Parent Talk October 2015 Issue by Parent Talk

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

October 2015 Volume 22 Issue 9

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Early Years at All Hallows The best possible start The Early Years Nursery and Reception classes at All Hallows Preparatory School offer unrivalled opportunities and facilities. Nursery Class • • • • • • • •

Welcoming children after their third birthday Open Monday to Friday 08.30-16.00 £47.00 per day including lunch, snacks and all activities Early Years Government Funding and employer childcare vouchers accepted Term time only Located in the heart of All Hallows School 9 Acre Forest School on site Dance, Tennis, Gymnastics, Swimming and Golf are all included

Reception Class • Welcoming children in the September after their fourth birthday • Dedicated classrooms and outdoor play area in the heart of All Hallows School • Specialist teaching and wide range of opportunities and activities • Excellent child to staff ratio • Differentiated lessons • High standards and exciting curriculum delivery

Academic excellence and innovation All Hallows is rightly proud of the fact that, despite being non-selective on entry, over 50% of children win awards to renowned Senior Schools - Academic, All Rounder, Music, Drama and Sports Awards. Being truly independent, also means that you get the best possible advice and support in choosing the Senior School that is right for your child.

Sporting Success There are great opportunities for all children at All Hallows to take part in a wide range of team and individual sports and activities and the school is proud of its representative success at regional and national level.

Creativity has long been at the heart of the All Hallows ethos and a brand new Creative Design Centre offers children cutting edge opportunities and facilities including CAD/CAM technology, facilities for coding, Laser Cutting and 3D printing, Animation and Digital Photography.

Flexible Wrap Around Care All Hallows is a boarding school, a fantastic partner in parenting for busy parents. Early and late stay clubs, supper options, supervised prep and flexible sleepover options make life easy.

Facilities and Opportunity

About All Hallows All Hallows is a school radiating warmth and vibrancy. It is known nationally as one of the leading Catholic, Co-educational, Boarding and Day, fully independent Preparatory Schools taking children from 3 to 13. Rated as Outstanding by ISI in 2014 and situated in 25 acres surrounded by open countryside and farmland.

AH Parent Talk Full Page Oct 15.indd 1

LTA Acredited Tennis Academy, 9 acre Forest School, Astro Turf, Sports Pitches, All Weather Cricket Wicket, Cricket Nets, Golf practice holes and nets, Indoor heated swimming pool, Cycle Track, Boules pitch, indoor sports hall, Chapel and a comprehensive Arts, Music, Drama and Sports activities programme on offer.

www.allhallowsschool.co.uk

Search: AllHallowssch

25/09/2015 09:16

FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY

Parent Talk October 2015

Parent talk Somerset Art Weeks Festival contents

Family pages Out and about Book Bag News Education, Information Books Classified

p3 p4-8, p13 p9-12 p14-17 p18 p19

competitions Kozi Kidz Seagull Splat Editor Advertising Production November deadline

p12 p16 Tamsin Humphreys Juliet Young Sarah Harmer 21st October 2015

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Dear Readers...

Welcome back and every month there seems to be so much happening. I’ve adjusted to the new school routine yet can’t quite believe it’s nearly Halloween. For those of you who want to get really spooked, there’s plenty happening so read on to discover all the ghost trails and creepy crawlies. If, however, you would rather keep things low key, take a look at our Book Bag pages for some fun but very easy recipes – still staying with the Halloween theme. Meanwhile, I’ll be curling up and finishing off some of the titles in my editor’s choice including a trip down memory lane with The Clangers! Best wishes and happy reading….

Tamsin

Editor

During Somerset Art Weeks most venues extend a special welcome to families, so come along and explore an amazing variety of art at locations all around the county. Look out for the Family Friendly Logo in the Somerset Art Weeks Guide or online www. somersetartworks.org.uk/ artweeks15 Not sure where to start? How about the Craftivist Garden Showcase Celebration event on Saturday 10 October 12am – 3.30pm at Somerset College, Taunton. There will be workshops, activities and refreshments. The event is FREE, further information: somersetcraftivist. wordpress.com Venue number 5. Wa t e r -Me ad o w -Wo o d family art workshops take place in Yeovil on Saturday 17 October. Enjoy making some Watery Creations at 10.30 – 12.30pm in Yeovil Country Park, meet by Ninesprings Cafe. In the afternoon there is an indoor art workshop 2.00 – 4.00pm at The Octagon Theatre. Booking essential,

limited numbers, cost: £5 per family per session am or pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult, all ages welcome. Contact SAW: info@ somersetartworks. org.uk 01458 253800 watermeadowwood. wordpress.com Venue number 42 Each year SAW produces education resources to encourage schools to view Somerset Art Weeks as a source of opportunities right on their doorstep. There are many ways for schools to get involved and discover ways of inspiring creativity and learning outside the classroom. Artists’ workshops in schools inspire pupils to explore and create new work and both students’ and artists’ work is on show at the InspirED Schools Showcase at Hestercombe House, venue number 7 (entry fees apply). Momentum sets the tone for the Festival this year, in a celebration of the creative abilities of artists. The event takes place between 03 – 18 October.

Water-Meadow-Wood Workshop, by artist Deborah Westmancoat

This year children aged 2, 3 and 4 years and those in school years 1 and 2 are eligible to receive a flu vaccine. Children aged two, three and four years will be offered the vaccine by their local GP and those in years 1 and 2 will be vaccinated in school. Children with a health condition that puts them at risk of flu will also be offered a flu vaccine. The majority of children eligible for the flu vaccination will receive a nasal spray which is given by syringe administered to each nostril by a nurse. The procedure is quick and easy causing far less distress than an injected vaccination. The nasal spray contains viruses that have been weakened to prevent them from causing flu but will help your child to build up immunity. When your child comes into contact with the

flu virus they will be less likely to get ill. It is very important that all eligible children have the flu vaccine. Flu can be a very unpleasant illness in children causing fever, stuffy nose, dry cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints and extreme tiredness. This

can often last several days. Some children can get a very high fever sometimes without the usual flu symptoms, and may need to go to hospital for treatment. Serious complications of flu include a painful ear infection, bronchitis and pneumonia. By offering the flu vaccination to as many children as possible we help to protect them in time for winter from what can be a very nasty illness. It may also reduce the chance of their younger brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents

Hair Salon

Don’t forget to follow us on twitter

@parenttalksw and facebook parenttalksw www.parenttalk.org.uk Venue 5: Craftivist Garden

Venue 42: Water-Meadow-Wood

This year many venues offer activities for families. Follow the Family Friendly Logo in our guide, or visit:

somersetartworks.org.uk /artweeks15/family

getting the flu. The flu vaccine for each winter helps provide protection against strains of flu that may be different from last year. For this reason we recommend that even if vaccinated last year your child should be vaccinated again this year. Talk to your GP, practice nurse or your health visitor if you have any further questions. Or you can visit www.nhs.uk/ child-flu

Charlie Girl Little Angel packages & Pamper party £6.50 per head

01458 250461

Ambi Bird and Fish Celia West, Wimborne Lisa Ellison, Wellington Claire Tucker, Cheddar Zoe Smith, Keinton Mandeville Claire Cole, Bridgwater

03-18 October 2015

Protecting your child against flu

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4 Parent Talk October 2015

OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

Cooking courses for kids

We run courses and parties for children during holidays and half terms. These courses are for children from 6 years old. Children from 6-8 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Our aim is to teach good basic

Summer Fun Fun Summer Holiday Cooking Cooking Holiday Classes for for Children Children Classes October 27th and 28th 28th and 29th July 1pm-4.30pm, 11th and 12th August Christmas Special 11pm - 4.30pm 13th December £15 per child 10am-1.30pm

Children Children love love to to cook cook and and get get messy. messy. We We teach teach them them basic basic cookery cookery skills skills whilst whilst cooking cooking aa three three course course meal meal and and include include something something fun fun for for them them to to take take home. home. We We also also run run Birthday Birthday Parties. Parties. Bishops Lydeard, Lydeard, Taunton Bishops Contact Venetia Contact 01823 432419 01823 venetia@ @cookablilty.com venetia www.cookability.com www.cookability.com

skills and methods in a fun relaxed atmosphere. It is not all cookies and fairy cakes but good main dishes they can use in the future. The courses run for 3 and a half hours and a number of dishes will be prepared by everyone. We all then sit down together to sample what has been made. We also make something for them to take home. The cost is £15 per child. The next dates are 27th and 28th October, 1-4.30pm and the Christmas Special on 13th December, 10am-1.30pm. Birthday Parties: The Birthday parties are run on the same basis for up to 16 children. The cost is £100 for up to 6 children then £12.50 for each extra child and includes invitations, all ingredients and goody bags. We also run varied adult workshops, hen parties, birthday parties and team building sessions in the spring and autumn. Please call Venetia Cameron-Rose on 01823 432419 or email venetia@cookability.com

Halloween Fun comes to The Walled Gardens of Cannington Bridgwater College’s The Walled Gardens of Cannington will be opening its doors once again for its annual Halloween event, from Monday 26 – Saturday 31 October, 10am – 3pm. Last year’s event saw over 300 children attend, following the pumpkin trail, carving creative pumpkin designs and enjoying their free sweet treats. This year the event, where fancy dress is optional, is expected to grow in size, and additional activities such as creepy croquet, and a visit from some of Bridgwater College’s Animal Management insects will be included. Face painting will be available at a small additional cost. Children and adults alike will be in for a treat as

they explore the Gardens, surrounded by the suitably spooky medieval priory. Many ghostly stories have been shared throughout the years. It is said that a network of tunnels exist beneath the Gardens, leading to various spots in the village so that the nuns and nearby monks could meet in secret, and sightings of ghostly nuns have been reported! Tickets to the Halloween event cost £4 per child, with accompanying adults, free, which includes entrance to the Gardens, a drink of squash, a biscuit and a pumpkin when purchased in advance or £5 on the door! Tickets can be purchased from the Walled Gardens’ Gift Shop or online at store.bridgwater.ac.uk.

October Half Term Taster Sessions at Wincanton Sports Centre Why not try one of our fantastic taster sessions over half term? Starting on Monday 26th October until Thursday 29th October Wincanton Sports Centre is holding Beginners crash course swimming lessons. Both beginners and intermediate swimmers are welcome to join an intensive 4 day course. Swimmers must be 4+ and costs £20.80 for 4 days. On Monday 26th October and Tuesday 27th October the centre is running a Rookie Lifeguard course which teaches you to save people in and out of the water with the different ways lifeguards approach and tow casualties. One session costs £2.50. On Wednesday 28th October the sports centre is offering free adult lessons

from 9.00am for half an hour, whether you are a complete beginner or need help with technique and breathing. Thursday 29th October children aged 9-13 can enrol on our two day fun Bikeability course giving you skills and confidence to cycle in modern road conditions. This is available only to children who have not previously taken the course and costs £25 for the two days and upon completing they receive a Level 2 certificate. Come along to our Halloween party on Saturday 31st October for our spooky disco, pool party and family Halloween games from 2pm until 5.30pm. For more information or to book space call us on 01963 82440 or ask at reception.

