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Clubs & Classes Schools Events Reviews Essential reading for parents and grandparents in Somerset

January 2016 Volume 23 Issue 1

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Parent talk Saplings on offer for contents

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Dear Readers... Welcome back and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I thought about saying a relaxing Christmas but of course, we all know that Christmas can be far from that! Hopefully, you’re now enjoying some peace as the kids play with their horde of new toys! Is giving time to yourself one of your New Year’s resolutions? I didn’t need much persuading on that one. Never one to qualify for yummy mummy, I’m now opting for lazy mummy! Cooking, cleaning, shopping, dog walking, sorting washing – the kids are mastering them with varying degrees of success while I curl up with a book! This month we have several schools advertising Open Days and lots of scholarships on offer. As ever, our selection of books is well worth looking at and remember that if you need to look up any titles in past issues of Parent Talk, you can see them in the archive section of our website www.parenttalk.org.uk Best wishes Tamsin, Editor

Parent Talk

Newtons, Churchstanton, Taunton TA3 7QF T: 01823 601086 E: sales@parenttalk.org.uk Disclaimer: The editorial and advertising content of this publication does not imply endorsement of them by Parent Talk. Nor can Parent Talk be held responsible for any actions or consequences arising from contact between reader and advertiser. Readers are therefore advised to check carefully, any references, professional qualifications and stated membership of professional bodies before entering into contracts or making arrangements to use a service featured herein.

Editor Tamsin Humphreys Advertising Juliet Young Production Sarah Harmer February deadline 20th January 2016 To guarantee receiving your copy of Parent Talk every month why not take out a subscription for just £17 a year and it will be sent to your door?

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wildlife projects SOMERSET families who want to attract more wildlife into their gardens in the New Year can put themselves forward to receive free young trees. Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre in Somerset is opening its annual sapling giveaway to anyone who would like to receive saplings and is especially keen to hear from those creating wildlife habitats. Andrew Pitman, Store Manager at the awardwinning, independent, family-run garden centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton, explained: “This will be the seventh year of our sapling giveaway and this time around we wanted to open it up to absolutely everybody, especially those who want to create a space in their garden or on their land to attract more wildlife. “We believe protecting wildlife is extremely important and want to encourage more people to provide shelter and food for various animals. “We’ll be giving people 16 free young trees, to mark the year 2016, that can be used in a variety of ways including for hedging and small woodland areas, therefore improving the environment. “We do have a limited number available and are allocating them on a first come, first served basis, so we urge people to submit their requests as soon as possible. The closing date for requests is 5pm on Friday, February 19, 2016.” People should write in to Andrew Pitman at the garden centre giving details of their project and why they think they deserve to receive a group of saplings. The successful applicants

will be invited to come and collect their trees from the garden centre at a mutually convenient time. By entering the giveaway, the winner or winners have agreed to take part in publicity. Requests for the saplings should be posted to: Andrew Pitman, Store Manager, Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, Monkton Heathfield, Taunton, TA2 8QN. The closing date for requests is 5pm on Friday, February 19, 2016. To find out more, please visit Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield between Bridgwater and Taunton. Alternatively, please call the garden centre on 01823 412 381, visit www. monktonelmgardencentre. co.uk, log on to www. facebook.com/Monktonelm or follow the company on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/ Monktonelm.

(Back row from left to right) Lynette Blacklock, Eco School Coordinator at Lympsham First School with Fiona Smart, Head of Plants at Monkton Elm Garden and Pet Centre, and Mel Baker, Teaching Assistant with Year Four pupils Ella and Oliver.

COMPETITION WINNERS Baby Annabell® + Baby Annabell® Sheep Bed Lisa Crossthwaite, Radstock Peppa Pig Woodland Playset + Peppa Pig soft toy Asha Difford, Highbridge Sharon Mead, Bath Congratulations to all!

Parent Talk January 2016 3

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The Willow Set Pre School,Sun Up Sun Down club and Moor Fun club

The Willow Set Pre School, Club (before and after school) Sun Up Sun Down club and and Moor Fun Club (Holiday Moor Fun Club is located in a Club) and include families from purpose built setting on Stoke a wide range of backgrounds St Gregory Primary School site. including public services, We have just had our second farming and willow growing. All Outstanding status from Ofsted three settings give parents the and strive to ensure we give opportunity to return to work our children the best play and or take up professional training learning environment. opportunities. Early years are vital years The preschool, holiday and in our children’s lives. They SUSD clubs are all an important are unique for children’s part of our local community intellectual, emotional, physical and as far out as Taunton. Most and social development and the but not all. of our pupils feed formation of children’s ability to into Stoke St. Gregory primary interact successfully with the school, with which we have world around them, both in built strong links. early childhood and in later life. We are a charity run They are the springboard for enterprise and we rely on our creating confident learners and active parent management participative people. committee to assist in raising The wrap around care and funds to buy new equipment holiday club runs alongside the and materials. preschool. Follow us on twitter - @info_ We are set in a rural village faceTA3 book Stoke Stwillow, Gregory, 6EG-Willowset and cater for children from 2-14 Preschool and Charitywillowsetpreschool.org.uk Number: 1014565 &www. Ofsted years in our Sun Up Sun Down

The Willow Set Pre-school, Sun up Sun down Club and Moor Fun Club We are a fun rural pre-school, wrap around care and Holiday Club with strong links to Stoke St Gregory Primary School.

* *

5 day opening 7.30am until 6pm – All year round! A friendly & fun learning environment for 2 to 5 year olds We cater for children aged 2 – 14 in our Sun Up Sun Down Club (before and after school) and Moor Fun Club (Holiday Club) Fully qualified staff Special needs provisions

T: 01823 491567 or M: 07876 104220 www.willowsetpreschool.org.uk info@willowsetpreschool.org.uk

Missed something? To read on-line past issues - head over to our website www.parenttalk.org.uk where you will find lots of ideas for great reads! 4 Parent Talk January 2016

Top of the class for teaching The future of teaching; becoming What they want to be when they grow up, top 30 a teacher comes top of the class Source: Privilege Family Report for what British children want to be when they grow up New research from Privilege Rank Profession Rank Profession insurance has found that British 16. Secret agent/spy 1. Teacher children under the age of 12 17. Super hero 2. Footballer consider teaching to be their 18. Author 3. Vet dream job when they grow up. 19. Actor/actress 4. Doctor The results indicate fresh 20. Banker 5. Scientist hope amidst warnings from 6. Police Officer 21. Athlete The Association of School and 22. Soldier 7. Pilot College Leaders last month 23. Someone famous 8. Musician/Pop Star that a growing crisis in teacher 24. Cricket 9. Chef recruitment and a surge in pupil 10. Firefighter 25. Journalist numbers could lead to children’s 26. Golfer 11. Astronaut education in the UK reaching 27. Marine biologist 12. Nurse breaking point within the next 28. Model 13. Dancer five years. 29. Prime Minister 14. Hairdresser In fact, far from children’s 30. Rugby Player 15. Lawyer future aspirations being dominated by a thirst for celebrity, children’s top 10 future came in the bottom half of the roles (with the exception of professions is split 80 / 20 in table in 20th place and, running footballers) sitting in 21st place favour of ‘serious’ vocations, the country as the Prime and below. with the top 5 most desired Minister is off the agenda too, ‘Fun’ professions such as spy, jobs including vet, doctor and with running the country being super hero and actor or actress scientist. all fell in the second half of the ranked fourth from bottom out The results of the research, of the dream jobs listed. table in 16th, 17th and 19th which was carried out amongst place respectively. Interestingly, reporting on a panel of children aged the world around us is also Dan Simson, head of Privilege between six and 12 years old, an unpopular choice, with home insurance said: “Parents are thought by the researchers journalists coming in 25th place will be relieved to hear that their who carried out the survey to and newsreaders not even little ones have such sensible be linked closely to today’s news being named by any children. career aspirations for when agenda. they grow up – the insurance Possibly due to the recent size The reverse of this is that zero publicity storm, models premium for a teacher is a little many professions seem to be were ranked fifth from bottom more affordable than it would unpopular in correlation with and the Olympics does not be for a super hero! current affairs too. “We carried out this research seem to have had any effect Perhaps as a result of the on children’s future aspirations because family is very important recent banking crisis, bankers either, with all sporting to our customers and, on a

serious note, the findings highlight that children take in everything that is going on around them, from celebrity culture to the news agenda. We all need to think carefully about what we are exposing them to, both good and bad." Yet children’s grip on the real world seems to wane when it comes to salary expectations with one in five (20 per cent) saying they expect to earn more than a million pounds a year when they grow up and the average salary expectation being £2,832,655. This figure is a stark contrast to the average family with two children in Britain, which earns £31,000 after tax on average, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Even with the latest data from the Office for National statistics (May to July 2015) showing pay is rising at 2.9 per cent, it would take these ‘average Joes’ 3,116 pay rises to reach their children’s pay expectations. Perhaps children’s salary expectations are based on what they’d really like their parents to be doing for a living, however. Whilst teachers still came top of the list for mums, actress, chef, musician, rock or pop star and dancer came next. For dads, footballers came top, followed by police officer, astronaut, doctor and musician, pop or rock star.

