Parent Talk November 2015

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

November 2015 Volume 22 Issue 10

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3 great competitions inside... plus Christmas shows

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Parent talk Sunproof end of season clearance:

contents

Family pages Education, Information Events Book Bag News Education, Information Book Review Classified

p3-7 p7-9 p8 p9-12 p13-17 p18 p19

competitions Brownie Bites Bratz Theatre Royal

p3 p12 p19

Products for Babies, Kids and Adults from £1 at our outlet store Sunproof are having a BIG SALE of end of lines, with discontinued items, sales samples, slight seconds and returns. Big discounts apply on

Charlie Girl Hair Salon

Dear Readers...

Charlie Girl Hair Salon offers a full range of hair and scalp treatments from your bog standard trim to super million hair when different sized and shaped fibres are mixed together to add volume and cover your hair naturally. For people with thin hair, Super Million Hair adheres to the scalp to add thickness to the thinning area.

We also offer all methods of hair extensions for those who want a little extra length or maybe just volume or colour as well as treatment for those with scalp disorders. Gemma, owner and senior director of

As you can see, we’re getting into gear for Christmas and as ever there are some wonderful places to go shopping for all those really special gifts that you can’t find on the high street. The numerous craft fairs around the County mean that you don’t even have to travel far to find one near you – see page 8 for details.

During half term I was invited to a press conference for First News where a very professional group of children’s champions revealed the findings of an in depth survey on The State of Britain’s Children.

You can read some of the results on page 9 – it’s certainly thought provoking. Finally, with cyber-bullying and E-Safety being two of the central themes of Anti-Bullying week 16-20 November, we’ve got some top tips from an online safety champion.

We’ll be back next month with more Christmas festivities to shout about!

Best wishes Tamsin, Editor

Editor Tamsin Humphreys Advertising Juliet Young Production Sarah Harmer December deadline 18th November 2015 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?

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.

all lines and prices start from as little as £1 Our showroom at 6, Ilton Business Park, Ilton TA19 9DU will open from Monday November 9. The sale will conclude 30 November or while stocks last.

From Rukka of Finland, waterproof rainjackets, dungarees, capes and sou’westers at half price.

Our Crocs sale coincides at the same address and we have a substantial range of clogs, wellies, flipflops, boat shoes and sandals at up to 50% off.

All stock must go, come and grab a winter bargain at our Ilton showroom. We are open weekdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, ample parking, cards welcome.

Sunproof Limited are importers, distributors, manufacturers and retailers.

Please contact sales@ sunproof.co.uk or telephone 01460 258040. We are on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Bargains include: Babybanz, J Banz, Squids kids sunglasses £1.00 – Cozyosko Australia fleece footmuffs £10.00 – Crocs Mammoth kids winter clogs £5.00 – Sun Sense sunscreen from £7, Shade Me UV Buggy Shades £12, Nokian of Finland kids waterproof wellies £10, Rukka kids dungarees and anoraks £10, waterproof mittens £5, sou’wester hats £5, Foldabrella portable beach umbrella refurbs £10, Jibbitz shoe charms 2 for £1, kids Crocs footwear lines from £10, Yoccoes kids glasses cases 50p, and much much more.

For adults, Nokian of Finland agricultural wellies, warm lined waterproof boots at half price.

Charlie Girl Hair Salon

Little Angel packages & Pamper party £6.50Show Taunton Flower Laura Hall, per head Bishops Lydeard Rachel King, Creech St Michael

Includes ✤ Hair washed and styled however they like ✤ Mini manicures

✤ Variety of hair services ✤ Hair extensions of all types and methods

01823 251714

Gift vouchers available Open 7 days a week

56 Station Road, Taunton, TA11NS

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

Charlie Girl salon, has been in the trade for 16 years and holds NVQ levels 1,2,3 and a diploma in hair. She also qualified with Toni and Guy and worked for

six years in Nottingham and surrounding branches.

Pamper sessions and parties are available at the salon.

Parties cost £6.50 and include balloons and invitations plus games on request. For further details call 01823 251714

SUNPROOF CLEARANCE SA LE ALL LINES AT 50% TO 80% OFF For babies and kids: footmuffs, shoes, sunglasses, rainwear, UV sun hats, UV swimwear For adults: wellington boots, raincoats and dungarees Plus a big selection of Crocs footwear

At our outlet store, 6 Ilton Business Park TA19 9DU Starts November 9th – while stocks last

COMPETITION

Win a box of delicious Brownie Bites We are a luxury gift company and specialise in handmade brownies and Teapigs teas. Think Salted Caramel brownies, alongside a Darjeeling Earl Grey, … Coconut, Honeycomb or Chocolate Chunk Orange? Our goal is to combine gourmet products and flavours to create a gift we all want to receive. Our gifts can be sent for any occasion. There are standard boxes we have picked for you, or you can select a bespoke box so you can choose exactly what you want in your gift.

We have teamed up with Parent Talk and have 2

WIN boxes of 18 Brownie Bites to give away. The brownies are presented in a luxury mini hamper style box. Everything is hand wrapped and packed and placed in the box so it will be perfectly presented when opened. The outside of the box is personalized with your

‘box name’ and there is a personalized greeting card inside. The box is packaged in brown paper and fits through most letterboxes. We even add a message for the postman to let him know to post it through the door!

For your chance to win, rearrange the word below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk by the closing date of 18 November 2015.

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www.thesweetreasoncompany.co.uk Parent Talk November 2015 3

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The cost of Divorce and Family Break-up The high cost of using solicitors often adds to the severe stress of a divorce or separation. Usually, solicitors charge up to £200 or more per hour and their fees can reduce family assets at an alarming rate. In addition, the mere act of going to a solicitor, and the adversarial process then followed, draw otherwise sensible people into protracted and expensive disputes.

One problem arises because solicitors can only act for their client; the husband or wife. This means that they cannot work with both parties together in order to seek a sensible settlement. Instead, solicitors talk to “the other side’s” solicitor, immediately doubling the cost.

The process usually becomes contentious as each solicitor has to “win” something in order to justify his or her fees.

This process seems designed to promote ill-will between husband and wife. Whatever good qualities they saw in each other that drew them together in the first place are gradually forgotten. They are urged to emphasise the worst aspects of their once life time partner in order to improve the eventual settlement.

Finally, any eventual settlement reached (usually years after they had started) is diminished hideously by legal costs. In other legal cases, there is another party to help bear the costs; in family law cases, the same family bears the costs for both sets of solicitors.

Probably the most important result of the current adversarial process is that not only the financial security of children is put at risk but also their emotional security. While it may be impossible to shield children from all the effects of their parents separating, it makes it much worse if the separation becomes a legal dispute with each party seeking a victory over the other.

On the other hand, while many people would prefer not to face the problems caused by

using a solicitor, they find it too daunting to handle a divorce and related matters on their own.

There is another way to seek legal help with divorce and related matters – Bridge Law. As a consequence of the way we operate, we can offer low rates and fixed costs. This is partly because we do not carry the high overheads of firms of solicitors and partly because the client carries out much of the work involved directly, only assisted and supported by us when necessary. The partner involved, Stephen David (pictured), is a barrister with direct Public Access Accreditation and so can accept instructions without the need of a solicitor. Stephen is regulated by the Bar Council and has full professional indemnity insurance as well as wide experience of family and commercial matters.

Bridge Law provides an affordable alternative to high street solicitors; an alternative that provides high and personal client care with very considerable savings in legal fees. Stephen is based in Taunton and can be contacted on stephendavid@bridgelaw. co.uk or 07740 786232.

He is the local representative in Somerset for Bridge Associates, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3XX.

BRIDGE LAW Legal Advisers The affordable low cost alternative to Solicitors Providing high quality low-cost fixed-fee advice and services in legal matters, including divorce, and representation in court.

Local representation in Taunton: Stephen David, Barrister.

Mobile: 07740 786232 Email: stephendavid@bridgelaw.co.uk Bridge Law www.bridgelaylaw.co.uk 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX

4 Parent Talk November 2015 Tel: 0207 692 0893

Road Safety Week Families and communities urged to get involved in Road Safety Week, calling on everyone to drive less, live more Families and community groups are being urged to get involved in Road Safety Week 2015 (23-29 November), the UK’s biggest road safety event, to help make our communities safer for people to walk and cycle.

The charity Brake, which coordinates the event, is encouraging parents and community leaders to go to www.roadsafetyweek. org.uk to get ideas on promoting safer road use and campaigning for safer roads locally in the Week, and register online for a free e-action pack.

Road Safety Week, now in its 19th year, is coordinated with the support of headline sponsor Specsavers and the Department for Transport.

It’s a great opportunity for community groups, families and schools and to take action on local road safety issues, and run activities and campaigns to help make roads safer and prevent needless casualties.

Parents and budding community road safety champions can access free electronic resources and guidance to help them get involved. Go to www. roadsafetyweek.org.uk/ communities for ideas and to get a free e-action pack. This includes downloadable posters and advice and case studies

of what others have done in previous years.

The Road Safety Week 2015 theme is ‘drive less live more’.

Brake will be encouraging drivers, families and whole communities to consider how they travel, and if they can ditch some vehicle mileage, and instead walk, cycle or use public transport as much as possible. Last year 7,795 community groups, schools and organisations registered to take part, running activities including fundraisers, road safety workshops, protests against fast traffic, community speed checks, and poster design competitions, many in partnership with local

authorities, emergency services, or other agencies.

Julie Townsend, Brake deputy chief executive, says: “Road safety isn’t just about safe driving and using the green cross code. It’s about making our streets safe and pleasant for everyone to use freely, and doing what we can to protect ourselves, people around us and the environment. A big part of that is driving less if we can, and this can make a huge difference to health and wellbeing, communities and

the planet. That’s why this Road Safety Week, we’re encouraging everyone –including companies – to consider how they travel, and if possible ditch some vehicle mileage, and walk, cycle or use public transport instead.

“Parents and community groups can help get this vital message out, and make a big difference to their local community.

See roadsafetyweek.org.uk for ideas and inspiration, and to register for a free e-action pack to help you take part.”

