Families Hampshire West Magazine Jan-Feb 2016

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Issue 50: January/February 2016

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Dancing, singing and performance classes What’s on in January & February

Cover image © Kaile Meyers Photography

Why is nursery education so important?

January/ Februaryinformation 2016 Local

on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us and events for parents with 0 -Call 12usyear olds in West Hampshire

Heritage Will Writing = 1-4p = Sept 14_Layout 1 13/07/2015 12:13 Page 1

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Beautiful day nurseries for children from birth to 5 years set in fabulous settings and idyllic locations ‘The Exclusive’ based at Park Gate, Southampton ‘The Excellence’ based at Wade Park Farm, Ower ‘The Forest’ based at Chatmohr Estate Romsey For more information call Future Path Childcare 01489 577778

www.fpchildcare.co.uk 2

Hampshire West Magazine

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

Editors: Rebecca Carr & Heather Bainbridge 07789 882467 - rebecca@familieshampshirewest.co.uk 07554 880140 - heather@familieshampshirewest.co.uk www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk Advertising: Claire Clarricoates claire.clarricoates@familiespublishing.co.uk Next issue: March/ April 2016 Booking deadline: February 2016 BOOK NOW to be included in our bumper March/April issue 42,000 readers per issue Printed by Bishops Cover image Kaile Meyers Photography www.kailemeyersphotography.com @Familieshants /Familieshampshirewest

In this issue....

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14

News & views School open days Clubs & classes: dancing, singing & performance Local dance & performance clubs directory There’s more to school than lessons Clubs & classes news Nursery & childcare feature Special Education Needs (SEN) Education & nursery news What’s on

© Families Hampshire West 2016

Disclaimer: Families Hampshire West Magazine is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families ® is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, Temple House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Hampshire West Magazine are fully protected by copyright and non of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

1922 - 2012

Be Outstanding www.charltonhouseschool.co.uk t: 023 8067 7575 55 Midanbury Lane, Bitterne Park, Southampton SO18 4HE

“Set within the 18 acres of St Mary’s College, Charlton House School & Nursery are ideally located for children to investigate the world around them in a safe and protected environment.”

Mrs D Owen, Headteacher.

• Excellent academic success • Small class sizes • Excellent pastoral care

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Educating Girls & Boys age 3 - 16 in a caring Christian environment

Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

3

News & views

News & views

Southampton Airport nominated for a parentfriendly award

Why everyone should have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place If you are incapacitated by old age, accident or illness and can’t make decisions when they need to be made, it’s important that you have someone you trust managing your affairs. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to appoint friends or relatives to make decisions on your behalf.

If you lose mental capacity and have no LPA in place, the Court of Protection will appoint someone who may be a stranger and involves significant legal fees and long delays. You can avoid this by planning ahead - even if you feel the need is a long way in the future.

Contact Adam at Heritage Will Writing to arrange a meeting to discuss setting up your LPA. Call 02380 879243 or email info@heritagewillwriting.co.uk for more details.

PLEASE EXCUSE THE UNUSUAL APPROACH! A successful international company, operating in the Health and Nutrition Industry, is looking for openminded, positive people to work part-time or full-time, from home, without compromising your current career or commitments. If you work in the Health and Fitness Industry, or have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background, or feel you would like a balanced and flexible lifestyle then we would like to hear from you.

Call Hesione on 07794127732 hesione.waugh@yahoo.co.uk

JJ’s Party Hire Complete party packages avaliable Super Hero and Ice Princess Party Packages Avaliable ü ü ü ü

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For more information call Sarah on 07717 125426 www.facebook.com/jjspartyhire

In the third Sudocrem Care and Protect Baby Changing Room Awards, Southampton Airport has been nominated for their clean, tidy and spacious baby changing facilities.

Pledge to Raise a Grand for Brain Tumour Research Did you know that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer? Yet brain tumour research receives just 1% of the national spend on cancer research.

The blood-brain barrier stops most standard cancer drugs from treating brain tumours, making them more difficult to combat.

Research into the blood-brain barrier is being lead by Professor Geoff Pilkington, lead scientist at one of Brain Tumour Research’s centres of excellence. Professor Pilkington is an international expert on brain tumours and a pioneer in blood-brain barrier research, having created the world’s first ‘all-human’ blood-brain barrier model.

Knowing that the animal model of the bloodbrain barrier did not directly relate to the human version, Professor Pilkington has created a unique all-human version using only human brain cells, human brain glioma (tumour) cells and human serum.

This blood-brain barrier model is being used

by Professor Pilkington’s group and other researchers for live cell imaging and to provide a basis for the investigation of the features of invading tumour cells. Revealing the precise mechanisms of tumour cells’ invasive behaviour is essential to the development of successful new therapies for this most devastating of diseases.

Brain Tumour Research has also launched the Grand Challenge, a unique fundraising partnership with the Dr Hadwen Trust. The aim is to jointly raise 180,000 to fund a three year research project into the blood brain barrier.

You can help by Pledging to Raise a Grand (£1,000) in whatever way you like, to help fund blood-brain barrier research. www.drhadwentrust.org/grandchallenge

TABLE TOP SALE Saturday 27 February 2016

St. James Road Methodist Church Shirley, Southampton SO15 5HE 10am - 12pm £1 per adult

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Hampshire West Magazine

Competition Winners from our November 2015 issue A family Ice skating ticket at Winchester Cathedral: Natalie Munro. A family ticket to see Llittle Red Riding Hood at The Berry Theatre: Sheila Kempster. A family ticket

to see Merlin at the Nuffield Theatre: Sally Armstrong.

Sudocrem Care & Protect have launched the third Baby Changing Room Awards, in which the public nominates their favourite baby changing room facilities in the UK. The winners will be announced in early January.

