Parent Talk March 2017 issue by Parent Talk

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

March 2017 Volume 24 Issue 3

Happy Mother's Day

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Dear Readers...

Welcome back! Every month there seems to be something to look forward to and this month it’s Mother’s Day and Science Week. We have a great experiment to conduct which involves counting real penguins in Antarctica – not so much p-p-p-pick up a penguin but pick out a penguin as you try to mark out individual ones. As the years go by, I take Mother’s Day increasingly seriously! With kids away at uni, my husband no longer nudges them and instead leaves them to prompt each other with cards arriving either super early (daughter) or a day too late (son), not that I’m stereotyping! This month our book review features a selection of great titles which celebrate the fun, heartache and hard work that goes into parenting - books that’ll make you laugh out loud and cherish or despair, in equal measure, the joy of motherhood! Best wishes Tamsin

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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.

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COMPETITION WINNERS My Doodles Emma Harding, Shepton Mallet Gillian Ensor, Street

LittleLife C. Peacey, Bridgwater Emma Reardon, Weston super Mare

up pansies and violas for Mum

CHILDREN from Somerset are invited to a garden centre in the county in March to have a go at making their mums a special present for Mothering Sunday. Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre is hosting the planting workshops for youngsters to plant up baskets of winter pansies and violas on March 24 and 25 from 9.30am until 1pm and from 2pm until 4.30pm and on Mothering Sunday, March 26 from 10.30am until 1pm and from 2pm until 3pm. Andrew Pitman, Store Manager at the awardwinning, independent, familyrun garden centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton, said: “It’s always nice for mums to receive a special gift from their sons or daughters on Mother’s Day so we thought we would offer children the opportunity

to plant up baskets of pansies or violas for their mums. “The workshops will take place in our seasonal plant hall and all of the materials will be provided, including an array of locally-grown pansies and violas that children can choose from.” People are welcome to drop in to either workshop on the days, no booking is necessary. The workshops will cost £2.99 per child and all children will need to be accompanied by an adult. Andrew added: “As well as making a lovely gift, the workshops are a great way to get children interested in gardening and learning how to plant something up. “It looks set to be a fun day and our expert staff will be on hand to guide and help youngsters through the process.”

Fiona Smart, Head of Plants at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, gets ready for the primrose and viola basket planting workshops.

To find out more, please visit Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton, call Andrew Pitman on 01823 412381 or email a.pitman@monkton-elm.co.uk. Alternatively, please visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk.

The Great Somerset Abseil, who dares? St. Margaret’s Hospice is organising a sponsored abseil at Wincanton Race Course on Sunday 26th March 2017. It costs £25 per person to book and the charity are suggesting a sponsorship target of £75 per person. Ann Lee, St. Margaret’s CEO, has put her money where her mouth is, so to speak, and signed up to be the first facing the drop. A 100ft crane will be situated at the Racecourse with challengers suspended from the top before making their way down to the crowds below. “Facing fear and being scared is exactly why I wanted to sign up for this challenge. 1 in 3 people in Somerset will need the support of St. Margaret’s in their lifetime. I want every one of these people, to know that St. Margaret’s is there for them and that we will face the fear together, making each day count” says Ann. Ann has set herself a target of raising £1,000 and will be asking everyone she knows to sponsor her, so be warned! If everyone taking part raised just £75, this would pay for a day of St. Margaret’s care across Somerset by St. Margaret’s Community Care Team. If you are interested in challenging yourself while raising money for St. Margaret’s visit www.st-margarets-hospice. co.uk and search ‘abseil’.

Parent Talk March 2017 3

OUT & ABOUT

Spring has sprung at Puxton Park Puxton Park have a happy little farm at the moment, with our spring lambs leaping all over the fields. To celebrate we’re hosting a Lambing Weekend on the 4th and 5th of March. Come along and see our newest editions being born, and taking their first breath of Somerset air. This year, our ewes are comfortably looked after by the Animal Team in their new indoor Animal Discovery Barn. On the 18-19th March we’re hosting our Dairy weekend. Watch our resident experts

clip the hides of our beautiful cows and explain the process of preparing them for shows. Learn about what happens during the milking process, with talks from our knowledgeable Animal Team. See how the milk is used to make food, with demonstrations and tastings from our cheese and ice cream makers. Join our events team who will help you make your own personal ice cream to take home with you. So much to see and moo, I mean do! Then over Mother’s Day weekend we are offering free entry to one mum per paying child. We are hosting chocolate gift workshops and card making in the events room, with a free prosecco and a massage for Mums while they wait. We also hope to have fresh daffodils in bloom in our allotments, where kids can pop in and pick their own as a present. There will be both Mother’s Day specials in Meadows Restaurant for breakfast and lunch – so anywhere you take her in the park she’ll feel like the super star she definitely is!

Glastonbury Medieval Fayre Glastonbury Medieval Fayre is once again mustered and prepared for battle, this Easter. We would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest thanks, to all five and a half thousand of our dedicated patrons who, despite the weather, also donned their amour to battle the elements last year. Horsemen of the Knight will come on trusted steads to astonish us with awesome skill at arms. Our medieval gunners will be on hand to demonstrate the early days of black powder in Europe. Swift wings and sharp talons bring falconry right out of the history books, keeping your ankles covered whilst kicking up a storm to our travelling minstrels. Archers from all over Europe test their skills and

display the raw power of the mighty longbow. Knights and men-at-arms clash in our mock battle between the tenacious sixth Earl of Leicester Simon de Montfort and the military genius of the Prince Edward later known as King Edward Longshanks “The Hammer of the Scots”. There will be lots for the whole family to enjoy with our ever

present court jester and kiddies kingdom to the vast array of curios and trinkets available in our market. The magnificent Glastonbury Abbey is our host for the weekend and whilst its beautiful grounds lends itself to being one of the best picnic spots, we would encourage you to sample the succulent catering in our food court.

Famous faces on the West Somerset Railway Entertain the children this Easter with the West Somerset Railway. We will be having an Easter Egg Trail which can be carried out whilst travelling on our services. The West Somerset Railway is a heritage railway offering a fun day out for all the family. Nestled in the Somerset Countryside, four miles outside the county town of Taunton, our trains depart from Bishops Lydeard to the seaside town of Minehead. Nine idyllic stations are situated along the line, which include, the historic harbour town of Watchet with its harbour, small shops, cafes, pubs, museums and beaches to keep you busy and the medieval village of Dunster. This is home to The National Trust’s Dunster Castle, also an old Yarn Market building which is flanked on either side by shops, tea rooms, Dunster museum and a doll museum.

