HEY! Magazine Frome and West Wilts edition

FREE • FROME AND WEST WILTS EDITION • ISSUE 31 • FEBRUARY 2016

INSIDE Happy Mother’s Day Understanding SATS Pre-school and Early Years Education HEYMAG.CO.UK

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WELCOME Director Tina Veater 07834 542955 | tina@ignyte-uk.co.uk Editorial Team Tina Veater info@ignyte-uk.co.uk Advertising Team Zoe Jenkins Theresa Saadeh Carmen Goodwin 01761 410141 | info@ignyte-uk.co.uk Graphic Designer Pamela Evans Published by Ignyte Media Ltd Printed by Flying Colours Ltd, Weare, Somerset Business Address: Ignyte Media Ltd, Unit G5, Second Avenue, Westfield Industrial Estate, Radstock, BA3 4BH 01761 410141 info@ignyte-uk.co.uk While every care has been taken to ensure the data contained in the publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

Ignyte do not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All right reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system in any form without the prior permission of the publisher.

Distribution: We deliver to 9500 families through primary schools and other outlets in Frome and West Wiltshire and surrounding villages.

The next edition is in March 2016 & is filling fast.

Happy New Year to you all. I hope you had a fantastic Christmas break and enjoyed some quality family time together too?

As I write this piece, the weather is very cold and I am having to scrape the ice from my car each morning.

It is always important to ensure that you are eating well and drinking lots to keep the bugs away at this time of year. Make sure that you stay wrapped up in your winter woolies and that you are very careful when walking and driving on icy surfaces.

Our elderly friends also need our help more at this time of year, if you have a neighbour who struggles to get out of the house or to cook hot food for themselves, please visit these friends regularly and do as much as you can to help them.

The new year is often a time of change, following our new years resolutions. It may be a new job, a healthier lifestyle, weight loss or even the promise to spend more quality time with loved ones. Whatever you have promised yourself, the team at HEY! wish you good luck with your plans.

This edition of HEY! is focused on Mother’s Day. A very important time when we thank our Mum’s for everything they do for us. Many of us take these things for granted and it is vitally important that they know how much we love them. Every mum will always love a hand made gift so check out our craft pages and work with your children to make something special.

If you have a child in year 6, you will be very aware that their SATS are looming in May. These tests are changing this year. You can get up to date on all of the information you need about these changes by reading our article.

Please send us through the pictures of your children with their achievements so that we can include them in our WOW pages. All of our readers enjoy these pages and the children love being included too. Simply send me through the photo and a few words to tina@ignyte-uk.co.uk and we will print your child’s picture in our next edition in March.

Enjoy Pancake Day, Valentines Day and Mother’s Day and we look forward the highlights that 2016 will bring for us all.

Tina Hey Magazine

@hey_tweeter

www.heymag.co.uk

LAMBING

at lackham SAT 12th & SUN 13th of March 2016 SAT 19th & SUN 20th of March 2016 Opening times 10am – 5pm, last entry 4pm

Prices £7 per adult £5 per child Under 2 years go free Tickets available online - visit shop.wiltshire.ac.uk or just pay on the day.

Activities • See new-born lambs (maybe even see one being born!)

• Mini farmers’ market including Lackham meat and eggs • Watch the Dairy Herd being milked – all the milk goes to Cadbury!

• Small animals including chickens and miniature pony • Visit the calves, cows, pigs, rare breed sheep and donkeys • Variety of food and beverage stalls • Tractor and Trailer rides • Children’s rides

llies! e w r u o rget y o f 't n o d

• Face-painting

Please note there are no dogs allowed.

Pregnant women are advised not to visit the lambs.

Lambing at Lackham is an annual fundraising event, with all proceeds going to the maintenance and improvement of facilities for our college students. Wiltshire College is a registered charity.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 5

PANCAKE DAY TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9TH The perfect pancake batter For around 8 pancakes use: 110g / 4oz plain flour pinch of salt 2 large eggs 200ml / 7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml / 3fl oz cold water 50g / 2oz butter Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a hole or well in the centre of the pile of flour and break the eggs into it. Begin whisking the eggs, either with a whisk or a fork, catching every bit of flour from around the edge of the bowl.

Gradually add small amounts of the milk mixture, while still whisking; any lumps will eventually disappear. When all the liquid has been added, use a spatula or something similar to scrape in any bits of flour missed from around the edge or the bottom of the bowl, and whisk again. The batter is ready when very smooth with the consistency of thin cream.

Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons (30ml) of this melted butter into the bowl of batter, and whisk it in. Pour the rest of the melted butter into a spare bowl, to be used to lubricate the pan before you make each pancake, using some kitchen paper to smear it round.

To make the pancakes, get the pan really hot then turn down to a medium heat. For each pancake use about 2 tablespoons for an 18cm pan, spooned into a ladle first so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the pan, tip it around from side to side so that it coats the base of the pan evenly. It should only take around half-a-minute to cook, until it’s a tinged gold colour; lift the edge with a palette knife to have a quick look.