Longdown Activity Farm Opens for the 2016 season from February half-term Longdown Activity Farm opens the farm gate for the 2016 season, welcoming visitors for February half-term. The Farm will be open from Saturday 13th February, every day, until 30th October, including weekends and Bank Holidays. Whatever the weather, the daily timetable is packed with activities that run throughout the day, giving the opportunity to see and feed the animals. Have a go at bottle-feeding a kid goat or even a calf! Hold a duckling or baby rabbit in their animal handling barn and see some piglets. Plus there will be the popular pony riding running throughout the half-term holiday and at weekends.

Longdown Activity Farm is located just off the A35 between Lyndhurst and Southampton. Call 023 8029 2837 or visit: www.longdownfarm.co.uk

Complete party packages avaliable with JJ Party Hire Super Hero and Ice Princess complete party packages are available and parties include: bouncy castle, glitter tattoos, candy floss, slush machine, hot dogs, sweet cones and much more. To find out more or to enquire about a party package contact Sarah on 07717 125426 or visit their facebook page www.facebook.com/jjspartyhire.

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

News & views

Noticeboard

BOX OFFICE: 023 8067 1771 NUFFIELDTHEATRE.CO.UK

School Open Day Dates Friday 26 February St Swithun’s Junior School Alresford Rd, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 1HA 10am St Swithun’s Junior School is a leading independent day school for boys (3-7) and girls (3-11) situated on an impressive 45-acre campus within the South Downs National Park in the outskirts of Winchester. With an outstanding OFSTED grading, the nursery and reception years at St Swithun’s provide a happy and secure environment where children can make a smooth and natural transition from home to school. Within this setting children can develop in confidence and in their ability to relate to and cooperate with other children and adults.

29 January Walhampton School Lymington, SO41 5ZG 10am - 12.30pm 01590 613303 www.walhampton.com

16 - 20 FEB 2016 NUFFIELD THEATRE

Theatre

If you would like to attend, or visit the school at any other time, please contact the registrar Mrs Sara Mathieson.

01962 835792 mathiesons@stswithuns.com www.stswithuns.com

ADAPTOR DAVID WOOD DIRECTOR NIKOLAI FOSTER

A Curve Leicester and Rose Theatre Kingston production

9 March The Gregg School Townhill Park House, Southampton, SO18 2GF 02380 472133 www.gregg.southampton.sch.uk

New Year reading resolutions Start the New Year with good reading habits to get your children ‘reading fit.’ Helping your children learn to read is the most important activity you can do to help with their education.

1.

Read aloud to your children (whatever their age) every night if possible. Children will see that reading is not just another piece of homework to be ticked off for school, but is enjoyable and exciting.

2.

Make your home ‘reading friendly’. Ensure there is something to read in easily accessible places all around the house.

3.

Establish a good reading routine. Once reading becomes part of a normal routine, reluctant readers will be less likely to protest. Just ten minutes reading a day will make a huge difference.

4.

Have a board game night once a week. Now that Ipads are so immersed into children’s lives, board games are quite a novelty.

Some of the best for reading are Monopoly and Scrabble.

5.

Make time to read yourself - and let your children see you. Children fall into reading habits based on what goes on in their home. If they never see their parents reading, they are much less likely to pick up a book themselves.

For more reading advice visit www.readingchest.co.uk January/ February 2016

Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

5

Clubs & Classes

Clubs and Classes

Dancing, singing and performing Sally J. Hall investigates some great ideas for starting your child’s love of dance and performing arts.

Royal Ballet Associates training If your child has been taking ballet grades and is seriously thinking about a career in dance, the Royal Ballet runs classes to prepare them for this move. The Associates Programme trains children aged 8 to 15 in conjunction with their usual classes (royalballetschool.org.uk).

Boy’s brigade

All those gorgeous costumes, perfect turn-outs, buns and the sublime music.

Who hasn’t dreamed of being a Prima Ballerina when wafting around our bedroom in a synthetic net tutu? And if you actually went as far as learning to dance when you were younger, you might be keen to instil this love of dance in your child – even if you gave up when you weren’t allowed to tie your shoe ribbons up to your knee.

How can you find out what kind of class is best for your child, whether they are a boy or a girl? Read on to find the perfect dance space for your little ones.

Tiny dancer When your child is very young – say, under five – shuffling around on tip toe while wafting their hands or pretending to be a tiger is about as much as you can ask for.

Look for a class that teaches very young children together, not mixed in with older age groups when they will probably be ignored or will be disruptive. A class where there’s an emphasis on having fun and doing different dancing games each time will keep them keen and entertained – and going back each week. Expect to have to stay for these classes and possibly join in, too.

You can usually take your child to a taster session at many dance schools for free to see if they like it and the classes help to enhance your child’s coordination and sense of rhythm in a fun and relaxed session. They usually cater for boys and girls from 3 years and they include lots of different influences including jive, salsa, disco, tap and hip-hop.

Many schools offer dance, acting and singing as a part of its performing arts

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Hampshire West Magazine

syllabus and have classes for those aged four to six and for six to 18 years.

Starting to get more serious If your child makes it past the age of five or six and still wants to go to a class, it may be time to start looking at a training class where they can take grades or get involved with productions. The choice for ballet is the Royal Academy of Dance (rad.org.uk) syllabus or for modern dance there’s the Imperial Society Modern Theatre & Tap Dance (istd.org) course. If they are still keen but aren’t motivated by grades, find a class that keeps their attention. Street and jazz dance are great for this as they will learn new routines all the time. They can also try out holiday classes where they might spend a week doing different activities – this gives them a great grounding in what they might be best at. All-round schools are also options where they learn to sing, act and dance.

Dance is not just for girls and though your son may have to cope with teasing if he intends to dance and carry on dancing, there are plenty of roles for ballet, jazz and modern dancers in all areas – the stage, TV and touring groups. There’s even a Boys’ Ballet school in London (boysballetlondon. com) that teaches the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus.

What’s available?