Descendants invited to Jutland Centenary Commemorations Descendants of those who served at sea in the First World War are invited to take part in commemoration events marking the 100th anniversary registered of the Battle of Jutland, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announced today. The Orkney Islands commemorative events will include a morning service on 31 May 2016 at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, followed by a ceremony at the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery at Hoy, where over 400 Commonwealth servicemen and German sailors from the First World War are buried - some as young as 16. The Battle of Jutland was the most significant naval engagement of the First World War with over 100,000 sailors involved on 250 ships. More than 6,000 Royal Navy and 2,500 German sailors lost their lives. Secretary of State for Culture John Whittingdale said: “The Battle of Jutland was the biggest and most brutal naval battle of the First World War, claiming the lives of thousands of men. For Jutland's 100th anniversary next year, we want to commemorate the heroism

and sacrifice of all who served. I am sure that their relatives, along with others from across the country, will want to attend these events in Orkney. It is a chance to pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery of so many of our countrymen." The closing date for applications is Friday 22 January 2016. Descendants can apply at: https://www. gov.uk/government/news/ descendants-invitedto-jutland-centenarycommemorations David Evennett MP said: "My own grandfather fought in the Battle of Jutland. It is only right that there will be the opportunity for others, like me, across the country, to remember their relatives who fought so bravely at sea during the First World War." There will also be a series of other events across the country to mark the centenary of the Battle of Jutland. These include: ◆ A service of remembrance at sea on Jutland Bank by British and German ships; ◆ Royal Navy remembrance events in Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth; ◆ The opening of HMS Caroline

- the only surviving ship that saw action at the Battle of Jutland - in Belfast as a museum and visitor attraction; and ◆ The laying of commemorative paving stones to remember the four Victoria Cross recipients from the Battle of Jutland. Mr Colin Kerr, from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission said: “More than 6,000 men died during the Battle of Jutland, and are commemorated by the CWGC from Denmark and Norway, to Orkney and Edinburgh, and Plymouth and Portsmouth to Chatham. We hope the public will join us at next year’s commemorative events, as we gather across the country to remember those who served and all those who died during the war at sea.” Lieutenant Commander Rob

Whitworth (Royal Navy) whose Great Grandfather, William Henry Swan served on board HMS WARRIOR as Chief Engine Room Artificer (mechanic) during the Battle of Jutland, said: "Researching my Great Grandfather’s role during the battle has helped me to understand my family’s place in history. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by large numbers and to lose sight of the personal stories of those that took part. Speaking to descendants and remembering their families’ individual stories helps to preserve the memories of those that lost their lives. I’m proud to be able to share my Great Grandfather's story and would encourage others to do the same and attend events in 2016."

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A third of young children left unable to sleep without their teddy bear Sleepless nights, tears and protests will be a familiar scene for parents whose children have lost a cuddly toy. According to a recent research carried out by online bed retailer Time4Sleep, a third of children are unable to sleep after losing their teddy bear, with 30 percent also left crying for hours after the incident. “Teddy bears are incredibly important to children, providing feelings of comfort and safety and helping them to soothe themselves when feeling fear or distress. Their bond is so strong because a child’s teddy provides a link to their parents in times of separation and so, if a child loses their favourite teddy, the emotional impact on them will be significant”, Julia Jackson, MBACP Counsellor and Psychotherapist from Align Therapy in Leeds, says. Findings from the survey showed that even though 43 percent of children own more than 20 cuddly toys, the loss of one teddy bear can still be highly traumatic. When all else fails and you can’t get the

original toy back, many parents will have tried to replace a lost teddy with something similar, but for many children it’s no substitute for the original. On top of the tears and tantrums, the study found that over 1 in 10 children have even refused to eat for a short period of time after losing their cuddly toy. Julia Jackson advises: “Parents will need to be kind and understanding, letting their child feel and express their sadness while supporting them through this. Parents can then talk to their children about attaching to another beloved soft toy when they feel ready.” Jonathan Warren, Director at

Hazlegrove Squirrels Sing and Dance

Time4Sleep, said: “Losing something you are deeply attached to and that is often a sleeping aid for many children can be a traumatic experience. For adults and children alike, a cuddly toy is not only a furry friend but a safety blanket and something we take comfort in.”

Time4Sleep recently conducted a campaign to find the UK’s most well-loved teddy bear. To view the gallery of the teddy bears please visit https://www.time4sleep.co.uk/blog/the-mostloved-teddy-bear-competition-finalists/

Hazlegrove

Hazlegrove Pre-Prep’s new “Squirrels Sing and Dance” group has got off to a great start. Led by our ballet teacher, Miss Bell, these very young children are enjoying singing, dancing, story time and a snack with their friends. It complements the already popular Squirrels Parent and Toddler sessions and provides these children with a gentle introduction to life at Hazlegrove whether they are considering joining the Nursery or the Reception class. Staff throughout Hazlegrove are thrilled with our recent Integrated ISI Inspection Report which found the school to be excellent in all nine areas of judgement. The findings for the Pre-Prep are embedded throughout the whole school report but comments which are particularly pleasing to note are: ◆“Teaching in the EYFS is excellent and staff thoroughly engage children in all activities. Adults have very high expectations, skilfully motivate children to learn and encourage them to explore.” ◆“The children’s personal development in the EYFS is excellent. Adults know all

children extremely well and provide excellent support for each child.” ◆“All children, including those with SEND, as well as the more able, achieve well and make excellent progress in relation to their starting points, reaching well above the developmental levels expected for their age.” Places are still available in the Reception class (for children starting full-time

school in September) as well as in the Nursery. Older children are also welcome to join us if we have space - be warned however, a number of year groups further up the school are full! Do come and meet us at one of our open mornings where you will see the school on a normal working day or if you prefer, call Sarah-Jane (tel: 01963 442606) to arrange an appointment.

...making the most of childhood

Open Mornings 2 and 6 February at 11am

• Children are welcomed to the Hazlegrove Nursery and Pre-Prep from 2½. They enjoy small class sizes with experienced class teachers and specialist teaching for an array of activities including Forest School, swimming, tennis, dance, music and games. • A free parent and toddler group for younger children, Squirrels, is on Wednesday afternoons. • Places for 2016 are filling fast, please contact us for more information. Visitors are assured of a warm welcome - call Sarah-Jane on 01963 442606 follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

Hazlegrove, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JA Parent Talk January 2016 5

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

King’s Hall – a wonderful place to grow up King’s Hall School is quite simply a wonderful place to grow up. We have an area devoted entirely to our youngest members of the school – from 2 years old up to 7. Nursery and Pre-Prep is perfectly situated to enjoy all of the school’s superb facilities whilst also ensuring that the children’s immediate surroundings are entirely age-appropriate. Our Pelican Nursery has two rooms; one just for 2 year olds and another for 3 – 4 year olds, both have undergone recent wonderful refurbishment to guarantee the finest and most suitable environment for the children and staff. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 then have their own ‘log-cabin’ classrooms with teachers and teaching assistants catering especially for their needs. All of this is mere centimetres away from ‘Little Woods’, our beautiful woodland for Nursery and Reception Forest School sessions – but there’s even more! Our unrivalled ‘Big Woods’ can be found at the end of a leafy path just a hundred metres further and is loved by Years 1 and 2 for their outdoor

explorations and discoveries – there is even a roundhouse if the weather gets just a bit too wet! Come and feel how wonderful King’s Hall is by visiting us at our next Open

Day on Friday 4th March by contacting our Admissions Registrar, Emma Guppy, on 01823 285921 to reserve your place. Personal visits can also be arranged on any day. We look forward to welcoming you.

