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FREE ® ® Cambridgeshire www.familiescambridgeshire.co.uk Issue 17 September/October 2012 Clubs and Classes Collaborative Law Supporting Left Handed Children School Open Days The Useful magazine for families with children from birth to teenage 0845 400 1290 perform.org.uk Watch your child’s self-esteem soar with Perform’s unique drama, dance and singing classes. Our weekly workshops will do wonders for their social, linguistic and physical development as well as being the best fun they’ll have all week. Free Drama Class Classes for 4 12 year olds perform.org.uk
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Page 1: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

FREE

®®

Cambridgeshire

www.familiescambridgeshire.co.uk

Issue 17September/October 2012

! Clubs and Classes! Collaborative Law! Supporting LeftHanded Children

! School Open Days

TheUsefulmagazineforfamilieswithchildrenfrombirthtoteenage

0845 400 1290perform.org.uk

Watch your child’s self-esteem soar with Perform’sunique drama, dance and singing classes. Our weekly workshops will do wonders for their social, linguistic and physical development as well as being the best fun they’ll have all week.

Free Drama Class Classes for4–12 year oldsperform.org.uk

Page 2: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

Welcome the 17th issue of Families Cambridgeshire - thereally useful magazine for parents and children.

I hope that you all enjoyed the summer and are settlingback into school life. Despite a wet summer here inCambridge, I enjoyed working more than ever as Imoved my office outside to our summerhouse, thanksto a massive makeover by Dunn andWeston. Theycompletely renovated the inside of it (making it virtually

spider proof!) and I now have electricity! Check out theirwebsite www.dunnandweston for more inspiration.

We managed to have a couple of shortbreaks, but I wish I had had an opportunity tovisit Boquio Guest House. Run by a ex-Cambridge resident, and set near thebeautiful Helston in Cornwall, they welcomechildren and pets and have their own indoorpool. Definitely on my wish list for Februaryhalf-term! www.boquioguesthouseholidaylet.weebly.com

I’m sure you’ll find lots to keep your little ones entertained in our Clubs andClasses feature, but don’t forget to find some time for you, inspired by ourarticle on page 7.

We’ll also be running a special ‘Bumps and Babes’ page in the future so ifthere is anything you would like to read about, from breast feeding, doulasor sleepless nights, do e-mail me on [email protected] orleave a note on our forum at www.familiescambridgeshire.co.uk and we’llsee if we can help!

As always, I do hope that you enjoy this issue of Families and feel free tocontact me with any news or events that you would like to see featured infuture issues. Please mention Families whenever you contact one of ouradvertisers.

With best wishes Sara

® September/October 2012

02 News07 Rebalancing Your Life08 Left Handed Children10 After School Activities11 How to Encourage

Reading12 Collaborative Law14 Parent 2 Parent15 Out and About16 Open Days

Purple Fitnesstel: 07545 284 928www.purplefitness.co.uk

Mention when calling toreceive a free taster Boot Camp!

Cover photograph Samule Borges Fotolia.com

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News - September/October 2012GLAMOROUS CHARITYFASHION SHOW INAIDOF EAST ANGLIA’SCHILDREN’S HOSPICESAward-winning Cambridge boutiques Boudoir Femme and ProhibidoLingerie, invite you to their Annual Charity Fashion Show, raising moneyfor EastAnglia’s Children’s Hospices.The event will showcase theAutumn/Winter 2012 collections from both boutiques and will be heldat the Hotel Felix, Cambridge onThursday 4th October 2012.The eventpromises to deliver a fabulous show with hair and make-up by FinnJordan, Cambridge.

The evening begins at 7.30pm with a drinks reception and canapés,followed by the fashion show and the opportunity to win somefabulous prizes at our charity auction on the night.

EastAnglia’s Children’s Hospices support families and cares for childrenand young people with life-threatening conditions acrossCambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.They provide care andsupport wherever the family wishes – in families’ own homes, in thecommunity or at one of their hospices in Ipswich, Milton andQuidenham.

This year, they need to raise more than £5.75 million in publicdonations, to deliver their services.This amounts to over £15,000 a day,every day of the year.

Pippa Sandison, owner of Boudoir Femme said “the event promises todeliver a fabulous show, full of glamour and will be a night to rememberfor our guests.We are delighted to be able to raise money for such agreat cause”. Save the date in your diary.

Tickets £30 available from Boudoir Femme 01223 [email protected] or Prohibido [email protected] 01223 316553

New Mizu Skincare RangeMizu is a new range of nourishing productsmade with naturally sourced ingredientsthat respects the balance of your skin, aswell as the balance of nature, keeping itfeeling healthy and silky smooth.

Dermatologically tested with a skin-neutralpH, the new Mizu range of shower gels,body lotions, hand washes and hand creammake skin feel soft and nurtured.Their mildformulas are made from plant and mineral-based ingredients that effectively clean

gently and moisturise deeply.

What’s more, what is washed away biodegrades quickly and completely,and the empty bottles you're left with are 100% recyclable.

Created with natural scents and oils, Mizu BodyWash will leave youfeeling refreshed and relaxed without drying out your skin.The bodywash comes in Citrus & Orange Blossom and Lavender &AloeVera aswell as the perfectly nourishing cream shower with almond oil.

The full Mizu skincare range is available fromwww.ecoverdirect.com.

Circulation 12,000 copies of Families Cambridgeshire availablethrough schools, nurseries, libraries, selected shops and restaurants.If you would like copies for your establishment please let me know.

Contact Sara Carr, [email protected]: 01223 319437 mobile: 07748 183700Print: Bishops Printers Limited,Portsmouthtel: 023 9233 4900www.bishops.co.uk.

Design: Louis T Koehorsttel: 01223 [email protected]

Families Cambridgeshire is part of theFamilies Group established in 1990 andheaded by Families SouthWest. Allfranchised magazines in the group areindependently owned and operated underlicense. We take every care preparing for themagazine, but the publishers and distributorscannot be held responsible for the claims ofadvertisers, the accuracy of the contents norfor any consequences.

In this issue

Welcome ! " News

Page 3: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

®September/October 2012

Page 4: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

® September/October 2012

News "Photographic Opportunity!

Your child could have their photos judged byDavid Loftus, Jamie Oliver’s food photographer,who is judge for theYoung category of PinkLady® Food Photographer of theYear 2013.

His work has been described as “still life worksof art” where the food is just begging to bepicked off the plate and eaten. David hasworked with Heston Blumenthal, Martha

Stewart and shot Jamie’s last 5 books.

Ambassador, Martha Payne, the 9-year old school food blogger fromScotland whose blog Never Seconds has attracted 7 million hits after thelocal council banned her from taking pictures of her school food. Martha isto help us promote theYoung category.

Food photography is an art form and as such deserves to be celebrated.Our free-to-enter children’s categories for 2013 are in three age groups,15-17, 11-14 and 10.We are looking for any images at all featuring food -food in the field, food on your plate, food in the street.

Pink Lady® Food Photographer of theYearis inspired by the proliferation ofwonderful food photography in a hugevariety of applications. From eye-catchingadvertising hoardings, to sumptuouseditorial features, from tempting foodpackaging to daily blogs.The awardscelebrate this magnificent diversity inwhat is truly, the stuff of life.

Each young category winner will receive a prize of £100 and be presentedwith a prestigious trophy at a champagne reception at the world-renowned Mall Galleries, London inApril 2013.Register atwww.pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com

Help your childget off to a flyingstart in the newterm!Research has found thatat least two thirds of

children fall behind in their studies over the summer holidays.This largegap in studying can leave a child feeling insecure in their ability, which inturn can lead to a lack of confidence during September.

The beginning of a new academic year is an ideal time to seek extrasupport. Explore Learning is a network of maths and English tuitioncentres for children aged 5 to 14, designed to improve knowledge,confidence and enjoyment of learning.With 63 centres locatednationwide, they are the perfect way to help your child get off to a flyingstart in the new term.www.explorelearning.co.uk

Best BearBest Bear Childcare hasbeen offering a unique service toparents looking to hire a nannyfor a number of years. Nannyagencies are not regulated soBest Bear developed a uniquevetting process to test and checknanny agencies before listingthem on their website, giving

parents peace of mind in the knowledge that they were using safe andsecure agencies, recommended by Best Bear.Since the website launched in 1998 many additional services have beenadded, but the core focus remains on its unique listing of recommendedagencies.To help make it even easier for parents to find recommended childcareagencies, Best Bear has invested heavily in a brand new website, whichlaunched last month.The new site has been built following feedback fromparents, childcarers and nanny agencies and has been designed to make itquicker and easier for all who use the website to find what they needquickly and easily.

Parents can use the website to look for recommended childcare agencies,browse childcarer CVs, post a job advert, organise reference checkingand find useful childcare information and resources.Childcarers are able to promote their skills and experience by uploadingtheir CV, or they can browse through jobs listed by parents andagencies, as well as finding information on career development andtraining.And finally, agencies are able to demonstrate that they arereputable and trustworthy and can use the website to promote jobvacancies to and to find parents needing childcare, and childcarerslooking for work. It is a win-win situation for all involved.Sally Harrison, director of Best Bear said "We are very proud of our newwebsite, and hope that users find it even quicker and easier than everbefore to find the contacts and information that they are looking for.We are dedicated to helping parents, childcarers and agencies who allhave different needs from using our website, and we are continually

developing new ideas and initiativesto help them all. The new websitegives us an opportunity to quicklyexpand and add new services and wehave lots of ideas for new serviceswhich will launch later in the year"

Be careful with musicA new survey by Baby Sensory has discovered that many parents areunaware of the risks of playing music through headphones to their babybump.The research by the baby development classes found that 89% ofparents are unaware of the risks involved when playing music to theirunborn child: that the amniotic fluid within the womb actually doublesthe level of decibels a child hears from 60 to 120. Baby Sensory founder,Dr Lin Day says, “It is widely researched and publicised that playing musicto an unborn child helps mother and child bond and assists with braindevelopment, which I fully support. However, the problem with playingthe headphones directly on the abdomen is that the amniotic fluid works

www.bestbear.co.uk

Page 5: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

September/October 2012 ®®

® 5

" Newsas a conductor of sound and can amplify the music which causes it to befar louder for the baby.This can, in some circumstances, lead to hearingproblems to the child from birth.” Find out more atwww.babysensory.com

News from Holistic Harmony!Holistic Harmony on Fair Street are welcoming twonew additions to their shop.....Bridgette EllwoodHair &Make upArtist to the Stars07766881532 • www.bridgetteellwood.com

Worked with Lulu,Twiggy, Sugarbabes, Scissor Sisters, Kean, ShirleyBassey, Olivia Newton-John andmany more

! Trained by British hair dresserTrevor Sorbie! Art director at Toni&Guy for 10years + 2 years inAustralia teachingadvanced cutting! Turned professional workingfreelance on Films,TV, Magazines,Music videos and ITV “Strictly ComeDancing” and “Dancing on Ice” tours

Now offering you the service the stars have

Special Start prices

! Hair cut £50 ! Glamour blow-dry/tongue set £45

!Medium /short blow-dry £38 ! Hair up £45!Make up £45 ! Make up lesson £50! Makeover (hair & make up) £75

20% off your first appointment (please mention Families!)Call in for free consultationWorking Saturdays and by appointment

And Alexandra Squires -New Counselling Service offering reduced fees.

Monday 3pm - 7pmTuesday 6.30pm - 8.30pmThursday 6.30pm - 8.30pmFriday 6.30pm - 8.30pmAlexandra SquiresPhone: 07712 590237Email: [email protected]

Claire at Holistic Harmony continues to offer wonderful holistic treatmentsincluding massages, manicures, pedicures,AMAZING facials using Muradproducts and much more. Claire says:

'I like tooffer treatments tocustomers inaholistic style. Thismeans that Itreat thebodyasawhole, rather than focusingonone isolatedareaorailment.Our various systemsandmusclegroupsdonotwork in isolation.Ailments are seldomsingle symptoms. That iswhy Iwork intuitivelyonanumberofdifferent levels treatingphysical,emotional and spiritualimbalances. I believe that this approachachieves the ideal harmoniousbalanceneeded for a fulfilling life.'

For more information contact Claire on 01223 322 856

CompetitionWinnerCongratulations to RonanGlencross who won thetickets to ‘Sword in theStone’ at Houghton Mill.This is what Ronan said:-“Just thought I would sendyou a quick e-mail to saythank you, your magazineand all the staff very much forthe tickets for me and my

family to goand see KingArthur andthe Sword inthe Stone atHoughtonMill. Theweather was

dry so wemanaged to sit and watch it all.We all had a lot of fun and theactors were really good. The were very friendly and fun. I have sent you acouple of pictures. One is Merlin with me and my sister (Hannah).” Withthanks to Cambridge Touring Theatrewww.cambridgetouringtheatre.co.uk

Labels 4 KidsWe all know howfrustrating it iswhen school itemsgo missing(apparently over£100million a year!)Why not look atLabels 4 Kids, fromthe award winningAnne-MareeMorrison for an

easy way to keep your children’s clothes safe.www.labels4kids.com

Page 6: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

tuitionEnglishMaths &

Book your free trial session today to !nd out how Explore Learning can help your child to gain con!dence, enthusiasm and new skills.

Explore Parent.

Explore Learning centres provide maths and English tuition to children aged 5-14, designed to improve knowledge, confidence and enjoyment of learning.

Explore helps children make fantastic academic progress, in addition the vibrant atmosphere keeps them engaged and focussed enabling them to have fun while they learn.

As members, children work with tutors who are great role models, enthusiastic about learning and fantastic motivators. The individual focus allows children to work at their own pace – whether they are finding school tricky or are top of the class!

www.explorelearning.co.uk/peterborough

01733 555355Sainsbury’s, Oxney Road

USE THEM AT EXPLORE!

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September/October 2012®®

6

You have short listed the childcare providers in your area and booked visitsto them, what should you be looking for during these visits?

Firstly it is important that you write a list of questions you would liketo ask. It’s a little like going to the doctors or attending an interview inas much as it can feel very overwhelming and it is only after you haveleft that you remember the all important questions you didn’t ask.These could be anything from ‘How is sleep time arranged’ to ‘How willpotty training be managed’ or ‘What does the Early Years FoundationStage mean for my child’?

Take notice of how you are greeted – is the door held wide open or doesthe person ask who you are before inviting you in. Security is a veryimportant aspect of any setting andwhilst it is good to be greetedwarmly,it is essential that unfamiliar people are not given free access to thebuilding. Are you asked to sign a visitor’s book?

The manager or deputy should greet you even if they do not show youround the nursery. Tell the staff member who is leading the visit aboutthose areas you particularly want to see. This is important – if you havea baby you will not want to see Pre School first, or vice versa. If you feelas if you might be given the generic tour, say where your particularinterests lie.

As you walk round the various rooms, are children happy and engaged inwhat they are doing, and are staff involved with them? Nursery roomsshould look busy but not chaotic! Do staff look up and acknowledge yourpresence by a smile or ‘hello’. Are children clean and does the room smellpleasant? Look at the display boards, are they up-to-date and look as ifwork has been done by the children? Do they demonstrate that the staffhave an understanding of child development?

Are you allowed to just stand and watch the room in action or are youhurried in and out of rooms. Is the garden or outdoor area set up ready forchildren’s play and if there is no outdoor area, how do staff manage thisaspect of the day?

The latest version of the Ofsted report should also be displayed.

Remember you can also arrange for another visit without any obligationto make a booking. Brochures and websites offer useful informationbut it is how you feel about the setting and the care offered thatactually counts.

Mothers

What should I look for whenvisiting a nursery?

www.kidsunl imited .co.uk • Tel : 0845 365 2929Chi ldcare Vouchers : 0845 365 2999

Page 7: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

®®7September/October 2012

Never have enough time?Fiona Clark, coach and founderof Inspired Mums, offers hertop tips for creating a lifebalance that works for you.

If you’re finding it increasingly difficult to balance the numerousdemands on your time, it’s reassuring to know you’re not alone.Mumsare under greater pressure than ever to juggle the needs of children,work and household chores so it’s not surprising that many of us havelost sight of who we are and what we really want from life.

At Inspired Mums we were recently contacted by a mum, Jo, whowanted to regain some balance in her life – she was feeling unfulfilledand pressurised trying to balance her job of 14 years in an advertisingagency with the needs of her family.We worked together to increaseJo’s confidence levels, as well as looking at what really motivated herand defining what her transferable skills were. By identifying a newcareer direction, we’ve transformed Jo’s life balance – she now worksthree days a week, term-time only, in a marketing role at a school fiveminutes walk from where she lives.This has allowed Jo to spend moretime with her children whilst boosting her energy levels and giving hera real sense of empowerment.

If you too would like to gain more balance and a greater sense offulfilment in your life, here are some ways to start looking at theproblem anew and find some solutions.

1. Focus on the solution, not the problem

! Positive thinking is the most important first step to enable you totake control. Many of us see work-life balance as a problem, butinstead you need to feel you have lots of positive choices tomake in your life which need to be managed.

2.Take control of your time

! Think about how you spend your time – pick a day of the weekyou’d like to review and be specific about how you spend yourtypical 24 hours – here’s a table to help you [David, pls drop intable as over].

! Decide what you want to spend your time on and how muchtime you want to spend on it.

! Identify the action you can take to help you close the gapbetween where you are now and where you want to be.

3. Learn to say ‘no’

! Be more assertive and say ‘no’.This will help you if you constantlydo favours for others, but struggle to ask for help in return.

! Say ‘no’ to your smartphone – have boundaries for work andleisure so you don’t find yourself reading your work emails whileyour kids are chomping through their breakfast.

4. Focus on yourself

! Decide what activities orrelaxation time you want tobuild into your life. Don’t feelguilty about it – rememberwhen you’re happy andrelaxed, the whole family willfeel the benefit.

! To help you focus on yourself,complete the ‘me-time’ wheeland write down seven treats thatyou would like to include in your life.

5. Identify any major changes that need totake place

! For some mums, a poor work-life balance comes from simplybeing in the wrong job. It’s tiring and stressful being in a job thatdoesn’t motivate you or play to your strengths. Career coachingcan help you identify the right path to find fulfilment andconfidence at work.

6. Do it – ditch it – or delegate it

! Be brutal with your ‘to do’ list – categorise them into thesethree buckets.

! Decide what you want to achieve by prioritising what’s reallyimportant to you. Break it down so that you just have two orthree things that you’re going to do today. It’s much lessdaunting than having a massive list for the next few weeks ormonths.

! Certain tasks, like tax returns, can’t be ignored, so either do themand stop thinking about them, or delegate them.

! Force yourself to identify the items that don’t add value and canbe eliminated all together.

7. Be present

! Channel your energy into whatever you’re doing at the moment– what I call ‘being present’. If you are playing with the kids, listenattentively to them. It’s much better to have 30 minutes ofdedicated time dotted through the day being really present,instead of spending all day with them, but not really giving themany undivided attention.

! If you are at work – be present – focus on your work, don’t feelguilty about leaving the kids in childcare.

! This will boost your sense of calm and enjoyment – and reducethe stress of feeling you should be somewhere else and doingsomething else.

InspiredMums is an established career & confidencecoaching business that specialises in helpingmums findfulfilling and family-friendly careers. Please contact Fionaon 07789 597209 or [email protected], or seewww.inspiredmums.co.uk formore information.

Education B

Rebalancing your l i fe

NOWNumber of hours

FUTURENumber of hours

Sleeping

Number of hours

Sleeping

Housework (cleaning, tidying etc)

Shopping

Being with your children, playing/reading etc…when they have your full attentionCooking

Watching TV / Being on Computer

‘Me time’

‘Me time’

Work

Answering phone calls

Child-related activities such as feeding,dressing, bath, taking them to nursery, puttingto bedOther

TOTAL 24 hours 24 hours

Page 8: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

September/October 2012®8 ®

Family !

S U P P O R T I N G YO U R L E F TH A N D E D C H I L D

1 in 10 children are left handed, but many fail to get thesupport they need in the early years of their education.Experts say teachers aren’t given the proper training andschools don’t have the right resources. Sarah Butters ismumtoa lefthandeddaughter.She takesa lookat someofthe most common problems faced by left handers andsome tips for helping themout.

MESSY HANDWRITINGIf you have a child who is left handed, chances are they haven’tbeen taught to write. Most are simply allowed to use their lefthand.As the right handed parent of a left handed child I admitto having that same attitude. I now know that I wascompletely wrong.

Left handers push the pen across the page,whereas their right handed friendswill pull. This can lead to smudging and untidy work which in turn leads toanxiety on the part of the child.At an early stage a left handed child shouldbe encouraged to master the correct handwriting position and paperplacement to avoid problems as the writing assignments increase.

The paper should be rotated to 45 degrees with the hand and wrist belowthe writing. Any pen needs to be held in a strong 3 point grip. In Early Yearsthis can be supported with a triangular bodied pencil or a moulded griparound a regular pencil. If your child can get into good habits from the startof their school life, theywill avoid problemswhen they graduate to a fountainpen and longer writing assignments.

HOOK GRIPSome left handers use a hooked grip to avoid theproblem of smudging, and angle the pen in thesame way a right hander would. This causes moreproblems than it solves. The hook grip becomesmore uncomfortable the more you write. It leads to

an overtight grip and aching hands which in turn lead to messy handwriting.The wrist should always be below the writing line. If your child is developinga hook grip, consider introducing a sloped surface to resolve the problem.

ELBOW COLLISIONAt some point your child will have to share a desk and if they’re left handed

this can be a problem.

“I always end up banging elbows” explains my 9 yearold daughter. “That makes my writing messy.”

You child should always be placed at the left hand sideof a shared desk or next to another left hander. This

gives them plenty of space to get their paper positioned correctly and avoidknocking elbows with a right handed neighbour.

WHITE BOARDSThey’re a teacher’s best friend but a left handers worstnightmare.White boards and chalk boards are a greatlearning tool in the modern classroom - pupils can getrid of mistakes easily without using endless pieces of

paper. However, if you’re left handed you can end up erasing as you write.Good grip and placement of the board gives left handers half a chance.However if your child isn’t completing white board work quickly or neatlyenough, it may not be their fault.

MIRRORWRITINGI remember being hugely concerned when Idiscovered that my daughter had completed aReception assignment using mirror writing. She hadbegun her words on the right hand side of the pageand written from right to left. It’s common in left

handed children and when you think about it, it makes sense. If they are satnext to a right hander, they are simply mirroring their work. Encourage themto start on the left hand side of the page by placing a coloured star in themargin as a reminder.

COMPUTERSMost ICT rooms are set up with the computer mice onthe right hand side of the keyboard. This gives lefthanded children an automatic disadvantage becausethey either need tomove themouse or attempt or use

their right hand. Don’t presume the teacher knows your child is left handed.Be sure to let all the staff involved with your child know they’re a left handerand will need a different workstation set up.

THE ‘RIGHT’ EQUIPMENTMany left handed children learn the basicswith the wrong equipment. Give a left

handed child some right handed scissors andthey’ll find the blade is upside down and so they

can’t see the line they are cutting. It means the childhas less control and think if themselves as messy. Thiscan be a real problem in the EarlyYears. Check your school

has left handed scissors to offer your child. Ambidextrousscissors don’t exist – trust me!

As the progress to writing, shiny barreled pens are to be avoided. Make surewhatever pen you choose has a good grip so it’s easy to hold even whenhands get hot and tired. Left handed fountain pens are available fromwww.anythingleft-handed.co.uk. They’re worth the investment for olderchildren as the have an angled nib.

LACK OF UNDERSTANDINGAs a right hander, I never appreciated the challengesfaced by my daughter. Until she mastered left handedwriting, she was labeled untidy in her written work andlost enthusiasm for putting pen to paper. It wasn’t untilI began researching this piece that I realise how muchof her attitude is linked to the hand she writes with.The

bad news is she’s had a more challenging time than her right handed pals.The good news is she’s in good company. Barack Obama, Leonardo DaVinciand Bill Gates are all lefties. Now that’s not a bad club to be in!

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCEKeith Milsom campaigns for better support of lefthanded children in our schools and offers someadvice about what to expect from your child’s school.

“Despite decades of campaigning and a string ofpromises from government ministers and teacher

training authorities, there is still virtually no guidance provided to teachers onhelping left-handed children and no process for identifiying left-handers inschools.

Make sure you talk to your child's teacher to make sure they know thathe/she is left-handed and may need assistance and advice. Ask your child’steacher to talk YOU through the support they’re going to give it so you canbe sure they really understand. If you’re concerned, refer them to the teacherguidance sheets available from www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk. Theschool should have left-handed scissors available and pens that will help left-handers write in the correct style.

If children are left to their own devices it is very unlikely they will findwriting and cutting out easy. Apart from the practical difficulties thiscan mean they are working more slowly than the rest of the class andlose some of confidence - especially if the teacher tells them off for "notdoing it right". Lefthanders can end up underperforming at school andhaving difficulty with written exams as a result of a lack of informedguidance at an early stage. It’s important parents keep the pressure onschools to support their left handed children.”

USEFUL RESOURCESwww.anythingleft-handed.co.uk has some greatleft handed guidance sheets for parents and teachers.It’s also a super source of left handed equipment.

www.lefthandedchildren.org another great websitewith some top tips for parents looking to supporttheir left handed child.

Page 9: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

September/October 2012 ®®9

B SchoolsMore than 150 schools across thecountry have already signed up tobe part of ChildLine’s Big Birthdayweek between 8th and 12thOctober, so why not join in the funand get involved too!

The event, to markChildLine’s 25th anniversary,will see primary andsecondary schools and groupsacross Peterborough take partin a host of fun and quirkyfundraising activities tocelebrate the milestone andraise £250,000. As part of thecelebrations, ChildLine ishoping to break the Guinness

World Record™ for the most greetings on asingle birthday card, by inviting everyschool that fundraises to send in theirgreeting for inclusion in the giant card.

ChildLine founder Esther Rantzen is backingthe Guinness World Record™ attempt andurging local schools to show their supporttoo, she said: “When ChildLine waslaunched back on October 30th 1986, itreceived 50,000 attempted calls on the firstnight from desperate young people who,until then, had no way of asking for help.

“Now, 25 years on we’re still providingcomfort and protection for children andyoung people who contact us by phone andonline. But, of course, we need to raisefunds to pay for the service. Taking part inthe ChildLine Big Birthday week is a

fantastic way for schools to show theirsupport, helping us to continue our servicefor another 25 years and more.”

Taking part in ChildLine’s Big Birthdayweek is simple. To find out more andregister for your fundraising pack anddownloadable resources, visit:www.nspcc.org.uk/thebigbirthday

ChildLine, the free confidential helpline andonline service for children and youngpeople, has counselled almost 2.7 millionchildren and young people since it was setup. Now ChildLine is able to answer almostevery call and provides help and advice tothousands of children every day, aboutissues such as bullying, bereavement, abuseand family problems.

Schools flock to join in ChildLine’s Big Birthday celebrations

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St Edmund’s College and Prep warmly invite you to our

OPEN DAYST EDMUND’S COLLEGE AND PREP OPEN DAYSaturday 29th September, 2012 - 9.30am-2pm

To find out more call:01920 824247

www.stedmundscollege.org

St Edmund’s College and Prep School, Old Hall Green,Nr Ware, Hertfordshire SG11 1DS

Independent, Catholic Co-educational Boarding school for 3-18 years

Sixth Form

Open Evening

Thursday 11th October 2012

Page 10: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

As the new school year starts, so does the time to choose after-schoolactivities, but take a quick look and you will find a whole range ofclasses available, from Scouts to Ballet, from French to Karate. Howcan we know which ones are the best for our child, offer value formoney, and critically, which ones they will enjoy!

After-school activities definitely offer value to your children. Reportsindicate those who participate in after-school programs have betterschool attendance, higher grades and loftier aspirations. They’re lesslikely to get into trouble are at lower risk of obesity. It is also a greatopportunity for children to develop social and leadership skills. Thebenefits are there, but under which classes?

Talk to your child and findout how they feel aboutthe activity, and let themchoose at least one clubor activity themselves.Help them chooseactivities that reflect whothey are and what theywant to learn, don’timpose your preferences.Explain that it’s

important and fun to try new things, and remember switchingactivities is normal amongst children.

Always check out the quality of an activity. Discipline-based activitiesthat create a quality product over a period of time are great, e.g.putting on a play. Don’t think that high cost equal high quality, someactivities are cheaper to run like football. Staff members should beprofessionals with skills and experience.

Consider the mix of activities. The benefits of exercise are huge, soincluding a sport would be a good start. Extracurricular activities areideal for children to explore and practice what it means to be a groupleader, e.g. Brownies. If you arestuck between two similar activities,consider the usefulness, e.g. drumlessons might be cool, but the guitarmight have wider applicability.

Finally, remember logistics. Theafterschool programme affects youtoo. Avoid signing on to too manyactivities that leave you scramblingfrom one to the next. No one willhave fun doing anything if it meansarriving late, leaving early, and goingwithout dinner on Tuesdays andThursdays. Look hard for places youcan walk to, it reduces your carbonfootprint while keeping you fit for free! Finally do build in somedowntime. Children need to have independent play as well as thestructured activities, so ensure time is built in for dinner, watching T.V.and relaxing. Leave some activities perhaps for the summer, whendifferent interests can be tried, without the pressure of schooldemands.

After-school activities can provide enrichment, adventure and variety.They can enhance knowledge and build character. Spend a bit moretime choosing the right activity programme for your child and you willreap the benefits.

Consideration for special needs children

! Consider your child’s interests, rather than their needs.Many regularactivities can use technology or planning to help their participation,e.g. drama, athletics, cooking, academic

! Evaluate your child's stamina. Check they have the energy for anextracurricular activity?

! Talk with the activity leaders about your child's unique medical andcommunication needs. Provide them with emergency contactinformation.

! Make sure family downtime is a regular part of the schedule.Sometimes your family needs to have nothing to do— as a group.

Remember the inclusion of children with special needs is beneficial toall. Special needs children achieve more, improve behaviour, andenhance motivation. Children without special needs learn fromworking cooperatively and grow in confidence through helping others.

For younger children why not tryBaby SensoryBaby Sensory provides hundreds of sensory development activitiesthat are great fun for parents and babies to share in the vital firstyear. The classes include fibre optic light shows, bubbles, bells,musical fun, baby signing, puppet shows, amazing light balls andso much more. To find out more call Juliette on 07966 789785or email [email protected] or see our websitewww.babysensory.com

Monkey MusicMonkey Music provides classes within Cambridgeshire, includingRock n’ Roll for babies from 3 months and Heigh Ho for toddlersfrom 12 months. Contact Catherine Clough on 01353 668 622 [email protected]

®® September/October 201210®

Choosing after-school activities ByElisabethDoltonChildrenR

Monkey Music For Babies andYounger Children01353 668 622

Melody Movement 01480 493 579

Alliance Francaise French Classes 01223 561 854

La Dante Italian Classes 01223 315 191

La Jolie Ronde 01223 210 900

Kinnerz Coaching Sports and Football 01223 571 385

Bumpercise andAquatots 01223 569 067

Cambridge Gym and Trampoline Club 01223 510 144

Stagecoach Singing, Dancing andActingfor 04 - 18 year olds 01223 359 974

Octogon PerformingArts 01353 661 191

McKenzie School of Speech and Drama 01954 781 487

Perform Stageschool

Annabel LeeArt Classes 01223 324 030

Kettle’s YardVarious Classes 01223 748 100

Baby Sensory 07966 789 785

Vibe Images - Fotolio. com

Taniho - Fotolio.com

Page 11: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

®September/October 2012 11®

Many of us know the value andenjoyment of reading. Good readersbecome better writers, better learnersand well rounded individuals. Taking anactive part in helping your childrenbecome interested in reading is vital.Despite busy days, tired kids, limited timeand many distractions, we outline fivesimple steps that can help.

Step one - Set up reading time every dayDecide when and where a reading session will takeplace, which fits into your household schedule, andkeep it. 10 minutes is fine.Encourage your child to read aloud. They don’thave to get every word right, and praise themoften. If they are discouraged by their own reading,you read aloud. The pleasure of listening to youread can restore their enthusiasm. Offer to readevery other sentence, page, chapter, and haveconversations and discussions about the content.Make it fun. Children love sound effects, differentvoices, pulling faces.

Step two – During reading timeIntroduce the bookmark. Stop after a few pagesand pick up where you left off at another time.Provide an accessible, special place for children tokeep their own books.Use special incentives, e.g. an extra 5 minutes tofinish a chapter, a promise to take them to see thefilm of the book, sticker charts and certificates.Notice what attracts your children's attention, evenif it’s only pictures, and build on that interest.Gathermore information on the same subject.Listen to audio books (in the car too). These help

develop visualisation, a critical pre-reading skill.Let them choose their own books. Don’t worry thebooks are too young or too easy, early readingsuccess can came from several "non-traditional"sources such as comics.Buy a special notebook and record all the books theyhave read, add their thoughts and a star rating.

Step three - See the teacher and judge wherethey areFind out what reading program the school follows,get to know the levels, and aim to supplement theprogram at home.Prepare a timetable. Know what level your child isat and the next, with some idea of when it can beachieved. There is no race to be the first to read, itjust puts things into context.

Step four - Plan specific reading linked activitiesExtend your child's positive reading experiences,e.g. If they enjoyed reading about dinosaurs, visitthe natural history museum.Encourage activities that require reading, e.g. reada recipe, instructions, and directions, play gamesthat require reading, use a reference book to lookup something you have seen.Visit the library and give your child their ownlibrary card.They can choose their own library bookor listen in on story-time.

Step five – Be a role modelLet your children see you reading for pleasure.Read aloud everyday items - menus, road signs,food labels.

Give books as gifts.Leave books, magazines, and colourful cataloguesaround your home.

Write short notes for your child to read.Reading opens up new worlds to your children andgives them a chance to use their imaginations.There are many ways to encourage your child toread, and the best ways always includeparticipation on your part.Helping reading for children with learningdifficulties.

Books and AudioFollow a book as the audio book plays. Listen to achapter, and then read it together

Turn on the TV subtitlesSub-titles on your TV or DVD help increase sightword vocabulary, whilst developing a sense of flowof written and spoken language.Make your child the star of their own audio bookYour child can read into a recorder, then follow thebook together during playback.

Everyone joins inReserve thirty minutes each evening for familyreading time. Each family member reads differentmaterial and then shares information about it, ortake turns reading aloud from the same book.

Support their learningHelp ensure your child doesn’t get behindin reading material necessary for schoolsubjects, ask for help with obtaining textbookson CD ROM. Together identify unfamiliarwords you come across and show your childhow to look up the meanings of words. Childrenwith specific learning difficulties and dyslexiacould benefit from the PQ4R strategy(http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/instructionalmaterials/a/pq4rstrategy.htm)

B Education

Evenings and weekends

For more information & prices on the various party packages

contact Phil Kinsey

[email protected] 57138507809116545

Parties for all occasions...

Boys & Girls

ALL STAFF QUALIFIED, CRB CHECKED AND FIRST AID TRAINED

How to encourage reading By Elisabeth Dolton

Page 12: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

®®

12 July/August 2012

Family !

Collaborative law is a different way of working towards familysolutions when adult relationships break down. It involves aseries of "round table" meetings where both parties, and theirrespective lawyers,meet in the same room to investigate findinga fair way forward for the family's particular uniquecircumstances. Financial, property and children matters can beapproached holistically, and third parties can be brought in toassist where necessary with financial advice, valuations,counselling or parentingmatters.

The key difference to the conventional approach is that, in collaborativelaw, both clients and their lawyers sign an agreement at the beginningof the process which commits them to keeping the discussionsconfidential - enabling everyone to put their cards on the table - andto settling the dispute without going to court. If the collaborativeprocess is not successful, the parties must instruct new lawyers tolitigate the outstanding issues, meaning that there is a buy-in from thecollaborative lawyers towards making the process work, as they do notwant to lose a client.

Cambridge was one of the first places in England to take up the ideasof the collaborative law movement from its origins in the USA, and ourlawyers were some of the first to use its principles. As a consequenceit is widely recognised that we have some of the most experiencedcollaborative practitioners around. Despite this, even we are finding itdifficult to promote collaborative law in these tricky economic times.We sense that this is down to a combination of factors, namely:-

Time: It is quite a time commitment to attend a series of half-daymeetings and, when employment/business circumstances areprecarious and childcare is expensive, this may not be a commitmenteveryone can make. However, in terms of time, clients often find thatcollaborative law makes it easier to compartmentalise their divorce andstop it from infiltrating their thoughts each day. They know whenmeetings are going to be, and can prepare for them when they wish,without the fear of too many letters arriving on the doormat inbetween: Collaborative law works for people who would prefer to dealwith matters in chunks of time, rather than little-by-little over a periodof weeks or months.

Cost: There may also be a cost issue as, whilst collaborative law isgenerally much less expensive than a contested court case, the cost ofeach meeting can seem like a large amount because of the lawyer'stime involved. However, because lawyers' correspondence is kept to a

minimum, and there are no court costs, fees are much more certain andpredictable in collaborative law. Decisions about how to cover the costsof the process are made together at an early stage, so there are nosurprises later.

Conflict: As many relationships are coming under pressure because ofmoney worries, we are seeing more high-conflict clients and wonder ifthe idea of a non-adversarial process may be less attractive to thosewho feel they need a lawyer "in their corner". It's a tricky concept toexplain, but being non-positional doesn't mean that the lawyer is not"on your side", it simply works in a different way when everyone ispushing as a team to find the solution that best fulfills everyone's needs.Collaborative lawyers are trained in balancing power and creating a levelplaying field, meaning clients feel less exposed than they mightotherwise. It is true that collaborative law requires give and take onboth sides, and the idea of compromise can be a difficult one to cometo terms with when the end of a relationship brings with it so muchfear. The idea of a court case where there is a perceived "winner" and a"loser" is comfortingly familiar. It can understandably take a lot to open

minds to the opportunities of adifferent approach, even wherethe creativity that collaborativeworking makes possible can leadto a more flexible, suitableoutcome than the strictconstraints of the court process.

In summary, collaborative lawoffers the chance for better

solutions for a wide range of people, even where the two clientsinvolved are finding it difficult to communicate without anger. Trainedand experienced collaborative practitioners are used to and unafraid ofconflict. We know how to work with prevailing circumstances toencourage clients to reach solutions that will enable them to face thefuture with dignity, and without fear of what tomorrow will bring. Mostimportantly, children facing change in their family unit can benefitmassively from the improved communication that usually comes fromworking collaboratively, in ways that clients rarely expect at thebeginning of the process.

Cambridge Family Law Practice33 Parkside, Cambridge, CB1 1JEDX 132993 - Cambridge 7 • Direct Dial - 01223 443338

An overview of Collaborative Lawby Adam Moghadas

Lion LearnersAt a Lion Learners partychildren can meet, hold andlearn about exotic andfamiliar animals from aroundthe world.•No Mess!•Free invitations!•A party your child willnever forget!

Phone: 0113 250 9612Email: [email protected]: www.lionlearners.co.uk

Off to School SetA fantastic combinationpack that will help nameeverything ready forschool. This set includes allyou'll need to make thingseasier for you, including asuper durableshoe/swimming bag.

Tel: 01635 298326 • Fax: 01635 818501E-mail: [email protected]

www.easy2name.com

Page 13: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

®®13®September/October 2012

y Children

It is a certainty that we all experience failurefrom time to time and therefore need to beable to cope with it. There are (at least) twoways of responding to failure: one is to bebeaten down by it and to feel hopeless anddiscouraged and perhaps give up; the other is toaccept that this time things didn’t go so welland determine to keep trying until you dobetter and hopefully learn something from theexperience. Edison found many ways not toinvent the light bulb before he discovered theway that worked. “I have not failed. I've justfound 10,000 ways that won't work…”

How do we respondto failure?Perhaps education systems andmodern methods of parenting don’tequip our children well forresponding to failure positively.Across the world education systemswith their interest in standardisingand measuring have put muchemphasis on tests, results, scoresand achievements with the resultthat sometimes there has been notenough attention paid to theprocess of learning, creating happy,creative and thoughtful problem solvers. So much attention has beenpaid to achievements that to fail is no longer an option.

Anything wrong with Positive parenting?Parents have praised their children for doing well. The focus remainson results rather than on creative thinking or new tactics tried. Thiscreates a lot of pressure for kids –they know that winning is whatcounts and it makes it hard for them to fail. This creates a culture ofrisk adversity in academics, sport and the arts and pits childrenagainst each other rather than encouraging collaboration –who daresto fail or even to take another path if it is so important to win andthere is a set way to do it?

Parents can influence matters considerably by:! what we pay attention to and how we talk about success andfailure. If we pay attention only to achievements children learnresults-based success is all that counts.When they do not achievethe result hoped for are our children not worthwhile?When yourdaughter comes home from a netball match don’t let your firstquestion be ‘did you win?’, but ‘Did you enjoy the game? Did youplay your best?Were you able to set up some goals? How did theteam play together?

! Giving meaningful and descriptive praise for effort, strategies,attitudes and small improvements, rather than results, to developa growth mindset in children. “You kept on trying with these sumseven though you didn’t find it easy.That’s persevering.Your effortshave paid off – five out of six are correct.”

! Looking behind children’s behaviour and acknowledging theiremotions to help them manage their feelings. Children whodevelop emotional intelligence are more resilient and pickthemselves up again after set backs.

! Encouraging independence, especially in thinking, to build self trust.Invite and listen to kids’ ideas. “I know we did too much for ouryoungest son around his A levels because we felt it was soimportant that he get the grades he needed for the next step in hiseducation, his passport to successful adult life. But when he feelshis parents are there to catch him he doesn’t put so much effortin himself. When we do too much of his thinking/planning/organising he doesn’t do it himself.” Mother of 18 year old.

!Modelling how to handle failure well.!When you get something wrong don’t beat yourself up about it butacknowledge the mistake and why it was a mistake.

! Take steps to remedy it - make amends.! Articulate what you are learning, show that you are not diminishedby your failures but can profit from them.

Example: “This morningwhen we were getting readyfor school I yelled at youguys.We were in such ahurry and I didn’t think youwere being very helpful. It’snot a good idea for me toyell at you as it doesn’t makeyou feel good,… or me, and

it doesn’t make things go any faster. I’m sorry. Ithought about it afterwards when I was calm andrealised that it was because we were in a hurry and Ididn’t want to be late that I shouted. Tomorrow I amgoing to make sure we get started earlier and I’m goingto see what I can do tonight so that there’s less to do inthe morning. I think I learnt something today.”

! Responding encouragingly to their mistakes around school workor music practice or sport as follows:

! Find something positive to comment on first. Make sure you’reacknowledging good qualities or behavioural traits such ascommitment and creativity as well as being able to spell well or dofractions or dribble a ball well or play a piece fluently.

! Then ask them to find something to improve, routinely.

It is a difficult task for parents but we need to allow our children tohave an unpressured childhood not just for the sake of their presenthappiness but also to create a future generation of people who canthink and are willing to embrace new ideas.

www.theparentpractice.com

Coping with failureBy Mel issa Hood

Page 14: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

®®

14

" Parent2parent

September/October 2012

Name: Kirsty SmithAge:More than 40(but not on the inside)Number of children: 2Caleb 10, Leah 8Number of years you’ve lived there:in Cambridge, 11 years

Why you like livingwhere you do?Cambridge has such awealth of things to see anddo, most of which are

accessible by bike, that you get a hugelydiverse choice of sports andentertainment right on your doorstep. Wemake a lot of use of the fabulous openspaces and the river, but also try (and toooften fail!) to benefit from the museumsand theatres, and we all do a lot of extra-curricular stuff. The only thing missing is apermanent skating rink!

Favourite shopThe Hairy Growlerjewellery stall in the CraftMarket. He makeswonderful original items

out of recycled silver cutlery and oldcoins. I have as much of his stuff as I canafford partly because I love it, but alsobecause I thoroughly approve of makinguse of discarded items.

Favourite parkWandlebury. We’ve beenwalking there since beforeCaleb was born and welove it in each of its

different seasons. We have spent somany happy hours wandering its pathswith various friends, sharing flasks of hotchocolate on its many benches,birdwatching at dusk, running round thering and visiting Highland cattle in thedark during children’s parties, and rollingdown the hill of the main green.

Favourite children’sclub/classCambridge Kung Fu, run byRoss Sargent and his team.As well as teaching the

technical aspects of Kung Fu, the club putsa lot of emphasis on the ethos of respectfor self and for others, and enthuses andencourages the children who attend toaim high but also have fun.

Favourite day out (andwhy)(Assuming budget is noobject!)…..Breakfast at oneof the small cafes that

litter Mill Road – maybe the Black Cat, orCafé Brazil, then a ballet class with Leah ortime on the Kelsey Kerridge climbing wallwith Caleb, followed by a cycle along thecanal to Cherry Hinton Hall or along theriver to Granchester for a picnic withsome friends, or a drive to the RaptorFoundation near St Ives, or Ely cathedraland antique centre (even better ifWillingham auction is also on), finished offwith a slow wander into town, a quickmooch through the market, and a meal atKymmoy’s on Mill Road or Thanh Binh, theVietnamese restaurant on Magdalene St.

Favourite child friendlyrestaurantWe don’t eat out a lot but Ihave been impressed withGiraffe’s child-friendly

menus and activities, the Robin Hoodpub in Fulbourn with its climbing framesand garden, and the Empress pub inRomsey with its pot-bellied pigs!

Noparent should bewithoutcolouring pencils, a wellwritten book to read aloud,mints, a story or song

easily recalled, and a sick bowl.

Parenting pet hatesexcess; parents intolerantof difference; parents wholet their children rustlesweet wrappers during

performances.

Most embarrassingmomentI’m not too easilyembarrassed so I can’teasily think of many,

although there are plenty from myyouth when I worried more that I cringeto recall!

Favourite family holidayspotAny campsite with acentral playing area for allthe visiting children to

converge, and the chance to sit round anopen fire to roast marshmallows and tell

stories; more high budget, the beach onKoh Phangan in southern Thailand forsimilar reasons. I work for an overseasaid charity so I’m hoping that our nextholiday destination will be to take thefamily to visit one of our projects inAfrica.

Best childrenDVDorvideoMonsters Inc. (for theoutstanding animation),Shrek 1 (for the humour

on so many levels), The Princess Bride(for slightly older)

Most playedwith toysTMisfits, Uno, Fuzzy felt,trampoline, Monopoly and(after all these years),stacking cups and tea set

Biggestwaste ofmoneythings made of plastic;things bought in sales thatyou never really needed

Most successfulrecipe/foodPopcorn, pancakes, stonesoup where we re-enact thefolk tale using everything we

can find in the fridge.

‘...running round the ring and visiting Highland cattle in the dark...’

If you would like to appear inour next Parent2Parent

please [email protected]

Page 15: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

September/October 2012 ®®15

" What’s on/Events by Lizzie Hazell

Saturday 6th October 2012Cambridge PPF’s 5th Apple & OrchardDay atWandlebury11.00 - 16.00A popular day dedicated to delicious countrysidedelights, which the whole family can enjoy! Get

apples, nuts and other soft fruits identified; discover the importance oforchard conservation and beekeeping; have a go at archery; try appletasting, buy local apples, operate a traditional apple press; take part incraft activities and walks; listen to fairy tales; and browse other stalls.NB: Fairy tales take place in the afternoon. Tea, coffee and juice will be onsale. Parking atWandlebury costs £2.50 / free for charity [email protected] / 01223 243830 extension 203.

Botanic Gardens • Autumn Colours11am - 3pmHave fun collecting fallen treasures in the Garden and usethese as inspiration to create colourful autumn artworks.£2 per child payable on the dayDrop-in, no booking required. Parents/carers to stay.

01223 331875

Sunday 7th October 2012HinxtonWatermill Open Day • 14.30 -17.30Ever wondered how flour is milled? Go behindthe scenes at CambridgePPF’s working watermill– a building that dates back to the DoomsdayBook in the picturesque surroundings ofHinxton.

CambridgePPF members free, non-members (adults £2.50, children £1.00)[email protected] / 01223 243830 extension 201.

Wednesday 10th October 2012Wicken Fen 10.30amMucky Pups. Pre-school fun and games with an autumnaltwist.£3.95 Booking essential

[email protected] 01353 720 274

Saturday 20th October 2012Guided walk at Coton CountrysideReserve 10.30 - 13.00Find out more about the influence of early autumnon both farming and wildlife with a countrysidewalk around the reserve hosted by our farmer andCambridgePPF rangers.This is a free event but adonation towards the upkeep of the Reserve [email protected] / 01223 243830

extension 201.

Saturday 27th October:Halloween fun atWandlebury16.30 - 19.00CambridgePPF’s Halloween event growsin popularity every year. Come along infancy dress and join the Halloween fun!Carve pumpkin sculptures then join thecharity’s rangers for a candlelit twilightwalk around the woods. After, return tothe Stable Rooms for hot soup and to see

the pumpkins light up the adjacent field. Bring a torch if you wish.Early booking is essential! This event always sells out. £9 per pumpkin (£7for members). Parking atWandlebury costs £2.50 / free for [email protected] / 07833598155

Wicken Fen • GhostWalk. 18.30ExperienceWicken Fen at its scariest. Justyou, with the fenland ghouls, sprites , willo’ the wisps and witches. £[email protected] 720 274

Sunday 28th OctoberAnglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill • Walkthe Fens 10.30 or 11.30The Great BritishWalking Festival invites you to explorethe countryside and discoverWicken FenJoin us on one of the longer walks being organised byWicken Fen National Nature Reserve.You can start either

atWicken Fen or Anglesey Abbey and then meet the other group forlunch. By starting atWicken Fen, it is a 6-mile walk. By starting atAnglesey Abbey it is a 14-mile walk (distances are there and back). Lunchis at the "5 miles fromAnywhere, No Hurry Inn" at Upware.You will needto buy your own lunch. Booking essential 01223 810 080

Monday 29th October:Moonlit walk atWandlebury • 20.00 - 21.00Join CambridgePPF rangers on a guided walk aroundWandlebury and experience it as you've never donebefore – by the light of a full moon! Dress according tothe weather and bring a torch if you wish.

Booking is essential. Meet at the notice board in thevisitor car park. Parking atWandlebury costs £2.50 / free for [email protected] / 07833598155.

Wicken Fen • Pram Push. 10.30 - 11.30Step out with babies and toddlers for a buggy friendlycountryside [email protected] 01353 720 274

Tuesday 30th October:AutumnWalk atWandlebury • 10.00 - 12.30Join one of CambridgePPF’s education officers for aguided autumn walk aroundWandlebury aimedspecifically at children. Spot and collect fruits and seeds,and look out for animal overwintering hideaways. Thenhave a go at printing with your bounty.

Ages 5 plus only (children must be accompanied), £6.50 per child(members £5.00), adults free. Booking is essential as places are limited.Parking atWandlebury costs £2.50 / free for [email protected] or call 01223 243830 extension 201

Wicken Fen • Batty Halloween10.30 - 12.30 or 14.00 - 16.00Get ready for Halloween with some spooky fun. Child £[email protected] 01353 720 274

Tuesday 30th andWednesday 31st OctoberBotanic GardensAutumn half-term: Dance astory11am-12 noon or 2-3pmLearn how to tell a story with dance.Find out how to represent charactersand story details so that the storyunfolds. Once you have done this withone story you will see the potential in

many others and carry on dancing for yourself. £5 per child per sessionBooking required 01223 331875

Wednesday 31st October andFriday 2nd November

Anglesey Abbey • 11.00 or 14.00Children's Garden DiscoveryWalkAs part of the Great BritishWalkingFestival, families can come and discoverhidden corners of the Anglesey Abbeygardens.Nature puts on a beautiful show in theAutumn.What will you discover on this

wonderful walk around the Anglesey Abbey gardens? Guided by ourexperienced volunteers, children can discover new and exciting ways ofengaging with the nature that surrounds them. Running onWednesday 31October and Friday 2 November, two guided walks per day with amaximum of 15 children per group. For ages 3 - 7. Normal admissioncharges. Booking essential. 01223 810 080

Page 16: Families Cambridgeshire Sept Oct 2012

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® July/August 201216

Win a Kindle with Metanium Everyday

Reading can be the perfect way to unwind after a busy day withyour baby. Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment is giving awaya Kindle which can store over 1000 of your favourite books. It’ssmall, light and portable so you can even slip it in your changingbag – just in case you get a quiet moment!1 runner up will win a speciallydesigned set of Baby-Grows,there’s seven in a pack.Metanium Everyday BarrierOintment has a uniquedouble action formula tohelp guard againstnappy rash. It helpsseal in the skin’snatural moisturekeeping the skinsoft, smooth andsupple. It’s gentleenough to use everyday and at each nappychange.In a recent Mumsnetproduct test, most testerssaid they would be likely torecommend MetaniumEveryday to other mums.Metanium Everyday from Boots, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s,leading pharmacies and www.boots.comwww.metanium.co.uk For your chance to wine these prizes,please e-mail [email protected]

La DanteWe are an Italian Cultural Centre and weteach Italian language in a natural way,with our Italian teachers using youtube,sketches, creative activities and lots ofsongs to inspire the children.

For Bilinguals we have a similar approachbut more focused on gap filling giving them the chance to learn aboutour Italian literature, history and geography as well as grammar.With very competitive prices, we give each child a skill for theirsuccess............we all know how important languages are these days.

La Dante, The Lodge, Hawthorn Way, off Chesterton RoadCambridge CB4 1BT t: +44 (0)1223 315191e: [email protected]: www.ladante-in-cambridge.org

Win prizes from thefabulous Peter'sRailway series!

1 winner to receive a set of 4 ofthe new paperback books. ThePicnic, The Big Smellie Bogie,Molten Metal and Now and Then1 winner to receive Book 1 ofPeter's Railway10 winners to receive 2 of the books from the new series

For your chance to win, please [email protected] more information please visit www.petersrailway.com

B Schools

Kimbolton SchoolSenior School - Saturday29th September 2012,10 am to 12 noonPrep School -Saturday 6 October 2012,10 am to 12 noonTel: 01480 860505www.kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk

St Faith’s6th October 201209.15 - 10.45Tel: 01223 352073www.stfaiths.co.uk

St Mary’s6th October 2012Junior SchoolTel: 01223 31166613th October Senior SchoolTel: 01223 353253www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk

St Edmund’s College andPrep School HertfordshireSaturday29th September 201209.30 - 14.00Independent, Catholic Co-

Educational Boarding School for 3 -18 Year Olds.Tel: 01920 824 247 • www.stedmundscollege.org

The PerseThe Nursery and Pre-Prep Saturday13th October 2012 – 9am – 11.30am.Tel: 01223 403940The Prep - Friday 5th and Saturday 6thOctober 2012 – 9.30am – 12 noonTel: 01223 403920

The Upper - Saturday 29th September2012 – 9.30am – 12.30pm. Tel: 01223 403800Sixth Form - Tuesday 6th November 2012 – 6.30pm – 9.00pm.email: admissions@ perse.co.uk • www.theperse.co.uk

The LeysSaturday 13th October 201211+ Open MorningTel: 01223 508904www.theleys.net

School Open Days


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