If you’re not sure what all these styles entail, it’s best to take your child along to have a look or try a taster session. One style may resonate. And if they get older and hang up their dancing shoes, why not encourage them to move on to a funkier style rather than give up dancing altogether? l Ballet l Tap l Ballet and Tap l Modern Dance and Tap l Jazz l Hip Hop l Contemporary l Break Dance l Street Dance l Commercial Dance Sally J. Hall is a writer and editor who has written for all the main parenting titles as well as The Independent and The Mail. She is author of Eco Baby and contributing author to Watch My Baby Grow (Dorling Kindersley).

Boys & girls dance classes From babies - 7 years 0333 1234 140 balletbabes@starzacademyuk.com www.starzballet.com

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

Clubs & Classes

Local dance and performance clubs Academy Studios Romsey 01794 515129 academy-studios.com

Acting Up

Locks Heath and Hamble Contact Rosanna actingupinfo@gmail.com

Artisan Theatre School

Bursledon 07752061382 artisantheatreschool.com

Aucott School of Dance

Eastleigh 07739 312356 aucottschoolofdance.com

DM Dance Centre

Southampton 02380 554192 info@dmdancecentre.co.uk www.dmdancecentre.co.uk Dancing is a skill you can enjoy your entire life. All classes are ongoing and are for beginners, intermediates and advanced dancers, so there is something for everyone. Their children’s classes cater for ages 3 to 16 years and cover a variety of different dance styles. Ready Steady Dance is for 3 – 8 years on a Saturday morning from 9.30am – 10.15am and Saturday classes are for 8 – 16 years which includes ballroom, Latin, musical theatre, group and dance fusion.

Pauline Quirk Academy

Barton Pevril College 0800 531 6282 pqacademy.com

Perform Drama, Dance & Singing for 4-7 years Southampton, Winchester, Romsey & Lymington 0845 400 4000 www.perform.org.uk

Perform’s drama, dance and singing weekly workshops are a fun-packed mix of confidencebuilding games, energetic dances and catchy songs exclusively for 4-7 year olds.

From January to April 2016, Perform children will unearth their hidden superhero powers as they go on a top-secret mission to save the world.

They will rock with Rocket Girl, sing along with brainy Brainio, but will they make it to Partyland in time to restore order?

Free trial session. Plus a £40 discount if signing up to a block of 10 sessions. Simply quote discount code FAML011215.

Pure Dance

Winchester 07800 531648 pure-dance.co.uk

Classes across Hampshrie 0333 1234140 (Lo Call) starzacademyuk.com At Starz Ballet, there’s a fun class syllabus with lessons specific to each age group from babies right up to seven years.

Boys and girls learn to dance under the direction of a qualified dance teacher. Each one-hour

Test Valley School of Dance

07709 868821 hannah@testvalleydance.co.uk

Hedge End 02380 465006 Southampton and Eastleigh 01962 771024 Winchester and Totton 01794 390601 stagecoach.co.uk

Stagecoach has been providing fun, confidence-building, educational classes in acting, singing and dancing for 10 years. Every week students receive an hour of training in singing, dancing and drama

Love to Dance?

facebook.com/dmdance

Starz Academy Ballet Babes

session included a 30 minute fun but structured ballet class plus 30 minutes of free play, with hot and cold refreshments for everyone. With 70 classes each week across Hampshire, why not book your free trial?

Call today to book.

Stagecoach Theatre Arts Schools

Does Your Child Classes for Children: - Ballroom & Latin - Musical Theatre - Freestyle - Street/Hip Hop

by teachers who all have a background in performance.

TIME TO ENTER A NEW WORLD

Acting, singing and dance classes for 4 to 18 year olds.

Find out more and start your child’s journey today

ge: From A 14yrs 3yrs to

twitter.com/dmdancing

Southampton & Eastleigh Evesham 01962 429 771024 01386 429 eastleigh@stagecoach.co.uk evesham@stagecoach.co.uk

Hedge End Redditch 02380429 465006 01386 429 hedgeend@stagecoach.co.uk redditch@stagecoach.co.uk

Winchester & Totton Worcester Bromsgrove 01794 651159 390 601 01926 01926 313660 totton@stagecoach.co.uk worcester@stagecoach.co.uk bromsgrove@stagecoach.co.uk

www.dmdancecentre.co.uk

Tel: 02380 554192 Email: info@dmdancecentre.co.uk 10 Spring Crescent, Portswood, Southampton, SO17 2GA January/ February 2016

Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

7

Clubs & Classes

There’s more to school than lessons These days, education is about much more than what goes on in the classroom. Most schools – whether state or private – offer a range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities and these can be fun, educational, sociable, confidence-boosting or all of these. So how can you ensure your child capitalises on the opportunities on offer but still gets the balance right between work, rest and play?

By Liat Hughes Joshi

Choosing activities

Follow your child’s lead when deciding which classes to sign up for – most kids have a strong feel for what appeals to them. That said, it’s also worth pointing them towards something you think they might benefit from, such as drama sessions for a shy child to help boost confidence or a sport activity if they are quite active and enjoy sports.

Don’t force your child

It might be ‘dads dream’ for your son to be the next Beckham but if your little boy hates the idea, it’s unwise to force him into the football club. Making children take up an activity that they really don’t feel good about, in the hope it’ll grow on them, can be counter-productive but for those that do love football Little Kickers offer a programme for school ages 5 - 7.

Encourage persistence

Some of us have children who get superexcited about an activity but within weeks, lose enthusiasm once you’ve paid up a whole term’s fees. Consider having a rule that your child does have to see the period you paid for out before they can give up and they might then change their mind.

How much is too much?

There’s no set answer about how many activities are optimal, it varies for each child.

Some will get more tired than others and find just one or two classes suffice, others embrace

a packed schedule of karate to clarinet without losing energy.

Needs change over time

Certainly most reception children are exhausted enough from school for the first term or so, without lengthening their day by adding extra activities. Keep things simple at this stage. Older primary children have a decent opportunity to learn a few different skills and enjoy classes, whereas once they start secondary, longer commutes, more homework and exam pressures might mean reining things in.