REGISTER NOW! Register at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/communities to get a free e-action pack. Plus, stay in touch by following @BrakeCharity and tweet about the Week using #roadsafetyweek

More quality time for families UK families are now spending MORE quality time together than ever before, according to new research Despite juggling two or more jobs and having to take the children here there and everywhere, most families manage to enjoy two hours and 23 minutes of each other’s company every day before the little ones go to bed.

By comparison, only 25 minutes are spent hooked to the phone and only 50 minutes are spent working from home.

Indeed families are working hard to improve their work life balance, by ditching household chores and work in favour of snuggling up with a movie, reading together or playing in the garden.

The study also revealed that parents believe they are now spending more time with their own family than they did as children with their parents.

A spokesman for Tiny Pop which commissioned the study of 2,000 parents to celebrate the recent arrival of Miffy’s Adventures, Big and Small, said: “It’s great to see that work and mobile phones aren’t stopping parents from spending time with their family.

“In the past we’ve seen that mum and dad are working from home, taking calls during the

evening and taking on long commutes which have eaten in to their family time.

“But this study has revealed that families are really starting to spend undistracted time together – more than ever.

“It seems their views on what ‘quality time’ means has changed too, it’s not just day trips and long walks anymore.”

But despite the change in attitudes towards family life, more than half would love to spend even more time with their kids.

What is ‘quality’ time these days?

When asked what they consider to be quality time with their children, parents agreed shared activities such as arts and craft, cuddling on the sofa to watch TV or reading a book together before bed were important.

However, half of UK parents now also consider more mundane tasks such as cleaning up after playtime and washing the car as valuable time - if done together with their child.

Four in 10 parents also feel driving their children to after school clubs is another opportunity to spend some precious moments together.

Cooking the dinner and the food shop can sometimes get in the way of proper family time; however 85 per cent of parents are now cooking with their children for fun.

And more than one third are using the weekly food shop as time to bond with their young off-spring.

Sunday still the best family day In a throwback to days when it was considered a day of rest, Sunday was revealed to be still the best day of the week for modern parents to spend quality time with their family.

However the survey showed that many families will squeeze what they can out of weekdays.

In the mornings, parents believe they manage to fit in almost half an hour together over breakfast before school and work.

But if a day comes when they have to miss out on their much needed time as a family, the main reasons will be because parents are at work or having to complete the household chores.

The Tiny Pop spokesman added: “Let’s make the weekly shop fun with our kids, let’s turn cooking into entertainment, what we’ve traditionally seen as chores can actually be a great time to bond and spend fun, quality time with the kids. It’s great to see!”

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Fe Fi Fo Fun! It’s Pantotime in Wimborne!

So all the cast are ready and waiting in the wings to amuse and entertain you in what is certain to be a GIANT of a pantomime, with spectacular sets, beautiful costumes and laughter by the bucketful!

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK is already the fastest selling pantomime in the history of the Tivoli Theatre, so book your tickets now to avoid disappointment!

This is sure to be a magical Pantomime adventure suitable for all the family, young and old.

This promises to be the best

‘Ebenezer Scrooge… a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!’ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

value for money this Christmas!

Friday 18th Dec 2015 – Sunday 3rd Jan 2016 Box Office 01202 885566 www.tivoliwimborne.co.uk

Running from Fri 4 Dec – Sun 3 January, Exeter Northcott Theatre and Creative Cow present a magical new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ much-loved Christmas classic.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a notoriously bitter old man who is determined not to let Christmas interfere with his miserly routine. But one Christmas Eve, Scrooge receives some unexpected supernatural visitors who are determined to show him the true spirit of Christmas and the error of his ways.

Creative Cow’s artistic director Amanda Knott directs an ensemble company of actors and musicians to bring you this magical, inventive, heart-warming adaptation of a festive classic, with Dickens wit and masterful storytelling at its core. Guaranteed to appeal to young and old alike, A Christmas Carol will melt even the coldest of hearts and leave all rejoicing with Christmas spirit.

Family tickets available from £27 for 3 for off-peak

performances. Call the box office on 01392 72 63 63 or visit www.exeternorthcott.co.uk for more information or to book.

©Matt Austin

Following last year’s RecordBreaking production of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, The Tivoli Theatre and Producers Ron Martin Management & Born2Perform are delighted to announce JACK AND THE BEANSTALK as this year’s spectacular family pantomime!

This magical pantomime adventure will be brought to life from Page to Stage from 18th December – 3rd January and features a fantastic cast of professional pantomime performers!

Paul Ewen returns to the Tivoli Theatre by popular demand as the hilarious SILLY BILLY, following his rib-tickling appearance in ALADDDIN 2 years ago. Paul will be joined by seasoned professional MICHAEL FORDRED, who plays his mum – the maneating DAME TROTT! Every pantomime needs a hero, and this year it’ll be down to the handsome PAUL BURLEY (who plays the title role of JACK) to defeat the villains and save the day! By climbing the Beanstalk and proving his bravery, he’s sure to win the heart of the beautiful JILL, played by LEAH LLOYD. No pantomime would be complete without a touch of sparkle, so CHARLOTTE HOY will be casting a magic spell over Wimborne this year as the magical FAIRY BEANSPROUT, who is doing her best to overcome the evil powers of GIANT BLUNDERBONE and his evil henchman FLESHCREEP (SAM DUNNING). As always, the Tivoli Pantomime will feature a Full Supporting Cast of young, local dancers and performers!

Rejoice with Christmas spirit at Exeter Northcott Theatre

Extra special Christmas at the Merlin Theatre This year the Merlin Theatre present an extra special Christmas show as they celebrate their 40th birthday. Based on the original fairy tale, The Little Mermaid has been written specially for the company to perform during this year of celebration.

16-year-old Mermaid Tallulah is fascinated with life on land. During her visit to the surface, she falls for a human; the handsome Prince Edgar.

Despite warnings from GrandMer and her Father King Triton she is determined to be with her new love.

Tallulah leaves the warmth of her family and her happy life under the sea to make a Faustian deal with the Sea Witch to become human. But will she live happily ever after with her Prince, and what dark secrets are hidden in the murky watery depths?

Featuring many traditional folk such as the Sea Witch, King Triton, beautiful princesses

and mermaids, sea creatures, and a royal family, we are also introduced to new characters such as Finn and Nip & Tuck, the crazy, clumsy crabs.

This year award winning Director Claudia Berry has embraced the entire creative process; writing and directing a new script, collaborating with Allison Herbert and local musicians on original music and lyrics for the show,

and teaming up with award winning choreographer Abi Holmes to produce a magical, visual musical - perfect for families to kick-start the seasonal festivities.

The show runs from Friday 4 – Saturday 12 December and tickets are on sale now with prices starting at just £5.

To book call the Box Office on 01373 465949 or visit www. merlintheatre.co.uk

The classic story with a twist in the tail!

FRIDAY 4th to SATURDAY 12th DECEMBER Merlin Theatre Box Office 01373 465 949

The Little COMPANY presents

www.merlintheatre.co.uk

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Parent Talk November 2015 5

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Christmas fun for all the family at Hestercombe Gardens We’re dusting off the decorations and preparing for an unforgettable traditional Christmas experience here at Hestercombe.

Our packed programme of festive events for the Christmas season includes a magical synthetic ice rink, a Christmas shopping extravaganza, theatre performance and a festive walk of lights.

You can ensure you don’t leave your shopping until the last minute with the Hestercombe Christmas Market, offering more than 60 inspiring stalls with beautiful Christmas gifts, delicious treats and hand-crafted treasures. With something for everyone you’ll have your presents wrapped up in no time.

You’ll have the best dressed door this winter when you Make your own Christmas Wreath with florist Sarah

Pepper, and enjoy tea or coffee and a mince pie. When you’ve finished you can take your festive creation home with you.

The Hestercombe covered ice-rink will transport you into a magical winter-wonderland as you spin across its glassy surface in a stunning Christmas marquee. Whether you take your friends, family, or your colleagues Festive Skating, you’ll enjoy every minute.

Father Christmas at Hestercombe means you can meet the man himself and step into Santa’s grotto as he keeps warm in front of a roaring fire.

Tell him your Christmas wishes, and he’ll make sure you receive a special early Christmas gift, before he dashes off to deliver the rest of his presents in time for the big day.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without watching A Christmas Carol, and Folksy Theatre brings

this Dickens classic to life in a brand new adaptation which the whole family can enjoy.

Traditions of yesteryear are celebrated in Hestercombe’s very own Christmas Traditions Trail around the Georgian Landscape Gardens, celebrating the things we hold dear and which make Christmas extra special. Follow the trail and discover the stories behind some of our oldest Christmas traditions.

Enjoy a winter warmer in the cafe while you write your wish list or thank you letter to Father Christmas and drop it in the post box to get to the North Pole.

The Hestercombe Winter Walk of Lights takes place in

the Victorian Shrubbery after dark. With beautiful coloured up-lit trees and shrubs you’ll see a new side of the garden, illuminating and beautiful, which will ensure you’re filled with warmth and Christmas cheer this festive season.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without carols, and the Phoenix singers will be performing Christmas Carols in Hestercombe House while you warm your fingers around a cup of mulled wine, and enjoy mince pies on the evening of December 5.

Why not make a day of it and enjoy all the traditional Christmas festivities on offer at Hestercombe this year with the whole family.

For Hestercombe’s full Christmas programme, prices and booking, visit www.hestercombe.com

Children can meet Father Adopt Puddy the pony Christmas at Monkton Elm for Christmas!

BOYS and girls from Somerset who have been nice and not naughty will be able to see Father Christmas at a garden centre in the county from November.

Santa will be climbing down the chimney into Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre in Somerset from November 21 and meeting lots of children.

Andrew Pitman, Store Manager at the award-winning, family run garden centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton, said: “We’re thrilled that Father Christmas has decided to take up residence in our grotto and meet all the boys and girls from the area.