Toss the pancake or flip using a pan slice or palette knife; the other side will only need a few seconds. Then simply slide it onto a plate. A good tip is to stack the pancakes between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest. Otherwise just stack them high and watch them go!

JTS Party Shop FIND THE PERFECT COSTUME FOR WORLD BOOK DAY 3RD MARCH 2016 www.jtsfancydress.co.uk 98 Bradley Road Trowbridge BA14 0RB (Opp. B&Q) 01225 751741 e: jtsfancydress@yahoo.co.uk

6 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

UNDERSTANDING

PRESCHOOL AND EARLY YEARS EDUCATION; ESSENTIAL REVISION! I

t’s been a long while since I last needed to think about preschool education. My eldest daughter is now in Year 6 – just months away from ‘big school’, and her primary years have gone by in a flash. My youngest, also a daughter, is just 3.

Yes, it’s a big gap and don’t I know it.

Things have changed. And this seems to be especially the case when it comes to pre-school education. I can’t remember my eldest having a curriculum as such to follow, but there’s definitely one now.

So as I get to grips with her nursery and its way of working, having agonised for months over which one would be best (for more on that theme check out my ‘Questions to consider when choosing a nursery’), I’m also trying to get my head round the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). In the process, I’m hoping that all the acronyms that litter her term reports will mean more.

After plenty of research and chats with nursery staff, I can safely say, this much I know…

Introduced in 2008, the EYFS framework sets out welfare and development goals for children five years and younger in Ofsted registered childcare. More than ‘just a curriculum’, the EYFS actually covers both the welfare and development of children, with the welfare aspect covering things like the suitability of facilities and equipment, as well as the qualifications and suitability of staff.

The development side covers six key areas. In short, these – and their usual abbreviations – are: • Personal, social and emotional development (PSED) • Communication, language and literacy (CL) • Problem solving, reasoning and literacy (PSRL) • Knowledge and understanding of the world (UW) • Physical development (PD) • Creative development (CD) It follows that my first piece of advice to anyone about to send a child to preschool would be to learn these acronyms, I guarantee that your child’s reports will make a whole lot more sense.

It’s also worth knowing that an EYFS check is carried out at age two. This bit of the foundation stage was introduced in 2012. It applies only to children in England who attend pre-school, Ofsted registered settings, such as nurseries or childminders; the aim of the check is to ensure that any child who may need additional support is identified so that when the time comes for them to start school, they will be ready.

For those new to the EYFS it will also soon become apparent that a Key Person is very central to your child’s preschool education.

A key person is the individual selected to build up a strong relationship with your little one so that your child always has someone there who they can go to if they are feeling upset, happy or just want a cuddle.

I N S P I R E D . A LWAY S .

PRE-PREP & NURSERY OPEN MORNING WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 2016 PRE-PREP RECEPTION OPEN MORNING WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL 2016 JUNIOR SCHOOL OPEN MORNING THURSDAY 10 MARCH 2016

For further information please visit www.kesbath.com or contact our Registrar on 01225 820 399

The role of the key person is considered to be so important that it is looked at as part of the Ofsted inspections. And that makes sense to me – children need a constant, dependable adult they can trust. To be on the safe side though, every child will have a second person allocated to them at nursery as a sort of deputy to the key person in case they’re not available.

Generally, the aim of the EYFS is to make sure that all children get a good start both socially and academically.

Preschool education now certainly seems a lot more involved than when I went to nursery way back in the 1970s. Mind you, all I can really remember is making a mouse with cotton wool and a pipe cleaner tail. It’s a memory I treasure.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 7

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A NURSERY Do the children look well-stimulated? Are they sitting down at activities, engaged by the staff?

• How is the day structured? What sort of activities are built into the timetable?

• Does the building look well-kept, safe and secure?

• How many of the staff are qualified?

• Does it have good quality outdoor play areas?

If so, how often do children get access?

• Does indoor and outdoor equipment appear of good quality?

• Is food cooked on the premises?

• What are the menus like? Do they include a good combination of fresh (rather than tinned) fruit and vegetables? And how about the snacks?

• Do you have confidence that the nursery manager possesses strong leadership skills, is well involved and has a ‘hands on’ approach?

Shooting for the stars!

Two lovely, welcoming nurseries in Trowbridge.

We have 2 and 3 year old funded places available - contact us to arrange a visit to see our facilities and meet our friendly team.

Green Shoots Day Nursery Westfield Road,Trowbridge BA14 9JQ 01225 751744 greenshoots@bathymca.co.uk Little Shoots Day Nursery BroadCloth Lane, Trowbridge BA14 7HE 01225 754777 littleshoots@bathymca.co.uk Open Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm 50 weeks of the year (closed between Christmas and New Year)

www.bathymca.co.uk

Our two nurseries in Trowbridge Green Shoots and Little Shoots deliver a high standard of care and all activities are based on the new Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and is enhanced by great staff and a high standard of resources and equipment.

• Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured; • Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships; • Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers; and • Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

There are three distinct areas within the nursery each offering care for different age groups; all bright and airy and well lit.

We make full use of every inch of our outdoor space both nurseries. In our garden we grow fruit and vegetables, have extensive play equipment, and use the grass area for different activities depending on the time of year.

We take healthy eating seriously and all meals and snack times are designed to be sociable and special dietary needs can be accommodated.

Contact: Green Shoots 01225 751744. Little Shoots 01225 754777

8 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

WHY BOTHER BUDGETING? W

e are told from an early age that it is important to budget but does the process really help us take better control of our finances?

Martin Lewis, founder of moneysavingexpert.co.uk says the problem with most budgets is they just don’t work. “They look at a typical months spending, yet we don’t spend by the month - what about the daily coffee, weekly shop, annual holiday?” Most people can work out what their monthly costs are - e.g. mortgage, utility and phone bills, transport, food, etc. but it is the more sporadic outgoings that can trip us up. Jackie McKeown, a single parent said one of the hurdles she faces at this time of year is the bills following Christmas. She claims to make ends meet by borrowing what she needs for the annual extras on a loan payable over a year.

This way she can include the cost of the bigger outgoings in her monthly budget, and pay for them in equal monthly payments.

“That way, I know what I am doing and don’t suddenly face costs I can’t deal with from my take-home pay”.

An accurate budget can be very valuable, because it should work out whether you spend more than you earn and also what you

can afford to spend. Jackie worked out that the repayments on a short term loan of £1000 were manageable over a year. Like most people, she didn’t want to build up a debt on a credit card knowing it wouldn’t be managed. By budgeting and including loan repayments in that budget she knows where she will be from month to month. Martin Lewis added that it is always surprising to see quite how many different things you spend cash on. ‘Worse still is how much money you truly spend on them. Yet there are always ways to save. It’s worth considering that as you write them down - are you getting the best value for your money? Can you get them cheaper elsewhere?’ His website offers a Money Makeover article which includes a budget planner. It will take about an hour to complete and you will need at least three months bank and credit card statements to get an accurate picture of your spending.

At the end of the exercise you will know whether you spend more than you earn, or earn more than you spend - and the difference can be crucial to managing your finances without getting into problem debt.

a season of work inspired by william shakespeare including shows, films, masterclasses, a quiz and a free family open day Box Office: 01225 823409 www.theatreroyal.org.uk/the-egg

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 9

Suzie’s Diary Dear Diary,

2016 has kicked off to a good start. My business has picked up after a lull, the kids are all happy, our new kittens have settled in well and I’ve finally got hubby to repair our garden fencing (a small triumph!).

But there is a ‘but’. Part of the reason that my eldest child Scarlett is so full of joy for life is her discovery of an online vlogger (video blogger) called Lillybelle.

Scarlett has become obsessed with everything to do this vlogger, copying her hairstyles and even adopting her turns of phrase. Whenever Scarlett has a free moment, she pours over Lillybelle’s videos of things like trips to the supermarket, nights in with friends and musings about what to have for tea. It’s all pretty mundane stuff, but Lillybelle’s constant presence in our home is driving me nuts!

So what should I do?

We’ve already set a limit on how much Scarlett can use her tablet/the internet. A complete ban seems a bit much seeing as Lillybelle is harmless enough - she’s just not exactly the kind of progressive female role model I had in mind for my first born.

Scarlett now wants to be a vlogger when she leaves school and is gathering her ideas together for the vlogs to post. These include ‘ten ways to plait hair’, ‘best lipsticks for springtime’ and ‘the best bath bombs money can buy’.

Hoping this is all another short fad. Mind, I have to admit that Lillybelle is a canny business woman, who looks like she calls all the shots in her life.

Amen to that!

Suzie xx

10 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

Craft Corner

Visit our website at www.heymag.co.uk for full instructions on how to make these crafts

Love You Mum jar

A special mug of love

Flower jam jar I Love You card

Ice cream dreams

Pencil flowers in a pot

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 11

A (FLOWER) POTTED HISTORY

OF MOTHER’S DAY B

efore we go any further let’s get one thing straight. The mid Sunday in Lent is not strictly ‘Mother’s Day’ but, in fact, ‘Mothering Sunday’. The former happens in America and the latter label is supposed to apply in Britain. Both, of course, celebrate that most important figure in most people’s life – Mum (irrespective of which side of the Atlantic she lives).

To continue untangling these two celebrations…In America, Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in May, as proclaimed by none other than President Woodrow Wilson in 1914.

It is marked on that day following a successful campaign by Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) to celebrate the tireless work of US mothers and pay tribute to her own mother (who had died on 9 May, 1905).