Relaxation time is vital too

Watch out for activity overscheduling. Quiet time and scope to be creative and relax is just as important as that second musical instrument or third sport. If your child doesn’t have space to just play and chill out, consider cutting back.

Consider a tutor

If your child is struggling: particularly if they finds their class work difficult, it might be worth putting additional effort into building skills at home or with a tutor. Talk to their teacher about what help they need to focus on. Perhaps they can suggest fun but educational games, or workbooks. Tutoring can help and one-to-one attention can have a remarkable impact on learning.

Give your child’s Maths a boost Struggling with Maths can affect your child’s confidence and limit their ability to learn.

Boost Maths Tuition offers a fun, friendly and affordable way to support your child with Maths. Classes are games-based in groups of 4, run by a highly experienced and qualified Maths teacher. They also offer a ‘Maths Club’ by post for parents who just want extra practice for their children at home.

For more information call Caroline on 023 8034 1776 www.boostmaths.co.uk

Fleet Tutors

Private Home Tutoring 0845 644 5452 www.fleet-tutors.co.uk

New baby swimming guidelines recently presented at Parliament UK swimming class provider Water Babies, together with swimming aid company Splash About, the Amature Swimming Association and standards organisation BSI, have launched some new guidelines at Parliament on swimming with babies. Baby swimming classes have increased in popularity over the past few years. Swimming is especially good for babies as it strengthens muscles, helps with appetite and sleeping patterns and helps with heart and lung function. The new guidelines are to ensure best practice and safety for babies. They say that all classes should have at least one member of staff who has a recognised swimming qualification and one who has a lifesaving and first aid certificate. They should have been checked against police records to ensure they are safe to work with children and should take a Safeguarding Children in Sport class.

The guidelines also state that babies must wear a double layer swim nappy, whether disposable or re-usable and that water should be at 32 degrees for babies from birth to three months old and at 35 degrees for children from three to 12 months. Pool safety should be closely monitored and staff should carry out risk assessments at each pool they use to make sure they meet the best health and safety standards. Swim schools should also be insured for up to £10 million in Public Liability Insurance and professional indemnity protection.

Do you run clubs & classes for babies and pre-school children?

Get in touch to include your business in our March/ April issue and reach over 42,000 parents in Hampshire.

Call 07554 880140 or email: heather@familieshampshirewest.co.uk

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Hampshire West Magazine

Messy Monsters Play Sessions for babies, toddlers & Preschoolers

Classes run at Chandlers Ford, Romsey, Bishopstoke, Hedge End include sensory, art and messy play.

Birthday parties and childminders also catered for.

To book a place email tracy@messymonsters.co.uk

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

Clubs & Classes

Clubs & classes news Stagecoach Hedge End prepare to perform at The Kings Theatre Every week their students receive an hours training of singing, dancing and drama by teachers who all have a background in performance. The new term will be a busy one with professionals visiting to provide workshops in preparation for a performance at The Kings Theatre in Southsea this summer.

Call 02380 465006 or email hedgeend@ stagecoach.co.uk to find out how you can join a class.

Can you kick it?

With four different football classes tailored to different age groups Little Kickers offers a fun, pressure free environment to enjoy classes with an educational feel.

Coached in the right way can stimulate the imagination and aid early development skills such as learning colours and numbers, following instructions and playing as a team.

Classes are available in Southampton, Hedge End, Eastleigh and Winchester. For more

details contact Little Kickers Hampshire Call 07896009651 or gdarling@littlekickers.co.uk

Rugby classes for boys and girls 2 - 7 years Taking up rugby at an early age has many benefits for both boys and girls. Rugbytots classes for ages 2 – 7 years are based around the basic skills and values of rugby, are non-contact and play-centred. Rugby skills of passing, catching and kicking are learnt through a play programme that is fun and safe. Multi-coloured foam balls, play tunnels, parachutes, multi-coloured floor shapes and mini goal posts are just some of the things used to make their classes so good that children can’t wait to come back every week.

Rugbytots offer a great introduction to the benefits and fun of getting involved in sport and physical exercise that helps build selfesteem. Classes have a very strong team ethic that helps children develop social skills such as cooperation, sharing and teamwork.

It is also a fantastic and fun way to meet new people and develop friendships. To try a session or for more details call Hogie on 0845 313 3244, email: southhants@rugbytots.co.uk

Pony Riding Tuition for 2 - 6 years Pony Magic offer fun weekly riding sessions for ages 2 – 6 years at their stables in Bursledon.

Their 20 minute riding sessions are designed to be for younger children, helping them gain confidence in a safe environment. Their Shetland ponies are very appealing to small children and the session can consist of a countryside walk or a more structured rein lesson in the indoor arena (minimum age 2).

In January, 20 Minute classes are available on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturdays.

Book a trail session for £10 or visit them at Longdown Activity Farm during February half term. Call Pony Magic on 07780 667122 or visit www.ponymagic.co.uk

Messy fun for babies & toddlers Messy Monsters offer messy arts and craft activities for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers in a fun, relaxed environment. Their activities will keep the little ones entertained and occupied with the freedom to explore without the mess in your home. Classes are available in Romsey, Chandlers Ford, Bishopstoke and Hedge End. For more details call Tracy on 07873 201350.

Tel 0845 313 3244 | southhants@rugbytots.co.uk January/ February 2016

Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

9

Nursery & Education

Why is nursery education so important?

Starting Nursery is an important step in a child’s life and an important decision for their parents. But why is it so important and how can parents ensure they get the best possible start for their child? Sarah McGreevy a Nursery Manager at Seaton House School tell us more. and emotional development, supporting selfesteem, developing curiosity and questioning and inspiring enthusiasm and motivation for learning.

The development of language and mathematical skills begins at birth and as children start Nursery the teachers are able to identify a child’s understanding and skills and build on these offering opportunities to not only learn the skills needed to become a reader, writer and mathematician but also the interest, enthusiasm and drive to succeed at it.