Weaning and Fussy Eaters A PRESENTATION FOR PARENTS

Join Nutritionist Zöe Kay BSc MSc MBANT CNHCreg for a presentation on weaning and fussy eaters aged 6 months to 5 years. Zöe’s clients include Mother & Baby Magazine and Pregnancy & Birth Magazine

T H U R S D AY 2 1 s t J A N UA R Y 7 . 3 0 P M

Please join us for refreshments at 7.15 pm

Entry is free Please contact us to reserve your place

schooloffice@kingshalltaunton.co.uk telephone: 01823 285920 www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk

6 Parent Talk January 2016

Midsomer Norton Forest School celebrates Ofsted Success ‘The inspirational Headteacher is the driving force behind the school’s rapid improvement.’ This is the strong opening statement from Longvernal Primary School’s latest Ofsted report. Longvernal Primary School, for the first time since it opened in 1975, is celebrating Good or Outstanding in every category in the latest Ofsted inspection which took place in October. The school's success is particularity outstanding as the school was classed as "Requiring Improvement" just two years ago. Mrs. Courtier, who was previously Assistant Headteacher at Weston All Saints Primary School in Bath, was seconded to the school as Acting Head in May 2014 before being made substantive Headteacher in December 2014. With the support and hard work of the governors, teaching and support staff, Mrs Courtier has driven forward a programme of rapid improvement. This collective effort has seen Longvernal Primary School dramatically turnaround from a school that was ‘Requires Improvement’ in every category of the inspection in October 2013 under the previous Headteacher to Outstanding or Good in every category. Pupils were judged to be outstanding with regard to well-being and personal development and good overall in behaviour. Inspectors went on to praise the school with regard to pastoral care and that the school was justified in referring to itself as ‘The Longvernal Family.’ Parental feedback for Ofsted saw 100% response stating that they would recommend the school and that their child was happy and safe at Longvernal Primary. The inspector jovially stated that the children appeared to regard their Headteacher as ‘walking on water’ - such had been her impact on

Ashley Ayre, People and Communities Strategic Director, congratulates Headteacher Kerrie Courtier, Deputy Headteacher Karen Bazeley and pupils from Longvernal School on their excellent Ofsted Report.

their learning environment, achievement and overall school experience! He reported that pupils were full of admiration and praise for their Headteacher who they feel has made a real difference to their lives. "Longvernal has become a school that we as governors are extremely proud of. Our strength lies in the combined efforts of all staff, pupils, parents/carers and governors alike and it is because of our 'Longvernal Family' attitude that we succeed as a school," said Kelly Antonowicz, Chair of Governors. "The Ofsted inspection has celebrated all our efforts and achievements and has encouraged us to strive for greater future accomplishment and growth." ‘The school provides a broad, lively and comprehensive curriculum.’ The Headteacher and Governors feel justifiably proud of their school and its pupils. The school also benefits from extensive grounds, including an orchard, which are used for Forest School which every pupil experiences for two hours per week with their experienced Forest Leader. Outdoor learning is exploited for cross-curricular links which were seen as an area of strength by the inspector. Their motto reflects a culture of creativity and outdoor

learning, ‘Longvernal children learn with mud on their hands and smiles on their faces’. The Headteacher said, ‘At Longvernal we strive to give pupils experiences to broaden their horizons; from Year 3 all pupils experience an annual residential camp. Last year pupils visited the Isle of Wight and this year trips to both London and France are planned; the latter complementing their specialist-taught weekly French lesson by a native French speaking teacher.’ In addition to already working towards outstanding by targeting specific identified areas, Longvernal is now supporting other schools in its areas of expertise such as SpaG, Forest School and Equality, with school senior leaders recently becoming qualified as Stonewall Champions. Longvernal continues to establish strong links with community stakeholders including Curo Housing, local businesses, the Town Council, RHS, National Trust and local churches and, contrastingly, with Zion Community School in Uganda. The Headteacher and staff were thrilled that the Ofsted report commented, ‘Pupils are particularly courteous and respectful towards visitors and show pride in their school...Pupils say they love coming to school’.

Parent Talk

Running out of ideas for a family meal? head over to our website www.parenttalk.org.uk where you'll find lots of ideas for preparing easy, wholesome and tasty dishes as well as delicious snacks and smoothies.

talk

EDUCATION, INFORMATION COMPETITION

Win 2 pairs of tickets to double show spectacular Growing your own fruit and veg is something the whole family can enjoy and we’ve got 2 pairs of tickets up for grabs when The Edible Garden Show returns alongside ‘Good Life Live’. After two successful years in London, organisers are taking the show back to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire from 1113 March. Perfectly timed for the start of the growing season, the show harvests a huge crop of exciting exhibitors as well as a fertile mix of celebrity speakers, interactive advice sessions and hands-on demonstrations for all ages conjuring yummy, healthy meals from plot to plate. Step into Good Life Live to a showcase of outdoor living experiences and adventures.

WIN

From country pursuits and home comforts in the food festival to small holding and the livestock marquee, this show really has it all. So whether you’re a novice, expert or just seeking a slice of the good life, you can’t help but be inspired by this great value for money family day out where under 5s are free. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, simply answer the question below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk to enter by the closing date of 20 January 2016.

“Education is the kindling of a flame – not the filling of a vessel.” Socrates At Millfield Pre-Prep we aim to ignite this ‘flame’ in your child in order to make the most of their talents and potential. Whether it is a three year old creating insect models or one of our Year Two pupils using an iPad to research castles as part of a history topic, we actively encourage a desire for learning and a willingness to try things out for themselves. Forest School is a key part of our outdoor learning programme; the messy mud kitchen and bread oven being favourites with our children. They also take regular walks through our own fields and apple orchards, swim weekly in our school pool, visit our ponies in the stables and grow vegetables and fruit in our ‘alittlements’. Before and after-school care from 8am through to 6pm means familiar staff are always on-hand for early drop-off

and later collection and there is a wide choice of free afterschool activities on offer. Fees for 3-5 year olds, in our busy and vibrant Pre-School, can be partly offset by Early Years Funding.

Where is The Edible Garden Show 2016 being held?

Our children are happy, confident, curious and active and their love of learning is clear for everyone to see. Please come and visit us soon to experience this for yourselves.

To book a Personal Visit or a place on our Pre-Prep Open Mornings on Friday 4 or Saturday 5 March please contact Hannah Cox tel: 01458 837524 or email: admissions@millfieldprep.com millfieldschool.com/pre-prep

Book an Open Day at Millfield or Millfield Prep on Saturday 5 March 2016

Linguist Sculptor Footballer millfieldschool.com/everyfield

Parent Talk January 2016 7

Parent

events

Got an event to share? Like us on /parenttalksw and tell us all about it.

. M A R K E T S . T H E AT R E S . FA I R S . F E T E S . S H O W S . E X H I B I T I O N S . Until 10th January: Little Sure Shot. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. 1n 1860 a clever little girl is born a pauper. She joins a travelling show – and before she’s 20 – has become one of the world’s first female superstars. Actionpacked adventure filled with comedy, romance and country music. Age: 6+. 01225 823409. 10th-16th January: Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates. The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre, Taunton, TA1 1JL. Come join the adventure with our hero, Robinson Crusoe and see if he can win the hand of his sweetheart Juanita from her father Captain Seasalt. He is guided by the immortal Spirit of the Seas, Coral, as he faces the threats of Davey Jones. Meet Margarita Juicilita and her son Nutty Nick as they cross swords with Cut-Throat the bloodthirsty buccaneer and his two incapable henchmen, Skull-Duggery and CrossBones. Will Mumbo Jumbo the Cannibal Queen and Hocus Pocus the Witch Doctor be having somebody for lunch or will Friday save the day? 01823 283244 16th-17th January: Pop-Up Flashback. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. Enter an imaginative world of memories through thought-provoking poetry and incredible popup books in this funny and heart-warming adventure of complicated families and growing up. Sebastian’s memories aren’t like everyone else’s. His are wonderful poetic memories from the pages of his colourful pop-up books. He remembers troll kings and mermaid queens, deep sea diving super heroes and city smashing dinosaurs. But there’s one memory that takes

particular pride of place – the very special gift that his Dad bought him…Age: 5+. 01225 823409 20th-24th January: The Bear. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. Ever wondered what it would be like to sit on a polar bear’s lap? Or ride on its back? Have you ever tried to give a bear a bath? Or clear up its poo?! Looking after a bear is exhausting stuff. One night when she’s fast asleep, an enormous snowy white bear climbs into Tilly’s bedroom. It has a big black tongue and a yawn as big as your head. But Tilly’s not scared. ‘The Bear’ is a heartwarming and humorous wintry tale from the team that brought you the hugely successful ‘Father Christmas’ by Raymond Briggs. With dazzling puppetry, delicious music, dreamy storytelling, and dozens of laughs, ‘The Bear’ is an unforgettable experience for the whole family and a perfect introduction to theatre for little people. Age: 2-7 years. 01225 823409 26th - 30th January: Snow White presented by Yeovil Amateur dramatic Society at the Octagon, Yeovil. BA20 1UX. 01935 422884 27th – 31st January: Land of Lights. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. A splendidly-coloured hot air balloon floats over a miniature landscape. Where have all the little people gone? Perhaps the tiny balloonist can tell everyone. With the help of the audience, the adventure begins as a journey across several distinctive worlds, each with their own textures and smells – the destination