“Anyone who comes along will be in for a real treat as they’ll not only get to meet the big man himself but will also receive a present of their choice, a colouring card and a sticker as well as sitting in on a story telling session, with stories read by one of Santa’s little helpers.”

Grotto visiting times will be from 10am until 4pm starting on Saturday, November 21. The visits can be booked online via www. monktonelmgardencentre. co.uk and will cost £7.50 per child.

Help save the Dartmoor pony on Dartmoor. It’s the perfect Christmas present!

Children can meet Father Christmas in his grotto at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre.

Parent Talk

For more information, please visit the garden centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield between Bridgwater and Taunton, call 01823 412381, visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk, log on to www.facebook.com/Monktonelm or follow the company on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/Monktonelm.

Running out of ideas for the family dinner? head over to our website www.parenttalk.org.uk where you’ll also find lots of easy family recipes 6 Parent Talk November 2015

talk

ADOPT YOUNG DARTMOOR PONY PUDDY – and follow her progress all year round!

To help fund its work to preserve the traditional Dartmoor pony on the Moor, the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust charity (DPHT) offers a “Pony Adoption Gift Pack”, suitable for anyone, of any age, who loves horses and ponies, but for whom buying a real one is simply not an option.

This year, in addition to its existing ponies George, Charlie, Smartie and Rolo, we have a new ‘girl’ who needs to be loved! Puddy is two years old and came to the Trust as a gift from Devon-based famous wildlife and adventure photographer, Tracey ElliotReep. Puddy represents the bloodlines and wonderful temperament of a herd that has now almost disappeared from the Moor. It is hoped that she will join the DPHT’s team of ponies that are the foundation of its ‘Ponies Inspiring People’ programmes - working with young people with challenging behaviour and disabilities when she matures at 4-5 years old.

By buying an Adoption, you will be helping the DPHT to feed and care for the ponies based at its Devon Centre; and to give young moorland-bred ponies a basic education, so that they are more suitable for domestic and conservation grazing homes than coming straight off the Moor as wild, untouched animals.

New DPHT adoption pony, Dunstone Pudsham (Puddy) ©Kathy Tipping

Adopt a pony for christmas!

The cost is just £20 per year for UK residents: £25 for those who live abroad. Every Adoption Pack includes a beautiful line drawing and an adoption certificate and you’ll also receive updates on the development and progress of the pony you have chosen, over the following year.

Ponies George, Charlie, Smartie, Rolo – and now young Puddy - look forward to meeting you and to becoming part of your family! They live at the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust Centre, at Parke, Bovey Tracey in Devon.

Visitors are welcome on selected dates throughout the year – see the website or phone the Centre. Come along to groom and handle the ponies and find out all about them, follow their interesting lives, discover their true value and

how important they are to the Dartmoor landscape.

Puddy is a great example of how good Dartmoor ponies are as family ponies and for riding, driving and conservation grazing: they are fundamental to the DPHT’s innovative ‘Ponies Inspiring People’ education programme. Some incredible achievements have been made by students through their work with these loving, gentle, patient but tough little ponies.

The Aim of the DPHT is to preserve the traditional Dartmoor pony on Dartmoor, for future generations to enjoy.

If you are interested in adopting a Dartmoor Pony please look up our website www.dpht.co.uk or phone 01626 833234 If you simply wish to make a donation to assist with our work, please do get in touch – your support is greatly appreciated.

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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 .

3rd-28th November: Mary Poppins. The Hippodrome, Bristol. The magical story of the world’s favourite Nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane has been triumphantly and spectacularly brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The stage version is brilliantly adapted from the wonderful series by PL Travers and the beloved Walt Disney film. 0844 871 3012 4th November: Born to Bird.

Shapwick Village Hall, 7.309.30pm. 13 year old Mya-Rose Craig AKA Birdgirl is an avid birder, blogger and storyteller.

Listen to her amusing tales of being born into a birding family and finding her own path to becoming a world birder. Mya will recount some of her experiences and birds seen around the world, as she became the youngest person to see 3,500 different species.

She will also talk about her birding in Britain and of her desire to inspire young people to become interested in birds, wildlife and conservation. £2.50, children free. 01278 684430 5th-8th November: 16 singers. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Using the voices of 16 live singers, this piece cleverly captures the attention of tiny spectators with breath, rhythms and song, and blends movement patterns and dance with an intricate, moving set. Age: 0-18 months. 01225 823409 6th November: Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Grand Firework Display. 7.308.30pm. St Matthew’s Field, West Street, Bridgwater TA6 3AR. 01278 428220

6th-8th November: The Bishop’s Palace Craft Fair.

Bishop’s Palace, Wells. 10am4pm. Range of workshops, craft kits, craft-based stalls and an array of stalls offering pre-made artisan gifts. Stalls will include decoupage, furniture upcycling, jewellery making, woodwork, ceramics, children’s crafts and many more. 01749 988111 7th November: Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival. One of the world’s largest illuminated winter carnival processions and over two hours long. 7pm.

7th November: Firework Display & Bonfire Night at Puxton Park. 5-8pm. Puxton Park, Cowslip Lane, Hewish, BS24 6AH. 01934 523500 7th-8th November: Funky Art House at The Bishop’s Palace Craft Fair, Wells. 124pm. Funky Art House brings their fantastic children’s craft workshops to the Craft Fair.

Children will have the chance to create felt Christmas Tree decorations in the shape of Robins, Penguins or Christmas Trees and can take their creations home at the end of the session! 01749 988111 8th November: Burnham on Sea Grand Firework Display.

The Esplanade, Burnham on Sea. 7pm. Event sponsored by Burnham on Sea town council.

01278 788088 9th November: Burnham on Sea & Highbridge Guy Fawkes Carnival. Town Centre, Burnham on Sea. 7.30pm 11th-15th November: Under Foot. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Come and explore three different floor surfaces and take part in a magical and immersive sensory experience, interacting with the performers and

Children’s Hospice South West We provide hospice care for children with lifelimiting conditions as well as supporting their whole family. The care we offer is wide ranging; respite and short breaks, emergency care, palliative care and end of life care. We operate three hospices; Little Bridge House in North Devon, Charlton Farm in North Somerset and Little Harbour in Mid Cornwall.

Santa’s on the Run 2015 Festive fun for a good Claus!

Our Santa’s on the Run is a sight to behold. Hundreds of Santa’s take part in this festive fun run in locations across the 8 Parent Talk November 2015

South West. Adults, children and even the family pets, take to the streets dressed as Santa in this gloriously colourful festive 2k run.

Entry includes Santa suit, medal and festive treats. Run with family, friends or colleagues - you could even make it your staff Christmas party this year!

Being part of our annual Santa Run means the world of difference to our children and their families and supports the very special care that we offer 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

All of this is only available because of our supporters - we really couldn’t do it without them!

responding to the textures and sensations through movement, dance and play. A unique soundscape is produced via interactive technology beneath the floor that is triggered by your movements above and brought to life by a live musician. Age: 1 & walking.

01225 823409 12th-14th November: Our Teacher’s Troll. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Two terrible twins with a talent for turmoil rule their school with terror and tyranny. That is, until the arrival of a new head teachers with green scaly skin, sharp gnarly fangs, and a long spiky tail…Can the twins save the school from the child-eating Troll? Can they get Brussels sprouts in peanut butter taken off the lunch menu? And most importantly, can naughtiness prevail? Age: 7+. 01225 823409 13th November – 3rd January: Festival of Light.

Longleat, Warminster. Hundreds of illuminated designs help transform the world-famous Wiltshire estate into a glowing Winter wonderland, on a spectacular scale. Europe’s largest ever display of Chinese lanterns will once again be at Longleat and this year’s festival combines some of last year’s most popular lanterns with beautiful new scenes, including a traditional Chinese Dragon Boat and the iconic Terracotta Army. 01985 844400 13th November: Weston super Mare Guy Fawkes Carnival. Procession of light and music throughout the town. 7.15pm 14th November: North Petherton Guy Fawkes Carnival. Procession starts at 7pm.

14th-15th November: Illuminated Festival Trail.

Dunster Castle, Dunster. 3.307pm (last admission 6.30pm).

See the gardens illuminated with festive lighting on this selfled garden walk. 01643 821314 15th November: All Decked Out – Christmas Shopping Event. Pawlett Pavilion, Pawlett TA6 4SF. Soak up the smells of mulled wine and mince pies and the sounds of Christmas carols as you wander around the stalls offering locally produced, handmade and unique items.

Free entry. 01278 781879 18th November: Shepton Mallet Guy Fawkes Carnival.

Town Centre. Procession starts at 7.30pm.

20th November: Wells Guy Fawkes Carnival. Town Centre.

Procession starts at 7pm.

19th-21st November: Our Town. the egg, presented by Young People’s Theatre at Theatre Royal Bath. It’s just another day in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. Howie Newsome, the milkman, makes his delivery rounds. Dr Gibbs returns from delivering a set of twins, and childhood friends Emily and George fall in love, beginning what should be a lifetime of happiness together.

Age: 12+. 01225 823409 21st November: Dunster Village Society – Annual Christmas Bazaar. Dunster Tithe Barn, Priory Green, Dunster.

TA24 6RY. 10am-4pm. Come and meet Father Christmas in his Grotto, various stalls, refreshments and a raffle with background seasonal music.

01643 822089 21st November: Glastonbury Guy Fawkes Carnival.

Procession starts at 7pm.

21st-22nd November:

Christmas at Hestercombe.

Hestercombe House & Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine. TA2 8LG. 10am-6pm (5pm on 22nd).

Over 60 festive stalls bursting with beautiful gifts, delicious treats and unusual handcrafted items. 01823 413923 21st- 22nd November: Illuminated Festival Trail.

Dunster Castle, Dunster. 3.307pm (last admission 6.30pm).

See the gardens illuminated with festive lighting on this self-led garden walk. 01643 821314 21st -27th November: Oceans 7 Swim Challenge.

All 1610 swim sites. Bridgwater swimmers Greg Kyd and Rich Hill will swim 12 hours a day for 7 consecutive days at six 1610 swimming pools. Help raise money for two charities - the Wooden Spoon and Ichthyosis.