On 15th April, The Gruffalo will be making appearances on Minehead station at intervals throughout the day. There will be lots of entertainment on the platform too including a Helter Skelter and bouncy castle, Facepainting, an entertainer and crafts. We have further meet and greet days later on in the year, with visits from PAW Patrol’s

Chase and Marshall on 3rd June and Peppa Pig on 16th September. The characters will be appearing on Minehead Platform at intervals on each date. For more information about the railway and what we have to offer please visit our website www.west-somerset-railway. co.uk or contact us on 01643 704996

photograph courtesy of Julia Amies Green Photography

20 miles of Steam train travel through the Quantock Hills and along the Exmoor Coast. Places of interest along the route include medieval Dunster with its Castle, Cleeve Abbey & the Historic Harbour Town of Watchet. For our full special events list including Gala information, Meet and Greet Days and more, please visit our website or contact us on the number below.

www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk or phone 01643 704996

4 Parent Talk March 2017

West Somerset Railway image © Julia Amies Green Photography

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY STEAMING TO THE SEASIDE

OUT & ABOUT

Challenging activities at Mill on the Brue Activity Centre The summer holidays are not that far away and the place you must send your kids is Mill on the Brue Activity Centre in Bruton, South Somerset. Whether for a day or a week’s residential, the children love Mill on the Brue. Based on 25 acres of woods, fields, and river valley Mill on the Brue is now in its 35th year and we think we really know what kids like! Whether it’s challenging and exciting activities such as canoeing or raft building, two giant zip wires, assault courses,

archery, grass toboggans, air rifle shooting, fire lighting and shelter building, command tasks, or gentler activities such as feeding our animals or crafts, with fun and experienced instructors, the kids have a whale of a time and come back year after year. We also offer delicious meals, much of it home grown organically and all home cooked. No wonder that many remember their time with us as being a highlight of their childhood – even after twenty years!

Day Summer camps start on Monday 17th July and run weekdays until 25th August. The cost is £58 per child per day, weekly ticket £262, (7 – 12 years) 8.30am – 5.30pm and includes a packed programme plus drink and snacks and two course cooked lunch. Pre Booking is essential.

Residential summer camps run from Sunday 9th July until Saturday 19th August for 8 – 15 years old. Children are placed in small groups (maximum 12) of the same age with the same two instructors all week, and the programme is appropriate for their age group. Cost £584 pp; early bird discounts and other discounts available.

See our website www.millonthebrue.co.uk or enquire for our summer camps brochure on info@millonthebrue.co.uk or 01749 812307

'Keep Britain Tidy' prepares for the Great British Spring Clean 2017 This year Keep Britain Tidy is launching its biggest-ever litter campaign, the Great British Spring Clean, to encourage 500,000 people to get out there and make sure their neighbourhood is one of which they can be proud. The Spring Clean, which will take place from March 3-5, 2017, builds on the success of 2016’s national clean-up, which saw 250,000 people get stuck in to clean up their communities, including hundreds of school children, thousands of community groups and 400

local authorities across the country, who between them collected more than 300,000 bags of rubbish. The campaign has won the backing of TV naturalist and writer Steve Backshall, the BAFTA-winning Deadly 60 presenter. Steve said: “Litter dropped in a British street is a horror show for wildlife, so many animals are injured and even die from the things we throw away. This is such an important issue and I’m proud to be supporting Keep Britain Tidy and their campaign – the

Millfield Holiday Courses Making Holidays Fun!

Great British Spring Clean.” Research also revealed that over two thirds (68%) of people said that they were concerned that we were living in a throwaway society. Over three quarters (77%) of the UK said it is important to donate items to charity shops or sell them on so that they can be reused by others, but less than half (48%) of Brits actually do this. Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison OgdenNewton said: “The Great British

Spring Clean is about getting all those people who care about their environment to take action. We know that more than 50% of people are concerned about the appearance of their local area and so we want them to feel that they can do something about it and they are not alone in caring. “If 500,000 people help us pick litter for just two hours each that means that our country will benefit from one million hours of clean-up care.”

To sign up for the Great British Spring Clean visit www.greatbritishspringclean.org.uk

This is my year!

MILLFIELD

HOLIDAY COURSES

EASTER 2017 Cricket, Football, Mini-Multis, Multi-Activity BOOK ONLINE NOW millfieldenterprises.com

We know it’s hard to keep the kids entertained in the school holidays, so why not take a load off your mind by booking them onto the Millfield Holiday Courses? With a variety of courses to choose from this Easter including Football, Cricket, MiniMultis and Multi-Activity, there really is something for everyone. We recently introduced our brand new website where you can book and pay for courses online. We offer a 10% discount for siblings or for any child who is booked onto two or more courses at the same time

(discount does not apply to daily rates). Easter Courses and Age Ranges: Cricket (7-14), Football (5-14), Mini-Multis (2-4), MultiActivity (5-12) Summer Courses and Age Ranges: Athletics (7-16), Badminton (8-16), Cricket (714), Football (5-14), Golf (10-14), Hockey (5-16), Mini-Multis (2-4), Multi-Activity (5-12), Netball (714), Rugby (8-14), Squash (8-17), Tennis (8-14) Visit millfieldenterprises.com/ courses for more details and to book or call 01458 444 320 to request a brochure.

Summer camp

Day & residential

01749 812 307 Bruton, Somerset BA10 0BA www.millonthebrue.co.uk

Parent Talk March 2017 5

6 Parent Talk December 2012

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. 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 . 3rd-5th March: The Colour of Me. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. Fri 10.30am & 1pm, Sat & Sun 11.30am & 3pm. Feel the excitement of the deep blue sea, the green peacefulness of nature, or bravely go where no child has ever been…inside an orange. But do watch out for red, who is sometimes very cross…Come and experience the beautiful rainbow of emotions that lives inside each and every one of us. What colour are you today? With live music and projection, this interactive dance theatre performance promises to delight, tickle and inspire. Age 3-7. 01225 823409 8th-12th March: Bright Sparks. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. Wed, Thurs, Fri 10.30am & 1pm, Sat & Sun 11.30am & 3pm. Links and Rex are like light and dark. They are Left to the other’s Right. Links is logical, she likes order and fact. Rex is different, she is imaginative, a daydreamer. Watch these two opposites get their wires crossed as they strive to find ways to work and play together. Inspired by research

into the human brain, Bright Sparks is a playful, visually rich and delightfully humorous show that explores the beauty of difference. Age 3-7. 01225 823409 10th-11th March: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. The Playhouse, Weston super Mare. Fri 1.30 & 4.30pm, Sat 10.30 & 1.30pm. Michael Rosen’s award-winning book is brought vividly and noisily to the stage in director Sally Cookson’s fun-filled adaptation set to Benji Bower’s versatile lively score. Join an intrepid family of adventurers and their musical dog on their quest to find a bear; as they wade through the gigantic swishy swashy grass, the splishy splashy river and the thick oozy, squelchy mud! Expect catchy songs, interactive scenes and plenty of hands-on adventure – plus a few special surprises! Adapted for the stage from the modern classic written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 01934 645544 10th – 19th March: British Science Week events at the Roman Baths, BA1 1LZ.

Priddy School working with Rotary club of Mendip

Children at Priddy School have been busy during Forest School working with the Rotary Club of Mendip and have made a grand total of four nest boxes and four bug hotels to put up in the school grounds. The children are now looking forward to seeing who moves in!