being the magical and twinkly Land of Lights. New immersive show for 3-5 year olds and their families, jam-packed with live music, puppets and a medley of wonderlands, all leading to a sparkling finish. 30th-31st January: Somerset Vintage & Classic Tractor Show. Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, BA4 6QN. Indoor static tractor show, implements, trade stands, toys, models and books. Raising money for local charities. 01749 860514 31st January: The Snow Queen, The Octagon, Yeovil. BA20 1UX. This spectacular production follows the story of Gerda and her quest to find her friend Kay, whom the Snow Queen has placed under an evil spell. Gerda’s fantastic adventure takes her on a journey across the frozen north where she encounters a band of gypsies, enchanted reindeer and a mysterious and reclusive Lapland woman. Gerda is told by the mysterious woman to continue travelling north, where she will find Kay and the Snow Queen’s Palace of Ice. Only Gerda’s love for Kay can release him from the spell and break the Snow Queen’s curse of eternal winter. 01935 422884 31st January: Coppelia presented by Bristol Russian Ballet School. The Playhouse, Weston super Mare, BS23 1HP. The fantastic tale of Dr Coppelius, and his wish to bring his beautiful doll Coppelia to life, is interwoven with the love affair of Swanilda and Franz and follows the confusion created when Franz falls in love with the doll believing her to be a woman. 01934 645544

Blagdon toddler makes his debut in Yeo Valley’s national campaign At almost one year old Charlie Warford, neighbour to Yeo Valley's HQ in Blagdon, Somerset, has gone from the boy-next-door to the star of a national campaign. When the family run farm and dairy brand was looking for friends and family to appear in a photo shoot, Charlie was a natural choice. The team wanted to feature a child with a real connection to the farm, and straight away thought of Charlie, son of Merv Warford, Yeo Valley’s Head of Conservation. Charlie and his family live across from YVHQ on Rhodyate. Charlie is a well-known face at the HQ, often spotted in his dinosaur jacket causing mischief in the canteen or crawling commando style in the Yeo Valley garden. The team knew his cheeky face would make people smile, and he just loves playing with Mabel the pug, or any other dog for that matter. Mabel lives with Sarah and Tim, the owners of Yeo Valley, where she enjoys perusing the garden for hidden snacks, and accompanying Sarah to the office. Charlie and Mabel are now staring in promotional images for the Little Yeos range of children's yogurts. Charlie was the perfect candidate for an outdoor shoot on a blustery October day at the Yeo Valley Organic Garden. He has been munching Little Yeos since he was weaned and he

can’t get enough of exploring the outdoors. Charlie’s mum Hannah Johnson, a room leader at a local nursery, often takes Charlie out walking their dog, or tending to her horse in all weathers, while Charlie and Merv enjoy playing in the garden and getting outside at every opportunity. Luckily all this outdoor training paid off when it poured with rain on the shoot day! Yeo Valley’s Marketing Manager, Jerry Naish explains, “We’re a real British family business, with real people making really tasty yogurt, so we thought why don’t we show real people and the real place in our ads? Charlie always brightens up our day

when he pops in, so he was a natural choice to be part of the campaign, he never seems to stop smiling and you can’t help but smile back. We hope everyone else enjoys his smile as much as we do!” Jerry adds, “Charlie’s fun and happy personality, and the fact he’s part of the wider Yeo Valley family, made him perfect to represent us. We'd heard his favourite toy was his Dad, who he likes to tumble around with, and he was certainly good at this when he was rolling around playing with Mabel –even in the pouring rain!” Charlie's images will be launched this month as part of Yeo Valley's Little Yeos campaign.

his new heritage seed range courtesy of Dobies of Devon. Inspiring visitors to grow unusual, ancient perennial varieties of vegetables and herbs will be Mandy Barber from Incredible Vegetables. But even if you have only have limited space, Sally Morgan will be showing visitors you don't need a huge parcel of land to live more self-sufficiently. Once you’ve learned how and what to grow, chef, forager and wild food expert Mark Lloyd and flamboyant popular chef Rachel Green will be conjuring yummy,

healthy meals from plot to plate. During each of their sessions, they will be inspiring visitors with the tasty delights that can be whipped up when digging for your dinner plate. The show also harvests a huge crop of exciting exhibitors as well as a fertile mix of interactive advice sessions, hands-on demonstrations and livestock. So whether you are a novice, an expert or just seeking a slice of the good life, you can’t help but be inspired by this great value for money family day out where under 5s are free.

Celebrities bloom at The Edible Garden Show and Good Life Live There’s a star-studded line-up for the UK’s ultimate grow your own event – The Edible Garden Show – as the event returns to its roots alongside fantastic lifestyle event ‘Good Life Live’. The ever popular television presenter James Wong will be headlining the show, which after two successful years in London, is returning to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire from 11-13 March. James will be back in the Experts Theatre sharing his simple scientific tips and tricks to supercharge the flavour and nutrient content of home grown crops while broadcaster Pippa Greenwood will be sharing her great knowledge 8 Parent Talk January 2016

on growing great veg. Also giving spades of advice will be ITV’s Love Your Garden presenters Frances Tophill and Katie Rushworth as well as BBC One Show resident gardening expert Christine Walkden, who will be on hand on the Sunday. Elsewhere, the BBC’s Big Allotment Challenge floral expert Jonathan Moseley will be thrilling visitors with his amazing displays and demonstrating how spectacular edible floral masterpieces can be made with great speed and efficiency. The allotment grower who lifted the winner’s trophy in series 2 of the popular primetime show, Rob Smith, will also be appearing to launch

For more show information visit: www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, see p7.

welcome to your NEWS n EWS sectio Nbringing you competitions, job tasters, boredom busters, interesting facts and everything topical...

Book Bag

Queen Victoria dies 22 January 1901

Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great age of industrial expansion, economic progress and, especially, empire. At her death, it was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.

n the early part of her reign, she was influenced by two men: her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, and her husband, Prince Albert, whom she married in 1840. Both men taught her much about how to be a ruler in a 'constitutional monarchy' where the monarch had very few powers but could use much influence. Her marriage to Prince Albert brought nine children between 1840 and 1857. Most of her children married into other Royal families of Europe. Victoria was deeply attached to her husband and she sank into depression after he died, aged 42, in 1861. She had lost a devoted husband and her principal trusted adviser in affairs of state. For the rest of her reign she wore black. Until the late 1860s she rarely appeared in public; although she never neglected her official Correspondence, and continued to give audiences to her ministers and official visitors, she was reluctant to resume a full public life. She was persuaded to open Parliament in person in 1866 and 1867, but she was widely criticised for living in seclusion and quite a strong republican movement developed. Seven attempts were made on Victoria's life, between 1840 and 1882 - her courageous attitude towards these attacks greatly strengthened her popularity. With time, the private urgings of her family and the flattering attention of Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister in 1868 and from 1874 to 1880, the Queen gradually resumed her public duties.

Queen Victoria (1819-1901). Engraved by W.Holl and published in The Queens of England encyclopedia, United Kingdom, 1890

www.royal.gov.uk

â&#x2DC;&#x17E;

Book Bag NEWS

Queen Victoria

continued

During Victoria's long reign, direct political power moved away from the sovereign. A series of Acts broadened the social and economic base of the electorate. Despite this decline in the Sovereign's power, Victoria showed that a monarch who had a high level of prestige and who was prepared to master the details of political life could exert an important influence.

lthough conservative in some respects - like many at the time she opposed giving women the vote - on social issues, she tended to favour measures to improve the lot of the poor, such as the Royal Commission on housing. She also supported many charities involved in education, hospitals and other areas. Victoria and her family travelled and were seen on an unprecedented scale, thanks to transport improvements and other technical changes such as the spread of newspapers and the invention of photography. Victoria was the first reigning monarch to use trains - she made her first train journey in 1842. In her later years, she almost became the symbol of the British Empire. Both the Golden (1887) and the Diamond (1897) Jubilees, held to celebrate the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the queen's accession, were marked with great displays and public ceremonies. Despite her advanced age, Victoria continued her duties to the end including an official visit to Dublin in 1900. The Boer War in South Africa overshadowed the end of her reign. As in the Crimean War nearly half a century earlier, Victoria reviewed her troops and visited hospitals; she remained undaunted by British reverses during the campaign: 'We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist.' Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, on 22 January 1901 after a reign which lasted almost 64 years, the longest in British history until Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch on 9 September 2015. She was buried at Windsor beside Prince Albert, in the Frogmore Royal Mausoleum, which she had built for their final resting place. Above the Mausoleum door are inscribed Victoria's words: 'farewell best beloved, here at last I shall rest with thee, with thee in Christ I shall rise again'.