Jump in and sign up to one of the sponsored swim challenges and help raise money for 2 fantastic causes. Something for all ages and abilities! Details of all challenges - http:// www.1610.org.uk/events/ oceans-7-charity-channelswim/ 28th November: Christmas Fair. Princess Royal Sports Centre, Wellington TA21 8NT. 10am-2pm. Large selection of craft and gift stalls plus refreshments, music and Santa’s Grotto. 01823 668718 28th November: Cotford St Luke Church Christmas Fayre. Bethal Mead, Cotford St Luke TA4 1NY. Craft stalls, face painting, lucky dips, raffle, refreshments, cake stall and lots, lots more! 10am-2pm.

07794 763049 28th November: Christmas Market. Cranmore Memorial Hall, Cranmore BA4 4QJ. 10am-

4pm. Craft stalls, tea, coffee and snacks. 01749 345351.

28th-29th November: Illuminated Festival Trail.

Dunster Castle, Dunster. 3.307pm (last admission 6.30pm).

See the gardens illuminated with festive lighting on this self-led garden walk. 01643 821314 3rd December – 10th January: Little Sure Shot. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath.

Based on the real life rags to riches story of how little Annie befriends the famous showman Buffalo Bill and grows up to the Queen of the Wild West. Little Sure Shot will amuse, delight and inspire audiences of all ages. Age: 6+.

01225 823409 PANTOMIMES & CHRISTMAS SHOWS 4th December – 3rd January: A Christmas Carol. Exeter Northcott Theatre.

01392 726363 5th December – 3rd January: Snow White. Bristol Hippodrome. 0844 871 3012 10th December 10th January: Jack and the Beanstalk. Theatre Royal, Bath. 01225 448844 11th December – 3rd January: Cinderella. The Playhouse, Weston super Mare. 01934 645544 18th December – 3rd January: Jack and the Beanstalk. Tivoli theatre, Wimborne.

01202 885566 28th December – 2nd January: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Regal Theatre, Minehead 01643 706430

South Somerset Mind South Somerset Mind are currently running a Wellbeing Outreach Project. The project runs within three locations in South Somerset; Langport, Yeovil and Crewkerne and in Mendip in Frome. The project aims to improve the levels of physical and mental wellbeing in people who are not able to access local or community services, and to help improve their confidence and reduce levels of anxiety.

This is done through a series of life skills workshops and wellbeing activities, to develop their ability to cope with everyday life. Our service users can access up to 12 sessions, to work towards meeting

their goals they set with our support workers. There is also the capacity to meet a support worker for a one to one talk. The groups run at these locations and times; ■ Langport - Monday 12 noon3pm Ridgeway hall, Stacy’s Court, Bow Street, TA10 9PQ ■ Yeovil - Tuesday 11.30am2.30pm Milford Community Hall, Milford Road, BA21 4QD ■ Yeovil Gardening Group 11am-1pm Milford Community Hall, BA21 4QD ■ Crewkerne - Thursday 1.30pm-4.30pm Speedwell, Abbey Street, TA18 7HY ■ Frome - 11am-2pm Frome Medical Centre, Enos Way, BA11 2FH

For further information, please call 01935 474875 or email KarenCarter@southsomersetmind.co.uk

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

wTHEeSTAlcTEoOFmBRITAe IN’S CHILDREN – KEY FINDINGS to youNrAL WELLBEING EMOTSIO n o i ct e s W E N

Book Bag NEWS

bringing you competitions, job tasters, boredom busters, interesting facts and everything topical...

The state of Britain’s children Emotional wellbeing key findings

80%

75%

“Because I’m happy” We have ren! 75% of child y happ children are happy or very happy at school and a huge 95% are happy or very happy at home!

Great work UK!

50%

Friend Request!

By the age of 14 nearly 50% of children surveyed say they feel lost when they don’t have access to a phone, tablet or computer. We also saw 25% of children saying that not having access to a phone, tablet or computer makes them feel left out.

But the grass isn’t always greener. Of those who do have ready access to a phone, tablet or computer, 15% of them report that what they see their friends doing online makes them jealous.

Crime and terrorism is another major concern – the second biggest fear after worries about families, and way above concerns about issues such as the environment.

48%

Home is where the heart is! When it comes to global affairs two thirds of children admit that they don’t worry about/don’t think about what goes on outside the UK. When broken down regionally – children in London are more internationally conscious than any other region with 48% of children saying they do worry about what goes on outside Britain.

And they think they are the lucky ones… More than 80% of children surveyed believe they have a good or very good life in comparison to other children in Britain. And it’s children from the North East who think they have it best.

Kids in the north feel they are most likely to be bullied for not having the coolest things.

97%

Concerned about giving your child an email address? Don’t be – 97% of children say they have never been bullied via email.

25%

When it comes to employment – getting a job is something London children worry about more than any other UK region (25%)

Can’t get no sleep…

Almost a third of children say they don’t get enough peace and quiet.

76%

While there has been a lot of campaigning around online bulling – our research shows that, out of all the children we surveyed, 76% of 14 year olds have never been bullied online. Face-toface bullying remains a bigger problem – 46% of children say they have been bullied face to face, compared to 12% being bullied on a social media platform.

T

First News Children’s Champions

his year, First News, embarked on a mission to find out the State of Britain’s Children – are they happy?

How do they feel about the future? What’s really happening in their schools and in their home lives?

The current government has made numerous promises to look at the wellbeing of this nation. So, an exploration into how our children think and feel about their lives and, in turn, a look at what kind of job our society is doing for its youngest generation is of paramount importance.

First News partnered with award winning insight agency Opinion Matters to find out what the State of Britain’s Children is today. The questions covered a wide range of topics, ranging from home life to school life, from first loves to inner fears, from the latest technology to the coolest brands. The culmination of these results has provided a rare insight in to the state of Britain’s children today.

This survey’s results from more than 2,000 children, aged between 7 and 14, across the UK were collated and the findings were unveiled at a press conference in front of a high profile media audience. The conference was delivered only by children, demonstrating how this survey is by the children of the UK, from the children of the UK and for the children of the UK. Parent Talk was invited to hear the results of the key findings which were categorised into 1) Emotional Wellbeing 2) Physical Appearance 3) Parents 4) School 5) Technology 6) Love 7) The World PHYSICAL APPEARANCE Hey good looking!!

When surveying British kids about how they think they look, the findings show

that girls are twice as likely to say they are ugly or unattractive as boys and are twice as likely to worry about this. Boys are less concerned with their appearance, with one in ten saying they don’t even think about how they look. It certainly seems that the female ideal, and the pressure to achieve it, has become unrelenting.

However, while this has previously proven to be most prevalent in teenage girls and young women, it appears this has begun to trickle its way down to girls aged 14 and below. The increased focus and obsession with self-image and possessing their ‘ideal’ body image, may be influenced by young people caught up in the selfie and celebrity culture, through social media and reality TV. Kids’ confidence in their appearance seems to dwindle as they get older. While more than 40% of seven year olds say they think they are pretty or handsome, by the age of 13 this figure has fallen sharply to a self-conscious 18%. Their appearance is also something that children think about more and more as they get older – in fact 14 year olds are three times more likely to think about how they look, in comparison to a seven year old.

When this is broken down regionally, the First News survey reveals that London kids are the most appearance conscious in comparison to any other region – with more than 95% of them thinking about their appearance. In contrast 14% of Welsh children don’t even think about how they look. Londoners also think they’re the best looking, whereas children in the East of England rate their looks least.

What about the other categories?

To discover more of the findings, visit www.firstnews.co.uk

www.firstnews.co.uk

Book Bag NEWS

Training for space

‘There was a pleasant feeling of lightness ...everything felt so easy and free’ Sealed inside a small chamber, a cosmonaut in training must adjust to the isolation of a spacecraft.

Yuri Gagarin on his first experience of freefall

Here he tolerates days, and sometimes weeks, of extreme temperatures, while machines monitor his mental and physical wellbeing.

Such an endurance test was one of many new experiences devised to prepare the first cosmonauts for space flight. However, the initial problem of training the cosmonauts was that noone actually knew what awaited them during the flight, as no human had ever been into space.

What kinds of training facilities, equipment and simulators needed to be designed? What knowledge, skills and experience did a cosmonaut need? Even before the first successful orbital dog flights, the Chief Designer of the Soviet Union’s rocket programme assembled a team of doctors from the fields of aviation medicine and biology to find the right human candidates and prepare them for the unknown.

The first 20 Soviet Cosmonauts – Yuri Gagarin is sitting to the left of Sergei Korolev (centre), the Chief Designer of the Soviet space programme. © RIA Novosti

The first cosmonauts The first crop of cosmonaut candidates were all military test pilots who had the discipline and physical characteristics to take on the first space missions. In other words, they had flown everything and would try anything. In 1957 a team of medics travelled across the Soviet Union to meet candidates, looking only for those young men in absolutely perfect health, with hundreds of hours of flight time, discipline, a flawless record, short stature and a slender frame.

In the end over 3000 applicants were screened in intense medical checks and personal interviews, and by the end of 1959 this list was narrowed down to the final 20.

Dormitories, classrooms and the first training simulators were set in a secret location 40 kilometres from Moscow in preparation for the arrival of the first

cosmonaut candidates. Their training programme commenced at 09.00 on 14 March 1960.

Each day began with one hour of exercise in the morning, regardless of the weather. This was followed by classeses in the new field of space science: G-forces, weightlessness, as well as rocket technology, flight dynamics and the design of the spacecraft and its systems. Coursework was punctuated with physical activity in the gymnasium: running, jumping, swimming, diving, gymnastics, volleyball and basketball.

Special attention was paid to parachuting experience, and the number of jumps each candidate had completed.

The goal was to make jumping out of an aeroplane a familiar task, and cosmonauts learned to do so on land and on water, in daylight and at night, and from various heights.