Families can enjoy a week of fun activities based on the science behind the Roman Baths and its museum objects as part of British Science Week. The week kicks off with Science Busking on Saturday 11 March, 2-5pm. From discovering Roman pottery found at the Baths to finding out how to test water temperature at the Great Bath, there will be a range of activities to take part in. The BRSLI Science Cadets will also be there, with geology activities related to Bath’s amazing hot spring. Throughout the week (13-17 March, 2-4pm), hands-on science events will be running with the chance to explore the science behind coins, mosaics and bones from the museum collection. The week ends with Bath Taps into Science (18 March, 10am-4pm) a day of science investigations at Royal Victoria Park, by the bandstand, organised by the University of Bath. Visitors will be able to find out how the Romans built arches, have a go at building one, and learn about the technology behind aquaducts. All events are free for local residents with a Discovery Card. No advance booking required. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 01225 477785 15th-16th March: Dinkies Storytime Adventures, the Egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. Wed 10am & 11.15am. Thurs 10am & 11.15am. ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’. Grown ups and children, your pea green boat awaits…to sail you off to the land where the bong tree grows. Age 18 months – 4 yrs. 01225 823409 19th March: A Festival of Song, The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil, BA20 1UX. 7.30pm. Choirs from across the county join together for an evening of fantastic music and enchanting songs. The show will feature performances from the award-winning Somerset County Youth

Choir, The Octagon Choir, The People's Choir Yeovil, TacchiMorris Show Choir and many more! A joyous celebration of harmony, music and song. 01935 422884 19th March: Steam Train Day at Yeovil Railway Centre, Yeovil Junction Station BA22 9UU. 10am-4pm. Tel: 01935 410420 22nd March: Goldilocks & the Three Bears. The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil, BA20 1UX. 2, 4 & 6pm. With sell-out performances and hugely successful CBeebies adaptations, including Tortoise & the Hare, Northern Ballet’s Short Ballets for Small People are not to be missed. Now the magic continues with a brand-new retelling of Goldilocks & the Three Bears. Goldilocks is a mischievous little girl with hair as bright as gold. Always on the look-out for an adventure, one day her curiosity leads her to a house full of many surprises. With a family of friendly bears, a beautiful blue bird and bowls of delicious porridge, this ballet is just right! Bringing this classic children’s story to life, Goldilocks & the Three Bears is the perfect opportunity for little ones to enjoy live ballet, music and theatre for the first time. 01935 422884 25th March: Celtic Fun. Museum of Somerset, Taunton TA1 4AA. 11am-1pm & 2-3.30pm Family fun – free drop in activity. 01823 255088 25th-26th March: Wojtek: the happier warrior. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, BA1 1ET. The unbelievable true story of Private Wojtek, a Syrian Brown Bear who was enlisted into the Polish Army Corp during WW2. Wojtek saw action with his Artillery Company at the battle of Monte Cassino and eventually travelled to Scotland with his unit after the war in search of a new life. Age 7+. 01225 823409 26th March: St Margaret’s Great Somerset Abseil, Wincaton Racecourse, BA9 8BJ. See p3 for details.

Fun for all at Bodley Craft For any age: Craft-themed Birthday Parties. We take care of everything: materials, food, birthday cake, games and party bags! PixelHobby: Workshops, Parties or simply come and buy. We stock sets from just £2! Works Parties, Team Building and Workshops: throughout the year. Come along and be creative! Felting, sewing, 6 Parent Talk March 2017

decopatch, mosaics, bunting, flower arranging and more! For 8-14’s: Holiday Clubs full of creative activities, both inside and out – creative play, sticking, gluing, painting and more! Your local Craft Studio, Bodley Craft, Bodley Yard, Ford Street, Wellington, TA21 9PG. Email: sam@bodleycraft.co.uk phone: 07525 127878 www.bodleycraft.co.uk

Put Spring in your step at Willowbrook

Now is the time to Spring into your garden! At Willowbrook Nursery and Garden Centre we have lots of fresh plants waiting to get into your garden. We have a choice of seed potatoes that are ready to be planted and it is something that all the family can join in with. If you are feeling more adventurous we have a large range of seeds so that you can start from scratch. We also have a range of children’s tools and welly boots to get you ready for the garden. If you fancy having a bit more colour then we have a selection of spring bulbs and primroses. The Café & Tea-room are open all day for a full ‘Meaty’ breakfast, healthy salad or a tempting

piece of cake and a cup of tea so why not treat yourself. Our pet shop has moved into a new place under the new name of ‘Willowbrook Pets’. We have a wide range of food, toys, treats, bedding and hay for most domestic pets alongside our range of wild bird care which includes the feeders as well as the seeds. With parking so easy you can always just ‘pop’-in. You can follow us on our facebook pages, Instagram or Tripadvisor or sign up to our free newsletter. Our friendly and helpful staff look forward to seeing you! We are situated on the main A38 between Taunton and Wellington in Somerset, not far from Junction 26 of the M5.

Craft Studio Holiday Clubs for 8-14’s

A fabulous craft studio, minutes from Wellington town with ample parking

Birthday Parties for any age Various Workshops throughout the year For more information and to book contact: sam@bodleycraft.co.uk or www.bodleycraft.co.uk Contact us: sam@bodleycraft.co.uk www.bodleycraft.co.uk or follow us on Facebook

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Learn something new with Bridgwater and Taunton College Are you looking to learn something new or develop existing skills? Bridgwater & Taunton College has many courses starting in April as part of its adult leisure and skills provision. There are many subjects to choose from, with courses such as art, jewellery making, Photoshop, sewing machine techniques, vintage/shabby chic textiles, photography, lampshade making, car paint spraying, CAD, yoga, sports massage, lino printing, 3D painting, upcycling furniture, print making, using mobile devices, computing, social media, cake decorating, creative writing, ESOL, Reiki and positive thinking. The courses range from two to nine weeks in duration, and prices start from just £15! Perfect for adults looking to try something new, or to attend with a friend for some sociable time out, the courses run either at the College’s Bridgwater Centre or Taunton Centre, with easy parking and friendly staff to support you with your learning.

As well as these leisure type courses, Bridgwater & Taunton College offers training and learning for those people looking to upskill or learn something new for their job

role and career progression. These courses are available across a whole range of industries, and many are eligible for an Adult Learner Loan.

For more information, visit www.btc.ac.uk or contact the Advice and Guidance team: 01278 441234 enquiries@bridgwater. ac.uk To speak to someone in the Adult Leisure team, call 01823 366570 or email keeblej@bridgwater.ac.uk

Are our Schools just exam factories? The Institute of Directors (IoD) recently criticised schools for failing to prepare children for the workplace with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. It begs the question what’s the point of the current obsession with exam results? Have we just become exam factories? How are we measuring intelligence? What about creativity and interpersonal skills? We have an education system designed and conceived in a different age based around the thinking that there are only two types of ability – academic and non-academic. This has led to many brilliant people thinking they are not ‘intelligent’ as they are being judged against this limiting mindset. Our education system has become a production line – ringing bells, children educated in batches based on date of manufacture (their age), siphoned off into separate subjects and separate facilities. Instead of nurturing those skills that are valuable in a computerised age, our current model stamps out innate creativity and divergent thinking

and prizes standardisation instead. The exam factory model squashes children into an antiquated education machine and spits them out as conformists, experts in rote learning and memory challenges rather than deep thinking and enquiry. The IoD calls for students who are “imbued with curiosity, open-mindedness and the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated bits of information”. They are not looking for students who have been trained to simply recall information to pass tests. The skills that are useful to employers are almost the opposite of those skills that are applauded in our education system – the ability to be effective in team working and to find good solutions through

collaboration rather than the ability to provide a single ‘correct’ answer in isolation under exam conditions. At Sidcot School we are determined to buck the trend in order to deliver an education that prepares our students, not just for the process of the exam system while it remains, but with the resilience, skills and aptitudes that will help them lead interesting and purposeful lives. At Sidcot, we clearly state our educational mission to parents - we don’t hothouse or cram. As a Quaker school we have a wider set of values which means we pro-actively centre on our students’ lives and wellbeing – and conversely, despite our seemingly gentler, more rounded approach to education, our students perform very well, not just in their exams but in life.