A statue of Queen Victor

ia outside Windsor Castl

www.royal.gov.uk

e in Berkshire England

FAMILY

A healthy start to 2016! Spot the differences â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

win

visit www.parenttalk.org.uk to check your answers!

Cut and Colour Playbook Seasons

Cut away the pages and add a splash of colour to reveal four magical seasonal landscapes! Create beautiful layered paper dioramas with this inventive and magical twist on colouring books. With a combination of drawing, colouring and craft skills, children are taken page-by-page through the creation of four seasonal landscape scenes. The front of the pages contain line illustrations to which children can add detail and colour. On turning the page, cut lines are shown, with instructions on which area of the page to cut away. As each page is finished, a layered landscape is slowly created, and at the end, when the reader flips back to the first page, the complete scene will be revealed in all its glory! Parent Talk have 5 Cut and Colour Playbooks to give away. For your chance to win, unscramble the season below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk to enter by the closing date of 20 January 2016.

TWEINR Cut and Colour Playbook Seasons published by Ivy Kids RRP ÂŁ9.99.

www.parenttalk.org.uk

Book Bag NEWS Here are a few languages in which you can greet your family and friends this New Year

win

Felice anno nuovo – Italian Gelukkig Nieuwjaar - Dutch Bonne Année – French Frohes Neues Jahr – German

LittleLife teams up with the Gruffalo® on a new range of daysacks and accessories

Manigong Bagong Taon – Filipino Feliz Ano Novo – Portuguese

Family-travel expert, LittleLife, welcomes a very familiar face into its popular animal family with a brand new range of Gruffalo® themed products - perfect for mini adventurers everywhere.

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda - Welsh Head uut aastat – Estonian Hauoli Makahiki hou – Hawaiian Akemashite omedetõ gozaimasu – Japanese Godt Nytt Är – Norwegian Boldog új évet - Hungarian

What always runs but never walks Often murmurs, never talks Has a bed but never sleeps Has a mouth but never eats.

This five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it. What is the word?

Which word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly?

What comes once in a minute Twice in a moment But never in a thousand years?

What has four fingers and a thumb but is not living?

7 What gets wet when drying?

Give me food and I will live Give me water and I will die What am I?

visit www.parenttalk.org.uk for answers

The latest additions into LittleLife’s bestselling collection of Toddler and Kids Daysacks, the new Gruffalo® Daysacks are perfect for young monster hunters everywhere! Featuring the monster’s famous fangs and orange eyes, the new range of bags has been designed with exceptional attention to detail. Despite their somewhat scary appearance, the bags are actually made from a super-soft and fluffy fabric and feature all of the best-loved characteristics of a LittleLife daysack. An excellent companion on family adventures, the Gruffalo® Daysacks have soft and furry shoulder straps that are fully adjustable for a secure fit. Meanwhile, an adjustable chest strap guarantees that the daysack won’t slip from little shoulders. Both versions benefit from a top grab handle for added parental security and the Toddler Daysack version comes complete with LittleLife’s detachable Parents Safety Rein for peace of mind without compromising on a child’s growing sense of independence. Inside the daysack, the spacious main compartment has enough room to store a snack, drink or any favourite toys. Parent Talk have 3 Gruffalo® Kids Daysacks to give away. For your chance to win, answer the question below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk uk to enter by the closing date of 20 January 2016.

Who wrote ‘The Gruffalo’? For more information about the new Gruffalo® collection visit the website, www.littlelife.com.

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

All round excellence at Wellington School If it is academic results you are concerned about for your child, then look no further than Wellington School. We had superb GCSE and A level results across all subjects and had 2 pupils taking up Oxbridge places and many more going to prestigious “Russell Group” Universities. Pupils study the more rigorous IGCSE in Maths and Science as well as Latin and Greek and the emphasis is strongly academic. But Wellington has so much more to offer than exam results. With a Director in Residence, the performing arts go from strength to strength. From the rip-roaring success

of spectacular musicals, serious Chekhov productions and a huge range of bands, orchestras and ensembles, the whole school is taking advantage of a range of exciting opportunities. Our superb Chapel Choir performs regularly and our versatile musicians swept the board recently in singing competitions and exam results. We have superb sports facilities and a unique new Sport and Wellbeing Department with specialist strength and conditioning coaches who take fitness to new levels across all sporting disciplines led by Steffan Jones,

ex Somerset Cricketer. He is also developing an elite cricket and sporting programme, so Wellington is the place to be for sport. We nurture and teach pupils from 3 -11 in the Prep School and 11-18 in the Senior School, and we are justly proud of the rounded, all-encompassing education they receive. We call it “Learning For Life”. We offer scholarships into Year 7 and Year 9 for academic excellence, Sport, Music, Drama and Art & Design. Contact the Registrar on 01823 668803 or admissions@ wellingtonschool.org.uk to find out more details.

New Year at The Princess Royal Sports Complex The Princess Royal Sports Complex, Wellington School is open to the public all year round. We offer fantastic facilities to local clubs, organisations and individuals for a variety of sports and activities. We have the biggest sports hall in town, a full size all weather pitch and a modern all purpose fitness suite. We are running NEW classes in 2016 including: Barbell Resistance, Studio Cycling and Legs, Bums & Tums. Full details of these and all our facilities are on our website. We offer regular discounts to new gym members and class users (please keep an eye on our website). Our gym membership starts at £20 a month and we do not tie members down to a contract – sign up for a month or a week, it is up to you! We offer

FREE regular programmes for our monthly members as well as offering monthly members FREE access to all our classes. The Princess Royal Sports Complex plays host to a whole range of courses including: rugby coaching, hockey coaching, netball coaching, strength & conditioning coaching and lifeguard courses. Also – why not come here for a birthday party? Leave the mess

and the stress somewhere here! We cater for: football, bubble football, bouncy castles and even indoor go-karts! If you are looking for a whole hall football booking or badminton courts – please get in touch with reception as we may have some slots coming available in the New Year. twitter.com/prscwellington facebook.com/ ThePrincessRoyalSportsComplex

THE PRINCESS ROYAL SPORTS COMPLEX The Princess Royal

Located in Wellington School Sports Complex Wellington, Somerset (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!) 01823 668718 01823 668718 www.wellington-sport.org.uk

www.wellington-sport.org.uk

The Princess Royal Sports Complex Wellington, Somerset

01823 668718

www.wellington-sport.org.uk

Parent Talk January 2016 13

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Turn your Pre-Schooler’s world upside down at Orchard Gymnastics Why choose Gymnastics for your child? Gymnastics is a ‘foundation sport’ recognised as teaching the fundamental  basics necessary to succeed

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Pre-School Gymnastics 

Gymnastics Freestyle  Parties

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  



Award winning Gymnastics for all in Yeovil

Tel. 01935 425682

www.orchardgymnastics.co.uk

in all levels of all sports. That is to say, children get stronger, faster and more flexible whilst also developing balance, coordination and power. Coaches from all sports appreciate the benefits gained by children that have participated in gymnastics from an early age. But more importantly than this, gymnastics is FUN – turning upside down and

learning new skills is part of every child’s nature! Orchard Gymnastics are a multi award winning club offering pre-school classes for children from walking upwards. Young gymnasts follow a fun, interactive, development programme which introduces basic fundamental movement patterns and gymnastic adventure. Programmes develop fundamental basics

including climbing, swinging, balancing, jumping and landing whilst also introducing gymnastic skills including rolls, handstands and cartwheels. There are classes to suit all ages from unstructured ‘Play Gym’ sessions where parents assist children on all the gym’s apparatus, to a Rolling Rascals ‘Tumblers’ class where your little gymnast works independently with coaches. Themed weeks and regular badges and certificates from British Gymnastics ensure enjoyment and a sense of fun and achievement for all. Orchard Gymnastics are based in Yeovil and operate from one of the South West’s largest and most comprehensively equipped gymnastics facilities, with apparatus including beams, bars, trampoline, vaults and foam filled pits. With spaces available now you can find further details and take a virtual tour of the gym at www.orchardgymnastics.co.uk

Sport Scholarship to Perrott Hill

BE PART OF THE SUCCESS STORY

WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 5PM - 7.30PM

Time and space for a full education Time and space for a full education

Perrott Hill, North Perrott, Somerset TA18 7SL Perrott Hill, North Perrott, Somerset TA18 7SL www.perrotthill.com 14 Parent Talk January 2016 www.perrotthill.com

local people can realise their potential without having to leave the area. Tour the campus and join us in our lecture theatre for a talk by the Principal, John Evans. Our facilities include the new state of the art Construction Centre, teaching study programmes in Carpentry, Joinery, Plumbing, Electrical Installation, Bricklaying and Painting & Decorating. Other facilities at Yeovil College include the Nexus Salon which is open to the public, staff and students offering a wide range of hairdressing and beauty services and treatments, and the Da Vinci restaurant, also open to the public serving delicious meals or just a cup of tea and a slice of cake. To pre-register for the open event or for more information about Yeovil College and its courses, please visit www. yeovil.ac.uk.