The value of high quality Nursery education has been recognised for many years by professionals working with children and by parents. It is also supported by research such as EPPE (Effective Provision of PreSchool Education) and REPEY (Research Effective Pedagogy in Early Years).

Early Years education has been shown to provide children with a firm foundation for future achievement not only in their school life but well into adult life. Some of the positive effects of Nursery education can be seen quite quickly as children learn to socialise, build relationships and learn new skills. However, some of the benefits are less obvious initially but are arguably even more important.

Nursery education nurtures the skills and attitudes which will support children in later life.

These ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ include; self-esteem, enthusiasm for learning, problem solving, curiosity and perseverance.

These are the skills that will inspire lifelong learning and encourage self-motivation and independence.

It is widely recognised that the first 6 years of life represent a period of rapid development.

Learning takes place at a faster rate than during any other phase of life. Every parent knows that their child is amazing; by 3 years old they have learnt to walk and talk and are rapidly making sense of their world. Nursery education offers an opportunity to support and develop these skills further, nurturing social

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Nursery is often the child’s first experience of being away from close family, the first step into education and schooling. The learning and development of each child is a joint venture between the Nursery, child and family.

Nursery can provide support and ideas to help parents to extend their child’s thinking and skills at home and parents can share a wealth of information and knowledge about their child’s interests and experiences.

Selecting the right Nursery for your child can be a big step and there are a number of things that can support parents when making their choice. Inspection reports provide information about the quality of the environment and education provided. However, visiting the Nursery is also essential because that will enable parents to experience the ‘atmosphere’ within the Nursery and the relationships between the children and the staff. This also provides an opportunity to find out more about the ethos of the Nursery and type of provision offered. A small Nursery is able to provide

a more homely feel which can help young children when making the transition into school life. For working parents Nursery can provide seamless provision across the day, minimising the disruption and ensuring continuity for the child.

Nursery should provide an environment to excite and inspire young children both inside and outside. The environment, setting and resources within a Nursery are important and are often the most obvious thing to compare when looking at Nurseries. However, the environment is only part of the provision and the quality of the staff within the Nursery is far more important. The key to maximizing the child’s learning is the way in which the adult develops and extends the child’s interest and passions to support their learning and development.

The ratio of adults to children varies from Nursery to Nursery. The higher the ratio of staff to children the more individual attention children can receive. This also affects the relationship between the adults and children because the staff are able to really get to know each individual child and their interests.

The training and qualifications of the adults working with young children are also important.

Working with small children is demanding but incredibly rewarding. Adults working with children need to have a good understanding of how children develop and how best to support their learning and development. Qualifications such as the NVQ level.3, Early Years Professional Status (EYPS), Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and NNEB mean that the adults have had experience of working with young children and have achieved a qualification to support this.

Research by The Effective Provision of PreSchool Education (EPPE) Project (Sylva, Melhuish, Sammons, Siraj-Blatchford, Taggart and Elliot ’03) identified that in settings which had staff with higher qualifications, especially trained teachers the result was higher quality and the children made more progress.

Every Child is precious and their early years are treasured. As a caring team of staff we will strive to create exciting opportunities to ignite your child’s imagination, encourage their inquisitive nature and nurture their individuality.

We are a small, well established setting specialising in caring for children from 2 to 5 years. Our opening hours are term time 9am-3pm and can offer flexible sessions or full day care.

Pre-School Where Children Sparkle

You are very welcome to pop in for a visit or call us to see how your child could sparkle at Little Gems.

We are at: West End Youth House Moorgreen Recreation Ground Moorgreen Road West End SO30 3EG T: 023 8047 1070

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Hampshire West Magazine

New Pre-School at Wickham The Wickham Centre Mill Lane Wickham PO17 5AL T: 01489 557 215

Fryern Infant School Oakmount Road Chandlers Ford SO53 2LN T: 023 8026 8480

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

Nursery & Education

Getting the right support for children with Special Educational Needs Sometimes a child can have trouble keeping up with their peer group.

This can be due to the fact that the child is a little slower at learning a concept, or maybe they require more specialist help. Special Educational Needs, or SEN, is a legal term the Government and schools use to describe a child who has some form of problem or disability that makes learning harder for them than their friends. It means that they have assessed your child and have been able to pinpoint what is that makes it so very hard for the child to keep up. This could be: •

Dyslexia

•

Discalcula

•

Concentration levels (such as ADHD)

•

Ability to socialise (including Autism)

•

Speech or hearing problems

Parents are sometimes reluctant to ‘label’ their child with what they may see as a disability and sometimes have a worrying time when they think their child is struggling but don’t mention it at school. They may try to teach their child at home or go to a tutor. But Special Educational Needs could mean that a child or young person has: • • • • • •

Learning difficulties - in acquiring basic skills in an early years setting or at school Social, emotional or mental health difficulties - making friends, relating to adults or behaving properly Specific learning difficulty - with reading, writing, number work or understanding information Sensory or physical needs - such as hearing impairment, visual impairment or physical difficulties which might affect them in an early years setting or school Communication problems - in expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying Medical or health conditions - which may slow down a child or young persons progress and/ or involves treatment that affects their education.

Multisensory teaching

By Geoff Lively, Teacher at Sheiling College We all experience the world around us through our five senses and for most of us they are perfectly balanced, allowing us to tune in and concentrate on what’s important to get us though the day. For students with special educational needs there is often an imbalance.

This can have dramatic effects on concentration, participation and engagement. Imagine trying to function if the sound of birds tweeting outside sounded like a car alarm sounding in the room or the feel of your shirt was like sandpaper to your skin.

Many students are in constant cycles of seeking or avoiding sensory input and this very often gets in the way of their learning.

Multisensory teaching presents learning to students through their senses in an attempt to regulate their needs.

Multisensory approaches work to hold a student’s attention and increase engagement with activities. This could be as simple as ensuring they have additional stimuli so they are not constantly seeking input or very stimulating experiences to assist in momentary desensitisation. This can be done through textures, fragrances, lighting and many more creative but simple applications.

The benefits of this approach include increased engagement, knowledge transfer and capacity for learning.

For further details about the Sheiling Ringwood School call 01425 477488 or visit: www.thesheilingringwood.co.uk

Within each school, the Special Educational Needs Co-coordinator will help to get a child the diagnosis they need to get more help. Early years settings and schools place great importance on identifying SEN early so that they can help children and young people as quickly as possible through a step-by-step or graduated approach that may include: • • • •

an individually-designed learning programme extra help from a teacher or learning support assistant being taught individually or in a small group drawing up a personal plan, including setting targets for improvement and regular review of progress

A Camphill, School, College and Children’s Home providing a theraputic environment inspired by Rudolf Steiner for children and young adults with severe, complex and moderate learning difficulties and disabilities

It’s important that you approach the school with your worries and your ideas of how your child could be helped and to keep asking questions – what help is there, when can it be given, is there anything else we can do at home to help, and so on. If you feel your child does is not making enough progress, discuss getting help or advice from other people outside the school such as a specialist teacher adviser, an educational psychologist, a speech and language therapist or other health professionals.

The early years setting or school should try to include parents in any discussions, and should consider their views in making any decisions about how best to help the child. They should keep parents informed about a child’s progress. There should be a clear written record about what the school has done to assess and provide for a child’s needs.

Each child should have an individual personal plan with clearly recorded reviews and outcomes, with reference to the involvement of other professions, where relevant. In doing so, the level of help will be carefully matched to a child’s needs.

Have a look at your local authority’s website for more information.

January/ February 2016

Call Admissions on 01425 477488

www.thesheilingringwood.co.uk Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

11

Nursery & Education

Education news Outstanding new facilities at St Swithun’s Junior School The brand new St Swithun’s Junior School building recently opened its doors to enable the school to have smaller class sizes. This outstanding new facility includes specialist teaching rooms, a science laboratory, an art studio, and media/ computing room and a new performing arts space and gym that will open in Easter 2016.

Amongst the beautiful naturalistic planting you can see the new sports courts and the playing fields that surround the school. It is a truly inspirational teaching and learning environment for pupils and staff alike. If you were to ask a parent why they chose St Swithun’s Junior School for their child, we hope they would tell you that it is the characteristics that we value so highly; community, self-confidence, a love of learning, and the ability to be fearless.

For further information call 01962 835792 or visit www.stswithuns.com

Pastoral Care has never been more important at Hampshire Collegiate School (HCS) We are undoubtedly in an environment where growing up is becoming more challenging with a myriad of social pitfalls along the way that many of us as parents never had to deal with as children. A school where genuine support by people who are genuinely interested in the development of the whole child is now everything.

It wasn’t long ago that the concept of having a member of a senior leadership team specifically responsible for the wellbeing of the pupils in a school would have been thought of as revolutionary. Now, it is a common part of most schools in the UK and accepted as being critical in the development of well-being and resilience in our young men and women.

At HCS, Pastoral care comprises the range of support that is provided for students’ emotional, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. Many schools will undoubtedly have the same definition, however, we are proud that we strive to live by and to deliver it from the ground up. All adults who work at a school have a responsibility to be part of a high quality pastoral system and is challenged to make that extra effort to support and nurture every child.

Jonathan Cuff joined HCS as Pastoral Deputy Head to carry out the role at the school due to the importance placed on the wellbeing of all its pupils in their educational journey. For more details call 01794 512206 or visit the website www.hampshirecs.org.uk

Outdoor learning with Little Owls Pre School Little Owls is based in Itchen Valley Country Park and is a Forest School Kindergarten for children aged 3 - 5 years and within a year of opening has been proving very popular with parents with the emphasis of learning being in the outdoors.

Open from 8.30am - 3.00pm, Monday - Friday during term time only. 3-hour sessions are available with the opportunity to add an extra half hour in for lunch if required. Children are outside all the time but there is a cabin, covered decking and a bell tent for shelter if needed.

They have highly trained staff on hand to look after and guide your children in their early years education and their ethos is to encourage the development of confidence and self-esteem as well as fostering a connection between children and the natural world, promoting healthy and happy children.

For more information call Kim on 023 8068 3792, email: Kim.Peters@eastleigh.gov.uk

We Accept EYFS and Nursery Vouchers from 2 Years

PART OF UNITED LEARNING

NURSERY, PREP & SENIOR SCHOOL 2–18 YRS, DAY & BOARDING

Nursery & Reception (EYFS) “Outstanding” in all areas “From the youngest age, pupils express themselves with thought & clarity” “Enthusiastic & passionate teaching enables pupils of all ages & abilities to enjoy their work & make good progress.”

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL INSPECTORATE REPORT, NOVEMBER 2014

Hampshire Collegiate School Embley Park, Romsey Hampshire SO51 6ZE 12

Families Jan 2016.indd Hampshire West Magazine1

Telephone 01794 512206 Email info@hampshirecs.org.uk Web www.hampshirecs.org.uk

VISIT HCS TO FIND OUT MORE...

Registrations currently being accepted for September 2016 and 2017

04/12/2015 16:57:31 www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

Nursery & Education

St Mary’s College delivering 80 years of first class results

helping them to live and work together, and preparing them for senior school.

To visit the school or for further information call 023 8067 1267 or www.stmaryscollege.co.uk

Some of the best years in life are the time spent as a child. As working adults in a fastpaced society, we sometimes forget just how precious and fleeting those years are.

St. Mary’s College has an exceptional record of academic success. The foundation for learning starts in Charlton House Nursery, where carefully designed play provides the best conditions for the introduction of reading, and writing and number work. In the Reception class, children continue to develop their social and interpersonal skills by listening, taking turns and becoming more independent. They learn reading, writing and numeracy skills, together with a knowledge and understanding of the world through the six areas of learning of the EYFS. Music, French and gymnastics are all part of the curriculum and a lovely outdoor area means that many activities can take place in the fresh air.

With that in mind, imagine an alternative to traditional large day nurseries that not only meet your child’s needs, but also provided an activity based learning environment, in a beautiful tranquil location. The goal is not only to enhance your child’s early social and motor skills, but also to support the parental needs, and enhance their family life. A nursery based curriculum tailored specifically for individual children, taught in a fun, nurturing care-giving environment. Supporting local farmers by purchasing locally produced organic food where possible. That is Futurepath Childcare.

Charlton House, the preparatory department of St. Mary’s College, offers everything to stimulate the developing child: the right atmosphere for growing minds, with small class sizes, music and drama rooms, and up-to-date ICT facilities. An emphasis is placed on both English and Numeracy, through the appreciation and use of English and the understanding and enjoyment of arithmetic.

They believe in separate subject teaching, so History, Geography, Music, Technology, Science, Art and Craft, and Religion all form part of their core curriculum.

This brand new exclusive pre-school completes the trio of Little Gems owned by Gemma Akins, which have been successfully running in Southampton for 21 years. Wickham offers 18 places for children from 2 years, and is led by Sian Gale, an experienced Early Years Teacher.

Children have free classes in Bilinguasing and Globe Fit.

For more details call 01489 577778 or visit www.fpchildcare.co.uk

They also have plenty of extra-curricular activities, including music, sport, chess, visits to local and regional museums, theatres and other educational facilities. Together, these activities stimulate and challenge young pupils,

Three nurseries now available at Futurepath Childcare

Little Gems Pre-School in Wickham is now open

Little Gems has been thoughtfully designed and is conveniently located in The Wickham Centre next to Wickham primary school and surgery.

Your child will sparkle at Little Gems. There is an offer of 20% off fees for the first 10 children who book this term. For more information contact Gemma on 01489 557215. www.littlegemspreschool.co.uk

A prep school for girls aged 3-11 & boys aged 3-7

Places now available in our new junior school Outstanding Nursery and Reception provision Open morning Friday 26 February at 10.00am – please contact us to book a place 01962 835792 office.juniorschool@stswithuns.com www.stswithuns.com

January/ February 2016

Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

13

Events and activities

What’s on

Throughout Jan & Feb Be a Wild Explorer Marwell Zoo Pick up your Explorers Trail at the info cabin for a suggested donation of £1. Bring a pencil to complete the name and activities of children taking part, but the trail can be done by collecting all six stamps around the park at some of the favourite animal enclosures.

5 January - 9 February Forest School - Twiglets & Forest School – Home educated group Itchen Valley Country Park Tuesday afternoon 12.30pm 2.30pm. Weekly outdoor session for children and parents with activities, crafts, games and campfire cooking.

Every session is based on seasonal resources. £39 per child aged 3 - 4 years for 6 weeks. Booking is required call 023 8068 3790.

5 & 8 January Mini Professors Winchester Discovery Centre Box Office 01962 873603 9.30am or 10.20am for 2-3 years.

11.20am or 1.30pm for 3-4 years. £60 covers ten sessions. Adults are required to stay. Mini Professors introduces children to the wondrous world of science.

5 & 9 January Story time Winchester Discovery Centre Every Tuesday & Saturday, 11am Stories and activities is to introduce pre-school children to a wide range of picture books and help develop listening skills. Call 01962 873603.

Before setting out please check details with the venue in case they have changed since we have gone to print ..and don’t forget to tell them you saw them in Families Hampshire West Magazine. Visit our website www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk/whats-on for an updated list of local events.

7 January - 11 February Forest School - Twiglets Itchen Valley Country Park 9.30am -11.30am. £39 per child aged 3 or 4 years for 6 weeks. Booking is required call 023 8068 3790.

7 January Shirley Bumps and Babes NCT Southampton This is a stay and play session for babies under one. 10am-12pm in the lobby of St James Road Methodist church, Shirley, SO15 5HE. 7 January Rhyme time Winchester Discovery Centre Sessions at 9.45am & 11am every Thursday in the Performance Hall.

Thirty minutes of songs, rhymes.

8 January - 12 February Forest School - Twiglets Itchen Valley Country Park Friday Mornings 9.30am to 11.30am Outdoor session for children and parents includes activities, crafts, games and campfire cooking. £39 per child age 3 or 4 for 6 weeks. Booking required, call 0238068 3790 9 January Jack & The Beanstalk Hanger Farm Arts Centre Box Office: 02380 667 683 FE FI FO FUM Prepare for lots of fun. With a beanstalk that will grow right in front of your eyes and an actual giant who makes an appearance, this funny and exciting story from M&M Theatre will amaze you and with lots of colorful characters, songs and dances we can

guarantee it will be one of the best productions there has ever ‘bean’ at Hanger Farm. £8 or £6 concessions.

2pm - 4pm.

tour of their very own chocolate factory, packed with lots of surprises along the way. £8.50 / £6.50 concessions.

12, 26 January & 9 February Forest School – Little Foresters Itchen Valley Country Park Tuesday Mornings 10am - 11.30am Outdoors session for children and parents that includes stories, activities, games and campfire cooking. £4.50 per child aged 2 – 5 years. Booking is required call 023 8068 3790.

16 January Aladdin The Berry Theatre Box Office: 023 8065 2333 All profits are being donated to local homeless charities. Adult £6.50, child: £5, over 60s: £5.

13 - 17 January The Snowman Mayflower Theatre Box Office: 02380 711811 Tickets from £15 - £31.

14 – 17 January Dick Whittington The Point Eastleigh Box Office: 023 8065 2333 Traditional pantomime jokes, catchy songs and magical effects, Dick Whittington is fun for all the family.

15 January Chetterbooks Winchester Discovery Centre Children’s Book Club for 8-11 year olds. Free event but booking is essential. A fun session of book discussions, activities and games.