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

FAMILY

Book Bag NEWS Cosmonauts Exhibition on at The Science Museum

Yuri Gagarin before the first space flight, April 12 1961, © RIA Novosti

The human Laika New equipment began to be used. Weeks were spent in hyperbaric chambers, training on treadmills, swings, vibration chairs and a centrifuge. The candidates spent their first days inside a spacesuit at a temperature of 55 °C and at 40% humidity. The training used the same equipment over and over again, but intensified the experience each time.

Yuri Gagarin, who was one of the first 20 candidates, recorded his experience during training in a journal. He remembers his first experiences of free fall in a diving aircraft with fondness: ‘There was a pleasant feeling of lightness. I tried moving my arms, my head. Everything felt so easy and free. I caught a pencil floating in front of my face ... On the third free-fall test I tried turning in my seat, moving my feet, lifting them and pulling them down. What a pleasant and funny feeling; no matter where I put my feet, there they hung. All I wanted was to move around some more.’

Throughout the training the first 20 cosmonaut candidates

were unaware of the final assignment that lay ahead. They knew they were going to fly in a rocket, and some even jokingly referred to each other as ‘the next Laika’, but their mission was finally revealed when Chief Designer Korolev introduced them to the first manned spacecraft – the Vostok. Close to the time of the first manned flight, the final seven cosmonaut candidates were shown the ball-shaped descent module that would take them on a single orbit around the Earth.

Written by Julia Tcharfas, Curatorial Assistant at The Science Museum.

One small step forward for a man Why was Yuri Gagarin selected?

There has been much speculation about this with many ideas put forward.

Discover more at the Cosmonauts Exhibition on at The Science Museum until 13 March 2016.

***** ‘Colossal’ – The Telegrap h ***** ‘Must see’ – Londonist ‘An outstanding collection’ – New Scientist ‘Gripping’ – The Observer ‘See this show and be uplifted, transported, taken out of this world’ – Nature In 1957 Russia launched the wor ld’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into space and just four years later sent the first ever human – Yuri Gagarin. Discove r the dramatic story of how Russia turned the dream of spa ce travel into a reality and became the first nation to explore space in this once-in-alifetime exhibition.

Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age will reveal the most significant collection of Russian spacecraft and artefacts ever to be shown in the UK, including: ■ Vostok 6 : the capsule flown

by Valentina Tereshkova, the first ever woman in space ■ Voskhod 1: the capsule used on the first mission to carry more than one crew member ■ LK-3 Lunar Lander: a single cosmonaut craft built to compete with Apollo ■ a collection of gadgets that cosm onauts – and pioneering space dogs – need to live in spa ce, including a shower, toilet, medical instruments and survival kits for crash landings.

Explore the historical, cultural and spiritual context of Russian space travel, shaped esp ecially by the turbulent early decades of the twentieth century . See poignant testimonies and memorabilia belonging to some of the biggest names in spaceflight and discover the dee ply personal stories of the pioneers who kick-started the spa ce age.

‘You will leave Cosmonauts with a different view of humanity’s place in the cosmos’ – Professor Brian Cox on his visi t to Cosmonauts

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Book Bag NEWS Can you spot the ten differences between these two pictures?

WIN Parent Talk have 3 dolls to give away

TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH BRATZ STUDY ABROAD Cloe, Yasmin, Jade, Sasha and Raya have been overseas to learn more about the world and you can too!

The besties love their new homes and they’ve got the shoes, the clothes and the fabulous accessories to prove it. They’ve even got luggage stickers to make sure their new stylish wardrobes don’t get lost when they fly back home!

All of the dolls come with their own suitcases, a change of clothes and loads of cool accessories and souvenirs from their travels.

Not forgetting each girl comes with her own iconic lip-shaped comb – perfect for styling and braiding their luscious long hair!

These BFFs love to share their clothes so collect all five dolls to create unique worldwide outfits! Add Sasha’s Union Jack top and hat to Raya’s Spanish outfit for a ‘MEXILAND’ look, or mix and match Yasmin and Sasha’s accessories for an ‘ENGZIL’ feel. The international style options are endless!

Bratz Study Abroad (SRP: £24.99) is available now at all good retailers, including Argos, Asda, Debenhams, Smyths, Tesco, The Entertainer and Toys R Us. www.bratz.com

Weather Words

Parent Talk have 3 dolls to give away. For your chance to win, look at the question below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk to enter, by the closing date of 18 November 2015.

Who is the missing doll?

Cloe, Yasmin, Jade, Sasha and ?

www.mrmen.com

A celebration and a sharing of talent at Sidcot For every parent the happiness of their child is a top priority but, with increasing importance placed on academic success, it can often be hard to find a balance. Hidden away in 150 acres of beautiful Somerset countryside, Sidcot School is peacefully encouraging children from Early Years to Sixth Form to develop a love of learning which sees them secure the very top grades.

For entry in September 2016, Sidcot is offering the opportunity for new pupils to apply for a wide range of scholarships. A Sidcot scholarship is not just about celebrating and nurturing excellence, it’s about sharing it. The scholarship programme in the Junior School offers opportunities to take part in age and talent appropriate enrichment programmes. All scholars will be mentored by the Headmistress and invited to regular scholars’ teas where they will be encouraged to consider how they have

contributed to sharing their passion and talent with their peers. Pupils can apply on entry to Year 1 through to Year 6, and, in the Senior School from Year 7 through to Year 10 and for entry into the Sixth Form at Year 12.

There are three categories of scholarship – Academic (which includes the International Baccalaureate scholarship) and Talent (for example Art, Drama,

Sport and Equestrian) and an All Rounder Scholarship.

The deadline for Scholarship applications in the Junior and Senior School is Monday 1 February 2016. For those currently in Year 6, who may be considering options for next year, come along to our Year 7 Taster Evening on Tuesday 17 November. Our next whole school Open Morning is Friday 29 January 2016.

Please give us a call for more details – 01934 845236 or see the website www.sidcot.org.uk/admissions/scholarships-and-bursaries

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Bringing out theEDUCATION best INF in your childout atthe best In Bringing fu Chilton Cantelo in your child 16 Parent Talk June 2015

Set in twenty acres of beautiful parkland, Chilton Cantelo School is located near Yeovil and Sherborne.

The day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-18 encourages every child to be the best they can be with tailored learning including an Able, Gifted and Talented programme as well as differentiated learning support provided by specialist support staff.

There are no extra charges for Set in environment twenty acres with of planting and gardening Pre-Prep pupils benefit or and learning support (where an extended after-school activities, lunches, forest school projects.applicable). beautiful parkland, Chilton from a Forest School enrichment programme weekend trips for boarders The school provides Cantelo School is located curriculum.

Participating near in Yeovil Chiltonor Cantelo is part(where of providing challenging learning support termly andand weekly boarding and Sherborne. applicable). at competitive rates.

Bus The day and boarding school engaging, motivating and Cognita Group, a world leader stimulating evening and Chilton Cantelo is part of for pupils around for boys and girls aged 3-18 achievable tasks and activities in offers independent weekend activities.transport Cognita Group, aeducation world leader Dorset and Somerset encourages every child to in a woodland environment, the inUK’s largesteducation network Convenient is asand independent and flexible daily routes well as be the best they can be transport the UK’s largest schools. network of pick-ups Monday mornings with learning goalscovering and Forest School develops: self of independent provided the onthree independent schools. Cognita and drop-offs on Friday objectives tailored to the awareness, self regulation, Cognita isiscommitted counties of Somerset, committed to to raising raising eveningsDorset for weekly boarders. individual. of educationand and After-school activities for its family intrinsic motivation, empathy,Acclaimed standardsstandards of education and Wiltshire. ensures that best practice ranging from chamber choir to atmosphere, Chilton Cantelo good social communication ensures that best practice is School fees are inclusive. is adopted in all aspects of rock workshops are provided nurtures achievement and skills, independence, a positive adopted in all aspects of school are nofrom extraascharges for school curricula, teaching well as weekend activities boundlessThere curiosity learning school for boarders.

Nursery to Sixth Form. mental attitude, and selfcurricula, and teaching andand learning after-school activities, lunches, management School fees are inclusive.

Our specialist teachers take esteem and confidence. and school management weekend trips for boarders both Nursery and Pre Prep Call 01935 850555 to attend an Open Day or ask about For pupils Year 3 and pupils around the grounds and our FREE WEEKLY PARENT AND TODDLER SESSIONS to woodlands for regular nature upwards, weekly and full Call 01935sample 850555 or register via classes. our Nursery or Reception rambles, wildlife observation, boarding options are available chiltoncanteloschool.co.uk to attend an Open Day. in a home-from-home

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EXPLORERS EXPLORERS

Year 7 Taster Year 7 Taster Evening Evening

STAY

STAY CURIOUS

Tuesday 17 November Tuesday from 5pm17 toNovember 7.30pm from 5pm to 7.30pm

If you’re hunting for the ideal school, come along with for your If you’re hunting thechild idealand school, explore our beautiful campus. come along with your child and explore our beautiful campus.

Examine the classrooms, try out the food and check out the teachers part in some the pupils Examine by thetaking classrooms, try outlessons. the foodMeet and check out the and parents and ask plenty of questions to discover whether teachers by taking part in some lessons. Meet the pupils Sidcot is the and idealask school forofyou. and parents plenty questions to discover whether Sidcot is the ideal school for you.

Register by 10 November. Call 01934 845236, email admissions@sidcot.org.uk or visit www.sidcot.org.uk/contact Register by 10 November. Call 01934 845236, email admissions@sidcot.org.uk or visit www.sidcot.org.uk/contact Scholarships | Daily school buses around Somerset Scholarships | Daily school buses around Somerset Independent day and boarding school set in glorious Somerset countryside, for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. Winscombe BS25 1PD. Independent day and boarding school set in glorious Somerset countryside, for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. Winscombe BS25 1PD.

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

CURIOUS We believe that mother nature is a wonderful teacher.

Discover how Forest School inspires young minds in Nursery and Reception.

OPEN DAY 26th JUNE 2015

Book now: 01935 850555 | chiltoncanteloschool.co.uk Chilton Cantelo School, near Yeovil and Sherborne

We believe that mother nature is a wonderful teacher.