College

Time and space for a full education

callScholarships now on 01460 72051 orfor email admissions@perrotthill.com 2016 available pupils in Years 3 – 6 in Academic, 2016 ScholarshipsArt, available forMusic pupilsand in Years Drama, Sport3 – 6 in Academic, Art,North Drama, Music Somerset and Sport TA18 7SL Perrott Hill, Perrott, To arrange a visit or request a scholarship information pack To arrange visit 72051 or request a scholarship information pack www.perrotthill.com call now on a01460 or email admissions@perrotthill.com call now on 01460 72051 or email admissions@perrotthill.com

Yeovil College will be hosting their second open event of the year at their Mudford Road campus between 5pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday 20 January. Potential students, their friends and family are invited to come along to the college to find out about everything the college has to offer. Staff will be on hand to provide information and guidance on all courses, as well as advice about support available, finance, scholarships and transport. Visitors can also find out about the wide range of full and part-time courses available, including A Levels, vocational qualifications and Apprenticeships, work force development, as well as University level options. Yeovil College is proud to offer qualifications from Entry Level training right up to Master’s degrees, meaning that

OPEN Yeovil EVENT

Perrott Hill Perrott Hill

Spring Term Open Mornings Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2015 Perrott Hill Scholarship Day Friday 5 February 2016 Spring Term Mornings 2016 Scholarships available forOpen pupils in Years 3 – 6 in Academic, Spring Term Open Mornings Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2015 Art, Drama, Music and Sport Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2015 Perrott Hill Scholarship Day Friday 5 February 2016 To arrange visit or requestDay a scholarship Perrott Hilla Scholarship Friday information 5 Februarypack 2016

Full and part-time courses at Yeovil College

Sport is held in high esteem at Perrott Hill, everyone delights in taking a breather from the academic rigours of school life to enjoy some fresh air in our beautiful grounds on the Somerset/Dorset borders. Team games are very important and pupils are expected to work hard both for the team, and for themselves. We find that the lessons they learn on the sports field are invaluable and promote greater awareness of others, better decision making and inspire them to succeed in more general situations. In recent years Perrott Hill has ‘upped its game’ on the sporting front with increased investment in both coaches and facilities; this has really

paid off with some tremendous results across the sporting spectrum. Perrott Hill has stepped onto the national, area and county stage in a variety of sports including rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, badminton, skiing, show jumping and sailing. Perrott Hill is currently welcoming applications for Sport, Drama, Music, Art and Academic Scholarships. Contact us now for a scholarship information pack and if you would like to visit the school our Spring Term Open Mornings are being held on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2016. Please call 01460 72051 or email admissions@perrotthill.com to arrange a visit.

A LEVELS VOCATIONAL COURSES APPRENTICESHIPS UNIVERSITY LEVEL COURSES MEET THE LECTURERS INFORMATION & GUIDANCE TOUR THE CAMPUS SPEAK WITH THE PRINCIPAL

BEAT THE RUSH Pre-register online today!

Yeovil College

Mudford Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 4DR Tel: 01935 423921 Email: info@yeovil.ac.uk Web: www.yeovil.ac.uk

/yeovilcollege @YeovilCollege

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Achieve your New All Hallows Year’s Resolutions Preparatory School at Somerset College A superb If you’re looking to change more than just your appearance in 2016, why not consider changing your career by studying one of our degree or distance learning courses? It is much more affordable than you might think. Distance learning courses are free to those 19 years and over, and there are flexible payment options for degree courses. There are many different ways to study, so you can fit your learning around your lifestyle. Changing careers can be a scary prospect, but at Somerset College we are here to help you decide which is the best course for you, depending on what you want to achieve and how you want to study. With most of our degree courses available part-time, continuing to work whilst you study for a meaningful qualification becomes an achievable possibility. Somerset College provides the highest standard of education and training using industry-standard facilities and resources, whilst remaining a friendly,

launch pad, discovering the exclusive talent in every child welcoming environment in a local setting. It may be that you want to improve your skills and knowledge in an existing sector, or increase your

earning potential by moving into a completely new career. However you want to improve your life and prospects, let us help you to achieve your goals.

To find out more about Somerset College’s degrees or any other qualifications, contact the Helpzone on 01823 366 331, email enquiries@somerset.ac.uk. Alternatively visit www.somerset.ac.uk or pop in to the next Information Open Evening on 20 January 2016 from 5.30pm to 8pm.

AL L

“My daughter’s whole journey to becoming a brilliant person happened here” All Hallows offers an inspirational education that will set your child on an exciting path to fulfilling their potential and understanding their place in the world. As well as encouraging academic excellence, the school recognises and celebrates the exclusive talent in every child, whatever that might be. This helps guide them on their own unique journey, from the tender age of 3 to the start of their

H A L LOW S

P R E PA R AT O RY

SC H O O L

teenage years at 13. The staff are incredibly proud of the fact that 60% of children in Year 8 receive scholarships and awards to renowned senior schools, covering all areas of school life. This is particularly impressive for a school that is non-selective on entry. Since 1938, All Hallows has cultivated a strong reputation for excellence, innovation

and creativity. The ‘old school’ charm, that is palpable within the school, has long sat beside a culture of looking to the future, and you can be sure your child will enjoy the very latest in technology, teaching practices and facilities. Book your personal visit or pop in during the next Open Morning on Saturday 30th January 2016 from 9.30am

Contact; admissions@allhallowsschool.co.uk 01749 881600

TH E inde pendent D IF F E R E NCE ON YOUR D OOR STE P. We can offer your child: • the freedom to learn through feeling safe, happy and valued • small class sizes, single year groups and personalised learning • the opportunity to discover their creative talents through the arts, drama and music • excellent coaching, superb facilities and competitive sports opportunities • fresh air every day • the opportunity to develop a strong moral compass.

COME AND VISIT US admissions@allhallowsschool.co.uk allhallowsschool.co.uk

OPEN MORNING. Saturday, 30th January 2016. 9.30am to midday follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

Parent Talk January 2016 15

All Hallows Preparatory School Nursery Class Give your 3 year old the best possible start within the environs of this renowned Prep School. Fantastic facilities and activities including Forest School, LTA Tennis Academy and Swimming Pool and access to specialist teaching staff for languages, Music, Art, Dance, Drama and Sport set this facility apart from other nurseries. Visit at any time: T 01749 881600 E admissions@allhallowsschool.co.uk Bridgwater College Childcare Centre is open to the general public and children of students, for children from four months to five years. There is also a Holiday Play Scheme for children up to eight years old. It has a secure outdoor area boasting an ‘inspirational garden’, where children are encouraged to explore both indoor and outdoor learning. T: 01278 441270 or E: childcare@bridgwater.ac.uk www.bridgwaterchildcare.ac.uk Brook Green Early Years Recently relocated to purpose built setting offering a larger learning environment and large garden, which can be accessed at all times for free flow play. Highly qualified staff. Spaces available now, 2/3/4 year old funding accepted. Please Call 01823 353072 for further information. Cheekie Monkeys Ilminster A friendly, calm and nurturing setting offering full time day care (8am-6pm) for children aged 0-5. We have highly experienced staff and excellent facilities in our baby and pre-school rooms, plus an amazing garden. T: Lesley/Ali 01460 52457

NURSERY

directory

First Steps Day Nursery School (all year from 8am-6pm). For children from 3 months to 5 years. Offering a caring, educational and safe environment for your child. All fully qualified staff. T: Elaine Garland 01749 346733 E: fsdaynursery@btconnect.com Hazlegrove Nursery and Pre-Prep Sparkford. Hazlegrove’s innovative Pre-Prep curriculum is outstandingly successful, evident in the increased confidence and ability levels as children move up to the Prep School. The children benefit from experienced staff, specialist teaching and exceptional facilities including an indoor swimming pool and woods for Forest School. “Hazlegrove children are happy children” says Headmaster Richard Fenwick, “we simply want to provide the very best education we can for the pupils in our care”. For more information, contact Fiona O’Neill on 01963 442606 King’s Hall Nursery King’s Hall is a wonderfully traditional yet progressive school set in the rolling Somerset countryside just outside Taunton. Although the Nursery shares the Preparatory school’s superb facilities, it is self contained and operates in a secure and peaceful environment. Log cabin classrooms, vast on-site Forest School and highly experienced, dedicated staff make King’s Hall Nursery the

natural choice for children 2 to 5 years. T: 01823 285921 www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk

Little Boots Day Nursery (Ages 2-5, 8am-6pm) Come and visit us on Pottery Farm! Our idyllic setting offers fantastic opportunities for enhanced outdoor learning; we work with a maximum of 16 children a day ensuring each child gets the individual attention they need. Contact Cleo Wilson for more information. T 07936 555 676 littlebootsdaynursery.co.uk Millfield Pre-Prep School (Ages 2 - 7), situated in the beautiful Prep campus in Glastonbury. Our aim is to encourage a love of learning through a combination of classroom and outdoor activities, using a wide range of exciting and stimulating teaching methods. Small class sizes and excellent facilities, like our on–site Forest School and indoor swimming pool, support this. Over 20 free after school activities as well as an Early Birds and Late Club. To arrange a visit or a taster session please contact: Hannah Cox in Admissions on 01458 837524 Perrott Hill Montessori Nursery and Pre-Prep Given ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the Montessori Nursery is situated in the attractive, safe courtyard of the manor house. The Nursery children, aged 3-4 years, have the use of the extensive grounds and facilities of the

school as well as having their own outdoor adventure play area. The staff are warm and friendly. Free after school care is available. T: 01460 72051 www.perrotthill.com Pilton Preschool A long established & ever evolving village Pre-school where children “share warm and trusting relationships with staff, showing they feel settled and secure and that their emotional well-being is effectively supported” (Ofsted ‘Good’ 2014) A vibrant child centred environment offering fun and inspiring play based learning and education for children aged 2-4 years. Sessions include Forest School, Yoga, Little Mark-Makers, Sports Club, Music & Movement and much more... For further information or to arrange a visit please contact T: 01749 899147 E: preschool@piltonvillage.co.uk W: www.piltonvillage.co.uk/ preschool or follow us on Facebook **Limited Availability. Book now for September 2016** Queen’s College offers individual learning. AN INDIVIDUAL focus on learning is keeping Queen’s College Pre-Prep and Nursery at the top of the tree. With small class sizes of 12-16 children, specialist teachers can cater for each individual child’s needs. Rated as outstanding Queen’s College

nursery and reception classes are not to be missed. To visit contact admissions@queenscollege.org.uk T: 01823 340830 Smartees Day Care Nursery Ltd offers professional and flexible childcare for working families, with 2 conveniently located nurseries close to Yeovil town centre. Smartees Preston Road opening hours 7am-6pm 01935 411144 Smartees Beer Street opening hours 8am-6pm 01935 411777 Taunton Nursery School for children from 0 years. Flexible Nursery Education, 7.30am- 5.45pm. Highly qualified teachers. Spectacular grounds and facilities used by all. Children can attend a combination of morning, afternoon and late club sessions. T: 01823 703300 www.tauntonschool.co.uk Wellington Prep School Nursery Attractive, well designed buildings. Talented teachers. Cheerful children. Proud parents. All this can be yours at Wellington Prep School Nursery and Pre-Nursery. EYFS can be redeemed against our fees. We would love to have your children from 3 years upwards. Please enjoy our website www.wellington-school.org.uk or call Maria Kerr to arrange a visit. T: 01823 668700 Little Wellies Term Time Toddler group. Open to all pre-school children every Thursday morning 9.15-11.15am, Wellington Prep School Hall. £3 per child and £1 per additional child weekly charge. Contact Maria Kerr for more details 01823 668700 prep@wellington-school.org.uk

To book our Nursery Directory, please call 01458 250461

Holidays with Toddlers, Pre-schoolers and Older Children There’s something for everyone at Torridge House Cottages! In a tiny, sleepy Devon village the holiday cottages are

surrounded by farmland. Here children and their families can play and help feed the animals in an idyllic setting.

Family Farm Holidays

In Glorious Devon welcoming comfortable cottages in an idylic setting

Join us on the farm, watch and help feed the animals. Large gardens, play room, games room. Lots of play space. Outdoor heated swimming pool. Providing very special child friendly relaxing holidays for over 22 years. Highly recommended. ‘VisitBritain 3 & 4 star’

Torridge House Cottages Little Torrington, Devon 01805 622542 www.torridgehouse.co.uk

16 Parent Talk January 2016

The big, big gardens in a delightful private setting are home to the 8 cottages. Also to a heated outdoor swimming pool, play room, games room, library, pets and farm animals. Wi-fi is freely available in most cottages and in the library. The animal feeding routine is gently paced and from an early age children find the environment and animals enthralling. The pigs are always excited about their food; the ducks and chickens enjoy being let out, the baby rabbits and baby mice in the all-weather house love meeting the children and the pony looks forward to handfuls of freshly pulled grass. Torridge House Cottages is in a glorious part of Devon

with grassy single track roads, tall hedgerows, fabulous views, sandy beaches, country walks, quaint fishing villages, market towns, country pubs, beautiful gardens and excellent family attractions. In the village itself is pottery potting and painting, and a farmhouse studio where Marina’s wonderful massage treatments are available. The cottages are lovely, comfortable, very well equipped, in a range of styles and sizes. A glorious place to stay in a most beautiful and tranquil part of Devon. Have a look at www.torridgehouse.co.uk or ring 01805 622542 for details of the freely available facilities, nursery equipment and fun farming.

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

An education for life at Queen’s College Taunton

In the heart of Somerset Queen’s College, Taunton educates children from their earliest steps in our Highgrove Nursery through to entry into some of the world’s most prestigious universities. Queen's College inspires our young people to achieve in every facet of their educational experience by placing the individual student at the heart of everything we do. We believe that success starts with a happy child who has the self-confidence and enthusiasm to flourish.

Our philosophy of breadth and excellence in the academic curriculum, coupled with a wealth of activities outside the classroom provide each student with an opportunity to discover and develop their talents and our students aim high. The children at Queen’s College consistently achieve some of the best academic results in the South West and enjoy national and international success in a staggering range of cultural, aesthetic, intellectual and sporting activities.

Our school is a community where everyone works together and great value is placed on understanding our responsibilities towards each other, practising good manners, enjoying all that we do with passion and excitement and making an outstanding contribution to the local community and wider world. Belonging to the Queen’s family is very special and our students experience an education that provides a foundation and compass that last a lifetime.

Evolution Martial Arts - special offer for New Year All our junior classes teach children the basic skills of Taekwon-Do as well as balance, co-ordination and general fitness. These sessions will also build children’s concentration and self-esteem. The classes are fun, active, safe and provide excellent foundations for a Martial Arts career. Evolution Martial Arts ensures all their instructors are fully qualified Black Belts instructors and DBS checked. With our vast experience we have taught hundreds of children martial arts over the years. You can have confidence in the knowledge that we honestly believe martial arts will have a positive effect on their lives. They learn antibullying methods that can give them the confidence to defend themselves and succeed in life. Your child is going to develop a full range of techniques

Scholarship Opportunities into Years 7 and 9 Academic, Art, Sport, Music and Performing Arts For your application pack telephone 01823 340830 or email admissions@queenscollege.org.uk

TAUNTON

An education for life through continual training. It’s these skills that will build co-ordination, balance and strength. Children are influenced by everything they see, hear and do. So why not surround them with positivity and the idea that hard work can be rewarding and

fun? Because ultimately, this is what Evolution is all about. New Year special offer now available call 01823 431434 for more details. Classes available in Taunton, Wellington, Chard & Bridport. See the back page for more information.