To delve even deeper, Anna’s campaign was actually the culmination of her mother’s previous mission to establish a ‘Mother’s Friendship Day’, the purpose of which was to reunite families divided by the American Civil War. The origins of the British date are more opaque. Some believe that Mothering Sunday may have originated from a 16th century practice of visiting the ‘mother church’ – the main church in the region on Laetare Sunday, that’s the forth Sunday of Lent. Historically, this was also a time when domestic servants were given time off to visit their families.

Over time, the religious connotations of Mothering Sunday have waned and, true enough, the modern British tradition is pretty closely linked to its American cousin.

In 1913, Constance Penswick-Smith (1878-1938) was inspired by reading a newspaper report about Anna Jarvis’s campaign in America. She too wanted to establish/re-establish a day devoted to maternal praise in Britain. However, its wide scale revival only came about with the influence of US soldiers serving in Britain during the Second World War. By the 1950s, Mothering Sunday was a big deal; for mothers - and for card companies.

But you don’t need a big budget to spoil your mum, in fact you don’t need any money at all (as our handy tips list makes clear).

Interestingly, neither Constance Penswick-Smith nor Anna Jarvis ever became mothers themselves.

TEN WAYS FOR KIDS TO SPOIL MUM ON 6TH MARCH 1. Write her a card – tell her what she means to you 2. Make her a lovely lunch – why stop at breakfast in bed?

3. Do something together.

No distractions, no telly on in the background or the like; just share an activity like a walk or a jigsaw puzzle 4. Offer her a back or foot massage.

This is one way to bring the spa experience home!

5. Plan a family photo shoot to remember the day in future years 6. Draw or paint her a bunch of flowers, a picture lasts forever!

7. Find out more about her. Ask about her favourite memories, her future hopes 8. Invite one of her friends round to share that lovely lunch 9. Run her a bath in the evening 10. Give her a HUGE hug

12 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

What’s On February 6 - 21

Half term trips at the Avon Valley Railway.

February 6 - 21

Petal Power at Bristol Zoo Gardens Get the creative juices flowing and join in our giant flower collage and flower pot decorating, let the kids burn-off some energy with the petal power trail and of course don’t miss our animal talks and feeds throughout each day!

February 12

Labyrinth at the Midsomer Norton Palladium Town Hall in Midsomer Norton 7.30pm.

February 13

The Ruff Guide to Shakespeare at The Egg Theatre, Bath Age 5+ The Life, the times and every single play – all in one hour!

February 13

Labyrinth at the Victoria Hall in Radstock, 4.30pm.

February 13

Grand Pier Fireworks at Sea The best views will be from the Grand Pier, Weston Super Mare at 5pm.

February 13

Meet the Avon Gorge goat keeper Search for the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project’s herd of goats on this strenuous walk in the Gully. Along the way, find out how they’re helping to make space for the Avon Gorge’s rare plants. From 10.30am to 12pm.

February 15

Romeo and Juliet at The Egg Theatre, Bath Age 9+ Let’s All Dance’s edgy, explosive production engages audiences of all ages with this high energy Hip Hop step.

February 15

Family Garden Activities “Plot your veg plot’ at The Bishops Palace in Wells. Book in for a fun session to plan what to grow in your garden this year. Find out more about what is grown at the Palace. 11am to 3pm.

February 15 - 16

Michael Jackson’s Thriller live at the Bristol Hippodrome Thriller Live visits Bristol Hippodrome direct from London’s West End, a spectacular concert that celebrates the career of one of the world’s greatest entertainers.

February 16

Family activity Birds at the Bishops Palace in Wells from 11am to 3pm. Make bird feeders, feather fans and starling finger puppets, then follow the twitchers trail through the house and gardens.

February 17

Half Term workshop “calligraphy’ at Wells Cathedral Have a go events for families taking place in the Cathedral’s Education Room from 1pm to 3pm.

February 19

Youth Circus Showcase at Circomedia in Bristol Circomedia’s celebrated Youth Circus will be showcasing their skills on 19th and 20th February at St Paul Church, Portland Square, Bristol.

February 13 - 21

February 24

Kidz World Fun Fair at Avon Valley Country Park, Saltford This February, Kidz World comes to Avon Valley Park. The Fair arrives on Saturday 13th February and will be open every day from 12noon until 6pm until Sunday 21st February.

Meet a Barn Owl expert at Glastonbury Town Hall You can find out more about Somerset’s brilliant barn owls, hosted by Somerset Wildlife Trust and birds of prey expert, Chris Sperring at 7.30pm.

February 14

February 25

Alice in Wonderland at the Victoria Hall in Radstock Box Tale Soup invite you down the rabbit hole into a timeless world of wondrous fantasy from 4pm.

Paper Town, Radstock’s own Baby Cinema event Bring your Little Pitchers along to the pictures at Victoria Hall, Radstock at 10am.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 13

February 26 - March 6

Bath Literature Festival across the City The festival is 21 and to mark this special anniversary twelve events are available to enjoy. For more information visit www.bathfestivals.org.uk/literature.

March 25 - May 7

Mama Mia Bristol Hippodrome Theatre, Bristol.