Discover how Forest School inspires young minds in Nursery and Reception.

OPEN MORNING 20 NOV 2015 Book now: 01935 850555 chiltoncanteloschool.co.uk Chilton Cantelo School, near Yeovil and Sherborne

Parent Talk November 2015 13

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nursery DIRECTORY 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: 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

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.

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 outstanding 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 Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School. With the focus on the individual child’s needs at Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School children play to learn and learn to play together.

Sessions every morning, and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Please contact us E: kingsburyepiscopipre-school@ gmail.com T: 01460 241004 www.kingsburyepiscopipreschool.co.uk

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 T: Lesley/Ali 01460 52457 facilities, it is self contained First Steps Day Nursery School and operates in a secure and peaceful environment. Log cabin (all year from 8am-6pm). For children from 3 months to 5 years. classrooms, vast on-site Forest Offering a caring, educational and School and highly experienced, dedicated staff make King’s Hall safe environment for your child.

Nursery the natural choice for All fully qualified staff. children 2 to 5 years.

T: Elaine Garland 01749 346733 E: fsdaynursery@btconnect.com

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

Miniatures Day Nursery Open 50 weeks per year, we provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment for children aged 0-5 years. Open 8am-6pm, we provide home cooked food. Education grants accepted for 3 & 4 yr olds. Two minutes from A358. Church Rd, Ilton, Ilminster.

T. Marion on 01460 55488 www.miniaturesdaynursery.co.uk

To book our Nursery Directory, please call

01458 250461

head over to our website www.parenttalk.org.uk where you will find lots of easy family recipes!

Holiday Clubs, Parties and Adult Workshops Holiday Clubs for 8-12 year olds During School Holidays

Bodley Craft: 07525 127878 sjr1509@yahoo.co.uk or follow us on Facebook

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, 7.30am5.45pm. 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

Krafty creative kits

Missed something?

To read on-line past issues -

Having a Birthday?

Bodley Craft Parties.

No Stress, No Mess.

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.

Leave the party to us!

We are Ana & Alison, two friends who love creating kits for others to make whether it’s for a gift, a party bag or because you don’t have all the items you need. It’s affordable, professional and all created by us at home. Our own little ones test run our kits and many of the demo models you see are made by them.

From talking to other parents we realised many of us don’t have a “craft cupboard” and don’t have the time to create something that can then be made by our usually impatient I want to do it now little people.

It is also pretty costly to source all of the components needed just for that one craft.

So we created our kits, some may need glue but other than

Craft kits to create your own little projects Call 07766 812425 ilchesterkraftykids@hotmail.co.uk facebook.com/ilchesterkraftykids or look at our shop on etsy.co.uk - search for Ilchester Krafty Kids.

that everything is enclosed, including simple instructions.

From button wreaths, table centres and felt reindeer to vintage jewel hangers, lamb bag tag and driftwood mobiles.

Many of our kits are suitable from 2 years up.

We sell Craft kits, Sewing kits, Party bags (just add cake)!

Krafty Kid Birthday parties, Krafty Women’s Evenings (think wine, sewing machines and a chance to get creative).

We run a sewing club at our local Junior school and have also attended group sessions and run crafts for them.

For further details, see our advertisement left.

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.

Happy Families at The Park School The Park School Junior Department is a happy and relaxed place to learn and make friends. With small class sizes, the Junior Pastoral and Subject Teachers know each child as an individual and learning experiences are designed to cater for each pupil’s specific needs.

The real strength of the School lies in the nurture of each child to enable them to develop a strong sense of self belief and raise confident, courteous children who are considerate of others.

“My children are so happy here. The focus is on them and their individual strengths and abilities. A lovely community with a family feel that any child would thrive in.”Junior School Parent 2015 The Park always welcomes the opportunity to invite everyone to be a part of the family. In October, Grandparents were treated to a delicious Harvest Lunch – a special occasion for

the children every year. Cakes and refreshments were served by the children when families were invited to view the Junior Museum – a fascinating exhibition of many and varied items all brought in by the children. Families and friends enjoyed a brilliant night at the Barn Dance organised by the PTA – fun for all the family.

There is nothing to match a visit, so you can find out for yourself what the School has to offer your child. Do book an appointment for a visit www. parkschool.com 01935 423514 An all-through school, day and boarding, for boys and girls aged 3 - 18 offering a unique education based on ‘Trust, Respect and Friendship.’

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Parent Talk November 2015 15

EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Anti-Bullying Week – Will you be part of the solution?

The internet is a great resource; inspiring children to be creative, communicate and learn; but as users become ever younger, protecting them from the risks they may encounter is a growing concern for parents and carers. So with cyberbullying and E-Safety being two of the central themes of Anti-bullying week (1620 November) here Stella James, an online safety champion and driving force behind the Gooseberry Planet online teaching Apps, provides some useful advice and how empower children to recognise the signs and dangers.

“Whilst most parents are acutely aware of issues including identity theft, bullying, sexting and grooming, there is no substitute for open and regular conversations and interaction with your children to help educate them about how to stay safe online,” explains Stella James, “The problem is that we are sometimes not comfortable or sure what to do and in what timeframe and therefore need a little help in identifying the facts and finding the best way to approach the subject. Also because online dangers are constantly evolving it is not always easy for parents

to remain vigilant, so building trust between parent and a child about online use is vital but it is a fine line between being a caring parent and a controlling one.”

Bullying is as old as time, but today’s young people have a new range of tools to do it with and our increased use of technology and social media platforms means we’re increasingly being confronted by issues. Recent research from the Anti-Bullying Alliance in the UK shows that almost half (45%) of parents are concerned that their child is or has been bullied online. Cyber-bullying victims typically have nowhere to hide and most don’t tell their parents when it happens but if the problem is identified and discussed openly the impact can usually be minimised. You could simply unplug your child from social media but that’s a bit extreme, it’s better to encourage them to talk to you so you can be supportive plus take appropriate action with teachers or others before anything more serious happens When it comes to ‘cyber parenting’ it’s important to remember the five core tips that can help achieve online safety.

Connect: Frequently chat with your children about the online risks, and make sure

the communication lines are open and the approach is age appropriate. Also stay knowledgeable about the newest and latest social networks and how they work particularly if your kids are on them.

Password Rules: Explain the dangers of sharing online passwords but also ensure that as a parent you have access to passwords, the sites visited and used and your children’s devices so you can periodically check what’s being said and done. It is also vital that you regularly check the privacy settings and make changes as required.

Apps: Parents should know which ones your children are using and ensure that they

have come via a reputable app store. They also need to examine the privacy disclosures and settings and if they share locations, be sure that only the right people have access to that location information.

What may appear an innocuous App on the outside could be exploited and pose a real threat to unsuspecting or naïve individuals.

Games: Simply checking the age rating is not enough – We’ve all heard about kids racking up massive online ‘in game’ purchases (which you’ll want to avoid) but certain games also allow chat with other players. So be sure your children are careful about the friends they encounter online

and the information they potentially disclose.

Browser settings: It goes without saying that controlling what your children can assess via the internet needs managing and with smartphones becoming ever more powerful more information can be easily accessed. You may have agreed to a data download bundle – but do you know what content they are accessing – regularly ask what they’ve been searching for and an innocent ‘spelling mistake in a search term could take them down a totally different route.

Ensure that they know what to do if this occurs and that they have the confidence to tell you about it.

“Taking simple steps like periodically checking the privacy setting on FaceBook is so important but all too often overlooked. We wouldn’t let a child play near water if they didn’t understand the dangers but we are all too happy to let them pick up a digital device and often and quite easily interact with total strangers,” concludes Stella. “Don’t be that uninvolved parent whose child gets into potential trouble using the internet or becomes a victim of cyber-bullying.

Regular communication is key when it comes to teaching

them about online safety and Gooseberry Planet lets children learn in a fun and safe way while at the same time develop their own judgment skills about keeping safe online – which is far better than simply blocking their use altogether. You cannot always be looking over your child’s shoulder and it’s not just about monitoring what they do; rather helping children learn how to identify the dangers for themselves and so avoid them.”

For more information and advice on helping children remain safe when online visit www.GooseberryPlanet.com where you can also download and play the fun online safety educational games and Apps.

Stella James is an advocate for empowering children to recognise the signs and dangers when online, so helping them remain safe. Back in late 2013 when Stella James couldn’t find any engaging tools her kids would want to use to learn about online safety she develop Gooseberry Planet which in now going down a storm in schools with kids, parents and teachers alike. Stella is a Member of the Government’s UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) scheme and regularly speaks and writes on the subject and provides practical advice.

6 in 10 parents check their child’s smartphone and a quarter are shocked by what they find During a typical weekend, Six in ten worried parents monitor their children’s the average child sends and phones to see what they’re receives over 100 emails, texts up to online, according to and instant messages.

Over a third of worried new research by internet and mobile security expert mums and dads admit they look at their kids’ emails, while BullGuard.

The study of 2,000 parents nearly four in ten read through revealed that one in five do their instant messages on apps not trust their children online such as Kik, Snapchat and and suspect they are accessing WhatsApp. Just over 55 per cent look inappropriate content, with a quarter saying they were at their internet history, shocked by what they found while 55 per cent also check after reading through emails, text messages. More than a Facebook posts and instant third of parents look at their children’s pics on Facebook messages.

Cam Le, Chief Marketing and Instagram to see what they Officer for BullGuard said: “The are up to. Checking up on their research shows parents are internet activities is so routine understandably nervous about that mums and dads spend on what their children are up to average one hour 45 minutes on the internet. “Clearly parents every week looking at their want to protect their children kids’ devices.

Half of parents sneak a peek from harm – yet they also want to ensure their kids do not miss while their kids are asleep, a out on the fantastic things quarter do it when they are at the web has to offer. With the school and nearly a third do internet ever evolving it’s no it whenever their children are wonder mums and dads are not looking. Despite this, four troubled by what they see as a in ten admit they are wracked lack of control, however there with guilt for spying on them are lots of steps they can take after they had found perfectly to help ensure their children are innocent messages.