October Half Term Activities At Wincanton Sports Centre West Hill, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 9SP Tel: 01963 824400 Mon 26th October Friday 30th October

AM (09.30 - 13.00)

PM (13.30 - 16.30)

Mon 26th October

Racket sports Water activities (11:30-12:45)

Strike Football

Tues 27th October

Nerfmegeddon

Top Spin Tennis & Strike football

Wed 28th October

Strike Football Water activities (11:30-12:45)

Nerfmegeddon

Thurs 29th October

Bouncy castle and soft play

Nerfmegeddon

Fri 29th October

Freaky Friday*

Please note for the water activities you will need swim kit and is only available for ages 8+ for the session. The water activity sessions will include water polo, fun splash and general swim. *Dress up as scary as you can to win the best dressed Halloween costume! Freaky Friday will include trick or treat treasure hunt, pumpkin carving, zombie nerf war, mummy wrap and much more!

Visitors enjoying the Halloween event in previous years.

Early Years Fun on the term10%time discount Farm for readers Mums and Dads say holidays at Torridge House Cottages are warm, child centred, relaxed and fun. A place where children are welcomed and loved; a happy place, ideal for toddlers. It is also a place where everyone in the family can have a really good holiday. There is thoughtful provision of everything children and babies need. Laundry facilities, nursery bits and bobs, dvds, videos, books as well as toys and games, all freely available. Chef Anne can deliver lovely and very reasonably priced chilled family meals, whilst individuals meals are available from the freezer. There are 9 cottages - all a delight; comfortable, well heated and well equipped. The daily animal feeding, upwards of 90 minutes each morning, is an amazing opportunity to handle, watch, feed and water lots of animals. The little farm is home to baby small animals, ducklings, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits and kittens. It is also a wonderful environment in which children of all ages naturally absorb a wide range of skills. The farm and gardens are Early Years Foundation Stage compliant and everything at Torridge

House Cottages creates an easy going learning atmosphere while at the same time being fun. Also experience the beautiful North Devon countryside, walk the fields, get close to the hedgerows, explore the nearby sandy beaches, wonderful walks and great attractions. Term time cottages are available from April onwards. Mention Parent Talk to get a 10% term time discount in April and May. www. torridgehouse.co.uk or phone 01805 622542

Family Farm Holidays

In Glorious Devon welcoming comfortable cottages in an idylic setting

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

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

OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

Parent Talk October 2015

Disco Parties at Rug Ratz Terrorific Halloween Activities 1610 Half Term Adventure Programme 26 – 30 October 2015, Hestercombe House It’s scary to think that the Halloween Half Term is nearly upon us. But never fear the 1610 Outdoor Activity Team is here to help fill those long autumn days for your little terrors! If you’re searching for outdoor activities, ghostly games, and creepy challenges then look no further…Hestercombe is the place for you! With spine chilling survival, devilish den building, chilling climbing and petrifying paintball there is definitely something for everyone this Half Term! Take a look at what we have coming up! Mon 26 October – Dizzying Heights - Scale our 7m climbing wall and take on the challenge of the overhang! Learn how to abseil, climb trees, ladder building and have a go on our new monkey tree! If you have a head for heights then this is for you. Tues 27 Oct – Ambush Paintball - An exhilarating day of frenetic paintball for both girls and boys! Game scenarios including capture the flag, last person standing, and protect the bomb disposal expert! All the latest gear provided plus 400 paintballs!

Wed 28 Oct – Wild Woodland Fun - Fun outdoor challenges, rope swings, mud slides, water fights, and scavenger hunts. Good old fashioned outdoor fun… This is going to be messy and one you won’t want to miss!! Thurs 29 Oct- Halloween Survival - How would you survive a zombie apocalypse? Spend the day helping us to work this conundrum out! What first aid skills would we need? What type of shelter would you build? Would you

build a fire? What food would we live off? So many questions that need answering… Our activity days are for children aged 7 to 14 years and run from 9.30am to 3.30pm. They cost from £23 a day. Contact us on 01823 410 126/236 or at emassingham@1610.org.uk for more information or to book. 1610 Ltd, Hestercombe House, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton, TA2 8LG. www.1610. org.uk

We all want our child’s birthday to be to be a special occasion and a DISCO PARTY at Rug Ratz will definitely make it a day to remember. Rug Ratz offers the choice of a DISCO PARTY hosted by the brilliant specialist children’s DJ Vic who stages a fantastic music and light show. There’s loads of noise and dancing mixed with competitions and games. The kids also get a hot meal and unlimited free drinks. Ideal for the older children, DISCO PARTIES start at 6.00pm and last for a full two hours and are available from Monday to Thursday. Great value at only £10 per child, you can pump up the volume with the hottest kid’s disco in town. Rug Ratz also offers catered parties seven days a week with start times from 11.00am to 4.00pm at just £7.95 per child. For larger parties you can have a private session starting at 5.00pm when you can have the whole place to yourselves. At the end of every party each child leaves with a fully loaded party bag A £15 deposit secures the time and date of your choice and full colour invitations are provided by Rug Ratz.

Booking early will avoid disappointment. Gift Tickets. Pre-paid tickets are now available from Rug Ratz reception desk. These make an ideal gift for all children for birthdays or Christmas.

Playgroup Christmas Parties. If you run a playgroup, nursery or pre-school and are looking for a venue, Rug Ratz is offering special deals for Christmas parties. Please call Jacky on 01935 476989 for more details.

RUG RATZ CHILDREN’S PLAYCENTRE Abbey Trading Estate Stourton Way Yeovil BA21 3AR Tel 01935 476989

Parent Talk

www.rug-ratz.co.uk

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BRAND new

n y a o c u n ft i n a d u f h c u m ay ow There’s so much to do on a day visit to Butlin’s Minehead! Why not join us for a day full of fun and see how much you can see and do!

20%

discount froM

£25 per adult Visit

if you pre-book

froM

£17 per child

butlins.com/dayvisitor or call 0330 100 9732

There are some dates when we’re not open to day visitors so please check our calendar before visiting. Prices shown don’t include discount and are based on school summer holiday pricing. For other pricing please visit the website. A child is aged (2 – 14 years old). Persons under 16 must be accompanied by someone 18 and over. Offer is subject to availability and can be withdrawn at any time. Calls cost 2p per minute from a BT landline. Calls from other networks may vary.

events

Parent

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

. MARKETS . THEATRES . FAIRS . FETES . SHOWS . EXHIBITIONS . 1st-24th October: The Big Draw. Tacchi-Morris Theatre Taunton. For those that can draw and those that THINK they can’t. The Big Draw has the key message that everybody CAN, given the opportunity and that drawing can bring a buzz of excitement to every setting! All ages welcome and use of drawing equipment is available. Drawings will be displayed in the centre at the end of the event. 01823 414141 3rd-18th October: Somerset Arts Weeks Festival. Various locations throughout Somerset – see p.3 for details. 10th October: Me and My Cat. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. One morning the phone rings at the Amazing Kitamura Detective Agency. Detective K answers. It’s a boy called Nicholas, but on the screen, is a picture of a cat. Detective K is confused. Nicholas is confused. He needs help, fast! Join Detective K as she sets off on an exciting and hilarious adventure, full of manga clues and strange events in this action paced story. Age 5+. 01225 823409. 13th October: Tree/Boom/ Umthi. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. ‘Tree/Boom/Umthi’ tells the story of a hungry man who wants to eat a peach. To satisfy his hunger he plants a tree which grows through spring into summer as he waits patiently for the peach to ripen. It tells the story of the tree’s journey through the seasons and its relationship with animals and people. It is like an illustrated children’s book, brought to life and filled with beautiful images and song. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Age 2+. 01225 823409 15th-25th October: Two Moors Festival. Classical music concerts of the highest standard given by international, national and south west musicians in rural venues across Exmoor and Dartmoor and in Exeter Cathedral. 01643 831006 16th October: Sleeping Beauty. Moscow Ballet at The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil. Fairytale characters abound alongside a King, a Queen, good and evil fairies, fairies of gold, silver, diamonds and sapphire, plus the inevitable handsome Prince, all weaving their magic. 01935 422884 16th-17th October: Tommy

Foggo Superhero. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. An interactive musical adventure Tommy Foggo and his cello, Destino, are a superhero duo. They go on epic adventures and overcome impossible odds – and they like to sing and share the fun with their friends on the way! Join them as they recruit a gang of young helpers to travel with them through time and space and a sea of fire to fi and the Lost Queen of Atlantis – and save her people from the giant, venomous and cold blooded Kraken of the Deep. Age 7+. 01225 823409. 17th October: Taunton Carnival. Taunton town centre. 7pm. 01823 283892 22nd October: Dinkies Storytime. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Join Jackie and Pooja from our ever-popular Dinkies group as they bring your favourite books to life in this fun storytelling session for pre-schoolers and their parents. Age: 2.5-4. 01225 823409 23rd October: What to do when you find a dinosaur. Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, Taunton. In 1824 an eccentric scientist, William Buckland, discovered a bone from a creature that no one had ever seen before. He named it the Megalosaurus, and he was desperate to tell the world about it. Get set to join him when the amazing dinosaur story first begins. Oxford Playhouse presents the UK’s very own pre-historic story in this boneshaking, musicmaking, silly show which will make history come alive! 01823 414141 23rd-25th October: Breaking the Ice. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Inspired by the incredible true story of a wild polar bear who made friends with a Husky, be part of Team Polar Bear or Team Husky and watch as the animals learn to play together. Age 2-5. 01225 823409 24th October – 1st November: Spooky Pumpkin Trail, Dunster Castle and Gardens. See p 8 for details. 01643 821314 24th October – 1st November: Heritage Open Week in Bath. Numerous venues taking part including Fashion Museum, Victoria Art Gallery and Roman Baths. 01225 477757

Birthday Parties . Holiday Clubs . Workshops Craft Parties No Stress, No Mess - Leave the party to us! Any age! Make something unique to treasure for ever. £15 per head Holiday Clubs for ages 8-14 Christmas Workshops Wreath making - 21st Nov The MOST festive table - 26th Nov Contact us: sam@bodleycraft.co.uk www.bodleycraft.co.uk or follow us on Facebook

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

24th October – 1st November: Hestercombe Halloween Trail of Terror. See p7 for details. 01823 413923 25th October: Halloween Fun Day. The Helicopter Museum, Weston super Mare. Dare you enter the haunted hell-icopter and airman’s graveyard? Helicopter flights, costumed characters, live witch dunking, games, movie screening. All kids in halloween fancy dress go free. 01934 635227 25th October: Shepton Mallet 10k. Shepton Mallet Leisure Centre. 10am. Now in its third year the event starts at Shepton Mallet Leisure Centre, leaving the town past the famous Shepton Mallet prison and weaving through the streets before escaping onto scenic country lanes. It promises to be both fun and challenging for runners of all abilities. Watch out for a mean hill along the way! Bring the whole family and make a morning of it! Lots of activities on for families and spectators including soft play, 1k fun run, racquet sports and bouncy castle. 01823 410260 26th-27th October: By Hand. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. In ‘By Hand’ meet a very special hero, a small person with a great desire to escape from the shop window of a tiny pottery shop and from those who live there too! Told with beautifully –modelled clay characters and remarkable artistry, ‘By Hand’ is a touching and life-affirming story about love, small failures, a potter’s wheel and four hands at play… intimate, funny, moving and beautiful to watch. Age 6+. 01225 823409 26th-29th October: Bugfest. Dunster Castle and Gardens, Dunster. See p8 for details. 01643 821314 26th-30th October: Active Kidz Holiday Programme at 1610 centres throughout Somerset. For more information and full details of what is on offer please contact your local 1610 centre or visit: www.1610.org.uk 26th-31st October: Outdoor Adventure Days, Hestercombe House Taunton. 9.30am-3.30pm. Exciting outdoor adventure days. Kids can enjoy some muddy good fun and take part in a whole host of activity days including Dizzying Heights Climbing Day, Ambush Paintball Day,