March 25

Victorian Explorers Easter Egg Hunt Tyntesfield House, Wraxall from 10am.

February 27

Hotel Transylvania 2 at the Midsomer Norton Palladium Town Hall in Midsomer Norton at 2.30pm.

March 6

March 26

The Good Dinosaur at the Midsomer Norton Palladium Midsomer Norton Town Hall at 2.30pm.

Gert Posh Mother’s Day Tea 4pm Treat mum to a very special Gert Posh Tea at Farrington’s!

A selection of home-made sandwiches, home-made scones and cakes. Served with tea or coffee. Booking is essential!

Please phone the Café on 01761 452266 (Opt 2) or email sally@farringtons.co.uk

March 26 - 27

March 7 - 12

Medieval Falconry at the Bishops Palace, Wells 10am to 4pm A day of fantastic flying displays, entertaining information and beautiful birds in the Romantic setting of the South Lawn.

Hairspray the Musical Bristol Hippodrome Theatre, Bristol.

March 12

Pan, Victoria Hall, Radstock at 4.30pm Find out how a 12 year old orphan finds himself in Neverland and discovers his destiny.

March 13

Bath Half Marathon Line the streets of the City and encourage the runners on their way.

March 13

Easter Craft Market Victoria Hall in Radstock from 10am to 2pm.

March 19 - 20

Tadpoles at The Egg Theatre, Bath Age 5+ A highly visual and energetic play about rivalry, strengths, weaknesses and superheroes.

   

    

Festival of Cars at the Bath and West Showground This popular event sees 140+ dealers, 10am to 4pm.

March 28

If you are organising an event you would like included in our What’s On pages,

send the details to zoe@ignyte-uk.co.uk

14 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

RECIPES

Visit our website at www.heymag.co.uk to find out how to make these Mother’s Day ideas

Crumpets

Plum fizz

Cupcake platter Strawberry cheesecake

Fruit bouquet

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 15

HEY! competitions WIN FAMILY TICKETS TO WEYMOUTH SEA LIFE ADVENTURE PARK Explore an amazing underwater world! Take a fascinating journey from the Jurassic Coast to the ocean depths at Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park. Get up close to over 1,000 creatures including a playful family of otters, comical penguins, awesome sharks and magnificent rescued sea turtles. Find out how it feels to touch a starfish, crab and other creatures in our interactive rock pool. With fun talks, animal feeds, special events and a Dive Adventure Quiz Trail there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy. Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park offers a whole day of feeds, presentations and magical experiences for all the family. VIP Feeds and Animal Adoptions are available to make your day extra special. Head to “Castaway Bay” featuring Ray Lagoon with Cownose Rays!

Explore the Rainforest with new creatures! Take on a new voyage on our new adventure play set, unwind in our sensory garden; or cool off in our Splash Zone and Pool! Continue to your journey down the seafront to Jurassic Skyline for breathtaking 360 degree views of the Jurassic Coast from 174ft.

Valid for 2 adults and 2 children to Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park and Jurassic Skyline for 1 year at the time off issue. Visit www.visitwsealife.co.uk/terms for full terms and conditions.

To win, answer this question: How high is the Jurassic skyline tower?

WIN 2 CHILD MEMBERSHIPS TO COWTASTIC FARM PARK! Guaranteed adventure come rain or shine at the Cowtastic Farm Park at Farrington Farm, Farrington Gurney, Nr Bristol.

Valid for 1 year, membership entitles the card holders to the following discounts off standard entry prices. 30% off normal entry to the Farm Park, 20% off at the Playbarn, 20% off Birthday Parties..

To win, answer this question: What colour is Gert, the Farrington cow?

WIN FAMILY TICKETS FOR CHOLDERTON CHARLIE’S FARM Cholderton Charlie’s Farm Park is a Rare Breeds Farm located in Salisbury.

We offer a great value, fun-filled family day out for all ages and interests: from our indoor three-storey playbarn, outdoor play areas, to our café and gift shop; as well as feeding, cuddling and petting baby animals, our daily tractor rides* and infamous Pig Racing.

To win, answer this question: What is the name of the tractor at Cholderton’s?

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO WOOKEY HOLE Revamped, restored and totally remarkable, the new Wookey Hole experience is bursting onto the 2016 holiday scene in an explosive mix of history, mystery and fun.

To win, answer this question: What is the name of the new chamber which is now open?

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO HAIRSPRAY THE MUSICAL AT THE BRISTOL HIPPODROME Hairspray is back, with a brand new production of the smash hit musical comedy.

It’s Baltimore, 1962 where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV. Tracy’s audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her newfound fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way!

Ticket valid for Tuesday 8th March at 7.30pm.

To win, answer this question: What year was the hit film Hairspray released?

WINNERS Austin Hazzard Bishop Sutton Amirah Pickaver–Sword Shepton Mallet Harry Burris Stockwood, Bristol Oliver Brookbank Doulting Jessie Woodford Peasedown St John

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16 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

BEDWETTING:

THE HIDDEN PROBLEM P

erhaps the most surprising thing about bedwetting is how many young people are affected by the condition. One in 15 sevenyear olds wets the bed, along with one in 75 teenagers.

Dealing with bedwetting can have a huge impact on sufferers and their families. The condition can knock youngster’s confidence and be a source of embarrassment, causing huge stress (which in turn can exacerbate the problem). Understanding why bedwetting happens can help manage and overcome the condition.

Children should generally stop wetting the bed at around the age of five. Most children gain day-time bladder control by age three, with night-time control taking a little longer. Bedwetting is only really considered a problem by doctors after the age of five, if the situation bothers the child and the parents. If the child is not bothered, bedwetting is difficult to treat – they may simply not be ready to be dry at night.

Bedwetting in later childhood happens for a variety of reasons – pinpointing the most likely cause for your child is the first step to resolving the issue.

CONSTIPATION IS ONE CANDIDATE.

An enlarged bowel may press against the bladder at night causing bedwetting. If you suspect this could be the case, you’ll need to take your child to the doctor for an assessment and a prescription for medication that could ease bowel problems.

HORMONAL. A few children lack enough of a hormone called vasopressin. This hormone works on the kidneys and slows down the production of urine at night. Symptoms that a child lacks vasopressin include; bedwetting that happens every night, often early at night and more than once a night; the urine is like day-time urine – pale yellow; the child tends to remain asleep all night. If vasopressin is the cause of your child’s bedwetting, a doctor is likely to prescribe an artificial form of the hormone called Desmopressin.

AN OVERACTIVE BLADDER. In this case, the bladder sends a signal to the brain to empty it before it is full.

Indications of the problem include the need to urinate frequently

during the day (in excess of eight times), and bedwetting more than once a night. A medication called Oxybutinin might be prescribed to address the problem.

URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI). An UTI tends to be noticeable during the day and will require a trip to the doctor to resolve. Symptoms include unpleasant smelling urine; pain while urinating; constant thirst and wetting problems during the day as well as the night.

STRESS. If your child was formerly dry at night and then develops a problem, this could be due to stress caused by a variety of factors. Consider any changes that may have happened in your child’s usual routine to cause upset. Possible stresses might be an illness, starting school, the arrival of a new baby or any other life changes.

GENETIC PREDISPOSITION. If a child has one parent who wet the bed into later childhood, there’s up to a 40% chance that their child will too. And if both parents wet the bed, this chance jumps to 75%.

FACTS ABOUT BEDWETTING

• Boys are more likely to wet the bed up to the age of 12 • It is estimated over 500,000 children in the UK regularly wet the bed between the ages of five and 16 • Bedwetting can be resolved – there are many causes and a variety of treatments available • Bedwetting runs in families • Bedwetting is a never a child’s fault. It happens when the child is sleeping when they have no conscious control • The impact of bedwetting on a child’s self-esteem and mental wellbeing can be huge. Get help!

For more information about the causes and treatment for bedwetting, visit the website of children’s incontinence charity Eric at www.eric.org.uk.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 17

ALL ABOUT SATs I

f you’ve a child in Year 2 or 6, it won’t be long before SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) start to be a key discussion point at the school gate, assuming they aren’t already.

Even if you have some experience of SATs with older children, you’ll find the goals posts have changed with 2016 seeing the introduction of new SATs. Confused about what all this means for your child? Read our guide.

To go back to basics, SATs are compulsory national tests carried out by all state schools.

Children in England are required to take SATs at the age of seven, 11 and again when they are 14.They are designed to assess how your child’s abilities compare nationally with other children in the same year group, and they comprise of a mixture of teacherled and test-based assessments, depending on the age of your child.

In the summer term of 2016, children at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 will sit the new SATs papers. So, if your child is in Year 2 or 6, they will be among the first pupils to take the new test.

SATs have been overhauled in both KS1 and KS2 to reflect the changes to the National Curriculum, which was introduced from September 2014.

In the new SATs, reading and writing will be separate tests, and equal weighting will be given to all three SAT subjects including maths. This means that English is now more significant, with writing – namely SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) – playing a prominent role.

MORE ABOUT THE TESTS KEY STAGE 1

Year 2 children will take SATs in three areas: reading; English grammar, punctuation and spelling; and maths. The Department for Education (DFE) requires schools to carry out KS1 tests during May 2016. However, specific dates have not been set and most schools will aim to carry out the tests as part of a child’s usual numeracy and literacy practice. Most children will be unaware that they are being ‘tested’.

The reading assessment constitutes two papers. Each paper is worth 50% of the marks, and should take around 30 minutes, but children will not be strictly timed as the tests are not intended to assess children’s

ability to work at speed. The texts in the reading papers will cover a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and will get progressively more difficult towards the end of the test. Teachers will have the option to stop the test at any point that they feel is appropriate for a particular child.