Over one in ten admitted safe.”

16 Parent Talk November 2015

that their children know more about social media than they do and could “run rings around them”. As a result nearly 56 per cent have rules in place about when their kids can access their smartphones or tablets.

The number one rule set by parents is “no gadgets at the dinner table”. The second is they must know their children’s passwords and number three is “no gadgets at bedtime”. Four in ten said they were alarmed to see their children discussing sex or sexual content, while a quarter found evidence of their child being bullied. Nearly half found them using offensive language.

Close to four in ten feel like they have little or no control over their children’s online activities. And over a third think their children could be up to “anything” online when they are claiming to be using the web for homework.

Nearly a quarter of parents have noticed their children quickly minimise windows when walking in unannounced.

While four in ten suspect their children have secret social media profiles and nearly half

suspect their children delete content from their smartphone so no one can see it.

Nearly thirty per cent have parental controls set up on their children’s gadgets while over a quarter said their children have a pin code on their devices – and they don’t know what it is. A staggering two thirds of mums and dads aren’t familiar with the apps their kids use. Seven in ten said app developers could do more to help them keep an eye on what their children are up to.

Cam Le, Chief Marketing Officer for BullGuard added: “The wide range of ways people can now communicate weren’t available to modern parents when they were growing up, so there is certainly an element of the unknown when it comes to how best to protect children.

“Parents can put in place discrete parental controls which will help keep their kids safe but allow them to get the best out of the internet. The steps they can take are simple and unimposing so children can have fun without missing out on what their friends are up to.”

Top ten – gadget rules used by parents 1. No gadgets at the dinner table 2. Parents must know passwords 3. No phones, tablets and laptops in kids’ rooms at night 4. No gadgets taken to school 5. Specified time limit everyday 6. Gadget ban until homework is finished 7. No gadgets on school mornings 8. Must be on good behaviour to use gadgets 9. All gadgets must be on silent 10. All gadgets must be loud so parents know when a message arrives

Top ten – alarming messages found by parents on their children’s phone 1. Conversations using bad language 2. Topics discussing sex/sexual content 3. My child being bullied or spoken to badly 4. Groups of young children excluding other children 5. My child speaking to people badly 6. Conversations about alcohol 7. Conversations complaining about me/other parents 8. Conversations about smoking 9. My child being a bully 10. Conversations about cheating in class/during exams

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EDUCATION, INFORMATION

Amazing Scholarships for Children Currently at State Schools Is your child currently in Year 6 and do you feel that he or she has a special strength in their academic work, sport or music? If the answer is ‘Yes!’ to both of these questions, then the remarkable King’s Hall Somerset Scholarship will interest you.

King’s Hall offers Scholarships worth up to 50% of the day fee commencing as your child enters Year 7. This may be increased up to 100% through means tested financial assistance.

The Somerset Scholarship will continue throughout your child’s time at King’s; from age 11 to 18.

King’s Hall School is a leading

Pre-Prep and Prep School for children aged 2 to 13 years.

Surrounded by countryside, yet only minutes from the centre of Taunton, the school lies at the foot of the Quantock Hills between Taunton and Kingston St Mary.

Whilst ambition to be the best you can is a core principle, there is a wonderful family atmosphere and the relationships between staff and pupils are excellent, as endorsed by the recent Inspection report: “There is strong mutual respect between staff and pupils. Teachers know the pupils extremely well and care highly about their success and

SCHOLARSHIPS

happiness; the pupils recognise and greatly appreciate this”.

The school is very proud of what it calls ‘the Invisibles’ and ‘the Immeasurables’: things like ethos, atmosphere, rapport, relationships, happiness and something dear to the Headmaster’s heart - fun!

Traditional (11+) scholarships are available to independent school applicants.

The closing date for applications is 28 November 2015 for entry into Year 7 in September 2016 If you are interested in finding out more about scholarships, please call Emma Guppy, Admissions Registrar, on 01823 285921.

Little Acorns to Mighty Oaks Acorn Day Nursery, Somerton provides a loving and caring childcare environment for babies and pre-school children.

Established in 1999, with purpose built premises in Somerton, we are all passionate about giving every baby and child in our care a safe, caring and fun nursery experience whilst they develop and learn new skills.

We truly believe we are nurturing the mighty oaks of the future and our goal is to ensure every little acorn we take care of is well nurtured and has strong roots from which to grow.

Having had the opportunity to design our facilities from the ground up, every aspect of our accommodation has been thought through to ensure we are able to provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment for every child in our care. Our premises are tucked away in a quiet corner of Somerton Business Park, which offers excellent access and plenty of parking. From the moment you step through our secure entrance into the nursery you will be transported

Matilda with Ranger Russ and Poppy the Gecko.

to a fun-filled, colourful and warm environment tailored to your child’s needs. We also have an outside play area and garden which gives us secure access to a lane from which we take regular outings.

We have pen-plan accommodation which allows us to foster a true community ✤OFSTED ✤ registered ✤ages 3months ✤ - 5 years

within the nursery, and also aids communication and interaction across age ranges.

Low level partitions divide the open plan area into three main sections. ‘Big Acorns’ is the preschool area for children aged 3-4, with a ‘Little Acorns’ section for children aged 18 months to three years and a ‘Baby Acorns’ area for 3 to 18 month olds.

A sleep room, with cots for babies, is separated from the open plan accommodation.

At the centre of our open area is the kitchen where we cook healthy meals from locallysourced, organic ingredients.

If you would like more information or to make an enquiry, please feel free to get in touch with us. Telephone: 01458 273705 email: info@ acornnurserysomerton.com

Fun Learning Environment Organic Lunches

Tel: 01458 273705 Opening Times: 8.00am - 6.00pm Mon-Fri E-mail: acorndaynursery@btconnect.com Acorn Day Nursery, Somerton Business Park.

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11+ Scholarships: Academic, Music and Sport Please contact Kate Rippin: 01823 328204 Application closing date 28th November For further information on the scholarships available please visit our website

www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk A Woodard School

Parent Talk November 2015 17

BOOK REVIEW

Editor’s choice Buzz Aldrin Welcome to Mars

By Buzz Aldrin and Marianne Dyson Published by National Geographic Kids Written with author, physicist and NASA flight engineer Marianne J. Dyson, ‘Welcome to Mars’ reveals the ultimate in space transportation – the Aldrin Cycler Spacecraft – and what the space traveller will encounter upon arrival, including a detailed illustration of the Mars Lander Sequence and an ingenious method for removing the rusty dust stuck to the space suits. The reader is taken on a tour of the Spaceport, learns how dirt bikes and zip lines will be natural forms of red planet entertainment and discovers how greenhouses will play a vital role in the colonization of Mars.

Blue Penguin

By Petr Horacek Published by Walker Books A heart-warming fable about friendship and belonging from the award-winning illustrator Petr Horacek. “I feel just like a penguin” says Blue Penguin.

“But you’re not like us”, said the other penguins and they left him all alone. Poor Blue Penguin. Will he be able to convince the other penguins he is one of them after all?

Star Wars Where’s The Wookiee Published by Egmont Chewbacca, a notorious rebel ally, is wanted for crimes against the Empire. Not often seen without his partner-in-crime, Han Solo, this Wookiee has evaded capture on multiple occasions, due in no small part to the fastest freighter in the universe, the Millennium Falcon.

Chewie, as he is more commonly known, has a sizeable bounty on his head. A uniquely illustrated search and find format, perfect for Star Wars fans young and old!

Everything Space and Everything Vikings Published by National Geographic The latest in a hugely popular series which is bringing reference books to life for children. Full of fun facts, fascinating anecdotes from experts and bursting with colour photographs. The perfect way to learn about a new subject.

18 Parent Talk November 2015

The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep

By Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin Published by Ladybird When Roger can’t fall asleep, Mummy Rabbit takes him to see Uncle Yawn, who knows just what to do. Children will join Roger on his journey and be lulled to sleep alongside their new friend.

Treasury of Norse Mythology

By Danna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Christina Balit Published by National Geographic Kids The ancient Scandinavian myths are dramatized by award winning Donna Jo Napoli in this stunning treasury. From Thunder god Thor to one-eyed god and Allfather Odin, the classic tales are given a new dimension with Christina Balit’s dazzling illustrations.

A Boy Called Christmas

By Matt Haig Published by Canongate A Boy Called Christmas by international-bestseller Matt Haig is the true story of Father Christmas.

Of course before everybody started calling him Santa Claus (the pixies started it, the mischievous things), Nikolas was just an ordinary boy. An ordinary boy living in the middle of nowhere, or the middle of Finland, doing nothing with magic except believing in it. But life was going to change for Nikolas, in ways he could never have imagined.

Good things. Bad things. Impossible things.

But if you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, then A Boy Called Christmas is most certainly not for you. Richly brought to life with enchanting illustrations by Chris Mould, A Boy Called Christmas recalls the pluck, warmth and wit of Danny the Champion of the World and the magical beauty of The Snowman.

What on Earth? Wallbook Timelines

By Christopher Lloyd Illustrated by Andy Forshaw Curious children can lose themselves in 14-billion years of history, laid out in a series of beautifully illustrated two metre long timelines, with answers to just about every question adults don’t know.

Designed for inquisitive children aged 8 to 14 years, there are five titles to choose from: The history of the World, Science, Nature, Sport and Shakespeare. Each book connects key events in history along a chronological timeline, using over 1,000 hand-drawn illustrations

accompanied by amazing facts, to give a complete picture of everything that’s ever happened on Planet Earth.

A special Wallbook pocket magnifier brings hidden information into view.

Newspaper style stories report

That’s Deadly

By Crispin Boyer Published by National Geographic Kids The perfect book for curious children, not afraid to venture into deadly areas.

From predators to natural disasters, to dangerous jobs, there’s something here for the most fearless of children.

With playful reality checks throughout, children will know the actual peril possibility factor (PPF) for situations and know when to stay clear. With cool photos, funny text and funky design, this is a book full of things to avoid!