Wild Woodland Fun Day and Halloween Survival Day. Further details see p5. 01823 410126. 26th-31st October: Halloween Trail, Lytes Cary Manor, Nr Somerton. 11am3.30pm. Fun halloween trail for children. 01458 224471 26th-31st October: Halloween Activities at Cannington Walled Gardens. Cannington, Nr Bridgwater. 10am-4pm. See p4 for details. 01278 655042 29th October – 28th November: Mary Poppins. Bristol Hippodrome. Multi award-winning musical on tour. 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. 0844 8713012 29th October: Celebrate Halloween. Exmoor Pony

Centre, Ashwick, Dulverton. Crafts and activities for children, pony rides and pony grooming. Refreshments available. Minimum riding age, 4yrs. All weather event. 01398 323093 29th-31st October: The Table of Delights. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Pirouetting beetroots, singing honey bees, flying eggs, quests to far off lands and a feast of food tales from field to plate. ‘The Table of Delights’ is a unique participatory picnic of the senses created especially for children. Sitting around a giant table centre stage they will taste, explore and discover the origins of food through spectacle, stories and original music as award-winning chefs prepare delicious morsels in the spotlight. A theatrical tasting for children. Age 6+. 01225 823409 31st October. Judith Kerr, Yeovil Literary Festival at The Octagon, Yeovil. Author

of ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ and the ‘Mog’ series of picture books, Judith will be interviewed by Nicolette Jones, Children’s Book Reviewer for The Sunday Times in this special talk. 01935 422884 31st October: Halloween “Boo”nanza. Heaven’s Gate Farm, nr Langport. 12 noon – 4pm. Free entry, face painting, games, freaky fun and frightening food! Pumpkin competition – bring your own carved pumpkin. 01458 252656 31st October: Halloween Fun at Harridge Woods, Radstock. Follow the spooky rope trail through the woods and make a mask and bat puppet along the way. Stop off in the glade and gather your broomstick, make a magic potion and cast your spooky spell in the magic cauldron. Numbers limited so early booking advised. Further details re sessions, call 01823 652438

Bath schools gear up for healthy eating Scarecrow Competition Rotten Romans, gorgeous Georgians and now a bunch of scatty scarecrows… the elegant streets of the World Heritage City of Bath will be populated with scarecrows during October half-term as part of the city’s month-long food festival, the Great Bath Feast. Organisers of the Great Bath Feast 2015 have joined forces with local schools to create a healthy eating scarecrow trail around the city centre for visitors and residents alike to enjoy throughout October halfterm. Scarecrows built from yoghurt pots, recycled materials, fruit and veg and dried plants are expected to line the streets of Bath from Saturday 16 October. Schools within Bath & North East Somerset catering for children up to the age of 11 have been invited to design their own scarecrows. The project will focus attention on making healthy choices about food and the importance of eating a balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle. Organisers are encouraging participants

as well as visitors to the city to take a selfie with a scarecrow and join the chatter about healthy eating on #greatbathfeast The competition has also been launched with the support of Bath & North East Somerset School Improvement and Achievement Service and Sirona Care and Health. Judy Allies, Director of Public Health Award Coordinator, Bath & North East Somerset, says: “The Scarecrow Trail is a great fun and creative way for our schools to demonstrate what they understand about how a well-balanced diet contributes to a healthy lifestyle. We are delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to this year’s Great Bath Feast in this unique way.” With the launch of the School Food Plan and the work that many schools are doing to embed the ethos of the ‘Food for Life Partnership’, the Healthy Eating Scarecrow competition gives local

schools the chance to explore the many aspects of food in a fun way that will also support the Design and Technology National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2. An eminent panel of judges will select the winning entries including Jon Wheatley, a member of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society; Alison Vowles, news reporter and presenter for BBC Points West and BBC Radio Bristol; Jo Ingeby, winner of the BBC Food and Farming Awards “Cook of the Year 2015” and tutor at Demuth’s vegetarian Cookery School; Nigel Huxley Chair of Bath BID and General Manager of Waitrose Bath; and Tom Bowles, owner of Hartley Farm, Winsley. Prizes include a visit and demonstration for the winning school from Richard Bertinet, a class visit to Waitrose, a school visit from Riverford Organic Boxes to talk about seasonal fruit and vegetables and a voucher for a family meal at Jamie’s Italian in Milsom Place.

For further details of this year’s Great Bath Feast calendar and how to book your tickets visit www.greatbathfeast.co.uk

Birthday Parties * Holiday Clubs * Workshops Coming up at Bodley Craft Studio... October - Holiday clubs for 8-14’s As the dark nights are drawing in, and Halloween fast approaching, we have been busy preparing for some spooky themed fun! Everything is provided for children to make and take home a variety of projects each day. 9am-5pm, £25 per day –

discount for 2 days or more November - Adult Christmas Workshops, £20 per person Saturday 21st November 10-12.30 - Wreath Making We will be creating beautiful festive wreaths to jazz up your front door Friday 27th November 6.30-9.00pm – The MOST festive table Decorations and ideas to ensure your table is as festive as can be!

Birthday Parties No mess, no stress – leave the party to us! Any age, any craft! New! Parent and Toddler Group “Little Crafties” Launching a new creative group for ‘Little Crafty’ people! Our new group combines creative play with craft activities, whilst providing an opportunity for parents to meet and chat in a relaxed environment.

For more information about any of the above, or to book please contact us; sam@bodleycraft.co.uk, www.bodleycraft.co.uk or

OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

Parent Talk October 2015

Prepare to be scared UK’s Favourite LEGO at Hestercombe’s Rental Subscription Halloween Trail of Box - BuildurBricks Terror

Double bubble, it’s a trail of trouble, as Hestercombe gets ghoulish for Halloween. Watch out for wicked witches, gasp at the ghastly goings on, and leap from what lurks in the lake as you wind your way through the Hestercombe Pumpkins and Potions Halloween Trail. This truly terrifying trail will keep you on your toes as

you try and avoid all manner of creepy creatures on petrifying pathways, through whispering woods and into the ghoulish grotto. What’s being cooked up in the cauldron at the Witch’s Hut, and what lies beneath the lake’s surface? Are you brave enough to find out? If you dare to delve into the dark woods and think you

can keep your wits about you, bring your bravest friends and prepare to be scared! The trail runs every day during half-term, from October 24 until November 1, 10am – 4pm. The trail is included in garden admission and free to Hestercombe members. Find out more by visiting www.hestercombe.com

BuildurBricks is an online Lego® Rental subscription service that was created to offer Lego® aficionados the best rental experience in the country. BuildurBricks is a business that rents out LEGO® sets to people. It’s brilliant, especially when you consider that return postage is free, the sets are cleaned between use and there are over 150 sets to choose from. BuildurBricks aims to offer kids and LEGO® fans some of the most recent sets, including the Jurassic World collection, Star Wars, Disney Princess, city and more. For £9.99 per month for smaller sets and £24.99 for the more difficult sets, subscribers to the BuildurBricks initiative can choose from over 150 sets with no limit on when the toys have to be returned. Additionally, each set is delivered with the original instruction manual. BuildurBricks is set to revolutionise the way children and families play and dissolve the financial pressure parents are under to constantly update toy collections. They also encourage subscribers

to return the sets in full and undamaged in exchange for loyalty points. These points can be redeemed for exciting LEGO® minifigures and gift cards. They don’t charge customers for missing pieces as they replace them with the available stock.

Some of the major benefits of the service are: ✤ Cleaned and Sanitised before sending ✤ FREE delivery both ways ✤ Loved by Kids & AFOLS ✤ Over 150+ sets to choose from

BuildurBricks LEGO® rental subscription service Spend money smarter by renting LEGO® toys

www.buildurbricks.co.uk

8 Parent Talk October 2015

Heritage Open Heritage Open Week, Saturday 24 October – Sunday 1 November, has been running in Bath for over 30 years and celebrates the unique collections and activities in Bath and North East Somerset. Bath Museums work together to share remarkable stories with people who love Bath and discovering everything it has to offer. For a selection of some of the many activities on offer, see below. Victoria Art Gallery, 01225 477233 The Big Draw, 24 October: 10am-12 noon and 2-4pm. Get

OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT Ghost tours at Dunster Week - Bath Castle

to know William Harbutt and try your hand at drawing with Plasticine. Stamping Nature, 27 October & 30 October: 10-11am and 11.30-12.30pm. Create cards and bookmarks using stamping, and add special artistic touches in pen and collage. Ages 3-11. Drawing Nature, 29 October: 10-11am and 11.30-12.30pm. Experiment with drawing natural objects and explore the Kurt Jackson exhibition. Ages 3-11. Fashion Museum, 01225 477789

Heritage

Open Week

Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November www.bathnes.gov.uk/openweek

Community Garden event on Monday 16th February 11am3pm where you can head along to learn how to sow floral favourites like sweet peas to fill your garden with fragrance all summer. Learn about which flowers are growing in our gardens at the moment and go on an exploration of all things floral! On Tuesday 17th February at 11:30am, the Palace will be marking Shrove Tuesday with the annual Pancake Race. Come along to see teams from the Bishop’s Office and the Palace Trust attempt to be the fastest pancake tossers in the City! Anyone brave enough is welcome to join in the fun, they’ll have all you need right sample there! some Roman dishes. All free once Foractivities the are crafty-minded on site. Normal admission charges apply. Entrance is free to residents of Bath & North East Somerset with a Discovery Card.

2015

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, 26 27 & 29-30 October: 2-4pm. Make tea party hats, playing card kings and queens and un-birthday cards to celebrate 150 years of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Ages 3-11 Roman Baths Museum, 01225 477789 Fabulous feasts or Meagre Morsels? 26 October – 30 October: 10am-1pm and 2-4pm. Investigate what the Romans ate and find out about some of their special dishes. A Great Roman Feast – 6-8pm (last entry 7pm). Explore the torch-lit Roman Baths and

amongst you, the first of Ghosts, ghoulspopular and creepy 2015’s hugely Family crawlies, darewill you Activity Days take brave place Dunster Castle 18th and Gardens on Wednesday February this fromOctober? 11am-3pm. The theme those who like bigin is For “Flowers” and don’t the team scares, joinYard us from the Room 24th the Stable Activity October to thewith 1st an November will be ready array of to explore the gardens on flower-based crafts, including the Spooky Pumpkin Trail seed and learning how to make claim bombsyour andprize howat the to end. print £2 trail floral including prize, yourperown wallpaper. normal admission charges apply. Feeling brave? Why not join Bugfest in our Tenants Hall from 26th to the 29th October and hold one of their creepy crawlies. Be sure to catch their “Wild and Deadly” show caterpillar on each day to along in giant conga find about thesethem creepy lines,outencouraging to creatures. Normal admission help others, and opening up charges apply. their imaginations through If you want storytelling and something creative just a little bit spookier dare activities. you Brigitte wanderGater, our UK gardens West after dark on the 26th and Director of Children’s Services 27th October? Eerily lit, said: this at Action for Children, selfruns through “We led wantwalk to celebrate Eric the gardens but who knows Carle’s beloved book by what will be waiting encouraging children for to you get around active andthe havenext fun. corner…. Adults child a£2,sponsored National “By £4, hosting Trust members Route Giant Wiggle you free. will help us not suitable for pushchairs, to support vulnerable children,

Afterwards, head off on a flower-related picture trail in the Palace and Gardens! Residents of Wells and nearby should remember that a Palace Membership allows a family of 4 to visit the Palace and Gardens as many times per year as they want for only £50. All activities are included with standard admission.

Children in the South West set a very wiggly challenge October Half Term Fun The Giant Wiggle encourages children to get active and help others

at The Bishop’s Palace This October Half Term, The Bishop’s Palace is focusing on all things Autumnal with a range of activities to keep little ones entertained. On Monday 26th October from 11am until 3pm, there is a Family Gardening Fun Day on the theme of ‘Autumn Magic’. Under the guidance of Community Gardener Amanda Clay, children will consider how the garden is starting to slow down for autumn and winter and find out what is still growing. They can start to get ready for winter by making some bird feeders to keep the birds well fed over the colder months. On Wednesday 28th October from 11am until 3pm the last in the year of our series of successful Family Activity Days will take place. The theme is ‘Autumn

Leading charity Action for Children is teaming up with The World of Eric Carle™ and encouraging children’s centres, nurseries and groups for under-5s in the South West to host a Giant Wiggle on Thursday 19 March 2015 to celebrate the UK’s most read children’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar™. The event will bring together under-5s to wiggle

assistance dogs only. young people and families in Ourheart annual Ghost Tours the of communities in are back this year are the South West, andand across more ghostly than ever. Book the UK.” yourAction placefortoday to provides join one Children of ouryears nightchild timedevelopment, tours of the early Castle. knows, childcare perhaps learningWho and you’ll spottoone of our resident services thousands of tots spooks. throughout the UK, through its 800 Open from 10am to 5pm children and family centres. took there’s plenty2014, to explore this In March more than rais autumn. Visit our 32,000 children fromwebsite nearly Chil for special events and more information on how to visitor Forinformation. www. Giant Wiggle at your nursery o nationaltrust.org.uk/dunstercastle. visit www.actionforchildren.o

Outdoor classroom at OutdoorWillows classroom at W & Wetlands & Wetlands Visitor Visitor Centre Centr Leaves’ and will be focusing on all things Autumnal with an array of wonderful leaf-based crafts available including Leaf Creatures, Conker Crafts and Jar Lanterns. Throughout Half Term week there will be a new Autumn Picture Trail to follow through You probably already know the & Gardens. thatPalace the Willows & Wetlands All activities in Visitor Centreare is included the best standard admission. toUnder place in Somerset find 5’s are FREE. and traditional modern

English willow baskets, the ideal gift for friends and N EW relatives who appreciate English craftmanship. AUTUMN But much else AUTUMNdo you know GARDEN long established FAMILY about this TRAIL family run 24th business, - 31st based ACTIVITY in the littleOctober village of Stoke DAY St Gregory in the middle of 28th October the world famous wetland, the Somerset Levels?

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OCTOBER HALF TERM FUN!

Heritage Where Families Matter!

AUTUMN GARDENING FUN DAY 26th October

You alreadyAccess) know (HLS probably Educational that the Willows & Wetlands agreement to groups studying Visitor is the best farming,Centre conservation and place in Somerset the environment. Or, to thatfind we traditional can organise and willow modern weaving English willow baskets, the opportunities for visiting ideal gift for friends educational groups to and suit relatives all budgets?who Thereappreciate is a huge English But do variety craftmanship. of opportunities for you knowsubjects much else about studying across the this long established school curriculum here family at the run business, based in the Willows & Wetlands. little village of Stoke St Gregory in the middle of the world famous wetland, the Somerset Levels? Did you know that we have an Outdoor classroom that nestles in the hillside overlooking the “withy beds”, River Tone and to Currymoor and Haymoor beyond? This lovely classroom is available to use free of charge as

Open Week With over 250 primates of more than 20 different species, Monkey World is the largest ape and monkey rescue centre in the world! See the stars of TV’s “Monkey Life”, then ‘monkey around’ in the south’s largest Great Ape adventure play area!

The Bishop’s Palace, Wells BA5 Did 2PD you know that we 01749 988111 www.bishopspalace.org.uk have an Outdoor classroom that nestles in the hillside overlooking the “withy beds”, River Tone and to Currymoor and Haymoor beyond? This lovely classroom is available to use free of charge as ghosts and part of our Natural England

Wareham, Dorset BH20 6HH T: 01929 462537 FREE Info Line: 0800 456600 E: apes@monkeyworld.org

ghouls

Ghost tours, ghouls in the garden after dark, big bugs and creepy crawlies. Dare you join us this Hallowe'en?

PRO

01643 821314 nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle

See our website for a full list of events.

Coates English Willow Discover and explore a hidden industry ● ● ●

Family Tickets for 2 Adults & 2 Children only £37

www.monkeyworld.org

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The Lemon Tree Coffee House Craft studios and Willow Products Shop Guided Tours Outside Classroom Unique Basket Museum Wetlands Exhibition Willow & Wetlands Walks

www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk Meare Green Court, Stoke St Gregory, Taunton, TA3 6HY

22/09/2015 14:29

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willows & wetlands visitor centre

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part our Natural Theof Guided tour England of the (HLS Willow Educational yard and Access) basket agreement to groups studying making workshop, catering farming, conservation for all types of groups and as the Or, that iswea well environment. as individual visitors can organise willow weaving revelation. We continue to opportunities add artefacts toforour visiting private educational groups to suit collection that forms the all budgets? There huge unique Willow andis aBasket variety of opportunities for Museum. Did you know studying the that we subjects have a across film telling school curriculum the whole willow here storyatinthea Willows & Wetlands. The Guided tour of the Willow yard and basket making workshop, catering for all types of groups as well as individual visitors is a revelation. We continue to add artefacts to our private collection that forms the unique Willow and Basket Museum. Did you know that we have a film telling the whole willow story in a beautifully crafted DVD that is now available to purchase from our shop or website. There are also Willow Walks to enjoy and the superb Lemon Tree Coffee House offering a tempting range of home made cakes, lunches and other refreshments. There is much more than willow woven into the Willows & Wetlands Visitor Centre.

The willo &W

welcome to your NEWS section

Book Bag NEWS

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

8th October 1965 Harold Wilson, opens the Post Office Tower Work on the tower started in 1961, with the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, officially opening the Post Office Tower on October 8th, 1965 with a ceremonial call to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. The tower is now known as the BT Tower or British Telecom Tower.

Bigstock: Cityscape with the BT Tower and Millennium Wheel, London.

Above: From BT Digital Archives - Two men in foreground watch a construction worker on the side of the Tower – Photographer: Dave. 7 May 1962

Below: From BT Digital Archives K2 kiosk in foreground – Photographer: Dave. 25 May 1967

An unusual combination of Sir Billy Butlin (Butlins having taken the lease of the top floor) and Tony Benn joined together on May 19 1966 to open the ‘Top of the Tower’ restaurant. The tower was an immediate hit with the public, attracting 1.5 million visitors in the first year. The 189m (620ft) Tower, equivalent to a line of 25 double-decker buses parked end-toend, was closed to the public in 1971, except for the restaurant which remained open until 1980. Amazingly, the Tower was designated an official secret and did not appear on Ordnance Survey maps until after it was officially revealed by Kate Hoey MP under parliamentary privilege in 1993. The BT Tower is one of London’s most iconic landmarks, famous to visitors from all over the world. It has featured in several movies – including Bedazzled and The Bourne Ultimatum. It was also in a 1966 series of Doctor Who and was memorably in a famous 1970’s Goodies comedy sketch involving a giant kitten known as Kitten Kong. It was London’s tallest building from its opening through to 1980 during which period it was known as the Post Office Tower. As part of the iconic building’s golden anniversary celebrations, the restaurant at the top of the BT Tower opened to the public for two weeks in the summer. The re-opening, enabled around 1400 members of the public, selected via public ballot, to enjoy a unique dining experience in the famous revolving restaurant which boasts

unparalleled views across London. The BT Tower has been an important communications hub, for fifty years and is currently home to the TV Network Switching Centre. This carries broadcasting traffic and relays signals between broadcasters, production companies, advertisers, international satellite services and uplink companies. The Tower has also played a role in many high profile public celebrations, including the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. More recently, a 360 degree photograph taken from the roof of the BT Tower entered the record books as the world’s biggest panoramic photograph. Prince Harry sent his first ever tweet from the 34th floor, whilst in May the scrolling LED band around the outside of the BT Tower announced Princess Charlotte’s birth with a rolling pink banner ‘It’s a girl!’. The BT Tower has also helped charities to raise millions of pounds. The Disasters Emergency Committee has staged many appeals from the building whilst celebrities and BT volunteers have collected huge sums for televised appeals including Children in Need, Comic Relief and Sport Relief. BT Chief Executive Gavin Patterson abseiled down the Tower with members of the Royal marines in March 2014 to raise money for charity despite having a fear of heights.

www.parenttalk.org.uk

Book Bag NEWS A

Match the names and facts of each building with the right photo

Shanghai Tower, China Built 2015, Height 632m

Trump international hotel and tower, Chicago, USA Built 2009, Height 423m

All images from Bigstock

One World Trade Center, The Shard New York City, USA Built 2012, Height 309.6m Built 2014, Height 541.3m Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE Built 2010, Height 829.84m

E A = Burj Khalifa, B = Shanghai Tower C = One World Trade Centre, D= The Shard E = Trump International Hotel and Tower

www.parenttalk.org.uk

Book Bag NEWS Try our simple recipes to add to your great Halloween Feast! Halloween Fun Food Plate: Spooky Spider Rice Cakes

Ingredients • 3 Organix raspberry and blueberry rice cakes • 4 blackberries • 3 black grapes Makes three spiders and one spider’s web Method 1. Crush 2 blackberries in a small bowl with the back of a fork, cut the other 2 blackberries in half. 2. Use a clean paintbrush to paint a spider’s web with the juice on a white plate. 3. Place 3 rice cakes on to the web, then add a half blackberry spider body on top of each rice cake. 4. Slice each grape in half from top to bottom, then slice each half into 4 thin spider legs. 5. Add the legs to your spiders, then eat them up before they scurry away! Organix www.organix.com/funfoodplates

There are 10 differences between these pictures, can you spot them all?

Fun Food Plate: Twit Twoo Owl

Ingredients • 1 Organix creamy vanilla baby ring biscuit • ½ pear • ½ apple • Some lemon juice (optional) • 2 slices banana • 2 blueberries / raisins • 1 dried apricot Takes under 20 minutes Method 1. Cut off the top and bottom of the pear, slice in half from top to bottom, then thinly cut one half from top to bottom, into slices removing any pips. Place onto plate in the shape of half a pear for the owl’s body, then add the Organix baby ring biscuit for the head. 2. Cut the apple in half, remove any pips, then thinly cut one half into slices and lay them onto plate. Use 4 slices either side of body to create wings (brush with a little lemon juice if you wish, to prevent the apple from turning brown). 3. Add banana slices and blueberries for eyes. 4. Cut the dried apricot into 5 little triangles to create a beak, ears and feet for your owl. Organix www.organix.com/funfoodplates

Visit our website to see how you did! www.parenttalk.org.uk

Book Bag NEWS

WIN Make Halloween a ‘hoot’ with Kozi Kidz! Make the most of this year’s spook-fest in Kozi Kidz owl-themed Uggla Rain Jacket.

What kind of key opens a haunted house? A spooKEY What do you call an angry vampire? Sir

Tongue Twisters Eleven owls licked eleven little liquorice lollipops. Witches cats and big black bats? If two witches wear two watches, which witch would wear which watch?

Make your Halloween celebrations spooktacular this season with the latest range of adorable, owl-printed Uggla Rain Jackets from Kozi Kidz. Perfect for keeping your youngsters warm and dry, the eye-catching waterproofs are part of Kozi Kidz’ multi award-winning PU collection and provide 100% protection from wind and wet-weather. In addition to their outstanding weather-proof credentials, the Uggla Jackets also feature integrated reflectors to boost your child’s visibility on dark, winter evenings. The Uggla, which is Swedish for Owl, pairs its fun appearance with a practical design for peace of mind that your child will remain warm and dry in all conditions. Available in 3 colours (Orange, Red and Blue), the jackets are made from Kozi Kidz’ high-performance PU coated, phthalate-free polyester fabric. 100% waterproof with a hydrostatic head of 5000mm, the jacket is also available with a soft and cosy fleece lining for extra warmth during an evening trick or treating*! Featuring welded seams, water-resistant zips and a fully-poppered storm flap, you can be confident that even the heaviest rain is no match for the jacket’s advanced protection. Designed exclusively with kids in mind, beneath the eyecatching design, Uggla Jackets are packed full of clever features to maximise your child’s safety and comfort. The soft and flexible PU fabric is comfortable for kids to wear while playing outside and a high collar offers extra protection against chilly winds. The jacket’s robust YKK front zip copes easily with your child’s exertions, while a zip garage by the chin prevents it from rubbing or catching your child’s sensitive skin. Featuring many of Kozi Kidz’ best loved safety features, the Uggla Rain Jacket’s integrated reflectors help boost visibility as daylight fades on Halloween night, offering reassurance in dark conditions. For greater parental peace of mind, all Kozi Kidz jackets are also designed with fully detachable hoods that help to reduce the risk of injury should a child’s hood get caught while playing outdoors. For top to toe protection from wet weather this Halloween, the Kozi Kidz collection also includes a range of coordinating rain dungarees made from the same advanced PU fabric. For more information about the Uggla Jackets, visit the website www.kozikidz.com. Parent Talk have 2 orange jackets 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 21 October 2015.

Why did the monster eat the lightbulb? Because he needed a light snack! What road has the most ghosts haunting it? A dead end!

What does Uggla mean in Swedish?

What monster makes a light? A lampire! Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road? Because it had no guts!

*Fleece lined ‘Varberg’ version available in orange only

OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

Parent Talk October 2015

Children reminded to enter Halloween pumpkin growing challenge Horrors YOUNGSTERS from Somerset are this month being reminded to enter a pumpkin growing competition by Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre. Any children who picked up free packets of pumpkin seeds earlier in the year can take their fully grown pumpkins into the garden centre for judging on October 31. Andrew Pitman, Store Manager at the awardwinning, independent, familyrun garden centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton, said: “Earlier this year we set youngsters the challenge to grow the biggest pumpkin in Somerset. We gave away free packets of seeds and we hope lots of children have been busy growing their pumpkins ready for submitting for judging. “People can bring their decorated or undecorated pumpkins in and leave them in our seasonal plant house, where they will then be displayed and judged. “The top prize for the child with the largest pumpkin will be a £25 garden centre voucher. They will also win a £50 voucher for their school. The winners will be

Pumpkin competition at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre.

notified on the day via email or telephone and invited back for a presentation and photographs. All pumpkins can be collected from the garden centre from 12noon on the day.” Children must have their parents’ permission to enter the competition and the winners will be expected to take part in photographs and publicity.

The garden centre is also running pumpkin carving activities throughout the half term holidays from October

26 until October 31. Parents will be able to take children along to carve pumpkins for £3.99 per child.

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.

There will be some spooktacular fun at Paignton Zoo this Halloween! Take part in the Trick or Treat Trail and receive a chocolate treat. Get crafty with maskmaking and – best of all - don’t miss the special spooky animal talks in the Investigate exhibit with our resident Mad Professor… The Mad Professor is crazy about insects and how they change the world without us even realising. Insects are the original architects, creating energy-efficient homes and social housing. Insects are

brilliant, inspiring innovations in medicine, farming, robotics and water collection in poorer and drier countries. Meanwhile, as the human population increases farming will be unable to keep up, so we could all soon be eating… insects! Take the bug-eating challenge with the Mad Professor if you dare. Halloween Horrors runs from 26th to 31st October 2015. Standard Zoo admission prices apply, plus there’s a small charge for trail sheets. Mad Professor talks at 12.00 and 3.30pm.

Hao Hrs Monday 26th – Saturday 31st October Join Paignton Zoo this Halloween for some spooktacular fun! Take part in our Trick or Treat trail and receive a chocolate treat*. Get crafty with pumpkin mask-making and don’t miss our special spooky animal talks! Standard Zoo admission applies.

*£1.50 per trail sheet, available whilst stocks last.

www.paigntonzoo.org.uk 01803 697500 Registered Charity no: 300923

nursery DIRECTORY NURSERY DIRECTORY NURSERY

14 Parent Talk October 2015

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. T: Lesley/Ali 01460 52457

First Steps Day Nursery School (all year from 8am-6pm). For children from 3 months to 5 years. Offering a caring, educational and safe environment for your child. All fully qualified staff. T: Elaine Garland 01749 346733 E: fsdaynursery@btconnect.com

Hazlegrove Nursery and Pre-Prep Sparkford. Hazlegrove’s innovative Pre-Prep curriculum is outstandingly successful, evident in the increased confidence and ability levels as children move up to the Prep School. The children benefit from experienced staff, specialist teaching and 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 facilities, it is self contained and operates in a secure and peaceful environment. Log cabin classrooms, vast on-site Forest School and highly experienced, dedicated staff make King’s Hall Nursery the

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

Little Boots Day Nursery (Ages 2-5, 8am-6pm) Come and visit us on Pottery Farm! Our idyllic setting offers fantastic opportunities for enhanced outdoor learning; we work with a maximum of 16 children a day ensuring each child gets the individual attention they need. Contact Cleo Wilson for more information. T 07936 555 676 littlebootsdaynursery.co.uk

Millfield Pre-Prep School (Ages 2 - 7), situated in the beautiful Prep campus in Glastonbury. Our aim is to encourage a love of learning through a combination of classroom and outdoor activities, using a wide range of exciting and stimulating teaching methods. Small class sizes and excellent facilities, like our on–site Forest School and indoor swimming pool, support this. Over 20 free after school activities as well as an Early Birds and Late Club. To arrange a visit or a taster session please contact: Hannah Cox in Admissions on 01458 837524

Perrott Hill Montessori Nursery and Pre-Prep Given ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the Montessori Nursery is situated in the attractive, safe courtyard of the manor house. The Nursery children, aged 3-4 years, have the use of the extensive grounds and facilities of the school as well as having

their own outdoor adventure play area. The staff are warm and friendly. Free after school care is available.

T: 01460 72051 www.perrotthill.com

Pilton Preschool A long established & ever evolving village Pre-school where children “share warm and trusting relationships with staff, showing they feel settled and secure and that their emotional well-being is effectively supported” (Ofsted ‘Good’ 2014) A vibrant child centred environment offering fun and inspiring play based learning and education for children aged 2-4 years. Sessions include Forest School, Yoga, Little Mark-Makers, Sports Club, Music & Movement and much more... For further information or to arrange a visit please contact T: 01749 899147 E: preschool@piltonvillage.co.uk W: www.piltonvillage.co.uk/preschool

or follow us on Facebook **Limited Availability. Book now for September 2016** Queen’s College offers individual learning. AN INDIVIDUAL focus on learning is keeping Queen’s College Pre-Prep and Nursery at the top of the tree. With small class sizes of 12-16 children, specialist teachers can cater for each individual child’s needs. Rated as outstanding Queen’s College nursery and reception classes are not to be missed. To visit contact admissions@queenscollege.org.uk T: 01823 340830

To book our Nursery Directory, please call

01458 250461

Why children should perform Do you ever question why you send your children to singing, dancing and acting classes? Is it for fun, fitness, to make new friends or a combination of all three? Regardless of if they want to be professional performer, having the chance to be on stage is something that can positively shape a child’s life, a benefit that many parents don’t initially consider. Over the last five years at Razzamataz Yeovil, I’ve

proudly watched our students blossom each year we’ve put on a show. Each time I pack away the costumes I feel incredibly proud of all the hard work that our students and teachers put in to make it happen. Each show, each class and each child presents a different challenge, but the best part for me as the Principal is putting on a show where each and every child gets a starring role. From the shyest to the most outgoing, there is a place in Razzamataz and on the stage for each and every student. The process of creating a show is also something that children can learn from. Through working together, children learn a mutual respect for their classmates and teachers and seeing the positive reaction from the audience brings home why hard work achieves something special. Learning skills in a class

environment is one thing but getting to showcase those skills on a stage is something that our young people will take with them to boost their confidence whatever they do in later years. Razzamataz Yeovil offers classes for 2-18 year olds. If you want to give your child the opportunity to learn new life skills, contact Claire to arrange a free taster session on 01935 411128 or email yeovil@razzamataz. co.uk

Taunton Nursery School for children from 0 years. Flexible Nursery Education, 7.30am- 5.45pm. Highly qualified teachers. Spectacular grounds and facilities used by all. Children can attend a combination of morning, afternoon and late club sessions. T: 01823 703300 www.tauntonschool.co.uk

Wellington Prep School Nursery Attractive, well designed buildings. Talented teachers. Cheerful children. Proud parents. All this can be yours at Wellington Prep School Nursery and Pre-Nursery. EYFS can be redeemed against our fees. We would love to have your children from 3 years upwards. Please enjoy our website www.wellington-school.org.uk

or call Maria Kerr to

arrange a visit. T: 01823 668700

Little Wellies Term Time Toddler group. Open to all pre-school children every Thursday morning 9.15-11.15am, Wellington Prep School Hall. £3 per child and £1 per additional child weekly charge. Contact Maria Kerr for more details – 01823 668700 prep@wellington-school.org.uk

Childcare Vouchers are not just for nurseries Many parents will now be breathing a sigh of relief, as children have officially returned to school. However, the return to school is not super smooth for all parents. The normal school day does not fit in with all parents as more working parents are commuting to work and working longer hours. There is an increasing need for the school day to be more flexible and more in sync with working parents’ schedules. This problem can be solved by using before and after school clubs. To make using before and after school clubs affordable, working parents can use Childcare Vouchers. There are a lot of myths surrounding Childcare Vouchers, one of them being that they can only be used to pay for nurseries and young children. In reality, Childcare Vouchers can be used to pay for any registered childcare provider for children up to the age of 16. A child qualifies for Childcare Vouchers up to the end of the week containing the 1st of September following each child’s 15th birthday, (16th birthday for children with a disability). Vouchers can be used to pay for school clubs, nannies, au pairs, child-minders, nurseries and more. Furthermore, Childcare

Vouchers can also be used for holiday camps in the October half term period. Childcare Vouchers are a simple way that working parents can save on the cost of childcare. It’s just a matter of swapping a part of their salary for Childcare Vouchers, which are non-taxable and exempt from National Insurance contributions. If parents take the full amount of vouchers available to them, currently £55 per week, this can save a working parent £933 each year, depending on their individual circumstances. With soaring childcare costs, childcare vouchers are a valuable tool and offer busy working parents a myriad of childcare options. The Government’s new Tax-free Childcare scheme has been delayed until 2017. Therefore, Childcare Vouchers are the best option for working parents to save money on their childcare until then. Parents, whose employer doesn’t offer a Childcare Voucher scheme, can contact Busy Bees Benefits who will get in touch with their employer to set up a scheme. For more information about Childcare Vouchers and the savings they provide, please visit www.busybeesbenefits. com.

EDUCATION INFORMATION EDUCATION

Parent Talk October 2015 15

Take a look inside … the Hazlegrove Pre-Prep Taunton School Reception classes and Nursery School! children are happy We are established, successful and thriving, having just received our third consecutive ‘Outstanding’ in all areas of inspection. We have four Nursery classes, two Reception classes, parent area and entrance, bespoke play areas, zoned and planned play! There are also Forest schools (two areas) and woodland for daily playtime use plus a happy friendly team of adults and children who demonstrate why we are successful! We have two brand new, amazing Reception classrooms, catering for small groups of children in classes of no more than 16, often 12-14 in each class, with specialist teachers in French, swimming, games, music, dance and drama. Our Forest school and fun outdoor learning environments are specialist facilities which encourage freedom, fun, confidence in learning and safe risk taking! We have four age and stage Nursery classes catering for babies from birth, ones, twos, threes and four year olds.

children!

Again age-related rooms, amazing facilities indoors and out, swimming, sports, Music, Forest school and you can learn a language! Mud kitchens, bespoke play areas, sensory activities for babies and baby yoga – our ethos is that you can learn anywhere as long as the facilities and staffing are high quality, fun and cosy with specialist inputs. We believe in teaching! No pressurised hot housing! Instead, we offer balance, breadth, choice and flexibility. All children are kept on track, but not through overformal testing, which can be stressful at this age. Ongoing assessment for learning by our teachers and Pupil Performance activities enable bespoke programmes and allow children to be

extended or supported at whatever level is needed. Personalised learning enables all children to thrive and achieve, regardless of their starting point. Many of our children come from our specialist Pre School Nursery. Some of our happy children are here from 7.30am until 6pm. We need an extended day to provide all of our enrichment activities. However, we have lots of different packages and offer flexibility. You can also stay for a late tea and do flexi stays in the evenings. Accessible and affordable, come and see the journey and how you can spend your Nursery and Reception entitlement. By Kathy McLauchlan, Head of Taunton School Nursery and Pre-Prep

Hazlegrove

Hazlegrove Pre-Prep children are happy children. This comes as no surprise given the academic curriculum is backed up with a fantastic array of activities including Forest School, drama, music, tennis and games all taken by specialist teachers. Add in the use of the Prep School facilities including the theatre, dance studio, 25m indoor swimming pool, sports hall and all-weather games surfaces and how could a child not be happy! Small class sizes with experienced class teachers ensure these children master the building blocks which are fundamental to their learning throughout the school. Children are welcomed from the age of 2½, when they are ready to enjoy the busy life in the Nursery, often having been attending the Squirrels parent and toddler group beforehand. This undoubtedly helps these young children settle quickly. The focus in the Nursery is ensuring that all children feel safe and happy and ready to learn. Early Years inspectors reported that “the quality and standards of the Early Years

provision are outstanding”. The transition to the Reception class, located just next door to the nursery, is natural for these children who have been so well prepared to take on the new challenges, to enjoy the additional opportunities opening up to them and to welcome new children into their group. Traditional values and a strong sense of family permeate through all aspects of life at Hazlegrove. The Prep

school continues to thrive with Year 8 children gaining entrance to a wide variety of senior schools locally and further afield, often with a much-prized scholarship or award. Nursery and Pre-Prep places are available for September 2016. Be warned however, very few spaces remain in the Prep School but transition for Pre-Prep pupils to Year 3 is assured.

Do arrange to visit either at an Open Morning or by appointment – you will be guaranteed a warm welcome. For more information call Sarah-Jane on 01963 442606.

...making the most of childhood

Open Mornings 10, 13 & 17 October at 11am

• Children are welcomed to the Hazlegrove Nursery and Pre-Prep from 2½. They enjoy small class sizes with experienced class teachers and specialist teaching for an array of activities including Forest School, swimming, tennis, dance, music and games. • The free Squirrels Parent and Toddler group for pre-school children is on Wednesdays. • Places for 2016 are filling fast, please contact us for more information. Visitors are assured of a warm welcome - call Sarah-Jane on 01963 442606

Hazlegrove, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JA follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

16 Parent Talk October 2015

competition WIN Parent Talk have 3 Seagull Splats to give away.

POOP YOUR WAY TO VICTORY! With Seagull Splat – from University Games Seagull is flying happily around…. splat…. what is that on the ground? Seagull Splat is the mischievous and hilarious children’s game that will have kids screaming with laughter. Are you lucky enough to dodge the poop? You may end up pooped out if you aren’t! The object of the game is to be the last player to keep one of his/her Character beach towels. It’s easy to play – each player chooses a colour and places the beach towels in front of them. Simply fill up the bird with the seagull foam solution and place the bird and spinner in the middle of the table. The first player spins the spinner to indicate on which colour beach towel he/she may poop. Take the seagull and fly over to the beach towels of the player with the colour indicated on the spinner and squeeze the tail once. If the bird poops, the player has to put away the pooped-on character. If the bird does not poop, the player is lucky and his/her characters are saved for this round. Play continues until there is only one player with beach towels remaining. This player is the winner! Fast becoming a family favourite, Seagull Splat is available from the following stores: Toys ‘R’ Us and Argos. Age 4+ years. For 2-4 players. RRP £19.99 Parent Talk have 3 Seagull Splats 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 21 October 2015.

Find the odd one out..... Robin, Herring gull, Black-headed gull, Iceland gull

EDUCATION INFORMATION EDUCATION

Five things grandparents can teach grandchildren Family and parenting expert, author and journalist, Liat Hughes Joshi is working with Interflora, the world’s largest floristry network, on a new campaign encouraging people to celebrate their grandparents. Here, Liat explores the top five skills grandparents can pass down to their grandchildren. Under the weight of homework and revision, packed schedules of activities and tech overload, learning important life skills – from cooking to sewing - can get crowded out of modern childhood. Parents, meanwhile, are often rushing around juggling work, home and taxiing the kids about, so finding even a half hour to do the slowing down necessary to teach children these skills, can be challenging. Who better to step in then, than the grandparents? They’ve got masses of experience and often more spare time than parents. Children, meanwhile, are usually more receptive to listening to Grandma or Grandpa because the

generation gap makes the relationship less ‘spikey’. It’s win-win: grandchildren pick up life-enhancing skills, grandparents enjoy a feelgood factor from passing knowledge on, plus it’s valuable bonding time for all. So what are the best skills to transfer between the oldest and youngest members of the family? Based on Interflora’s survey of 1,500 people, here are the most popular things to learn from grandparents… 1 Cooking With years – no, decades - of practice in the kitchen and many of these before the advent of supermarket ready meals, grandparents might well be dab culinary hands to enjoy informal cookery lessons from. What’s more, if they grew up in the lean post-war era, they’re probably especially adept at cooking up a storm on a budget – highly relevant for today’s cash-strapped students and twenty-somethings. 2 Etiquette Interflora’s survey suggests that over a quarter of us have been taught etiquette by grandparents and, as

the saying goes, ‘decent manners never go out of fashion’. Chances are they know a good deal about tip-top etiquette and, again, with that generation gap, grandchildren are less likely to get grouchy about being reminded not to chew food with mouth open or pick their nose. Whether it’s to gen up on how to behave at a job interview, or at a first visit to a new girlfriend or boyfriend’s parents for Sunday lunch, make grandparents the go to manners guides. 3 Sewing, knitting and mending A valuable and zeitgeisty skillset, given the homemade/ vintage vibe that’s so ‘of the moment’. Asking grandma (or gramps) to show you how to get nifty with knitting needles or savvy with sewing not only saves money but means you can wow friends with handcrafted creations. As for mending – be it darning a holey sock or patching up a

small tear in a favourite top it’s eco-friendly, money-saving and surprisingly satisfying. 4 Confidence Grandparents tend to see the best in their grandchildren perhaps because they’re not the ones having to tell us to tidy our rooms or living with our bad habits on a daily basis. They’re our biggest fans – who else will call their friends to boast about our achievements – and more than anything, they unconditionally adore us - what could be more confidence boosting than that? 5 History When you’re a small child, grandparents seem positively pre-historic. In reality they can’t offer first-hand anecdotes about dinosaurs - or even Victorian times - but they can give fascinating insights into how 20th Century life was when they were your age. If you want to know what people did all day before the Internet and even colour TV, you know exactly who to ask.

Knowing the right portion size for your toddler just got easier! Evidence-based Portion Sizes for children aged 1- 4 years available to support healthy growth and development With growing evidence of the impact of increasing portion sizes on the amounts of food that adults and children consume, simple and practical advice on portion sizes could be key in curbing the obesity crisis. The Infant & Toddler Forum (ITF) has revamped its online resource to create a user-friendly, visual guide on how much food to offer young children. The guide is now accessible on all devices including mobile, tablet, and desktop computer. The UK is facing a health crisis related to poor diet. Almost one in ten children starting school are obese,

amounting to over 60,000 children in 2013-2014. One predictor of how much young children eat is how much is put on their plates. We also know that in the UK, adult portion sizes have increased dramatically within the last twenty years. A toddler’s energy needs are significantly lower than that of an adult so they require smaller meals. There is often anxiety among parents about what and how much to feed their child. Practical advice that can help parents and carers offer young children appropriate amounts may help in our fight against childhood obesity. Judy More, Paediatric Dietitian and Member of the ITF said: “How much

British Slumbertime As National Sleep In Day approaches (October 25, the day the clocks go back and we all get an extra hour in bed) The Sleep Council is encouraging British slumbertime with tips to help parents and young children cope with the change. “Parents everywhere despair when the clocks alter and wreak havoc on sleep routines,” says Lisa Artis, of The Sleep Council. “And it’s not just the child

who can struggle to adjust there is the knock-on effect of sleep deprived parents who are suddenly re-adjusting to wakefulness after a few months of settled nights.” Luckily there are things parents can do to quickly restore the peace. ■ When the clocks first go back, mornings are lighter. Make sure bedrooms are kept dark with good quality black-out blinds or curtains. ■ Gradually alter bedtime

toddlers eat varies widely from day to day and meal to meal, so parents and carers shouldn’t worry if some days their toddler eats less than on other days. Our advice provides portion size ranges rather than specific amounts, to address the fluctuating appetites of growing children and helps to achieve the correct nutritional balance and calories needed for healthy growth and development. These ranges are easy to use and include the foods parents and carers usually offer toddlers. The portion sizes guide offers a combination of foods across the five food groups with advice on healthy limits for high-fat or high-sugar foods.” The Infant & Toddler

Forum brings together an independent, multidisciplinary team of experts and practitioners from paediatrics, neonatology, health visiting, dietetics, child psychology, midwifery and obstetrics to share new ideas and to debate the latest thinking in infant and toddler nutrition. Best practice guidance on food and feeding for all young families is paramount for children’s health and wellbeing now and in the future. For ten years the Forum and its partners have strived to raise awareness and promote positive change in the field of toddler nutrition and feeding behaviour, with all guidance being in alignment with DH increased emphasis on early years intervention.

The new online portion size guide can be found at: www.infantandtoddlerforum.org/portion-sizes-table-2015

by around 10 minutes over a few days beforehand to adjust to the new time. ■ Maintain bedtime routines ie getting ready for bed in the same order, for example, pyjamas on, tooth brushing, toilet, bedtime story. ■ Turn off all screens at least an hour before bedtime. ■ Offer a milky, warm drink to encourage sleepiness and avoid stimulating food and drink in the hours before bedtime. This is a good time to

consider whether or not your child might need a new bed. If they have had a recent growth spurt, their current bed may not be supportive or big enough any more. The Sleep Council has a free guide for parents packed with helpful tips and advice on establishing good sleeping habits to last a lifetime. The Good-Night Guide for Children is available from The Sleep Council by calling 0800 018 7923 or visiting www. sleepcouncil.org.uk

EDUCATION INFORMATION EDUCATION

Revitalise and National Accident Helpline unite to support carers Respite for disabled people and carers is vital, says charity as British Caregiver Award is launched National disabled people’s charity Revitalise has joined forces with the National Accident Helpline to launch the British Caregiver Award and call for more support for the UK’s 6.5 million unpaid carers. Revitalise is working in partnership with National Accident Helpline on the British Caregiver Award, and the charity’s CEO, Chris Simmonds, will be sitting on the Award’s judging panel. The charity has also provided a respite holiday at one of its three UK centres as the top prize in the British Caregiver Award. Revitalise is also supporting National Accident Helpline’s ‘Accidental Carers’ campaign and calling for better respite provision for disabled people and carers in order to prevent the breakdown of the caring relationship. The charity is backing up the company’s independent research findings with the results of its own carer surveys. The two organisations’ research paints a stark picture of the daily lives of unpaid family carers and the barriers that are preventing them from accessing essential respite breaks for themselves and their loved ones. Among the many findings on which Revitalise and National Accident Helpline’s research agree completely is that a third of carers have never had any significant time away since they started caring and that for the same proportion, guilt was a huge barrier holding them back. The organisations’ studies

found that over a third of carers have passed up on the opportunity for respite due to the feelings of guilt at leaving their loved ones in the care of others. Revitalise is suggesting that this points to a lack of confidence on the part of carers in the quality of respite opportunities currently available. Revitalise and the National Accident Helpline are hopeful that the Awards and Campaign will draw much-needed attention to the selfless work of UK’s army of unpaid carers and the daily challenges they face. In the light of the research, Revitalise is calling for much more to be done to support unpaid family carers, especially in terms of regular respite from caring. The charity is urging social care decision makers to pay more attention to the fundamental issues of quality and choice in respite care in order to alleviate carers’ guilt at taking respite breaks from caring and help prevent the breakdown of the caring relationship. Revitalise Chief Executive Chris Simmonds commented: “We are proud to be partners with the National Accident Helpline on the ‘Accidental Carers’ campaign and the British Caregiver Award. It’s about time that unpaid carers got the national recognition they so richly deserve. “We must never forget that 6 out of 10 carers do what they do out of love and devotion to the person they care for, but without the lifeline of regular time off from caring, carers – no matter how devoted - risk reaching breaking point.

“That’s why we must do all we can to prevent the caring relationship from reaching breaking point. Prevention is always better than cure and it would be a false economy to expect carers to carry on unsupported. Every pound we spend now on supporting carers will prevent a much greater cost to society if we take carers’ devotion for granted and allow relationships to collapse under the strain. “Guilt at letting go is clearly a huge psychological barrier for carers, but we have found that carers’ fears about taking time off can be eased if the focus is on providing high quality care for their loved ones, where they can enjoy the company of others in a dignified, stimulating environment – which is precisely what Revitalise provides. “That’s why we will keep on repeating that access to regular, good quality respite breaks for disabled people and those who care for them should be considered a right, not a luxury.” “I feel privileged to take my place on the judging panel and more than happy to provide a holiday with Revitalise as the prize. We look forward to giving the winners a well-deserved break, but more importantly, to raising awareness about the incredible contribution of the UK’s unpaid carers.” Russell Atkinson, CEO of National Accident Helpline, said: “At National Accident Helpline we hear at first hand every day about the severe impact unforeseen accidents or injuries can have, not just on the injured person but also on their close family, who can

Is your child’s fear of failure holding them back? “I’ve never been asked to make mistakes before!” exclaimed Sam, a recent attendee at one of Explorium’s school collaboration programmes. But that is exactly what the team at Compton Dundon’s Creative Learning Centre are doing. “The future is increasingly a very uncertain place and we need our children to be building up resilience, problem-solving and risktaking,” says Julia Black, CEO of Explorium, “otherwise they will really struggle when they move from education to employment, where inevitably they are going to be learning through mistakes.” Her team of Learning Consultants and Creative Learning Designers are now working with some of Somerset’s most innovative and bold school leaders to ensure that learning in, and

for, the 21st century is firmly embedded in their school culture. “We are probably the most ‘real-world’ learning environment you can get for children of primary and secondary school age, and this is throwing up some interesting findings.” Black goes on to talk about how the fear of failure is a common emotion in primary and secondary school pupils. This is particularly evident in high achievers who fear losing their status as the ‘people who get it right’. Explorium is collaborating with Ansford Academy, Martock, Elmhurst, Rode, Norton St Philip and Charlton Mackrell primary schools to bring 21st century learning right into the heart of Somerset’s educational landscape. Our aim is to work together to ensure that our children are prepared to

find themselves thrust into the position of full-time carer. “Many of these ‘Accidental Carers’ have their own lives and routines transformed by the need to provide care for their loved one, often 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over the course of months and years. “Through the British Caregiver Award, we want to highlight the invaluable contribution made by these unpaid carers throughout the UK and to stress how important it is that they get regular respite from their caring role. “We’re delighted to be working with Revitalise, a great charity which does so much to enrich the lives of the thousands of people who spend time at its centres each year.” The UK’s army of unpaid carers, currently numbering around 6.5 million, is increasing daily. By 2037 the number of unpaid carers in the UK is expected to have soared to nine million. Unpaid carers save the economy an estimated £119 billion per year, an average of £18,473 per carer. Revitalise is a national charity providing respite holidays for disabled people and carers at three accessible centres in Chigwell in Essex, Southampton and Southport, with 24-hour nurse-led care on call, personal support and a range of accessible excursions, activities and entertainment. People wanting more information about Revitalise respite holidays are requested to call 0303 303 0145 or visit www.revitalise.org.uk

Explorium learners at local radio GfM

move successfully through education to employment. To book your child’s free

learning consultation, phone Julia on 01458 274050 or visit explorium.co.uk.

Parent Talk October 2015 17

True family ethos at Perrott Hill

As a preparatory school, Perrott Hill is fully engaged with the process of considering what it is that we are actually preparing our children for, both in the next stage of their education and in life at large. With both the social and employment worlds being increasingly infused with technology, the stunning setting and grounds of the School, the sheer spirit of the place, the carefullyconsidered curriculum and the exceptional staff all provide an excellent balance that both tends and promotes the pupils’ well-being while promoting the knowledge and skills to flourish as they get older. Here, the great value we place upon courtesy

and manners combines with formal debates, mock trials, curriculum drama and numerous other performance opportunities to develop oral communication skills, informed opinions and a gentle confidence. Academic standards and expectations are high, whilst there is an understanding that these can only be met by ensuring the children are happy and have a sense of self-worth: so pastoral care and the true family ethos are central. Life at Perrott Hill isn’t complete, however, without healthy doses of excellent sport, music, art and boarding for those who wish. We warmly invite you to pay us a visit to experience some of what we offer for yourself.

Perrott Hill Time and space for a full education

Autumn Open Mornings Summer Term Term Open Mornings at Perrott Hill Friday 9th8thand th October Friday andSaturday Saturday 910 th May 2015 Perrott Hill Scholarship Day

Real World Learning 10% off our October half term learning opportunities Quote code HM15Z when booking. Call for a free Learning Consultation www.explorium.co.uk

01458 274050

Perrott Hill’s Independent Schools Inspectorate Report was Friday 5 February 2016 outstanding, with the topthmark of ‘Excellent’ awarded in every category. encourage you to read the Tatler Schools Guide 2015 and PerrottWe Hill’s Independent Schools Inspectorate Report the Good Schools Guide which capture ethosofof‘Excellent’ this flourishing was outstanding, with the topthe mark co-educational boarding school. awarded in every category. Perrott Hill, North Perrott, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7SL 01460 72051 www.perrotthill.com admissions@perrotthill.com

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

18 Parent Talk October 2015

Editor’s choice

World of Warriors By Curtis Jobling Published by Puffin Welcome to the Wildlands – where history’s greatest warriors battle for survival! Trick Hope is used to getting into fights, but when he’s magically transported to the Wildlands he finds himself seriously out of his depth. Trick is told he’s here for a reason – to save the Wildlands from the tyrannical Boneshaker and his dreaded Skull Army. To do that, Trick needs an army of his own, but getting a band of Viking, Aztec and Samurai warriors to work together is no easy task!

Switch I.T. Off! By Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees Published by Constable Bored of seeing everyone you know glued to their phones all the time? Feeling the need to get really connected with the people in your life? ‘Switch I.T. Off’ is an all engaging activity book the exact same shape and size as a smartphone. It’s packed with entertaining games, challenges, jokes, puzzles and illusions – and it will change your life. You can dip into it, leaf through it, pass it around, colour in it, scribble on it, and even rip it up. Its ground breaking features include: a battery life as long as your imagination; it fits in your pocket; you can take it anywhere; WIFI , cables and earphones are not required; and it’s 100% recyclable!

The Mouse Who Reached the Sky By Petr Horácek Published by Walker Books ‘The Mouse Who Reached the Sky’ is the third picture book about Little Mouse and her friends following ‘A New House for Mouse’ and ‘The Mouse Who Ate the Moon’. A beautiful red, shiny thing is hanging from a tree. Little Mouse thinks it’s a marble, but Mole is sure it’s a balloon and Rabbit says it’s a ball. None of them can reach it by themselves, so how will they discover what it really is? Together , they will find a way.

A Book of Feelings By Amanda McCardie, illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino Published by Walker Books ‘A Book of Feelings’ stars a brother and sister, Sam and Kate, and their dog, Fuzzy Bean. Sam and Kate know what makes them happy: cuddling Mum, reading a story with Dad, swimming, running and dancing… lots of things. But they don’t feel happy all the time (nor does Fuzzy Bean), and in the course of the book we seem them feeling grumpy, embarrassed, shy nervous, frightened, sad and jealous. Both words and pictures portray the children in many different situations at home and at school, and show how they change over time, how emotions can escalate, and how people can help each other.

Dino Books Published by John Blake Books How Do Astronauts Wee in Space? will take kids on an amazing journey in which they will discover the most amazing and unbelievable facts about the universe. Why did humans send jellyfish into space? Is there really a planet made of ice that’s also on fire? Dr Dino, as always, has the answers!

BUILD! A knight’s castle By Annalie Seaman Illustrated by Charlie Simpson and Rob Turpin Published by Ivy Kids Become an archaeological detective and embark on a quest that will lead you into the medieval realm. Keep your eyes peeled as you carefully sift through the evidence; unearth artifacts and features, and explore historical records for clues about the past. Then use your newfound knowledge to rebuild a magnificent medieval siege castle of your own.

The Teenager who came to tea - A Parody By Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees Illustrated by Gillian Johnson Published by Constable Another hilarious parody of a much-loved children’s book from the best-selling authors of ‘We’re Going on a Bar Hunt’ and ‘The Very Hungover Caterpillar’. When the doorbell rings, just as Sophie and her Dad are sitting down for their tea, they’re half expecting a visit from a tiger, but what slouches in through their doorway is even more curious than that…a teenager. A perfect read for anyone who remembers the original, or has even been a teenager, or is the parent of a teenager today.

Do Dinosaurs Make Good Pets? Another funny and dazzling title which will teach kids all they need to know about the prehistoric world. Bursting with brilliant hand-drawn illustrations, this book chews up and spit out the myths, bringing to life the weird and wonderful facts about our cuddly reptile friends.

How Many Greeks Can You Fit Inside a Horse? From dragons and mighty heroes to badly-behaved gods and iconic monsters, this brilliant book delves into the rich tapestry of some of our best-known and loved folk stories. Kids will discover the truth about the fascinating world of myths and legends between these pages!

Cool Architecture By Simon Armstrong Published by Pavilion Books From how they were built to what they can tell us, watch the buildings around you come to life. An amusing and absorbing alternative to any technical start-up manual, Cool Architecture makes reading buildings fun. Whether you want to learn to draw like an architect or find out which building accidentally sent out lethal death rays, this is the perfect book to inspire kids of all ages. Cool Philosophy By Daniel Tatarsky Published by Pavilion books Feeling frazzled by philosophy? You won’t be after you’ve read this fun-filled, fact-packed book. If you have ever thought ‘why did I do that?’ or what’s the point of this?’ you’re already a philosopher. A lot of philosophy will have you scratching your head because often there isn’t a ‘right’ answer. In fact, that’s what’s cool about philosophy; nobody can ever say you’re wrong! With fifty fact-tastic ways to advance your thinking skills, so you’ll never be scratching your head in bemusement ever again – read about prominent ancient Greek thinkers such as Aristotle and Socrates to modern-day thinkers like Bertrand Russell and Thomas Kuhn.

Clangers: The Brilliant Surprise By Daniel Postgate Published by Ladybird Books Over 45 years since their first appearance on our screens, the Clangers are back and now starring in their very first picture book! Something magical is coming to the little blue planet that is home to the whistling Clanger family and their friends, but what can it be? Follow Tiny Clanger on an adventure to investigate!

I Want Spaghetti By Stephanie Blake Published by Gecko Press The perfect picture book for toddlers who might recognise themselves in cheeky Simon, the fussy eater. Once there was a little rabbit who only wanted to eat one thing…spaghetti!

Have You Seen Elephant? By David Barrow Published by Gecko Press Elephant wants to play hide and seek. But you’ll need to try your best – he’s very good! ‘Have you Seen Elephant?’ is perfect for sharing with children who will love finding the elephant (and being better at it than the boy in the book!). Watch out for the dog and the tortoise too…

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Parent Talk October 2015 19

Is your little one running on empty? New research report reveals body clock energy needs Fruit and fruit-based snacks can make an important contribution to children’s energy and nutrient needs according to a new research report published by Fruit Bowl. The research report – Understanding your child’s body clock - by mum of two and independent dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton and nutritionist and mum Dr Emma Derbyshire, reveals that children have high energy and nutrient needs for their size. This is because they are growing as well as being more active than adults. Hence kids need to snack more during the day to help refuel their bodies. Energy dip impacts Parents are aware of the impact of low energy levels on their children and of the fact that hunger can reduce energy levels. Children are hungry when they get home from school and two thirds of parents surveyed by Fruit

Bowl said their child struggled with homework when their energy levels were low. Hunger also affects children’s moods and 38% of parents surveyed reported that having an after school snack or spending time with a parent put their child in a better frame of mind. In addition, 64% of parents recognised that betweenmeal snacks could provide energy for children. Snack habits Snacking is certainly very popular with children although confectionery snacks are considerably more popular than fruit. In fact, the latest data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey reveal that the recommended 5-a-day fruit and vegetables are achieved by only 11% of boys and 8% of girls aged 1118 years. That means that a staggering 89% of boys and 92% of girls are missing out on the Government’s recommended 5-a-day fruit and veg habit.

Most loved and loathed fruit and vegetables Research data from Fruit Bowl revealed what kids love or reject when it comes to fruit and vegetable preferences. ■ Bananas and strawberries come off best, liked by over one third of children (37-38%) ■ Carrots, peas and sweet corn (liked by 44%, 32% and 30% respectively) ■ Gooseberries and sprouts were liked the least by children. Unfortunately this preference for confectionery skews children’s snacking choices towards foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat and salt. Snack food swaps - did you know? Switching from sugar confectionary to a fruit-based snack saves 183 calories; 38g of sugars and increases fibre consumption by 1.2g When chocolate confectionary is swapped with a fruit-based snack, an even greater energy saving

of 213 calories is made, with total and saturated fat levels also dropping too. Eating fruit or fruit based snacks also help to refuel children, without providing an excess of these less healthy nutrients. TLC time As we all know sharing time together as a family is special. In the research run by Fruit Bowl, over one-fifth (21%) of parents said that sharing a meal with their family was the most special part of a day. Reading a bedtime story, playing with their kids and seeing their kids first thing in the morning also ticked the box for quality time. These findings highlight the fun and happy times that parents and their children have together. By encouraging children to snack on healthier options, parents can improve the balance of their children’s diets as well as providing optimal energy levels across busy days.

Winscombe named as great place for families OneFamily’s annual Family Hotspots Report reveals The historic market town of Wokingham has been named the best place in England and Wales for families to live, according to the Family Hotspots Report by modern mutual and specialist in family finances, OneFamily. The annual report, which is now in its fifth year, helps families by revealing the best places to live in England and Wales by analysing everything from education, safety and childcare costs to local amenities, affordable property and green spaces. With the latest technology and postcode data that uses over 70 different sets of criteria, OneFamily, which was named the best Junior ISA provider last week, has also created the Family Hotspots calculator, which families can now use to find the best places in England and Wales to live by visiting www. onefamil y.com/hot spot s/ check-your-postcode. Situated close to Reading and just 33 miles from London, it is the second time the small town of Wokingham has secured the winning spot in the annual Family Hotspots Report after taking the coveted first place in 2012. As the birthplace of celebrity singer Will Young and home to Olympic rowing champion Anna Watkins, Wokingham is no stranger to fame and has also featured in a number of film and TV productions including, Primeval, Superman and The Vicar of Dibley. Once best known for its Bell Foundry, today the town owes its success to very low crime rates, excellent Key Stage 2 results and higher salaries, which average at £27,362 versus the average of £21,982 in England and Wales. It also boasts above

average performing primary and secondary schools, several churches, an art gallery and regular trains to London, making it a haven for commuter families. Philip Mirfin, Town Mayor, Wokingham Town Council, said: “I am truly delighted that once again Wokingham has been named as the best place for families to live in the UK. We are very fortunate to enjoy excellent schools at every Key Stage, together with some beautiful open spaces and a safe town that has a genuine community spirit. “We pride ourselves in the arts and culture we offer and this ranges from our May Cultural month through to family fun days, theatre in the park and large scale annual events such as the Food Festival, May Fayre and Winter Carnival.” In second place in the Family Hotspots Report is the tiny village of Winscombe in Somerset. Set on the edge of the Mendip hills and close to the famous Cheddar Gorge, the village has enviable Early Years Childcare, with nearly 40% rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, low crime rates and above average salaries. The village is also known for its Michaelmas fair, held every September, which offers locals a chance to showcase their handicraft and produce. The Oxfordshire market town of Faringdon scooped third place thanks to its excellent provision of pre and preparatory schools with above average Key Stage 2 results. In 2004 the town won the accolade of being the first Fairtrade Town in the South East of England and also hosts an annual arts festival every summer. Karl Elliott, spokesperson

at OneFamily, said: “Life’s milestone moments are often exciting but they can also be stressful, and moving house is right up there with the most difficult. “That’s why as one of the largest mutual insurers in the UK, which has been helping families for over 40 years, we have created an easy way to help them find the best place to live. This includes our report and the Family Hotspots calculator. Anyone visiting the Hotspots page on our website can simply enter a postcode and see how different areas fare. “It helps answer the key questions when you’re trying to find the right home, including, are we near the right school for our children? Is it safe? Do we have everything we want nearby?” It’s the first time Devon has appeared in the top 20 Family Hostpots Report with four of the county’s towns making the list, namely Shebbear, Cullompton, Crediton and Colyton. The small village of Shebbear boasts the highest percentage of Early Years Care that’s ranked as ‘outstanding’, and secured seventh place overall. Devon also has relatively good access to a number of large towns including Plymouth and Taunton, making it ideal for those needing to commute. Lower than average house prices and crime rates also ensure that the county remains an attractive location for families. Since the launch of the Family Hotspots Report in 2010, a year-on-year trend has emerged of the same towns appearing in the top 20. This year was the first time that there has been a marked

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change in the rankings with only seven towns retaining their top 20 status. These included Wokingham, Faringdon and Lower Earley tucked in between the M4/ M40 corridors, Clitheroe and Longridge in Lancashire, Cheadle in Staffordshire and last year’s winner, St Bees in Cumbria, which this year slipped to eighth position. Unlike previous years, in the 2015 Family Hotspots Report the top 20 places are evenly distributed right across the UK. Last year the North of England dominated the leader board, however this year the South West, which didn’t appear at all in 2014, has crept back into the top 20 with areas in Somerset and Devon scoring highly. In addition to the Top 20 Family Hotspots, OneFamily has also created a top 10 cities table, ranked the best locations in Greater London, and listed the best places for commuters in the Family Hotspots Report. To find out more about OneFamily, and to get a copy of the report or use the Family Hotspot calculator, visit www. onefamily.com/hotspots.

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