Ten children are trained to become mediators and listeners, called Special Friends,’ explains head teacher, Heather Riley. ‘The children work in pairs and are available at lunchtimes to listen to the worries and concerns of other children. They’re monitored, and refresher training is given when necessary. ‘Many children visit the Special Friends and appreciate being listened to. The Special Friends become confident members of Year Six, and show a lot of pride in the scheme. ‘The rest of Year Six are involved in other duties at lunchtime – either as Reading Buddies (helping Year One children to read), or as lunchtime play activity helpers.’ Biddick Hall Junior School in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, runs a peer-mentoring scheme involving Year Six pupils. ‘They’re called Pals,’ explains head teacher, Ian Mills. ‘They wear a special badge and each one is assigned one or two “Pal friends”. These are children we perceive as having problems – maybe they’ve been bullied, or have bullied, or there’s a problem their parents have contacted us about. ‘The Pal speaks to his Pal friend daily. It’s also good for the Pal’s own development – sometimes they’re the very children who were causing problems the year before. ‘Every week, we have a Pals meeting where they each give a report on how many times they’ve seen their Pal friends, and how they’ve been. If bullying is reported, both the bully and the bullied child are sent to me. Over the next two months they keep coming back to me, so I can see how things are progressing.’

Tony Walker, head teacher of Flintham Primary School in Newark, Nottinghamshire, believes it’s also important to show children that they can change their behaviour. ‘At Flintham, our motto is, “This is a safe place to make mistakes”,’ he says. ‘In other words, you try your best – but if you slip up, you won’t be castigated. ‘We do assemblies on bullying. In one, I tell pupils about my childhood and a bully called Tony W. They all think I was the victim and are shocked when I reveal I was the bully. I explain to them that we all make mistakes, but we have to learn from them and move on.’

findoutmore For information and help on tackling bullying, visit the following websites: Department for Children, Schools and Families www.dcsf.gov.uk/bullying Anti-Bullying Alliance www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk Beatbullying www.beatbullying.org Bully Free Zone www.bullyfreezone.co.uk ChildLine www.childline.org.uk 0800 1111 (helpline) Kidscape www.kidscape.org.uk 08451 205204 (helpline) You can download Bullying Today free at www.11million.org.uk

Is your child a bully

Spotting the signs that your child is bullying can be difficult, says Chris Cloke. But your child may show more aggressive behaviour or start coming home with other children’s possessions or money. According to the charity Bully Free Zone, a number of traumas may lead children to start bullying others. These include:

✔✔ Parents arguing or divorcing ✔✔ Bereavement ✔✔ Neglect or abuse at home ✔✔ Being bullied themselves ✔✔ Watching disturbing films or

programmes meant for adult viewing

If you worry that your child is being bullied, it may be a good idea to seek help to discuss in confidence with a professional about your child’s emotional problems and well being. Relate (www.relate.org.uk), a relationship counselling organisation can provide access for young people to talk in confidence, often in their school environment. The service can help children feel less isolated and a counsellor can help children find ways of managing any problems they may be facing at home or at school. Every Child

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Mummy...

can we have a dog?

Please!

Research shows that the benefits of having a family pet may by far outweigh the negatives, but owning a pet can be a worry, especially with small children to consider. We spoke to Amy Watson from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home who gives us some great advice and peace of mind on owning your first family dog.

aving a close and responsible relationship with a dog can have positive effects in developing some of the social and personal skills required for successful interactions with schoolmates and friends. “The relationship between children and dogs teaches children important skills such as empathy, sharing, taking responsibility and caring for others.” Says Amy Watson -

106 Every Child

Education Officer for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. These skills are important positive indicators in both the foundation and KS1 PHSE curriculum, but are equally important outside of school too. However some parents and children are worried about interacting with dogs, even to the extent that they would forgo having their own family pet. “Unfortunately says Amy, “a small number of

children will have a negative encounter with a dog. These incidents, albeit very rare, can cause serious physical and psychological harm.” “The good news though is that as nearly all dog bites are the result of misunderstandings between the dog and the child, they can be avoided. “By understanding why these incidents occur and following some simple rules, a large number of dog bites can be prevented.” Points out Amy.

health & wellbeing

CASE STUDY When Sarah - Mum of Molly (4) and Amelia (3) - first started to look into having a dog, Sarah had big worries. She was really quite fearful of dogs – especially large dogs but she couldn’t remember any particularly negative experience as a child. “ I just couldn’t face the thought of having a dog even though Molly was begging to have one, my husband kept joking about getting one as a surprise, but I just couldn’t handle the thought of all the mess, the training, the hairs, and I was really concerned that it might turn on the girls.” Says Sarah.

ver leave ✔✔Be therenre,unbesuawpearervi–sedNearo und dogs child

w to behave ✔✔Teach dchdoildgsren– ho Be gentle and quiet

aroun es – be kind around dogs at all tim u would like yo w ho and treat them to be treated

dogs – don’t play ✔✔Havegaresmepesctwiforth the m silly

✔✔

“Dogs will Learn to speak dog. a warning us e nearly always giv eatened,” thr g lin fee that they are hibiting some explains Amy, “By ex y behaviours of the scared or angr you to ing ask is below the dog . ne alo r he or leave him can learn Adults and children to avoid ls to read these signa ” ns tio dangerous situa

A Scared Dog Body trembling - shivering Cowering Arched back Backing away from you Panting Whimpering in a low growl Tail tucked between his legs Ears low and flat Eyes big and round

findout more

We asked Amy how Sarah could help Molly and Amelia enjoy having a dog and avoiding dog bites: “First of all,” says Amy, “its good news that Sarah is concerned because it shows that she is aware of the dangers which is especially important when most bite incidents occur between children and a dog known to them, either in their own home or that of a close friend or relative. But when it comes to fear of a bite incident all you really need to know is listed below - and oh yes learn to ‘speak dog’.”

✘✘ Don’t sneak up on a dog – you could scare them

✘✘ Don’t tease a dog – its not fair

It is important to remember though that given the frequency of contact between people and dogs, bites are very rare. The companionship of a dog can be very rewarding and dogs bring lots of benefits to society and individuals alike. Positive, supervised and safe interactions between children and dogs build mutually rewarding and close friendships. Sarah did get a dog for Molly and Amelia, and it has been very rewarding. She told us, “I realised after talking to Amy that it was probably because I hadn’t had a dog as a child, and I followed Amy’s good advice and it of course makes perfect sense, we love our dog and can’t imagine not having her as part of the family.”

✘✘ Don’t stare at a dog – dogs can fin this intimidating and scary

✘✘ Don’t disturb a dog that is sleep ing or eating – you would n’t like it

✘✘ Don’t assume a dog wants to pla y

with you – just like yo u sometimes they like to be left alo ne

✘✘ Don’t approach a dog who is wi tho

ut an owner or off its lea d as you won’t know if the dog is frie ndly

An Angry Dog Showing his teeth Snarling- growling - barking A tense or stiff body Staring at you with narrow eyes Tail stiff and straight Hairs on the back of neck and back will stand up Ears are alert and forward

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home runs an on-going education program visiting schools to talk about dogs, cats and responsible pet ownership. They have also developed a range of free literature designed for children concerning issues such as being safe with dogs and understanding dogs and cats.

Visit our website: www.battersea.org.uk or email education@battersea.org.uk

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Fun&

Active

Lifestyles Looking for ideas to help your children get active? Here’s some fun ideas from Youth Sport Direct to get you started?

outh Sport Direct develops fun and engaging products and ideas to help young people lead active lifestyles. Our core belief is that sport has the power to engage young people from a range of backgrounds and provides a common language. We encourage fun and active lifestyles through our products. Our profits are donated to Youth Sport initiatives enabling you to have a direct impact on improving the lives of young people. We offer a number of resources and equipment packages to schools to help teachers, practitioners and parents to support the development of children:

For schools

Start to Play: Aimed at early years practitioners to support the development of children between 0-5 years. The equipment bag is full of innovative, bright and fun equipment and a resource pack containing story books, activity cards and a narrated CD. The package introduces Fizz and his friends who are the characters within the story books. Supports: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum. Active Play: Active Play supports delivery of

the five hour offer and can be used to complement the curriculum and support enabling, extension and enrichment activities for young people in a variety of different settings. Supporting fundamental movement skills the content will also support the education of movement, balance and co-ordination linked in with the participant development pathway. Active Play uses resource cards to bring a variety of linked activities to children.

For Parents

Start to Play at home: The ‘Start to Play’ range has 2 smaller bags with equipment, aimed at children aged 18 months to 5 years. My First Start to Play: The bright colourful equipment has been specially selected so that the pack is ideal for parents/carer to engage with their children, the bag is supplied with a set of Fizz and Friends Active cards which will help to provide ideas for easy to play games. Children can use their imagination to play other games whilst at the same time learning, developing and being active. My Family Start to Play: This bag comes filled with bright colourful equipment, children can use their imagination to play games whilst at the same time learning,

For more information visit www.youthsportdirect.org 108 Every Child

developing and being active. The selected equipment is ideal for parents/carer to engage with their children. The bag is supplied with a set of Fizz and Friends Active cards which will help to provide ideas for easy to play games. Fun Activity Games and Ideas: Our website is packed full of fun games and ideas! Visit www.youthsportdirect.org to view the full range and find products like the Ogo Sports Disc - a fantastic outdoor activity game for all the family. The Ogo Sports disc adapts to various sports activities such as volleyball, baseball and tennis.