16 - 17 January Shine Studios and the Chocolate Factory Hanger Farm Arts Centre Box Office: 02380 667 683 Join them on a golden ticket winning

17 January Little Red and the Wolves Winchester Discovery Centre Family Sunday 11.30am. £7.50 or 4 for £24. Call 01962 873603.

29 January First Steps: A Child’s Swan Lake Mayflower Theatre Box Office: 02380 711811 For ages 3-7 years. Tickets £10.

30 & 31 January Lambing Days Sparsholt College Hampshire A fantastic winter outing to meet Sparsholt’s new arrivals – bring the family to enjoy lots of fun activities plus great local food and drinks at this popular annual event. 9.30am 3.30pm. Book online: sparsholt.ac.uk *Women who are or may be pregnant should not attend this event.

No dogs with the exception of recognised assistance dogs.

31 January The boy who bit Picasso Winchester Discovery Centre Box Office: 01962 873603 Ages 4 - 8. 11:30am and 1:30pm.

Opens 13th FebRUARY 2016

Get hands-on with our full schedule of fun activities which run throughout the day.

Meet friendly farm animals.

Plenty of indoor and outdoor play areas.

Farm produce shop and gift shop.

Off A35 • Ashurst • New Forest Tel. 023 8029 2837

ONE E CHILD FREAdul t*

With One Paying

*On production of this advert.

Cannot be used with any other offer. Valid until 24 March 2016.

14

Hampshire West Magazine

For event details & much more click onto: www.longdownfarm.co.uk

FSW

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk

Events and activities 6 February The Town Mouse & The Country Mouse The Nuffield Theatre Pied Piper Theatre Company presents an enchanting and heartwarming telling of Aesop’s classic fable, packed full of fun, music and song. Suitable for ages 3-8 years. Box Office: 023 8067 1771 10 - 21 February Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Mayflower Theatre Box Office: 02380 711811 Tickets £15-£49.50.

11 – 23 February Survival Trail Royal Victoria Country Park 10am and 3.30pm, £2/trail Test your map reading skills and follow a route around the Park.

February Half Term Musical Theatre Workshop: Honk! Ages 6-16 Hanger Farm Arts Centre STP Musicals in association with Jellicats Theatre Company will be holding daily musical and funfilled workshops to prepare for a spectacular performance at the end of the week. Honk! is a wonderful musical based on the beloved fable The Ugly Duckling. It is witty but also deeply moving and its charm, humour and memorable score will delight both the cast and audience.

Runs each day during Half Term from 10am-4pm with drop offs from 9.30am and collections by 4.30pm.

Workshop: £125 per child. Call 02380 667 683 for more details.

February Half Term New 4D film opens at Paultons Park An immersive new film at the Show Street Cinema that comes to life before your very eyes. Stressed businessman Bob ventures to a desert island to relax in the perfect paradise but not long into his much-needed holiday, he finds himself on an unexpected adventure surrounded by prehistoric dinosaurs who have been roaming the land for years. Join Bob and take a wild jeep ride through the tropical rainforest and fly high to the sky and his unlikely rescuer, Professor Lizzie as they outrun fierce Raptors, giant Triceratops and the mighty T-Rex! 13 February - 21 February Monkey Trail Itchen Valley Country Park Using the trail pack find the answers, claim your prize. 10.30am and 3.30pm. £1.75 per trail pack. Call 023 8068 3790.

13 February - 21 February Half Term fun Royal Victoria Country Park Come and explore the fantastic January/ February 2016

adventure play area! It is suitable for children of all ages and abilities.

Speak to a member of staff about our annual parking permits.

15 – 19 February Wild about Wildlife Manor Farm Country Park 10am – 4pm Make a bird box, help feed the birds by making a bird feeder and learn about our wildlife by ‘tracking their trail’. Plus all the usual farm activities such as Victorian School lesson, guided farmyard walk and ‘meet the animals.’

Half Term fun at the Park!

16 February Woodland Activity Day Itchen Valley Country Park 9.30am to 3.30pm. £22 per child.

Booking required call 023 80683790.

16 February Family Bushcraft Royal Victoria Country Park 10am – 2pm, £10/child Can you light a fire without a match? Make your own shelter from materials in your surroundings?

Booking is essential.

Our adventure play area is perfect for children of all ages and abilities.

Find out more at: www.hants.gov.uk/rvcp 023 8045 5157 Parking permits available

www.hants.gov.uk/rvcp

16 & 18 February Little Foresters’ Woodland Stories: Monkey Puzzle Itchen Valley Country Park 10.30am - 12noon. £4.50 per child.

Booking required, call 023 80683790

www.hants.gov.uk

16-20 February The Witches The Nuffield Theatre Box Office: 023 8067 1771 Roald Dahl’s scariest book is brought to life in a tremendously terrifying treat for the whole family. Witches absolutely detest children. They want to squish them and squiggle them and make them disappear.

But one brave young boy and his grandmother have a plan to get rid of the witches for good… if only they can avoid being turned into mice.

Recommended for children aged 7+ Tickets from £10.

17 February Welly Walk for Toddlers Royal Victoria Country Park £4 per child, 10am - 11:30am A short walk for pre-school children with a craft activity, drink and biscuit. Booking essential.

17 February Wooden Monkey Faces Itchen Valley Country Park Visit any time between 10.30am and 12.30pm. £2 per face.

27 February Nearly New Sale NCT Southampton St James Road Methodist Church 10am – 12pm, £1 per adult Sale of pre-loved baby and children’s clothing and toys.

30 and 31 Jan 9.30am - 3.30pm A fantastic winter outing to meet our new arrivals – bring the family to enjoy lots of fun activities plus great local food and drinks at this popular annual event.

Tickets on sale now – sparsholt.ac.uk HEALTH WARNING: Women who are or may be pregnant should not attend this event.

01962 776441 sparsholt.ac.uk

Sorry, no dogs with the exception of recognised assistance dogs

Call us on 07789882467 to advertise your business with us

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o t n i p e St ! d l r o W Peppa’s

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Hampshire West Magazine

www.familieshampshirewest.co.uk