Little Tigers Free digital magazine for parents, grandparents and carers in Cheshire and South Manchester
ALL NEW
DIGITAL MAGAZINE
SOFT PLAY
REOPENS
FAMILY DAYS OUT, SEE BIRDS & ANIMALS, GO OUTDOORS, MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS
STAYCATION IN THE PEAK DISTRICT ISSUE 77 • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020
“the business of childhood is best conducted in the outdoors�
Children are practical learners, responding best to practical experiences. Doing is learning - the Montessori way. MEAB Accredited
) 01625 860660 8 www.alderleydaynursery.com Alderley Day Nursery, Congleton Road, Nether Alderley, SK10 4TD www.facebook.com/alderleydaynursery www.instagram.com/alderleydaynursery/
September / October
Contents
Page 6
Page 14
Page 13
Page 5: Editor’s Letter Page 6: Soft Play Centres Begin to Open With New Safety Rules Page 9: More Museums and Attractions Reopen Page 10: Hills, Caves and Cream Teas in the Peak District Page 13: Outside Activities – Forests, Fresh Air and a Mini-Railway Page 14: Where the Wild Things Are – Birds, Animals and Sea Life Page 16: Coming Out of Lockdown and Heading Back to Wellness Page 17: Help and Resources for Mental Health Problems Page 19: Baby and Toddler Activities and Children’s Centres Page 20: Historic Stately Homes and Beautiful Gardens Page 22: Schools Reopen as Parents Breathe a Sigh of Relief
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More and more places are now reopening, so groups of up to six people can go out
Editor’s Letter
We are living in an extraordinary period of uncertainty and lifestyle restrictions. It can be hard, raising young children, and isolation and boredom makes it even harder. This is why Little Tigers has always been packed full of family-friendly events, ideas for days out with the children, and ways to get out and socialise with other parents, grandparents and carers. I am staying focused on this, because it’s important, but it’s been a real challenge to get the content right this time! The rules keep changing and can cause confusion, and local lockdowns make things trickier still. From 14 September, social gatherings of more than six people will be banned (with some exceptions) – however, groups of up to six can still go out and take part in activities, as long as there are covid-safety measures in place at the venue, and as long as there is separation between the different groups there. The good news is, plenty of places are now open and waiting for your visit, and there are even some events coming up. As always, please check before heading out as details may change. In the meantime, stay safe, and see you in November. Alison Stodolnic, Editor WELCOME Little Tigers was founded in 2001. It is a free, bi-monthly digital magazine for parents, carers and grandparents of children aged 0–12 in Cheshire and South Manchester. We strive to be helpful, positive, supportive, inclusive, authentic and friendly. Our aim is to give information and ideas to our readers, and support charities, social enterprises, community groups, family-friendly places and arts organisations. EDITORIAL Editorial by Alison Stodolnic. Thank you to our columnist Adam Glennon, and to everyone else who contributed news, information and images for this issue. CONTACT Editor: Alison Stodolnic Email: editor@littletigers.co.uk Telephone: 07392 33 85 86
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© Little Tigers Magazine 2020. Nothing may be reproduced without permission. We try our best to be accurate but accept no liability for any errors or omissions.
Soft play and trampoline centres may now reopen, with covid-safety measures in place
SOFT PLAY CENTRES BEGIN TO OPEN WITH NEW SAFETY RULES Soft play centres have been told they can now reopen, as long as they put in place a set of covid-safety measures first. Here is a round-up of what is happening at some of the local soft play and trampoline centres, as this magazine is published in early September. However, the situation changes daily, so please check and pre-book if necessary before you go.
FUN 4 ALL Fun4All in Macclesfield, Chester and Bromborough in Cheshire has reopened. Russell Gardner, Managing Director, told Little Tigers that the government guidelines for soft play centres are complex, and could be challenging for some of the smaller soft play centres to implement. The guidelines focus on social distancing, cleaning and ventilation. Mr Gardner said that Fun4All is only allowing 150 children in at any one time, which is 40% of total capacity. There are four bookable sessions of 90 minutes per day, with 30-minute cleaning sprees between sessions. Some items have been removed, such as ball pools, soft furnishings and anything else that can not be easily sanitised. www.fun4all.co.uk RUN OF THE MILL This soft play centre in Bredbury, Stockport, plans to open in September after some renovations. It will be operating under new owners and management. www.runofthemill.co.uk
PLAY FACTORE This soft play facility at Trafford Park reopened on 8 September. It is open 10am to 6.30pm. There is no need to book, just turn up, but weekends are busy. www.playfactore.com JUST GIGGLE The Just Giggle soft play centre in Cheadle is preparing to open on 16 September and pre-booking is required. www.justgigglesoftplay.co.uk HEAD OVER HEELS These soft play centres in Wilmslow and Chorlton are scheduled to reopen on 31 October 2020. www.headoverheelsplay.co.uk ANCHOR’S AWAY PLAY The Anchor’s Away Facebook page says it’s still closed, but hopes to open soon. www.facebook.com/anchorsawayplay KIDSAURUS Kidsaurus in Stockport has not yet opened but they hope to be able to soon. www.kidsaurus.co.uk ENERGI TRAMPOLINE PARK The Energi trampoline park in Wilmslow is still closed for the time being. www.energiwilmslow.com CRECHE & PLAY AREA This soft play area at the Trafford Centre has permanently closed down.
Our Pathway to your child’s success The unique Wilmslow Prep Pathway allows us to prepare your child to move on to the secondary school that is right for them. The Pathway has been designed by our expert team to structure our educational provision throughout your child’s school career, enabling them to fulfil their potential by the time they leave us at 11. Small class sizes, specialist teachers and dedicated and tailored teaching allows us to incorporate key elements of the national curriculum but takes learning well beyond these boundaries.
School Open Day Friday 18th September. 10am – 2pm. Tours must be booked. If your child would benefit from our focused approach, please get in touch by calling 01625 524246 or email admissions@wilmslowprep.co.uk We are available for School Tours either in person or via Zoom. www.wilmslowprep.co.uk
More Museums & Attractions Reopen Families can now visit more museums and family-friendly attractions in the local area. Please check information online before heading out, as details can change. Stockport Museums A phased reopening of the various sites is now in place, starting with Stockport Air Raid Shelters and Bramall Hall. www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/museums Bolton Steam Museum A large collection of working mill engines. EVENT: Half Term Steamings 31 October – 1 November, 10am – 4pm Volunteers have rescued and restored 30 old steam engines – some of the engines that once powered the cotton and wool mills in the north of England. Most are well over 100 years old – come and see them running on these two days only. Free Admission and free parking in Morrison’s car park. Museum pictured below. www.nmes.org
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre Now open! You can see the huge Grade I listed Lovell Telescope at this UNESCO World Heritage listed site. Walks, outdoor exhibits, playground, activities. Pre-book. www.jodrellbank.net Imperial War Museum North Now reopened daily 10am – 5pm, with free pre-booked tickets. Exhibitions and stories of wartime, including an immersive, 360-degree cinematic Big Picture Show. www.iwm.org.uk East Lancs Steam Railway The steam and diesel railway reopened in September. For events, the best place to start your journey is at Bolton Bury train station – see website for tickets and info. EVENTS: Day Out With Thomas, 24 – 25 October Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, a train ride and a day full of family activities. Halloween Ghost Trains, 29 – 31 October Fun Halloween-themed train journey. www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk The Lowry The Lowry arts centre in Salford will not reopen until at least 30 September. www.thelowry.com
Museum of Science and Industry Now open again, with free pre-bookable tickets between Wednesday and Sunday, 10am – 5pm. There are some nice online activities on the website too. www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk
Macclesfield Museums The Silk Museum is re-opening on 17 September, pre-booking is required. www.macclesfieldmuseums.co.uk Manchester Museum Planning to reopen in mid-September. www.museum.manchester.ac.uk
Hills, Caves and Cream Teas in the Peak District A short drive away, wedged between Manchester and Macclesfield to the west and Sheffield and Derby to the east, the Peak District National Park is an interesting place to explore, writes Alison Stodolnic.
entrance way a bit claustrophobic, and I had to resist the urge to head straight for the exit. But, once we got going, I enjoyed gazing at the weird rock formations and mysterious dark corners of the cave, with its stone steps and rough walls of crazy colours.
Its rugged, sheep-dotted landscape has dense forests, windswept moorlands and ancient cave systems deep down in the limestone hills. Pretty villages welcome tourists looking for cream teas and Bakewell tarts. Hikers lace up their boots and cyclists study their maps, ready for the off. I spent a few days in the Peak District with my daughter in August, taking advantage of the eat-out-to-help-out scheme and a last-minute hotel discount deal. It was hot, hazy and thunderstormy, insects buzzed about in a mid-summer frenzy and we sweltered in t-shirts and shorts.
From there, back out in the heat and blinking in the sunlight, we made our way into Castleton village and then, embarrassingly, managed to get lost on one of the easiest and shortest hikes around. For properly prepared hikers – people who actually know how to read an Ordnance Survey map and come wearing boots and back packs – this is an excellent starting point for some spectacular and challenging walks, including the famous Mam Tor.
We needed a jumper in Treak Cliff Cavern though – it’s chilly down there, and very dark. Complete with stalactites and stalagmites and water dripping from the ceiling, the cave is fascinating and eerie in equal measure. It has been mined for the Blue John gemstone for centuries, and this is the only place in the world that it can be found. You can download an audio guide on your phone and hear about the site’s history, along with facts and figures and stories of underground adventures and mining discoveries. I found the narrow
Our quick visit to the Peak District also took us to the spa town of Buxton, home to the elegant Pavilion Gardens and a number of arts venues. Pooles Cavern – one of the biggest and most dramatic cave networks in the area – is set in Buxton Country Park, which has some lovely and family-friendly woodland walking trails. We managed to squeeze in a couple of reservoir visits too, and coffee at Chatsworth farm shop in Pilsley village. On the must-see list for next time is the plague museum at Eyam and Chatsworth House, one of Britain’s finest stately homes. www.peakdistrict.gov.uk The hills around Castleton, Pooles Cavern, and a hiking trail L to R)
Family-friendly woodland walking trails in Buxton Country Park
The main entrance (above), the pool, entrance foyer, and main library L to R)
The King’s School Opens Stunning New £60m Campus The King’s School in Macclesfield welcomed Astroturf pitches, six floodlit tennis and netball its first pupils to its stunning new £60 million courts, a 400-metre athletics track, and a campus this month. dedicated rounders pitch. Originally founded in 1502, King’s will now educate 1,200 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18, in one of the UK’s most stunning educational settings. The fabulous eco-friendly site, on sheltered, tree-lined land between Prestbury and Over Alderley, provides a large main academic building designed to maximise space, natural light and outdoor areas.
To make full use of the stunning rural setting, staff have developed outdoor learning areas, including outdoor classrooms and teaching areas. Beehives, orchards, bat boxes, ponds and woodland are just some of the additional features that set the campus apart as a special learning environment.
Governors, senior management and teaching staff have been working tirelessly to equip Facilities include a music recital hall, a the new school, and also to prepare for new conference hall for 900 people, a lecture Covid-19 social distancing measures. Head theatre, a large drama and performance hall, of Foundation, Jason Slack said: “A major an art gallery and science gardens. advantage of the new school is, quite simply, the immense amount of space we have A separate Sports Centre provides an inside and outside the building, which will impressive range of facilities, including a enable us to meet the new guidelines. six-lane swimming pool built to Sports England specifications, an indoor three-lane “It has been a busy summer for staff with the cricket centre, a dance / martial arts studio, move, as well as getting ready for opening in a large six-court sports hall, and a café for a Covid-safe way in September, but the prize pupils and parents. of the new campus makes it all worthwhile. And in some ways, the opening was even There are also expansive areas for outdoor more special because of this difficult year.” sports, such as the First XI cricket pitch, eight rugby pitches, two floodlit all-weather www.kingsmac.co.uk Advertising Feature
Outside Activities: Forests, Fresh Air and a Mini Railway
Before the winter weather arrives, it makes sense to get outside as much as we can. The kids can search for bugs, pick up leaves, run around, ride a bike, kick a ball about. Here are a few ideas for getting out in the fresh air. Rudyard Lake, near Leek Great for canoeing, walking, cycling and fishing. The fun mini-railway is running at weekends, tickets are sold (card only) at Rudyard Station. Rides start at 11am and run every 45 minutes or so, with space for 10 families on board at a time. There is a café open for takeaway refreshments. EVENT: Halloween Activities 30 – 31 October This may be running, but no decision has been made yet. Check nearer the time. www.rudyardlake.com Tegg’s Nose Country Park Cycling and walking in the countryside. www.teggsnose.co.uk
Delamere Forest A beautiful oasis with walks, a lake, and two sandy cycle routes through the forest. www.forestryengland.uk/delamere-forest Bike Rides Along Disused Railways Popular routes for families include the Middlewood Way, Biddulph Valley Way, The Salt Line, Wheelock Rail Trail and Whitegate Way. www.visitcheshire.com Dino Falls Adventure Golf This outdoor dinosaur-themed golf course is open, with a booking system in place. At Trafford Golf Centre. www.dinofalls.co.uk Treetop Adventures and Water Sports Organised fun family activities on lakes and in the trees at various locations throughout the northwest. Prebook please. Go Ape: www.goape.co.uk Peak Pursuits: www.peak.co.uk
There will be canopies of fairy lights, stars and lasers, flying lanterns, music and magicians and food at the Magical Woodland (10 October to 1 November) www.magicalwoodland.com
Where the Wild Things Are Children just love getting up close to birds, animals and sea life. The places listed here had to close at the end of March, but have all now reopened with covid-safety measures in place.
Blue Planet Aquarium, Ellesmere Port More than 100 living underwater displays, over 50 exhibits, and one of the largest collections of sharks in Europe. Pre-book. www.blueplanetaquarium.com
Cheshire Falconry, near Northwich The list of bird residents includes hawks, peregrines, falcons, owls, buzzards and eagles. Various displays and up-close bird encounters are available to pre-book. EVENT: Magical Woodland 10 October – 1 November www.cheshirefalconry.com www.magicalwoodland.com
The Farm at Tatton Park, Knutsford Meet pigs, horses, donkeys, cows, goats Sea Life Aquarium, Trafford Centre and sheep – and some of the animals Many varieties of fish, sharks, sea turtles, are rare breeds. Also a woodland trail, lobster, eels, octopus, jellyfish and all sorts den-building and a play area. It is ‘high of other wonderful underwater creatures. season’ until 26 October, so the Farm is Tickets must be pre-booked. open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 4pm. www.visitsealife.com Please pre-book timed tickets. EVENT: The Pumpkin Patch Trentham Monkey Forest, Stoke-on-Trent 26 – 31 October Walk amongst 140 Barbary macaques Pick your own pumpkin and visit the farm. roaming free in 60 acres of countryside. www.tattonpark.org.uk Open 10am until 5pm until 24 October, until 4pm in Half Term, and then closed Gauntlet Birds of Prey, Knutsford November to February. Pre-book please. Open daily for pre-booked tickets, 11am www.monkey-forest.com to 5pm until the end of October, then weekends from 5 November. Gauntlet is Chester Zoo, Chester home to eagles, vultures, owls, hawks, The zoo is open with pre-booked tickets. storks and other birds – and they place The website also has fun online activities conservation and education at the heart of available for kids, and virtual zoo days. everything they do. www.chesterzoo.org www.gauntlet.info
Coming Out of Lockdown and Heading Back to Wellness During lockdown, depression almost wrapped its dark tentacles around my mind, writes Adam Glennon. It’s happened before, and for many years I’ve curated a wellness toolkit which keeps me on the side of positivity. Not fake positivity either. I retraced depressive threads from my past and managed to heal many of them with a mixture of talking therapies, positive lifestyle changes and having a supportive wife. But depression is sneaky. It’s an opportunist. And once those positive choices began to slip, depression was waiting in the shadows, ready to pounce.
the lockdown measures allowing for outdoor exercise once a day, we took strolls around our local green space and found new ways to enjoy the outdoors without the use of play areas. Plus, at home we had water fights, paddling pools, and lots of bubbles.
At the beginning of lockdown, I was drinking sparkling wine like it was coming directly from the tap. Which put me in a delightful mood until about six o’clock in the evening when I had to reignite that buzz with a vodka tonic. It became a bit of a pattern of behaviour. I blame the damn good weather. Partly. Sort of. The sun has always been a trigger for consuming more alcohol. But as lockdown dragged on, I started to notice a dependency emerging. One that began to sour my mood and affect the way I was parenting my boys. It’s not like I was drinking sparkling wine all day, every day, and completely ignoring my kids. With the help from the sun and
We had ice creams and ice lollies. Every meal or snack felt like it was part of an all-you-can-eat holiday buffet. I was using white crusty bread loaded with butter instead of cutlery to shovel several forms of salad, meat and dippy things into my constantly open mouth. Cheese and crackers. Cakes. Fruit smoothies. Chocolate in a hundred different forms seemed to appear magically in my hand. I have no idea where it materialised from, and I do the shopping! All this consumption and the truth is, I wasn’t even hungry half the time. This need for distraction was coming from somewhere else. Boredom.
Before lockdown was eased, The Wife and I came to an understanding. The drink needed to be put back in its place. Two nights a week maximum. We returned to intermittent fasting, which we both valued, and the only treats allowed in the house were home-baked. No more easy-to-reach sugary snacks. The kids were mortified. They couldn’t understand why the holiday was over. How it began was confusing enough – one day they had school, friends, routines, and the next day it ended, replaced with this strange new life based within the confines of the home. Their watery-eyed parents now had a sudden tendency to say yes more often, and seemingly only wore the same stained shorts and t-shirts every day while listening to Fleetwood Mac loudly all day.
Mental Health Help
The motivation for change came once we realised the boys were morphing into some kind of rule-phobic, wild beasts addicted to ice lollies and the third Aladdin movie no one even knew existed. This realisation luckily coincided with lockdown restrictions being eased. This gave us some freedom to travel to new woodland and green spaces further afield. This helped immensely with the monotony of trying to make the visit to the same park, for the seventh time in a week, more interesting than it really was.
There are a range of therapies and medications available on the NHS and privately. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an effective therapy. It involves the understanding and breaking down of habitual cycles of feelings, behaviours and thoughts. Ask your GP for advice.
Gaining this slight freedom helped raise all of our positivity levels and, for me personally, I was able to look rationally at my own mental health and see how I’d locked my wellness toolkit into a wine-shaped vault, along with my running shoes and the ability to locate a snack not wrapped in plastic.
Anxiety, depression and other mental health issues are on the rise, but there is help available. The mental health charity MIND has some excellent resources for a wide range of mental health problems: www.mind.org.uk Self-help techniques are worth a try in the first instance. Such as talking to friends and family, asking for help, practicing meditation and mindfulness, making time for relaxing activities, drinking less alcohol. You can find out about counselling and you can also self-refer to a psychological therapies service near you here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/counselling/
Sophie Corlett, Director of External Relations at Mind said: “We cannot under estimate the impact that the pandemic has had on the nation’s mental health – whether that’s bereavement, the devastating loss of life, the impact of lockdown, or the recession we are now in. As more and more people ask for support for their mental health, well-resourced timely treatment must be available for anyone who needs it. It’s crucial that mental health and wellbeing are put at the centre of the UK Government’s ongoing recovery plans, so that we can rebuild as a kinder and fairer society for everyone.”
“A perfect image isn’t necessarily one with a smile, it’s anything that shows your personality. A slight smirk, a glance or frown, I capture it all. Documenting the milestones in your child’s life is just priceless, crawling, sitting, walking, their first birthday, I can capture it all in my studio in Sale.” – Julie Harris. Tel: 07970 923380. www.julieharrisphotography.co.uk
Baby & Toddler Activities and Children’s Centres Social get-togethers are a lifeline for people with babies and very young children, so being without them has been tough. Some structured activity classes are now re-starting, but the more informal community groups will have to wait a bit longer. BABY AND TODDLER ACTIVITIES Great news! Many baby and toddler activity classes are starting up again, with safety precautions in place. The new measures may include smaller class sizes, extra cleaning, social distancing, one way systems and face coverings. Tumble Tots (pictured, right) are now taking online bookings, as are Tennis Tykes, Rugby Tots, and many others. The ‘rule of six’ doesn’t apply in this setting, because it’s classed as a ‘covid-secure business’ rather than a ‘social gathering’. Most informal parent and toddler groups are still closed, but some churches, community centres and charities are running online social or support groups. CHILDREN’S CENTRE GROUPS Most Children’s Centres have been closed since March, with some remaining open to offer restricted services. Some of Cheshire East’s Children’s Centres have been phasing back in social activities – for example, outdoor meet-ups, buggy walks and toddler walks – although the latest announcement about limiting numbers at social gatherings may interfere with this plan. The details are changing all the time, so the best thing to do is keep an eye on this webpage (with a very long URL) for the latest information: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/care-and-support-for-children/childrens-centres/childrens-centres-in-cheshire-east.aspx This covers Knutsford, Oakenclough, Poynton, Ash Grove, Hurdsfield, Broken Cross, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Nantwich, Sandbach and three centres in Crewe. There is also a link to some resources on the Cheshire East Parenting Journey page – follow them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CheshireeastParentingjourney In Stockport, group activities for parents, grandparents and carers of young children are still on hold. The contact details for Stockport’s Children’s Centres, which are now under the name ‘Start Well’, are here: www.stockport.gov.uk/start-well This covers Stockport Central Children’s Centre, the Abacus Centre in Adswood, Reddish Vale, Belmont and Lancashire, and Brinnington. Together, they post updates on this Facebook page: www.facebook.com/StartWellStockport Residents of Trafford can find resources and get updates on family services here:
www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/childrens-centres/childrens-centres.aspx
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The gardens, woodland, cafes and shop at Quarry Bank Mill are now open again
Historic Stately Homes and Beautiful Gardens Many homes and gardens were able to reopen their gardens and outside areas fairly early on, for picnics and family walks. Now, gradually, they are opening play areas, cafes, shops and houses too.
Arley Hall and Gardens The gardens, grove, woodland walk and children’s play area are now open, and pre-booking is not required. 10am until 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. The Gardener’s Kitchen café and the gift shop are also open. As we published in early September, the Hall itself had not yet reopened to the public. EVENTS: Discover Tree Climbing, 19 – 20 September Halloween Spooktacular (TBC) 26 – 31 October Arley, near Northwich www.arleyhallandgardens.com Lyme Park National Trust The parkland with its wild deer, the house and its lovely gardens are now open – pre-booking is essential. Cafe, shop and car park refreshment kiosk. Disley, Stockport. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lyme Quarry Bank National Trust The gardens and woodland are open, with pre-booked tickets (see image, left). Soon they hope to reopen the cotton mill, which was built in 1784 during the Industrial Revolution, but the date has not yet been confirmed. The ice cream parlour, upper garden cafe and shop are also open. Styal, Wilmslow. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank Dunham Massey National Trust The house, parkland and gardens are now open, and you will need to pre-book in advance. Altrincham. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey Adlington Hall and Gardens (Macclesfield) and the National Trust sites of Hare Hill (Over Alderley) and Little Moreton Hall (Congleton) are still closed.
SCHOOLS REOPEN AS PARENTS BREATHE A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF Most schools around the country have now opened up again. There are still a number of concerns, of course, and questions over what could happen if there are future Covid outbreaks. Everyone is experiencing this pandemic differently but, for many families, the reopening of schools has come as a blessed relief.
For some children, being stuck at home without their friends, teachers and support workers has led to boredom and loneliness. Other children, however, have thrived in a less structured environment. For many parents, home schooling has been difficult or impossible; childcare has been disrupted or has disappeared altogether, and social isolation has been a serious challenge. Other parents loved the six-month summer break and didn’t want it to end. Either way, schools are back, and they look very different now, compared to pre-lockdown. For the children, parents and all the staff. At the school gates, for example, parents and carers are being asked to leave straight away, or at least practice social distancing. Some schools have introduced different start and finish times, and multiple entry and exit doors. Maintaining social distancing is difficult with children, if not impossible, especially with very young ones. So they are being allowed to form ‘bubbles’ with their classes or year groups. Older children, who are
more likely to move from room to room for different subjects, may be asked to wear face coverings where social distancing isn’t possible, for example in corridors. Desks are to be spread further apart, and will probably all be facing the front. Regular cleaning and increased ventilation is required, and water fountains will be turned off. Some schools are trying to hold some of their classes outside, where there is less risk of the virus spreading. Playgrounds may have new physical barriers in place, to keep different age groups apart. Hands will need to be washed frequently, and there should be hand sanitising stations around the school. Assemblies may be cancelled or held online. Some schools will provide packed lunches instead of hot meals, to prevent queuing and overcrowding in the kitchen. None of this is ideal of course, and everybody hopes that the rules can be relaxed soon, but it’s important to comply and keep everybody safe while our children learn.
TUTOR MY CHILD Primary Education Specialist
• SATS & entrance exam preparation • Primary curriculum specialist • Reading specialist — Reading Recovery (KSI intervention) and approved dyslexia teacher • Individual catch-up or consolidation • Bespoke to the needs of your child • South Manchester & North Cheshire • Online tuition sessions available on Zoom • Covid-secure small group classes coming soon • After school, evenings and Saturday mornings • Enhanced DBS T: Nicky on 07786 160652 E: tutormychild@icloud.com www.facebook.com/tutormychild
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