Save 10% when you place your first order. Just enter ECM10 at the checkout and help us make a difference to the lives of young people.

health & wellbeing

. . . s k r a M On Your

t e S Get

! o G

The last government announced that it planned to invest ÂŁ100 million to ensure that, by 2010, all school aged children will be doing five hours of sport each week. At least two hours of this should be school-based PE and sports, while the rest will be split between activities at school, in the community and at sports clubs. However your role as a parent is vital in making sure that your child is first off the block! Every Child

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Keep Your Children Happy And Your Life Stress Free The All 4 Kids UK Directory is the most comprehensive UK children’s directory on the internet for parents and carers. This is the one stop directory.You will find useful, up-to-date, local, regional and national information on a vast range of services and products.

www.all4kidsuk.com Find the best companies that can help you with:

Baby & Children’s Traditional, Educatonal and Innovative toys Children’s Dance and Drama classes Children’s Private Tutors for all subjects Baby and Children’s Designer and High Street Clothes Children’s Party Entertainers Family Holidays in UK and Overseas Exciting Holiday Clubs and Courses for School Holidays Children’s Activity Camps - Day and Residential Gifts and Personalised Gifts for the whole family Toddler Activity Classes The Latest and Traditional Baby Products Baby and Children’s Organic Products And lots more!

visit www.all4kidsuk.com today and make your life easier!

health & wellbeing

At Key Stage 1, schools provide dance, games and gymnastics in PE lessons, and some may offer swimming lessons too.

chool-based sport is vital for helping keep your child healthy. Plenty of physical activity will help him build up his strength, coordination and confidence. What’s more, instilling good habits at a young age means he’s more likely to be active in later life too. The National Association for Sports and Physical Education recommends your child does one hour of physical activity per day, but this doesn’t have to be all at once – it can be broken down into shorter segments of 15 minutes or more.

National School Sports Week This is a week of school-run sports days and inter-school tournaments giving school-age children the opportunity to compete against each other. Children participate in sports such as athletics, swimming and gymnastics, providing the foundations for older children to go on to compete in the 2012 Olympics. Next year’s event will take place from June 27th - July 1st 2011. Your child’s school will be able to tell you where next year’s competition will be held.

»»

Sport for all Physical activity in Reception year will be mostly play-based, and designed to develop children’s spatial awareness, control and coordination. It’s likely to include games play, with chasing and dodging, skipping and jump-rope; and movement play, with crawling, creeping and rolling using a range of equipment such as steps, swings and ladders. These activities will help prepare children for the PE lessons and sports they will play over the next couple of years. At Key Stage 1, schools provide dance, games and gymnastics in PE lessons, and some may offer swimming lessons too. Each has different benefits:

»»

Through dance, children can explore ways of responding to music, developing skills in movement and coordination. They can also use dance to communicate ideas and feelings.

»» »»

Games lessons help children develop physical agility, including running and dodging, and basic ball skills, such as throwing and catching. They’ll also learn simplified versions of popular games such as netball and football. Gymnastics can help children learn basic skills in travelling, balancing, finding space and using apparatus, as well as how to take off and land. In swimming lessons, children will learn how to move in water, float and move with and without swimming aids. They’ll also learn basic arm and leg actions and strokes.

Get involved You can help support sport at your child’s school in a number of ways. Firstly, ensure he remembers his PE kit! On sports day, go along and cheer your child on. If you want to get more involved, you can volunteer to help at after-school clubs, attend off-site events or help with sports coaching. Speak to

your child’s school to find out what help they require. To ensure your child is active outside school, find out what after-school clubs and sports facilities are available in your area by contacting your local authority. After-school clubs offer fun and relaxing activities such as games, sports, and arts and crafts. There may even be a club at your child’s school. If your child has a disability or a chronic health problem such as asthma, speak to your GP and the school about which activities are safe. Your child’s school should be able to reassure you and advise how activities can be adapted to suit his needs.

findoutmore For information on sports for children aged 18 months to 18 years www.youthsporttrust.org Official website for the UK School Games www.ukschoolgames.com Every Child

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112 Every Child

health & wellbeing

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y h t l a e fit&h

lps children e h d n u ro g y und the pla e at Running aro p them activ e e k t u b l, o o at sch ies guide it v ti c a r u o let off steam h wit d on vacation n a s d n e k e e w Snakes and Ladders Indoor Adventure

TenPin Bowling This old favourite is a fantastically easy choice, with bowling alleys located throughout England, and it’s not too hard on the pocket either! Try Glow In The Dark Bowling, where the lanes, shoes and even the balls glow under UV light. Often DJs play music during these sessions, too, adding to the multi-sensory experience. Hollywood Bowl runs a Numeracy Trail in their branches, which encourages children to look at numbers within four sections of the bowling centre: Reception, Café, Games Arcade and Bowling Lanes. Download the worksheet from: www. hollywoodbowl.co.uk/learning.php Good for: Hand-to-eye coordination and inspiring playful competition. Contact: www.amfbowling.co.uk or www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk

Playgrounds

dance If you think you’ve got a potential Billy Elliott or Angelina Ballerina on your hands (or even if you don’t), dance is a great way to discipline and indulge your child’s energies. From street dance to ballet, there’s a whole host of styles for them to explore and enjoy. Dance classes are available at sports centres and village halls throughout the country, and many offer fun sessions for four- to seven-yearolds. If your child is more serious about cultivating her interest, have a look at the links below for more information.

England’s weather being as unreliable as it is, Snakes and Ladders offers a great environment in which kids can let off steam indoors with a three-tier climbing frame, slides, ropes, tunnels and ball ponds available. Good for: Coordination, agility, and good, old-fashioned fun! Contact: www.snakes-and-ladders.co.uk

Good for: Coordination, dedication, posture, flexibility. Contact: www.rad.org.uk, www.yde.org.uk or www.danceuk.org

activ kids Activ Kids seeks to boost kids’ selfesteem and confidence as much as it aims to increase fitness and activity. A typical session involves mixing play with exercise (for example a warm up may consist of a game of tag incorporated with aerobic movement), and introducing children to new types of workout such as Tae-Bo (cardio boxing) and yoga. Good for: Fitness, communication, sportsmanship, and learning to work as part of a team. Contact: www.activkids.co.uk

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health & wellbeing

football

* center parcs

CenterParcs offers a huge range of activities both indoor and outdoor to keep your brood occupied. From soccer skills training, abseiling, horse riding, canoeing and paintballing, to movie making, arts and crafts, fashion and being a DJ, there’s something for everyone. And while the children are enjoying themselves in supervised activities, you can sneak off to the Aqua Sana Spa without feeling guilty. CenterParcs won the 2009 Best UK Holiday Provider by baby charity Tommy’s, and the Prima Baby Best Buy Award.

This is a potentially free and versatile activity, as setting up jumpers for goal posts in the park is always an option, and football is now as popular with girls as it is with boys. If you have a mini Beckham on your hands or just want to cultivate ball skills or inspire some team spirit, joining a local club is a good idea. Good for: Fitness, camaraderie, spatial awareness and respect. Contact: www.activeplaces.com or www.thefa.com/grassrootsnew

Good for: Child-friendly holidays with plenty of variety. Contact: www.centerparcs.co.uk

year’s why not plan next ntres g, bu ss ne fit e th t ce If your children ge thy activities. There are plenty of ve fun al ha he d nd an x ou la ar holiday way to re t ea gr a ’re ey th ilies, and that cater for fam the same time! at fit while getting

Good For: Single-parent families and child-friendly holidays. Contact: www.acornfamilyholidays. co.uk

Good for: Active family vacations, with child-friendly facilities and entertainment for children of all ages. Contact: www.canvasholidays.co.uk

Children seem to love ice skating, and taking up lessons will improve balance and confidence on the ice. Going to watch professionals skate out your child’s favourite story, such as Disney On Ice Princess Wishes, is also a great way to inspire them to be like their idols.

sports coach SportsCoach is an activity centre where kids can take part in a variety of sports – some of which they may not get the chance to experience at school – under professional coaches. Children can sample a variety of activities from team sports such as football, netball, cricket and hockey, through to individual or one-on-one pursuits like archery, martial arts, fencing and badminton. It’s a good way for kids to discover what they’re good at and what they like doing. Good for: Teamwork, self-belief, confidence-building. Accepts children with special physical or mental needs. Contact: www.sportscoach.co.uk

114 Every Child

Tired of the same old holiday retreat? Plan an active holiday at a Canvas Wild & Active Club where qualified staff will organise a sixday programme of activities to get your family out and exploring the surrounding area of your destination. Seven of the Canvas sites currently offer up these active amenities including Chambord and Interlaken. Canvas Holidays have been voted number one camping holiday company six times by the Guardian/ Observer and offer tons of great explorations for kids, with activities such as nature trails and canoe trips.

Ice skating

acorn adventures

Acorn Adventures is a family-run business providing adventure camping holidays in England and mainland Europe. Most activities are for children aged seven and upwards, but at Hauteville sur Mer in France, there’s an activities programme for three- to seven-year-olds. Little ones can enjoy beach Olympics, face painting, treasure hunts, sand castle challenges, and wet and wild challenges.

Canvas Wild & Active Club

Good for: Balance, coordination, posture, building strength in legs. Contact: For national ice skating information, visit www.iceskating.org. uk. For more information about Disney On Ice, visit www.disneyonice.co.uk

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