National Theatre: ALL About Theatre Published by Walker Books National Theatre: ALL About Theatre is a richly illustrated hardback specially designed to take children behind the scenes and open up the world of theatre. This unique and lively book shows how plays like War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and many others are made and includes interviews with famous directors and actors. ALL About Theatre tells the story of how it’s done at the National Theatre, where everything happens under one roof – from writing and set design to wigs, make-up, video and music. Packed with tricks of the trade and insights from theatre experts like fight directors and propmakers, this fascinating book tells you everything about theatre, from back stage to front of house.

Return to the Secret Garden

By Holly Webb Published by Scholastic It’s 1939 and a group of children have been evacuated to Misselthwaite Hall. Emmie is far from happy to have been separated from her cat when she is sent to a huge old mansion. But soon she starts discovering the secrets of the house – a boy crying at night, a diary written by a girl named Mary, and a garden. A very secret garden…

on events as if they happened yesterday, adding drama and realism to historical moments.

How was the world created?

Why did the dinosaurs die out?

When did the Olympic Games begin? Why did the Romans invade Britain? Who discovered

gravity? Answers to all these questions and more can be found in the timelines, which feature the most important topics children are studying at KS2 and 3 of the National Curriculum.

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CLASSIFIED

Sir Richard Branson, Sam Branson and the Team at Big Change Announce plans for Virgin Strive Challenge 2016 Using only human power, the Strivers will travel from the base of the Matterhorn in Switzerland to the summit of Mt Etna in Sicily (2,000km) to raise £1.5 million for youth projects in the UK. After the gruelling, yet hugely successful, first challenge in 2014, the Virgin Strive Challenge (VSC) 2016 will see a core team of 20 hike 90 km into Northern Italy, cycle to the Southern tip of Italy, swim to Sicily, mountain bike to the foothills of Mount Etna before running a half-marathon to the summit of the infamous volcano (and weather depending, paragliding off the top). The core team will be joined by 300 strivers across the different legs.

The brainchild of Sam Branson and his cousin Noah Devereux, VSC 2014 team included Sir Richard Branson, Jack Whitehall, Marion Bartoli, Ade Adepitan, Natalie Imbruglia and two ex gang leaders from London, amongst many others. Using human power alone, the team tackled three marathons, a row across the channel, a 1,000 km cycle, and a 7 day hike before scaling the Matterhorn.

Along the way, the team faced everything from severe blisters to dehydration, culminating in a dramatic helicopter rescue from the Summit of the Matterhorn on the final day.

At double the distance, the 320 Virgin Strive Challenge 2016 participants and core team, will once again be made up of a diverse group of people, all passionate about driving change and making a difference to the lives of young people in the UK. From ex-gang leader, poet and activist Karl Lokko to Innocent Drinks co-founder Richard Reed, all have strived in some way – in business, sport or life – and all believe in the Big Change philosophy that: “Growth happens when you step out of your comfort zone to achieve bold ambitions. Magic happens when you do it with others.”

Core Team member and a Big Change Founder, Sam Branson explains the motivation behind the challenge: “It is a ‘moment in time’ that brings together a community of change makers, who are passionate about breaking the negative cycle so prevalent around young people today. We held our first Virgin Strive Challenge in 2014 – raising over £750,000 for ground breaking youth projects in Britain. VSC 2016 will continue that journey.

We plan to raise £1.5 million for Big Change to support projects that are disrupting the system

and culture around young people so they can develop a ‘growth mindset’, as opposed to a debilitating ‘fixed mindset’.

These projects concentrate on giving young people the tools to build belief in themselves and develop the ability to deal with setbacks.

We also want to bring focus to this important part of young people’s development. I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved so far, for young people in the UK and I can’t wait to get started on the next stage of our journey.”

A recent study carried out by

think tank Demos, funded by Big Change, found a worrying lack of life confidence among 16 year olds. The report found that, compared to 14-year-olds, final year students are: ■ Almost half as likely to be feeling happy in their life (33% vs. 60%), and considerably more likely to be feeling very unhappy (14% vs. 2%) ■ Three times more likely to think their school is preparing them to succeed only in exams, rather than in life (31% vs. 10.5%) ■ 24% more likely to feel like a failure if they don’t succeed at a task (68% vs. 46%)

■ Much more likely to feel their teachers (13% vs 5%) and parents (10% vs 1%) don’t think they’ll be successful It also found similar, worrying discrepancies between boys and girls, with female students less likely to report feeling happy (39% vs. 50%) and more prone to feeling like failures (68% to 49%).

Sir Richard adds: “Often young people get a bad press - by failing to show a fundamental belief in the UK’s young people, there’s a real danger the negativity around them becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We need to break this by actually doing something to show that they are (and should be!) our priority, our passion, and our inspiration. That’s what Virgin Strive Challenge 2016 is all about. Virgin is really proud to support the challenge and the work of Big Change.

Personally, I can’t wait to get on my bike, brush up my running skills and hit the water with my son, daughter Holly and all of the VSC Strivers to raise funds and awareness for important and innovative youth Projects working in the UK today.”

COMPETITION WIN a family ticket to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal Bath One of Britain’s most popular actors, Nigel Havers takes centre stage in Bath’s giant of a pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, alongside CBeebies’s Katy Ashworth, comedian Jon Monie and award-winning Nick Wilton appearing at the Theatre Royal from 10th December to 10th January.

With comedy, slapstick, show-stopping song and dance numbers, lavish costumes, special effects and plenty of audience participation, this traditional family treat is packed full of the ingredients which make Bath’s pantomimes so special.

Nigel Havers brings a wealth of experience to the dastardly role of Fleshcreep.

Star of theatre, television and film, over the past 40 years his numerous screen credits include Coronation Street, The Charmer, Don’t Wait Up, Downton Abbey, Chariots of Fire and A Passage to India.

He has starred in the West End, at the National Theatre and RSC, as well as theatres

nationwide.

Playing the magical Forest Fairy is CBeebies’s star Katy Ashworth, known to thousands of families as the presenter of I Can Cook on the BBC’s BAFTAwinning children’s channel, and for her guest role in Justin’s House. On stage, Katy has starred in CBeebies live at Wembley, toured I Can Cook UK-wide, and performed Katy’s Roadshow internationally.

Comedian and television presenter, Jon Monie returns by popular demand to play Simple Simon, having consistently delighted Bath audiences for 13 years in over 850 panto performances.

The experienced company of actors also features Nick Wilton as Dame Trott, David Barrett as Jack, David Alcock as King, Sarah Louise Day as Princess

PROFESSOR POPCORN

MAGIC & BALLOONS

The Magical Clown.

Magic, Music, Laughter & Fun for children and their grown-ups.

Malcolm the Magician Magic and balloon modelling for Schools, Playgroups and Birthday Parties.

01823 270847

Tel: 01823 412750 Mob: 07989 585979

www.profpopcorn.co.uk DBS checked and with Public Liability Insurance

www.malcolm-the-magician.co.uk

(insured and police checked)

Keith’s Magical Entertainment Children’s parties a speciality. Magic, Puppets, Comedy.

Terrific entertainment.

Police checked and insured.

01935 822135

www.keithsmagic.co.uk

Looking for a day out with the kids?

“DAVE” THE MAGICIAN & BALLOONATIC available for birthday parties, playgroups, schools, fetes, promotions etc DBS Checked & fully insured

head over to our website where you’ll find what's happening in your area!

01823 288644

CATHERINE’S MAGIC ENTERTAINMENT For tailor-made Magic Shows, Mini Discos, Games and Balloon Twisting Family Fun For Everyone!!

Ideal For Any Party, Large or Small, Indoors or Out 07770 227812 catherine@magicentertainment.co.uk [c/w enhanced DBS for added peace of mind]

WIN

Experienced registered childminder in idyllic rural location 5 mins from A303 has vacancy

Wed/Thurs/Fri 8.15am-5.45pm

Melanie Tuffill 01460 234325 Jill, and the talented young dancers from Bath’s Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance.

For your chance to win a family ticket for 4 people to see the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal Bath on Sunday 13th December, 5pm look at the question below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk to enter by the closing date of 18 November 2015.

Quirky handmade cushions and textile art at the Arts Centre Ilminster

Which character is Katy Ashworth playing?

To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or visit www.theatreroyal.org.uk

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

DECEMBER issue copy deadline 18th November 2015 Call 01458 250461 Parent Talk November 2015 19

BBC Children in Need Friday 13 November 2015 What We Do

Cake Sale for BBC Children in Need When

BBC Children in Need is the BBC's UK corporate charity. Thanks to the support of the public, we're able to make a real difference to the lives of children all across the UK. How do we do this? Read all about our vision and how we operate below.

Our Vision Our vision is that every child in the UK has a childhood which is: ☺Safe ☺Happy and Secure ☺Allows them the chance to reach their potential

Where

in England & Wales and Reg. charity no. 802052

For more information or to get involved contact

15P OSTGAME

Our Calendar The BBC Children in Need Appeal Night takes place every year in November. The Appeal show is a whole evening of entertainment on BBC One with celebrities singing, dancing, and doing all sorts of crazy things to help raise money.

There are also plenty of one-off specials of your favourite programmes, which in the past have included Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, The One Show, EastEnders and much more!

Before we get to BBC Children in Need Appeal night, there is plenty going on around the UK. You can get lots of tips and ideas on how to get involved, including how to organise an activity in your local area, or there is plenty of fun stuff going on for you to take part in so there's something for everyone.

SC039557 in Scotland.

What We Do We provide grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. We are local to people in all corners of the UK and support small and large organisations which empower children and extend their life choices.

Our grant programmes are open all year round for applications. We give our small grants awards four times a year and main grants three times a year.

Where Your Money Goes Every penny from the money you raise or donate will go towards helping disadvantaged children and young people right here in the UK. We are able to make this promise because we use investment income and Gift Aid to cover all running costs, meaning that you can be sure your money makes a real difference.

From cake sale to fancy dress party or quiz night, choose from our range of posters to promote your chosen activity. Alternatively, select one of our generic posters, suitable for any fundraiser event. Download, print, customise and start spreading the word.

www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk