Education

Community Education Val Tookey 260566 Little Hands Karen on 01763 260964 Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford 07842 151512 Notre Ecole Janet Whitton 261231 Primary School Headteacher Jacqueline Bell-Cook 223457 Toy Library Yasmin Croxford 220246 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman John Stevens 261858 Village College Warden Elaine Stephenson 223400

Adult & Community Learning

Melbourn Village College

Tel: 01763 260566 Email: comed@mvc.org.uk

Look out for our New Summer Programme.

Lots of new courses to help beat the credit crunch, or help you find a new job.

Learn a new skill or simply find a new hobby.

We have lots on offer! Contact us for more details

Melbourn Primary School

The children at Melbourn Primary have been busy as always. We have extended our music provision to include a talented musician ensemble, hand chimes group, school choir as well as including the whole of Year 4 in learning the pocket trumpet and the whole of Year 3 learning recorder.

We were able to showcase these musicians at our Christmas productions as well as having them visit Southwell Court where they entertained some of the more senior residents of Melbourn village.

Year 5 & 6 pupils have also had the opportunity to work with students from Melbourn Village College on a “Between the Notes” performance which took place at All Saints Church. I received several letters from members of the local community saying how much they enjoyed this concert. The Dance department from the College has also been working with our students and our older boys have particularly enjoyed their “Street Dance” sessions.

We continue to work towards raising standards at the school. Teachers have recently extended their repertoire to include multiple intelligence and multi-sensory approaches to teaching and learning, as well as the use of Brainbreaks to optimise the learning that takes place in lessons. These approaches have made the curriculum more interesting and have gone down very well with children.

We have great plans to extend the use of our field and grounds as part of the daily curriculum. This includes a proposed outdoor classroom and reflective garden where children can go if they don’t feel like rushing around at playtime. We are also introducing cycle racks to encourage more children to cycle to school.

Our Library has been updated and relocated too. With the generous contribution of funding from the locally based Trigg Trust we were able to install a fully automated Junior Librarian system for children and staff to use. Children are now receiving lessons in Library skills in our new facility.

As part of our work in the community we plan to facilitate ICT sessions for Melbourn citizens using our older children as tutors. We are very excited about this and welcome approaches from local groups who may be interested in receiving this input. Most of our children are very skilled in computer work and look forward to sharing their expertise with members of the village.

Our school website went live recently too. If you are interested in finding out more about our school, please visit www.melbournprimary.org.uk Jacqueline Bell-Cook, Headteacher Melbourn Primary School

Meldreth Pre-School

Reg.Charity no.1034965

Village Hall Meldreth High Street

This friendly, non-profit making Pre-School now has spaces for September 2008.

We offer Morning, Lunch Club and Afternoon sessions to children between the ages of 2 and 5 years.

We offer a high staffing ratio, whilst maintaining competitive rates. £8.20 per session, £3.00 for Lunch Club

We accept Government Vouchers (which makes sessions for the over 3’s free)

For more information please Contact: Pre-School Leader, Jane Cable on 07952 295655 during Pre-School Hours (Mon/Tue 9-3, Wed/Thur/Fri 9-12.30) or telephone The Admissions Secretary, Yasmin Croxford on 01763 220246

Little Foxes Baby & Toddler Group

Little Foxes is a friendly, fun, good value, baby & toddler group. The baby & toddler group provides a great opportunity to meet other mums and for the children to play together. It is run by mums & child carers for babies and children up to 5 years old. There are a baby area, dressing up clothes, trikes, trampolines, duplo, cars, dolls, etc. There are creative activities, song & story time and refreshments for the adults & children. Foxton Village Hall Hardman Road Foxton Tuesday (term time only) 09.30 – 11.00 £1.50 per session

News from Melbourn Village College

It’s been another busy term at the College. Readers may be aware of the annual College production of the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ which was presented just before the Christmas holidays. An ambitious project, it was highly entertaining and featured some extremely mature performances from some very talented performers. they’ve ever done in the UK. It was a huge success and congratulations to all involved.

Funding for ‘Inventors in Music’ was provided by the Clore Duffield Foundation through its Clore Performing Arts Award, Melbourn Village College and South Cambridgeshire District Council. If you are interested in taking part in a project like this or would like to see Melbourn host other Arts events then please contact Kirstin Bicknell, Arts Development Manager, StART- Melbourn, Melbourn Village College. Email Kirstin@startarts.org.uk, phone 07770 643165

College production of the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

Music Invented for Melbourn

On November 30th All Saints Church was completely filled with an audience who heard the first ever performances of new work composed in Melbourn. Some of the music was composed by Between the Notes, an internationally acclaimed music ensemble, during their residency at Melbourn Village College. They performed 2 new pieces, one titled ‘Searchlight M3’ named after Melbourn Village College’s music room, which they will now go on and perform around the world!

Between the Notes also worked with pupils from Melbourn Primary School, Melbourn Village College and the local community. Over 50 participants in total performed new work that they had composed. Feedback from participants and audience alike was very positive and the musicians dubbed the project one of the best New Window Celebrates Melbourn partnerships

To celebrate Melbourn Village College’s 50th Anniversary a new piece of public art is being commissioned. Over the summer the front windows of the College will be replaced and the new windows will be fused with beautiful kiln formed glass designed by Juicy Glass’s Sarah McNicol.

A preview of the design will be given to representatives from local community groups and Melbourn Village College partner organisations. They will have the opportunity to create their own glass tile with an artist from Juicy Glass inspired by the design. The finished tile will be presented to them when the window is unveiled in September.

If you are interested in taking part in a project like this or have ideas for other local Arts events then please contact Kirstin Bicknell, Arts Development Manager, StART- Melbourn, Melbourn Village College. Email Kirstin@startarts.org.uk, phone 07770 643165

Melbourn Village College – Were you there?

Is Melbourn Village College part of your history? Did you go there as a student? Did your children go there? Did

Music Invented for Melbourn by Between the Notes

Music Invented for Melbourn by Between the Notes

you work there, play sports or take a class there? Have you had a connection to MVC?

If the answer to any of these is ‘Yes’ then we want to hear from you. To celebrate MVC’s golden anniversary year we want to find memories about what has made MVC special to you. It could be about friends made, teachers you remember or about the best experiences, excursions or events and any funny stories you have.

We are interested in photos, written accounts and anyone who might like to be interviewed about their experiences. To contribute your memories of MVC over the last 50 years for a new archive project please contact Vanessa Mann, phone: 01223 871628 or email Vanessa. mann@which.net

Performing Arts at Melbourn Village College

Although many of the staff and students at the college succumbed to various colds, coughs and stomach bugs, the Performing Arts Department remained stoic to the end and managed to create and perform a wonderful version of “Fiddler on the Roof”. Head of Drama and Director of the play Catharine Nicholls inspired students and staff to go out and give it their all during the three night run. Elliot Mepham took lead role as Tevye and his version of “If I were a Rich Man” gave you goose bumps it was so good.

Now into the Spring Term and hopefully all recovered we are raring to go. Students will be taking part in a Spring Concert on Monday 23rd March and Tuesday 24th March. Rehearsals are already underway with such great hits as ‘Ain’t no Sunshine’, ‘There must be an Angel’ and ‘Fly me to the Moon’ being performed. Large audiences are expected for this event so book your ticket early!!

Tickets can be obtained by ringing the College Reception.

This Department is not known for resting on its laurels so we also had a Rock Night on 11th February and will be having a Singers Soiree on 18th March! The Director of Music is also very busy not only with teaching but involving our local Primary Schools in the Music Department. Students from these schools are offered the chance to come along and use the excellent music technology facilities and the steel pans and will join in a Partner Schools Bigger Sing Festival in July.

We are also looking forward to future drama events and dance evenings so keep your eyes open for further details.

The Grand Challenge in aid of the Papworth Trust

As you may be aware, last term we had seven teams being sponsored by TTP taking part in ‘The Grand Challenge’ in aid of the Papworth Trust. This is a local charity supporting the equality, choice and independence of disabled people.

I am delighted to announce that the teams raised £6000 for the charity. It was a steep learning curve for all involved, with all of the events initially planned having to be modified, scaled down or simply changed completely but it was testament to the students and their TTP men-

“Little Hands” is a Private Nursery School specialising in quality Pre-School Education for 2 – 5 year Olds

The Nursery School offers : • High (1 : 4) staffing ratio • Variety of session lengths • Term time only booking • Optional holiday clubs • No minimum booking requirement • No booking fee • Categorised “OUTSTANDING” by Ofsted

Also FREE (NEF funded) afternoon (1.30-4.00) sessions for 3 & 4 year olds (NEF can also be used towards half or full day sessions) 01763 260964 (school hours) 01223503972 (office hours) e-mail : janemarshall@littlehands.co.uk www.littlehands.co.uk

Little Hands Nursery Schools are also at Bourn, Linton and Newton

Child and Family Nursing Team

35 ORCHARD ROAD , MELBOURN

We are a team of 5 nurses, all with differing backgrounds, including paediatric/children’s nurses, practice nurses, health visitors and school nurses

We offer support and advice to children, young people and their families within this area. For further information telephone

Sandie Springall

Sue Clarke

Becci Huchisson Lisa Hindle

Tricia Ward

01763 262861

tors that they persevered and managed to raise such an impressive amount of money. It certainly gave us all an insight into the business world of corporate entertaining, the pitfalls of fund-raising and the importance of contingency planning!

Village College Spring Fair

Sunday 29th March 11a.m. - 3 p.m.

We are the Melbourn Village College PTFA and we need participants for our upcoming Spring Fair! Can you help us? We’re looking for local craftspeople and specialty food producers who would like to sell their wares and maybe even demonstrate their particular skills.

In addition we would like to invite local clubs and charities to have stalls in order to raise awareness of the many different activities and good causes that exist in our local area.

During the fair we are aiming to hold displays and demonstrations of a variety of art, dance and music activities, many of which we hope will be connected with the students at the college.

In summary we would like to make it a celebration of activities and skills in the local villages and beyond, not to mention the beginning of spring and an improvement in the weather (well we can hope!?)

All profits made by the fair will support projects that benefit the students and environment of Melbourn Village College.

There will therefore be a charge for stalls booked for the purpose of selling items. Private/Commercial stalls @ £20 per pitch Stalls in aid of charitable causes @ 10% of sales made Informational stalls - no charge To take part in the fair in any way, or simply for more information, please contact Alwyn Whitaker by phone 01223 871162, or by email: alwyn.whitaker@ntlworld.com

Notre Ecole

During the second half of the autumn term children at our Wednesday after school club learnt the French words for fruit. We tasted the fruit while practising the words and played games around a fruit theme. Then, towards the end of term we learned a range of Christmas vocabulary and worked on some Christmas craft while eating chocolate Yule log.On Thursdays the children learnt the French words for different parts of the body. We practised the plural and played lots of games. On returning after the Christmas break both groups celebrated Epiphany with a ‘Galette des Rois’. Our beginner’s adult group have been practising the French needed at a railway station and to make a train journey. We have also been concentrating on the present tense. Our more advanced group have meanwhile been talking about city beaches in France, Marrakech, the American elections and Obama and they have been working on the difference between the two past tenses. On several occasions we have

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