Co-educational day & boarding ages 0-18 01823 340830 www.queenscollege.org.uk Parent Talk January 2016 17

BOOK REVIEW

Editor’s choice

The Dangerous Book for Granddads: Intrepid New Book Shares 80+ Ideas for Getting into Mischief By J. C. Jeremy Hobson Published by RHE Media Ltd

On the Plane and On the Space Station -Beautifully illustrated interactive books in Shine-a-Light series By Carron Brown and Bee Johnson Published by Ivy Press

On the Plane Watch as a plane gets ready for take off. By simply holding the book up to the light, or shining a light behind each page, young readers will be able to discover how pilots and cabin crew prepare a plane for flight. On the Space Station On the Space Station Watch as astronauts blast off into space. By holding the book up to the light, or shining a light behind each page, young readers will be able to discover how astronauts work, eat and exercise on the space station.

Written by selfconfessed doting grandfather, The Dangerous Book for Granddads equips readers with everything they need to enjoy boundless fun and adventure with their grandchildren. From sliding down the stairs in sleeping bags to fishing with string and a safety pin, collecting fossils and making that perfect, crisp crackling bonfire – the book is chock-full of ideas to make grandchildren and granddads inseparable. Oddsockosaurus By Zanib Mian Illustrated by Bill Bolton Published by Sweet Apple The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily by Dino Buzzati Published by Alma Junior

First Bite – how we learn to eat By Bee Wilson Published by 4th Estate Everyone starts life drinking milk. After that it’s all up for grabs. We are not born knowing what to eat; we each have to figure it out for ourselves. From childhood onwards, we learn how big a portion is and how sweet is too sweet. We learn to love broccoli – or not. But how does this happen? What are the origins of taste? And once we acquire our food habits, can we ever change them for the better? The way we learn to eat holds the key to why food has gone so disastrously wrong for so many people. But Bee Wilson also shows that both adults and children have immense potential for learning new, healthy eating habits. An exploration of the extraordinary and surprising origins of our tastes and eating habits, ‘First Bite’ explains how we can change our palates to lead healthy, happier lives.

Starving after a harsh winter, the bears descend from the mountains in search of food and invade the valley below, where they face fierce opposition from the army of the Grand Duke of Sicily. After many battles, scrapes and dangers, the bears’ reign is established over the land, but their victory comes at a price: having lost their innocence, they abandon themselves to a life of sin and debauchery. At once a timeless fable and a philosophical allegory, Buzzati’s famous children’s is a triumph of poetical imagination and a cautionary tale against human excess.

Black Beauty By Anna Sewell, illustrated by Paul Howard Published by Alma Junior “One of the greatest books ever narrated by a horse, with a fine message: be kind to animals, and they’ll be kind to you.” Michael Morpurgo A great classic presented with beautiful illustrations by awardwinning illustrator Paul Howard

Badly Drawn Beth By Knife and Packer Published by Hachette Children’s Books Meet Beth and all her fantastically crazy family and friends including Scribbles her pet mouse whom she imagines Dj-ing whilst she is out, Mabel her sister who is A for annoying and named her Badly Drawn Beth having seen her selfportrait in her art book, Bertie her younger brother who drools a lot, Mum who is a teacher which is quite cool as she can help with homework and Dad who wears chunky cardigans for driving, ooh and Granny who looks like a OAP pirate with her parrot Otto. Beth is a sensationally funny new series with a lovable anarchic character in popular diary format. 18 Parent Talk January 2016

While they are supposed to be deadly, fierce and sometimes over twelve-feet tall, dinosaurs have a unique knack for captivating children. In a wholly-unique new children’s book, author Zanib Mian provides children with all of the inspiration they need to turn themselves into their own kidosaurus, and have heaps of fun along the way. ‘Oddsockosaurus’ will have kids’ imaginations spinning…. imaginationosaurus!

The Last Kids on Earth By Max Brailler Published by Egmont Ever since the monster apocalypse hit town, average thirteen year old Jack Sullivan has been living in his tree house, which he’s armed to the teeth with catapults and a moat, not to mention video games and an endless supply of Oreos and Mountain Dew scavenged from abandoned stores. But Jack alone is no match for the hordes of Zombies and Winged Wretches and Vine Thingies, and especially not for the eerily intelligent monster known only as Blarg. So Jack builds his team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed middle school bully, Dirk; Jack’s loyal pet monster, Rover; and Jack’s crush, June. With their help, Jack is going to slay Blarg, achieve the ultimate Feat of Apocalyptic Success, and be average no longer!

Rain By Manya Stojic Published by Pavilion

Maths on the Go – 101 fun ways to play with maths By Rob Eastaway and Mike Askew Published by Square Peg

When rain comes to the parched African savannah, the animals use all their senses to track the storm. The porcupine smells rain in the air. The zebra sees lightning. The rhino feels the first drops. For a time, the grasslands abound with new green leaves, juicy fruits and fresh pools of water. But soon the hot sun dries out the land, and the animals must again wait for the next big rain.

Busy mums or dads are crying out for quick and easy ways to help their children with primary school maths and beyond. Here are 101 simple tips, games and activities to make practising maths as engaging and enjoyable as possible. All can be incorporated into the everyday routine – at home and on the go – with minimal fuss and no expensive kit – helping children have fun with numbers. Indeed, most of the time they won’t even realise that maths is involved. Sneaky!

CLASSIFIED

New, unique, free guide to school admissions criteria helps parents make informed decisions about their child’s education Just launched, and a must for all parents and homebuyers with school-aged children, is FindASchool by 192.com, a free definitive guide to all schools in the UK, including admissions information, designed to help families to make informed decisions about their child’s education. FindASchool is the first tool to provide comprehensive, accurate admissions information to help parents research and understand their chances of getting a place at the state primary or secondary school of their choice and to decide where to move house to have the best chance of getting into a given school. It helps parents with the difficult decisions they must make on school applications by presenting all the relevant information they need in one place. It is the only service that provides a mapped Successful Applicant Area showing where you would have needed to live to get in to a particular school in previous years. FindASchool covers 95% of all state schools in England, Wales, and Scotland. It includes a wealth of key information including a summary of admissions criteria, such as whether a school has a catchment area or gives priority to siblings; whether or not a school is oversubscribed; details of its inspection results (e.g. Ofsted ranking in England); exam results; class sizes; its pupil make-up split into gender, age, religion together with percentages of those with English as an Additional Language and those entitled to Free School Meals - alongside links to the relevant Good Schools Guide reports. Parents can search by area, by an address or postcode, and get an overview of all the schools in an area, including an understanding of which school you are more likely to be able to get into. This will be invaluable to all parents looking into schools for their children, whether they are coming to this for the first time with no prior knowledge of the admissions system, or seasoned professionals with children already at school. “From my own experience I know how difficult it is both to find, and understand, the information you need to make an informed decision,” said Ed Rushton, founder of FindASchool by 192. com. “Choosing a school for your child and navigating the admissions process can be very stressful, so our product has been specifically designed to help parents make these decisions by presenting all the information they need in one

place, and by showing where they would have needed to live to get in to a school in previous years.” Even where the data is available, there is a confusing array of different approaches taken by schools. Through the data collection task, FindASchool has discovered over 400 permutations of state school admissions criteria. And within these variations, there are numerous examples of convoluted and opaque arrangements used by individual schools to allocate places, which would be extremely difficult for any parent to understand. For example, there is a primary school in Rotherham, which admits up to 16 pupils to its reception class. However, they have 23 different priority levels that could be used to allocate these 16 places, with 4 pages required to describe all the relevant criteria. A recent survey by OnePoll found that 66 per cent of parents surveyed felt that the UK’s admissions system makes the process of finding a school unnecessarily confusing. Problems occur because different schools can have different admissions criteria and variable ‘cut-off’ points – the distance a child can live from the school. This is obviously a particularly stressful issue in areas surrounding popular, high performing schools with good Ofsted ratings, which then become oversubscribed. The launch of FindASchool by 192.com has been welcomed by The Good Schools Guide, which helps parents find the best schools for their children. Editor-In-Chief Ralph Lucas commented; “Finding the relevant information about school catchment areas has always been a complex and difficult task because the necessary information is notoriously difficult to obtain. The launch of FindASchool gives parents an additional resource that holds all this information in one place. FindASchool complements the Good Schools Guide in helping parents pick the school in their area that suits their child best.” Data collected by FindASchool shows that in 2014, 46% of schools in England were oversubscribed (44% secondary schools, 47% primaries) rising to 66% of schools in London. The average cut-off distance for all oversubscribed schools in England is 2.3km for primary schools and 4.8km for secondary schools, but it is hugely variable. For example, 111 primary schools in the country have an admissions distance of less than 300 metres, roughly a three-minute

CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS PROFESSOR

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