ED VANC 19+ AD LOANS ER LEARN d to n’t nee o You d til you earn n repay u 00 a year! £21,0

Do something inspiring today! Hundreds of courses available - including FREE Distance Learning courses.* Enrol now!

Not just an exam factory We educate students rather than simply train them to pass tests. Find out how we can prepare your child for a life of adventure.

01278 441234 | www.btc.ac.uk *conditions apply

Look o for ou ut NEW G r UID availab E le now!

Open Morning Bank Holiday Monday 1 May 9am

GARDEN EVENTS 2017 FREE Gardens entry with LAMBING FUN DAY ticket – Sunday 19 March, Rodway Farm, Cannington, TA5 2LS. MOTHERING SUNDAY – Sunday 26 March Join us on Mothering Sunday, where all the mothers visiting us will receive free entry and a special gift.*

EASTER WEEKEND Friday 14 – Monday 17 April The Gardens will be full of spring colours. With activities for the children, and maybe a chocolate egg or two, it’s fun for all the family! walledgardens@bridgwater.ac.uk 01278 655042

*Free entry when accompanied by a paying adult. Free gift whilst stocks last. Normal entry fees apply.

Scholarships I Bursaries I Flexi-boarding I Daily school buses Independent day and boarding school set in glorious Somerset countryside, for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. Located 15 miles south of Bristol, 8 miles from Bristol international Airport.

Parent Talk March 2017 7

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

Book Bag

BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK 2017 10th – 19th March CHALLENGES

British Science Week (BSW) is a ten-day programme of science, technology, engineering and maths events and activities across the UK for people of all ages. The theme for this year’s British Science Week is “Change”, encouraging young people to think about and investigate the changes happening in the world all around us; from seasons and climate, to materials and energy. It is also a chance for young people to consider the changes they can enact to have a positive impact on the future. Anyone can organise an event or activity, and the British Science Association helps organisers plan by providing free activity and support resources. It welcomes and supports any type of organiser, from schools to community groups, from parents to large organisations. The resulting programme of events is a hugely varied and eclectic mix.

PENGUIN WATCH: CITIZEN SCIENCE W ITH ZOONIVERSE AND

Toolkit A computer/laptop or mobile/tablet Internet access A keen eye

About this activity Climate change is having many negative effects around the world, and one area feeling it more than others is the cold icy region of Antarctica. Many wonderful wildlife species are in decline from changes to their food supply and habitat, and there is a huge gap in our understanding of the Antarctic ecosystem. As a result, Penguin Lifelines has teamed up with citizen science organisation Zooniverse to help measure changes to penguin populations.

PENGUIN LIFELINES

Part 1 Get online

How does it work?

Head to penguinwa tch.org register an account and log-in. If you want your sch ool to sign up, and you want to adopt a specific colony, register as normal an d then contact the organisation.

Part 2 Pick out a penguin

This online activity inv olves you individually marking adult penguins, chicks, and eggs in the image presented to you on the screen.

Penguin Watch is a citizen science website that is trying to understand the lives of penguins. To do this, scientists have travelled to some of the coldest areas on the planet to learn more about penguin populations. However, they need your help to examine hundreds of thousands of images of wildlife in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean that have been taken over the past three years. Get involved and be a part of the conservation effort!

for more information please visit www.britishscienceweek.org

Choose whether an individual is an ‘adult’, ‘chick’, ‘egg’ or ‘other’, then click an d drag the marker to its centre Remove any acciden tal marks using the black-and-w hite cross If the penguins are too small to count or too far in the background, don’t wo rry, simply mark any in the foreg round and then click “Too many penguins to mark” Bad weather? Just clic k “I can’t tell” Partially obscured? Cli ck as many penguins as you can Mark any other anim als you see in the image too, so the scientists can see how often the y are found near the penguins’ ne sts

Next steps

If after picking out yo ur penguins, you want to discuss a specific image or even the whole pro ject, visit Talk Penguin Watch to ch at with the science team and oth er volunteers. To get involved with oth er citizen science projects, head to zoo niverse.org

CHALLENG

WORD SEA

RCH

Solve the word se of words related arch full to Remember word change. s can be up, down, diag on even backward al and s!

Words: Climate ch ange Slime

Weather

Irreversible Evolution

CHALLENGES

Environme nt Reversible

E I CATEGORIES

G L C E E R T G W P E Y K M G F R L E V T L N K O R I T E Words: F B H O R N L Find the words that fit G X G U A N H Winter Summer Flooding Einstein together best in groups I T L K E S V of four, and then give the J Q B O Climate change H e. Newton Gentoo Earthquake Humboldt nam a group T S A V X V Slime D P C Rockhopper W J Q W P Drought Hawking Emperor R E Y Weather E W J R R U H Eruption D Darwin Spring Autumn A F Reversible E W L R M J Y W D E U Q Evolution M V T S X e pl I T V O Exam Environment A N A I CHALLENGES S E T A Y Irreversible I N E C P R N V I CATEGORIES R O N M B U O chocolate E N T C Dairy Milk Crunchie Mars T Z Snickers R V X M L O D bars I F X U Z G I Q C W E K N Words: K L A O fit t tha I T U Find the words L O V Winter Summer Flooding Einstein together best in groups E X C the e giv n the of four, and

Wordsearch Words

group a name.

Humboldt

Earthquake

Gentoo

Newton

Emperor

Hawking

Drought

Rockhopper

Autumn

Spring

Eruption

Darwin

Example chocolate bars

Dairy Milk

Crunchie

Mars

Snickers

Challenges Words

Tip:

Einstein Humboldt Emperor Autumn Flooding Earthquake Hawking Spring

if you're struggling to see all the groups in the words above, write down the ones you find first, and see if you can work out what groups are in the words that are left.

Tip:

if you're struggling to see all the groups in the words above, find

visit www.parenttalk.org.uk for the answers

Summer Gentoo Drought Eruption Winter Newton Rockhopper Darwin

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Prep School - the perfect introduction to boarding

Mental Health First Aid for children and young people

For parents who are considering boarding for their children, prep school is often the perfect environment to try boarding for the first time as it provides educational consistency, in a flexible environment. At All Hallows our boarding is very much at the heart of what we do, with the dorms themselves being situated in the Manor House. Our smaller class sizes, and on-site house parents (who have young families of their own) give our boarding a real family feel, with

Teresa May announced recently her commitment to invest in helping schools to recognise Mental Health issues in their students. A long overdue focus, in my opinion. Having seen for the last five years the increase in mental health related issues in schools across the country, it is fair to say we are inadequately resourced to deal with this growing problem in our children and young people. According to Gov.UK, over ½ mental health problems start by age 14 and 75% by age 18. Amongst teenagers the rates of depression and anxiety have increased by 70% in the last 25 years, and 20% of primary school children suffer from a low sense of wellbeing. It’s no longer just academic and physical health we have to meet the needs of. There is an ever increasing sense of our children’s emotional needs being neglected. Of course, raising awareness in schools alone won’t change this situation. Our homes and support services need to be strengthened too. ‘In an average classroom, ten will have witnessed their parents separate, eight will have experienced severe

By Nicola Marshall, Brave Heart Education www.bravehearteducation.co.uk

the emphasis on pastoral care. Fully qualified nursing staff and assistant student teachers bolster the team, with all of our teaching staff contributing to our busy 7 day duty and welfare programme. Excellent prep school education really does prepare the children for senior school and for life beyond school. At All Hallows we want to offer them as wide a choice of activities as possible, so that they can really discover what they love to do and learn who they are at the same time. Our programme includes

creative design, drama, sports, clay pigeon shooting, photography, newspaper production and many other extra-curricular activities. For parents who would like to ease their children into boarding, we offer “flexiboarding” and “day plus” packages which allow the children and parents to pick and choose when they would like to stay over. If you’re interested in finding out more please contact our admissions teams on 01749 881609 or admissions@ allhallowsschool.co.uk.

physical violence, sexual abuse or neglect, one will have experienced the death of a parent and seven will have been bullied’. (MHFA Website). Frightening statistics. Not just because they are terrible things to experience, but the amount of children and young people this affects. How much more do we need to be aware of the impact of these issues for those pupils within our environments? The even more worrying fact for me is that our education system and particularly our behaviour management techniques have not evolved over the years to accommodate the change in our students. Children who may have experienced early trauma are still measured against those who haven’t. Zone boards, detentions, exclusions, isolations – all compound the sense of shame, loss and rejection that they already may feel. When we can move from behaviour modification to relieving anxiety, then maybe we can help and support those struggling emotionally in our schools and colleges. So what should our response be? We need to be aware of the

Mental Health issues prevalent and how to meet those needs when we can. There are Mental Health First Aid courses available for educators to train in, of which we are one of the providers in this country through the Mental Health England qualification. Another positive outcome is to work closer with other services and charities to support our children and their families in whatever way we can. It was encouraging to hear in the PM’s statement that a review of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services throughout the country will take place as part of this focus on Mental Health. As an adoptive parent of three and an educator of educators I wholeheartedly agree with Teresa May’s statement below, ‘For no parent should feel helpless when watching their child suffer. No teacher should feel ill-equipped to deal with a troubled pupil. No teenager should have to leave their local area to seek treatment. No child should ever be left to feel like their life is not worth living’. Let’s hope these changes will truly make a difference in this area.

The inde pendent di fference on your doorsT ep. 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 • transport available from surrounding areas.

Come and visit us

admissions@allhallowsschool.co.uk allhallowsschool.co.uk

10 Parent Talk March 2017

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

So many opportunities at Queen's Pre-Prep Queen's College Pre-Prep understands the importance of supporting working families and offers a safe and engaging environment, managed by our experienced and dedicated staff, where children enjoy free early morning supervision, from 7.45am and after school care until 6pm. We provide an extensive and varied range of free after school co-curricular activities such as football, cookery, art and craft, construction, science, playground and board games. These encourage the development of personal skills such as team work, creativity, problem-solving and fair play. Our Performing Arts Academy offers a range of after school classes to children from Reception upwards, including ballet, street jazz, hip-hop, tap and contemporary dance. We are proud of the broad and balanced curriculum we offer, ensuring every child flourishes no matter what their personal interests and abilities. The Pre-Prep children have three sports lessons a week, taught by our specialist, experienced PE staff. This includes a weekly swimming lesson in our on-site heated pool. The children also have the

opportunity to use the more extensive Queen’s College facilities including state-ofthe-art pitches and AstroTurf surfaces. From an early age children have the opportunity to learn a variety of instruments, including piano, recorder, drums, violin, cello and guitar and are taught by our talented peripatetic music teachers. Speech and Drama lessons allow the children to develop their communication, creative and performance skills as well as boosting confidence, building self-esteem, and overcoming shyness. The children have the opportunity to perform in the Taunton Speech and Drama Festival and take exams. We are always incredibly proud of how outstandingly well they perform.

At Queen's College Pre-Prep we also take learning outside the classroom to support lessons and our Forest School sessions in the woods provide hands-on outdoor learning opportunities to develop confidence and self-esteem, which in turn impact on a child’s emotional and mental well-being. Queen’s College Pre-Prep offers a wealth of opportunities to challenge, expand and develop your child's creative, sporty and inquisitive sides and our dedicated staff are committed to ensuring every child achieves their full potential. We would be delighted if you could visit – contact junioradmissions@ queenscollege.org.uk or call 01823 278928.

Happy parents, happy pupils! If it is academic results you are concerned about for your child, Wellington School has just what you need. We had superb GCSE and A Level results across all subjects and 5 of our pupils went to Oxford or Cambridge this year with and many more heading to the prestigious Russell Group Universities. Pupils study the more rigorous IGCSE in Maths, Languages and Sciences as well as Latin and Greek and the emphasis is strongly academic. However, Wellington has so much more to offer than exam results. The performing arts go from strength to strength and Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils have just enjoyed producing a spectacular production of Oliver. There are workshops, creative performances and technical opportunities and with 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 regularly sweep the board 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. Our competitive sports have been resoundingly successful this year and the new Wellbeing Programme teaches pupils a healthy lifestyle that will serve them at school and long into the future. This includes nutrition, Judo, sports psychology and a vibrant and active Outdoor Education programme. We nurture and teach pupils from 2 -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”. Come and see what makes

us so special. Contact us on 01823 668800 or admissions@ wellington-school.org.uk to find out more about our scholarship and entry procedures. Wellington Prep School has opened the doors to a host of two year olds in the new Chapel Nursery. Situated in the former Salvation Army Hall in the town, the lovely building, which sits on the edge of the School’s campus, has been re-developed to create a superb nursery unit for two year olds. It is open all year round for 8.00am to 6.00pm each week day with flexible options for busy families who are keen for their children to receive an excellent start in life. “Happy parents, happy pupils!” – The Good Schools Guide

Parent Talk March 2017 11

12 Parent Talk December 2012

NURSERY

directory

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: 01749 881600 admissions@allhallowsschool.co.uk King’s Hall Nursery King’s Hall is a wonderfully traditional Brook Green Early Years Recently yet progressive school set in the rolling relocated to purpose built setting Somerset countryside just outside offering a larger learning environment Taunton. Although the Nursery shares the and large garden, which can be accessed Preparatory school’s superb facilities, it is at all times for free flow play. Highly self contained and operates in a secure qualified staff. Spaces available now, and peaceful environment. Log cabin 2/3/4 year old funding accepted. classrooms, vast on-site Forest School and Please call 01823 353072 for further highly experienced, dedicated staff make information. King’s Hall Nursery the natural choice for children 2 to 5 years. Bridgwater & Taunton College 01823 285921 Childcare Centre is Ofsted rated www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk Outstanding and open to the general public and children of students, from Little Boots Day Nursery (Ages 0-5, four months to five years of age. There is 8am-6pm) Come and visit us on also a Holiday Play Scheme for children Pottery Farm! Our idyllic setting offers up to eight years old. fantastic opportunities for enhanced It has a secure outdoor area boasting an outdoor learning; we work with a inspirational garden, where children are maximum of 16 children a day ensuring encouraged to explore both indoor and each child gets the individual outdoor learning. attention they need. T: 01278 441270 Contact Cleo Wilson for E: childcare@bridgwater.ac.uk more information. www.bridgwaterchildcare.co.uk T 07936 555 676 littlebootsdaynursery.co.uk Hazlegrove Nursery and Pre-Prep Sparkford. Hazlegrove’s innovative Millfield Pre-Prep School (Ages 2 - 7), Pre-Prep curriculum is outstandingly situated in the beautiful Prep campus in successful, evident in the increased Glastonbury. Our aim is to encourage a confidence and ability levels as children love of learning through a combination move up to the Prep School. The of classroom and outdoor activities, children benefit from experienced staff, using a wide range of exciting and specialist teaching and exceptional stimulating teaching methods. Small facilities including an indoor swimming class sizes and excellent facilities, like pool and woods for Forest School. our on–site Forest School and indoor “Hazlegrove children are happy children” swimming pool, support this. Over 20 says Headmaster Richard Fenwick, free after school activities as well as an “we simply want to provide the very Early Birds and Late Club. best education we can for the To arrange a visit or a taster session pupils in our care”. please contact: For more information, contact Hannah Cox in Admissions Fiona O’Neill on 01963 442606 on 01458 837524

Perrott Hill Montessori Nursery and Pre-Prep. Given ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the 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 (age range 3-13) as well as having their own outdoor adventure play area. The staff are warm and friendly. Free after school care is available. 01460 72051 www.perrotthill.com Queen’s College Highgrove Nursery, Nursery School, Pre-Prep and Reception 0-5 years. Queen’s Pre Prep and Junior School is renowned for excellence in infant and junior education and care. The team at Queen’s Highgrove Nursery embrace such standards of education and development offering year round care 0-3 years. Queen’s Nursery School is situated in the Pre-Prep Department and it is here that the stepping stones to a formal education are laid. Highly qualified and experienced Nursery School staff work in close liaison with parents and the Highgrove Nursery team, ensuring a smooth and personalised transition. Queen’s offers well-established parent and toddler groups. Queen’s Pre-Prep takes pride in providing a rich, stimulating and diverse education within a nurturing and caring environment. www.queenscollege.org.uk 01823 278928, junioradmissions@queenscollege. org.uk

Rydal Day Nursery, Clevedon, is bright, fun and full of learning opportunities and happy children. Run by a fully qualified dynamic team, in a Makaton friendly setting and are "I Can accredited". Outstanding Ofsed July 2015. Open 8-6pm Monday-Thursday, 8am-5.30pm Friday all year. Two and Three year old funding accepted. www.rydaldaynursery.co.uk 01275 342352 Smartees Day Care Nursery Ltd offers professional and flexible childcare for working families, with 2 conveniently located nurseries close to 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, 7.30am5.45pm. Highly qualified teachers. Spectacular grounds and facilities used by all. Children can attend a combination of morning, afternoon and late club sessions. 01823 703300 www.tauntonschool.co.uk Tops Mini Mariners Tops Mini Mariners is based in Taunton (UKHO) and caters for children from 3 months old until they are ready to start school. Our nursery prides itself on being a warm, friendly

and caring environment for young minds to develop. The outdoor spaces accommodate a good range of climbing, balancing and sliding equipment, a sand pit and planting areas. We access the outdoor play area in all weathers. Bookings at Mini Mariners are taken per session: Morning session: 8.30am – 1.00pm and Afternoon session: 1.00pm – 5.30pm Monday to Friday 01823 323513 info.minimariners@topsdaynurseries. co.uk Tops Musgrove Park Hospital Tops Musgrove has a warm, welcoming and friendly team who form good relationships with our families. For children from 3 months old until they are ready to start school. Holiday club for children aged 5 – 11 year olds. Friendly, relaxed, safe and playful environment where children can learn, develop and enjoy their time at nursery. Hours : 6am – 8pm Monday to Friday Afternoon session: 1.00pm – 5.30pm 01823 342038 info.taunton@topsdaynurseries.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 2 years upwards. Open 50 weeks per year. Please enjoy our website www.wellington-school.org.uk or call Maria Kerr to arrange a visit. 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

A holiday in Devon for all the family to enjoy Cottages around a garden green, lots of safe play space, animals to watch and help

look after, an outdoor heated summer swimming and baby pool, a playroom and

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 29 years. Highly recommended. ‘VisitBritain 3 & 4 star’

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

12 Parent Talk March 2017

games room; the 9 cottages at Torridge House provide a friendly, laid back, relaxing setting for a family holiday. The small farm is in a very private setting surrounded by fields on the edge of a sleepy Devon village. Torridge House Cottages has an outstanding reputation for wonderful holiday experiences. For families with babies and toddlers it is a delight; relaxing, with great hospitality, truly welcoming with lots to entertain young children. Every day you can help to feed the animals on the little farm at Torridge House. Lots of magic moments helping with all the babies - bunnies, guinea

pigs, mice and ducklings; letting the ducks and chickens out and later on getting them home again; eggs to collect; ponies to see and pigs to feed. Near by the cottages are woodland walks, cycle trails, wonderful gardens, sandy beaches and lots of other fun places to visit. Massages, throwing and painting pots, babysitting, chef cooked ready meals and chilled dinners can all be arranged. So much to see and do and to help make your holiday as restful as possible. So easy just to relax in the tranquillity of the glorious North Devon countryside. Torridge House have cottages available for term time

dates in the coming year and some vacancies over Easter holidays.

There are more details on www.torridgehouse.co.uk or phone 01805 622542 for a chat.

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

60 seconds to save a life

Celebrity chef trains local nursery staff

Spending just one minute a day on first aid could slash the risk of child deaths and injuries UK PARENTS are putting children’s lives at risk through a serious lack of first aid skills, a worrying new study reveals. Despite over 60 children dying each year on average in accidents in the home, almost a quarter of parents (22%) admit they do not have any baby or child First Aid knowledge. The study, from parenting site ChannelMum.com, showed one in five (21%) mums and dads have been forced to give a child emergency first aid. But of these, under a third (31%) said they felt confident treating the child. Instead, 38 per cent were terrified the child could die with a further 20 per cent worried they would be left injured. And frighteningly, one in nine parents (11%) panicked and froze, leaving them unable to help at all. Overall the most frightening first aid scenario for parents is choking with 53 per cent of mums and dads saying this is their biggest fear. Almost a quarter of parents (23%) have faced the reality of their child choking. The next most alarming situation is a seizure with 14 per cent of parents reporting their child has had one, followed by a severe allergic reaction, experienced by one in 20 (5%). A further six per cent said they have feared their child has contacted deadly meningitis, with 16 per cent also needing to treat their child for a burn. Alongside this, almost one in ten (9%) has given CPR to a child. The survey of 2,000 adults showed becoming a parent was by far the biggest trigger to wanting to improve first aid knowledge, with 55 per cent agreeing. By contrast, just 11 per cent went on to learn more first aid after having a serious accident themselves and only two per cent to help elderly relatives. The poll also revealed 84% of parents try to childproof their home to reduce the risk of accidents - but just 42 per cent keep a first aid kit at home and only 15 per cent keep up to date with latest first aid techniques. And concerningly, while 82 per cent of families ensure they keep medicines out of children’s

reach, over a third (36%) admit they leave laundry items which can be toxic within children’s grasp, while 54 per cent have yet to secure TVs to stop them falling. A further 43 per cent don’t tie up blind cords, despite them being linked to several child deaths. However, parents correctly identified that spending just one minute a day learning first aid and minimising risks can cut the chance of your child having a serious accident or needing First Aid. The total is equivalent to just six hours over the course of a year. As a result, ChannelMum. com and St John Ambulance have teamed up to produce a brand new video First Aid course watchable on all devices including mobiles, tablets and desktop PCs. The free-to-watch seven-video series includes expert tips from TV GP Dr Dawn Harper and real-life experiences from top mummy vloggers Charlie O’Brien, Nilly Dahlia and Kate Murnane (Dolly BowBow). The videos, which include First Aid techniques and signs and symptoms of common illnesses, are available to watch at http:// w w w. c h a n n e l m u m . c o m / video/one-minute-can-saveyour-childs-life-channel-mumst-john-ambulance-first-aidcourse/ Commenting on the findings, Siobhan Freegard, founder of ChannelMum.com said: “Giving First Aid to a baby or child can be frightening, but not as frightening as not knowing what to do. We want to reassure parents they can learn first aid basics quickly, that could make all the difference if their child or someome else’s falls ill. This week, give up just seven minutes to start watching our video course and learning what you need to know.” Isobel Kearl, National Training Officer at St John Ambulance, said: “These videos are a great starting point for parent first aid and highlight how easy and quick it is to learn these essential life saving skills. For parents looking to further their first aid knowledge, our basic first aid courses take between just three to six hours and provide hands on experience. Once parents know what to do, they have the confidence to take action quickly and are able to act if needed.”

60 seconds to save a life See how many you can learn in 60 seconds - most take under 60 seconds to check or carry out. CHOKING: ● Always cut food lengthways not across ● Keep handbags out of reach - kids commonly choke on money and pen lids ● If your child is choking, never poke inside their mouth as this could push the blockage further down. ● Never leave a small child unattended BURNS

● Any burn bigger than your child’s palm needs urgent

medical attention

● Put burns into cold water for at least ten minutes ● Cover in clingfilm to keep sterile before getting help ● Remove loose clothing but if clothes ‘stick’, leave them on

until help arrives ALLERGIES

Multi-Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli visited Tops Day Nurseries to deliver a special cookery class and shared healthy eating tips with chefs within the family of 17 day nurseries. Tops Day Nurseries were contacted by the Novelli Academy for more information about the low sugar menus the nurseries provide to help tackle the obesity crisis. An assistant for ‘the nation’s favourite French chef’ spotted the story on the news and informed Jean-Christophe of Tops Day Nurseries new menus. Jean-Christophe showed a keen interest in learning more about the project lead by Tops Day Nurseries, particularly with his own passion for ensuring dishes are created in a health conscious manner. Chefs from Tops Day Nurseries were invited to watch a demonstration lead by Jean-Christophe showing

how quick and easy meals could be incorporated into the new low sugar menus. Diane Wycherley, Senior Area Manager at Tops Day Nurseries commented “We are extremely proud that our new menus attracted the attention of JeanChristophe Novelli, and we feel privileged that he attended the chef’s forum to present new ideas and recipes for us to use within our nurseries.” Jean-Christophe commented “It is wonderful to see that Tops Day Nurseries are as keen as I am to help our children and their parents understand nutrition from this important age of their development, I only wished more schools were this conscientious.” Tops Day Nurseries plan to continue to work with JeanChristophe as well as parents, to demonstrate the importance of a healthy diet both in childcare and at home.

● Have a supply of anti-histamines in your home First Aid kit ● Weaning? Be aware allergies can show up this early ● Rash? Treat it yourself with anti-histamines ● Swollen lips or tongue? Get to hospital

FEVER ● Under 6 months? 38 degrees C is a fever ● Over 6 months? It’s 39 degrees C ● Never treat children with Aspirin - check the medicine label ● Child not getting better after 72 hours? Get medical attention fast CPR ● Remember - ABC - Airways, Breathing, Circulation ● Start with 5 ‘rescue breaths’ ● Then 30 compressions / 2 rescue breaths and repeat until help arrives or child breathes ● Use ‘Nelly the Elephant’ as your timing guide. At least 120 compression a minute. SEIZURES ● Also called 'febrile convulsions’. Most are caused by a fast-rising temperature ● If your child has one, place them gently on the floor and clear space around them ● If the seizure lasts more than 2 minutes, get medical help ● If your child has one without a temperature, get medical help MENINGITIS & SEPSIS ● Don’t wait for the rash - learn the other signs ● Meningitis symptoms include joint & limb pain, light sensitivity, blotchy pale skin, flu like illness and cold hands and feet. Babies may have a high-pitched cry ● Sepsis can happen from any infection - be aware ● Signs include no wet nappy for 12 hours, vomiting, convulsions, feeling cold, not feeding and hard to wake.

Tops Day Nurseries is a friendly active family of nurseries based across Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. Why choose Tops: 17 day nurseries Open from 6am-8pm*, Monday to Friday, 52 weeks of the year Available booking to the nearest 15 minutes, so you only book the hours you need Holiday clubs offering activities for children from the age of 5 2, 3 and 4 year old funding available *subject to demand

To find out more, visit our website or find us on Facebook.

www.topsdaynurseries.co.uk Parent Talk March 2017 13

BOOK REVIEW

Editor’s choice 101 Brilliant Things for Kids to do with Science By Dawn Isaac, photography by Kate Whitaker Published by Kyle Books From bestselling kids’ activity author, Dawn Isaac, comes this exciting new volume full of creative ideas for budding young scientists. Whether your child is crazy about chemistry or bananas about biology, this book is full of experiments and projects that will get kids really excited about science. Timed to coincide with British Science Week (10-19 March), this is a fun and engaging collection of 101 kids’ activities, each of which is linked to science. Most of the activities can be completed with little or no adult supervision and any materials needed are either in the store cupboard, cheap or junk!

The Cherry Pie Princess By Vivian French, illustrated by Marta Kissi Published by Walker Books, Age: 7+ Princess Peony lives in a world full of magical creatures – hags, trolls, giants and fairy godmothers! But her father’s strict rules leave her feeling bored and lonely. She wants to learn how to do things and cooking is at the top of her list. This funny and uplifting story about a very unconventional and loveable princess is a beautifully fresh new take on the fairy tale genre.

Bruno By Catharina Valckx, illustrated by Nicolas Hubesch Published by Gecko Press Bruno, the cat in the checkered cap, takes life as it comes. When it’s too rainy to go outside, his friends come around for breakfast. When a fish invites him into the river he follows it. Why not! When the canary forgets how to talk, Bruno helps out. Days come and go, and for Bruno they always bring something interesting. And once in a while, a day comes along that is just about perfect! Six linked stories are full of friendship, silliness, and the little moments that make life good.

The Lost Kitten By Lee, illustrated by Komako Sakai Published by Gecko Press When a tiny stray kitten turns up on the doorstep, Hina and her mother take it in. Hina makes a home for the kitten and learns about caring for a living creature. Then one day the kitten goes missing. A perfectly simple story about finding something to love only to fear it may be lost. 14 Parent Talk March 2017

George’s Marvellous Experiments By Roald Dahl Published by Penguin Random House Brand new for 2017, ‘George’s Marvellous Experiments’ a companion book of super science that you can try at home! Inspired by Roald Dahl’s ultimate tale of mischief, this is the book for budding young scientists everywhere. Each experiment is broken up into simple, easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions along with an explanation of how the science behind them works, tying in to the national curriculum. George’s Marvellous Medicine By Roald Dahl Published by Penguin Random House A phizz-whizzing new edition of Roald Dahl’s iconic tale complete with a free door hanger – to protect the covert work of young would-be scientists throughout the country!

Counting with Tiny Cat By Viviane Schwarz Published by Walker Books Tiny Cat really loves red wool. At first Tiny Cat has no balls of wool. Then, what’s that? One! Two! Three! Four? And…well, counting gets a bit hard after that. The question is, will Tiny Cat ever have enough red balls of wool? With very few words and an abundance of bold, visual humour, Tiny Cat will have everyone and their cat giggling with glee.

One Pound Meals By Miguel Barclay Published by Headline In May 2016, amateur chef and foodie Miguel Barclay took to Instagram to share the gourmet recipes he had produced for less than £1 per person. Mere months later, Miguel has amassed over 135,000 Instagram followers, with each video seen by 25,000 viewers in less than an hour, and he has appeared on national television to demo his recipes. In his new book ‘One Pound Meals’, Miguel has created a collection of beautiful recipes, the majority of which are brand new to the book, all for £1 or less.

Scummy Mummies By Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn Published by Quadrille Ellie and Helen know your secrets. They know you drink wine out of a mug at teatime. They know you forgot our daughter’s name when another mother asked, even though she’s an only child. The Scummy Mummies book combines true stories from the authors and personal confessions from real life parents with hilarious quizzes, useful life hacks, and stupid jokes. ‘Scummy Mummies’ is your guide to getting through the trials and the tantrums, and surviving those Calpol years.

I’m Wrecked, This is My Journal By Shannon Cullen Published by Michael O’Mara books Filled with a mix of funny quotes, doodles and witty lists, ‘I’m Wrecked, This is My Journal’ will inspire and uplift even the most despairing of sleepdeprived parents. This is the perfect companion for those odd thoughts, bizarre expectations, significant moments and baby firsts. Whether it’s as your parenting highlights hit you in the middle of the night feed, when you’re working your way through the parent maze whilst frantically tapping the baby bouncer or looking for gin in the word search at 9am, this journal will help to raise a smile.

The Unmumsy Mum Diary By Sarah Turner Published by Penguin Random House When Sarah Turner published her first book ‘The Unmumsy Mum’ in February 2016, she took the parenting world by storm. Her debut memoir shot straight to the top of the charts and messages of support flooded in from parents all over the UK. In her new book, ‘The Unmumsy Mum Diary’, Sarah shares with us a year in her life as a mum, wife, blogger and bestselling author. With her trademark candour and sense of humour, she documents the good days and the bad days, the giggles and the tantrums. She’ll also share poignant, lifechanging moments from her year, such as her older son heading off through the school gates for the first time.

CLASSIFIED

World Book Day: 1 in 3 children will dress up as characters that aren't actually from books Over three quarters of UK children will participate in World Book Day on March 2nd this year. That’s almost 6.5 million children who will be celebrating however, a recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Blinds-Hut found that 31% of children will choose to dress up as fictional characters that aren’t even from books. A further 31% will dress as a character from a book they have never even read! Fancy dress is a big part of the celebration, with 85% of children in schools and nurseries across the UK dressing up. Almost half of parents (44%)

will make their child’s outfit themselves and 1 in 10 say that they “spend hours” on this. This may be why over 1 in 4 parents describe themselves as feeling “stressed” about World Book Day, but should a day meant to encourage children to read really be so stressful? A quarter of parents start making the outfit 2 weeks before the day itself, however, 1 in 8 actually start over 3 weeks in advance. The average parent will spend £11 on books for the day and a further £13 on fancy dress outfits. The most popular costumes for 2017 according to the survey results will be:

1. Harry Potter 2. Horrid Henry 3. Hermione Granger 4. Peppa Pig 5. The Gruffalo Ann Baskeyfield, director and designer at Blinds-Hut said, “World Book Day is such a brilliant event for children and it’s great to see so many parents and children getting involved. Getting kids excited about reading is so important for learning and development, and can be really great during their bedtime routine too. Our research highlights that many parents feel stressed about preparing for the day however, we wanted to let

them know that they are not alone in this. The most important thing isn’t how fancy your child’s outfit is, but that they are encouraged to read more.” 95% of children still prefer reading a physical book to reading on a tablet device whilst enjoying the more modern children’s books such as Harry Potter, The Gruffalo and Horrid Henry. These all beat children’s classics such as Peter Rabbit and The Famous Five to the top spot however, the top 10 had a good variety of authors and books from generations old and new, proving that reading is timeless.

The British Pea industry launches search for the UK's next top Young Chef Chance to win cookery equipment worth £500 for your school from Waitrose or ProCook and be crowned Young Pea Chef of the Year 2017 The Yes Peas! campaign is back for a second year and brings with it a second category after joining forces with British supermarket Waitrose and new sponsor for 2017, leading cookware supplier ProCook, to launch a cooking competition to find the nation’s next top chefs. Primary school children of any age up to Year Six are being invited to enter the ‘Little Pea Chef’ category sponsored by Waitrose for a second year running and due to high demand, this year’s competition is welcoming a new category for secondary school students across Year Seven and Eight, sponsored by ProCook. With support from chefs, media and farmers across the UK and with exciting prizes on offer from Waitrose and ProCook, school children from across the UK are being invited to create a delicious dish using Britain’s favourite family vegetable, the humble pea and delight the UK with their fantastic feasts. The competition aims to challenge budding young chefs to develop a healthy and delicious recipe which includes the Great British pea as star of the show. Rachel Green, Yes Peas! campaign ambassador and TV chef, said: “With over 100 entries into last year’s competition, we

are hoping to encourage even more young cooks across the country and the rest of the UK to get involved. This year we want to see secondary school pupils get their creative chefs hats on too! “Peas are a wonderfully healthy addition to any meal with an abundance of health benefits. They are an amazing source of vitamin A and C, and are rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre and low in fat. Whether it be sensational soups, delicious dips or mouth-watering mains, the versatile frozen pea can do it all! The great British pea has been gracing our dinner tables for generations and we’re looking forward to seeing what the next generation can produce!” The competition will close for entries on 3 April 2017, when a panel of judges, including TV chef Rachel Green, Waitrose Frozen Food Buying Manager, Michael Simpson-Jones, head of brand at ProCook, Sarah SaverySmith, and representatives from Birds Eye and Pinguin Foods, will shortlist five worthy Young Pea Chefs from each category to go through to the final. Michael Simpson-Jones, Waitrose Frozen Food buying manager, said: "Waitrose is very proud to be sponsoring the Young Pea Chef of the

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Year competition for a second year running. The entries in last year’s competition were outstanding so we are very much looking forward to seeing what this year can cook up and the amazing recipes that will be created in the kitchen with this great British vegetable.” The five finalists from each category will then be voted for by friends, family and schools, with chefs with the most votes winning cookery equipment worth £500 for their school from either Waitrose or ProCook. The winner and four runners up from each category will also be featured in a Yes Peas! recipe book 2017 which will include a range of creative recipes made by children that

will be distributed nationwide. Head of brand at ProCook, Sarah Savery-Smith, commented: “We are delighted to be able to support children in getting involved in not only cooking but also the wonderful Great British pea. It is such a fun and extremely relevant competition and I look forward to seeing what the country’s children can produce in the kitchen.” The competition is open to primary school children of any age up to Year Six and secondary school students across Year Seven and Eight. View full competition terms and conditions and how to enter online at www. youngpeachef.co.uk.

For pea recipe examples, visit www.peas.org and www.waitrose.co.uk. Follow the competition on Twitter @YesPeas and use the hashtag #youngpeachef to find out about the budding Young Pea Chefs and share your thoughts on who deserves to be crowned Young Pea Chef of the Year 2017.

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