Two separate papers will be set in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and two further papers for maths, for which children will not be able to use any tools such as calculators or number lines.

KEY STAGE 2

Year 6 SATs will be administered during the week starting 9 May 2016. The reading test is a single paper with questions based on three passages of text. Your child will have one hour, including reading time, to complete the test. The grammar, punctuation and spelling test will consist of two parts: a grammar and punctuation paper requiring short answers, lasting 45 minutes, and an aural spelling test of 20 words, lasting 15 minutes.

Children will sit three papers in maths; an arithmetic test of 30 minutes and two reasoning tests, with 40 minutes allowed per paper. Given the tests are timed and must be carried out within a certain week, Year 6 children will doubtless be aware that they are being assessed. Read ‘Preparing for SATs’ for some ideas about how best to support your child through the experience.

SCORES AND RESULTS

Although the tests are set externally for KS1, they will be marked by teachers within the school. In contrast for KS2, all papers will be externally marked.

Instead of the old National Curriculum levels, all children will be given a ‘standardised score’ (see ‘Standardised score’ box below for more detail). Other national curriculum subjects, including speaking and listening, science and computing, will be assessed by your child’s teacher based on their work throughout the year.

Overall, the consensus among teachers is that the new SATs will be more challenging.

Yet the Government is setting tougher targets for schools to meet. The DFE wants 85% of pupils to reach the expected national standard at the end of KS2, which is a sharp rise on the 65% marker formerly demanded.

STANDARDISED SCORES

Until September 2014, children’s progress was assessed using National Curriculum levels. The government has now removed ‘level descriptors’ from the National Curriculum and schools are expected to use a ‘scaled score’.

This scoring method is widely used for school assessments across the world.

To calculate a child’s scaled score, their raw score – in other words, the actual number of marks they achieved – will be converted into a scaled score. This is used to show whether the child has achieved the national standard for that subject.

In KS1 the score that your child is given may not be the result they achieved in their SATs, but a score based on SATs results, classwork and the teacher’s observations. In KS2, each child will be told their raw score, their scaled score, and confirmation of whether or not they achieved the national standard.

The scaled score needed to achieve the national standard has yet to be confirmed, but for Year 2 it will be roughly equivalent to a level 2b under the old system, while the standard for Year 6 will be similar to a level 4b.

PREPARING FOR SATS

Strictly speaking, it is your school’s job to prepare your child for SATs. But there is plenty you can do at home to offer additional support and alleviate your child’s stress levels if you think they may feel anxious.

Free sample papers for the new SATs are available via www.gov.uk. Getting familiar with the format of the tests well in advance of the actual assessments (especially for KS2), should help to build your child’s confidence and identify areas where further practice might be needed.

In the lead up to the assessments, keep your child’s other pressures to a minimum. Have a quiet weekend beforehand, ensure your child gets to bed early the night before each test and has a good breakfast on the day. Keep positive and remember that SATs are primarily for primary schools to measure pupils’ progress. Many secondary schools use their own or alternative/supplementary assessment methods to determine a youngster’s potential.

18 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

News and Reviews LATEST SCHOOL NEWS

EVENTS

120 YEAR ANNIVERSARY AT NUNNEY FIRST SCHOOL (1896 – 2016)

Nunney First School have planned a series of events to celebrate their 120 year anniversary.

All money raised at these events will be put towards play provision for the children. There will be a host of events including, bingo, quiz nights, sponsored walks and treasure hunts, to name a few.

The Nunney First School Wildlife Pond was officially opened by Simon King, OBE, TV presenter, award winning cinematographer – and Frome’s very own wildlife expert.

The children all gathered round the pond and – as if to order – a pair of Common Hawker dragonflies decided to start a family in the pond just as Simon arrived. The female spent quite a while laying her eggs on the soft part of the log lying at the edge of the pond, while her mate circled round protectively. Simon spoke enthusiastically about the importance of the pond, the potential for learning about the world around us and beneath the water and answered questions. Dragonflies were not the only residents – pond skaters have also arrived and Simon offered to come back in the spring to see who else has moved in. He had a tour of the grounds, including the Mucky Pups polytunnel and the vegetable and flower garden.

DIARY DATES

YOUR SUCCESSES

OPTIONS DAY FOR OAKFIELD ACADEMY

Oakfield Academy Year 8’s took part in a fantastic afternoon of learning investigations with Frome Community College.

With the next steps of their educational journey in front of them, they were able to sample several different GCSE style subjects, including Business, Economics, Sociology, Dance, Photography and Food & Nutrition.

Ella from Year 8 commented “I was so happy I was able to speak to the Photography Teacher and see some of the amazing work and tasks that pupils at College take part in”. Alfie in Year 8 added “I was extremely excited to see the activities we could be taking part in as part of the Engineering course, it all looked amazing, I’m really excited”.

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HEYMAG.CO.UK | 19

NEW TREE SEAT FOR PUPILS

ARCHIBALD’S WAR

Aaron Bowring and Danny Nguyen from Year 6 at Oakfield Academy in Frome admire the tree seat that has been created for the Year 6 pupils. Sadly the Maple and Cherry trees that were growing there, were inspected by professionals from County Hall, who sadly confirmed that the trees were diseased and had grown too large for the area, causing roots to grow under the school building and invade the neighbour’s gardens.

Children in Yrs 5 and 6 at The Avenue School, Warminster recently put on an awesome production of “Archibald’s War” to bring their topic of WW2 to a close. It is a moving story set during WW2 about the adventures of a teddy bear called “Archibald” who gets left on a train by an evacuee and is rescued by a railway worker, eventually to be reunited with his owner. The audience were taken on a journey into the countryside with the evacuees, whilst also experiencing what life would have been like for those left living in London, with air raid sirens, planes flying overhead & the sound of bombs being dropped.

TEXT SANTA APPEAL

Children at Leigh on Mendip First School raised £78 for the nationwide Text Santa appeal on the last day of the Autumn Term. The children were even joined by Neil the tortoise whose owner Toby Patton bought him in dressed in his Christmas jumper for the occasion. The children were also treated to a visit from Father Christmas who delivered an early present to each of the children.

20 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

NEW HEAD OF MATHS AT OAKFIELD “Having spent 14 years teaching GCSE Maths at Frome College, I believe I am very well suited to preparing our students at Oakfield for what lies ahead. There have been significant shifts in the curriculum at all ages and as a result more and more is being expected of our students.

There will still need to be the emphasis on preparing our KS2 students for the SATs, but that will never be enough on its own.

These students need to be prepared for success at each step of their journey, and at the heart of this success lies an enjoyment for the subject. I am a firm believer that this enthusiasm will always make more impact than natural ability alone. It also helps to produce resilient learners, and all our students need to develop this skill.

There is an amazing amount of effort that already goes into moving our Year 5 and 6 students forward, and staff have already given their own time up to support our year 6 students.

My aim is to support those colleagues so that they are able to deliver the new curriculum with confidence and passion.

We have introduced our Year 7 and 8 students to the Numeracy Ninjas programme that provides them with weekly opportunities to practice their basic numeracy skills and, more importantly, challenge themselves to beat their own previous best score. This is a simple, but revolutionary, idea that has engaged all students and is showing increased confidence, especially from those students that normally struggle. The

ABOUT-A-BOUNCE

students in year 7 have also started a new 2-year KS3 plan which we believe will provide the perfect bridge between the SATs and the new GCSEs that they will study at Frome College.

As a teacher in this day and age I would be lost without Twitter.

It provides news, resources, advice and a great feeling of not being isolated in what you’re trying to do in your school. We have set up our own twitter handle: @OakfieldMaths and use it to celebrate work that the students are proud to show off, and it’s amazing how many of them want a ‘#selfie’ taken of their work. This feeling of pride from our students is what we all want to see, and we hope that we can reach new followers who want to help celebrate their successes”.

Andy Stephenson

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Reception children in Robin Class from Sambourne CE VC Primary School in Warminster were treated to a visit to their local Morrisons store giving them hands on experience to support their ‘food’ topic this term. The children were given a guided tour of the fresh fish counter, meat counter and a behind the scenes look at how the bakery works. The children can now identify many varieties of fish, understand which animals different cuts of meat come from and can share the secrets behind how to make perfectly shaped bread rolls and how the donughts are filled with jam! Class teacher Nichola Kemble said “The trip was a huge success giving the children first hand knowledge of where our food comes from”.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 21

WOW

EMAIL US YOUR WOW! PHOTOS AND DETAILS TO INFO@IGNYTE-UK.CO.UK

WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT Ellie aged 5 obtained two awards, one for swimming 5m Back stroke and one for Football level 1.

Wow, well done!

Archie aged 7 got an award for swimming 5m and another for martial arts. Great work!

Ellis aged 7 was awarded her swimming 50m certificate! Great achievement!

Arther aged 8 was awarded his Tae Kwon Do 9th cup.

Fantastic!

Joshua aged 8 achieved a Beavers bronze award for activity badges, a 50 books certificate and a gold award for great enthusiasm.

Great work!

Rosie aged 10 achieved her Tae Kwon Do 9th Cup award.

Wonderful news!

22 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

Molly aged 8 got her pen license!

That’s great!

Emily Dryden aged 8 obtained her Stage 3 swimming award.

Congratulations!

Freya Gwyther aged 5 received her level 6 gymnastics award.

Excellent!

Elsa aged 4 received a certificate for showing creativity by improving her art work even further.

Great work!

Yinglun aged 5 got a Try Again Tortoise award for trying really hard with his writing and using diagraphs.

Well done!

Dylan aged 6 was awarded a Wise Owl certificate for organising what he needs and trying his best! Fantastic!

Amelie aged 6 got a Wise Owl certificate for listening, working independently and neat work.

Great job!

Amelia aged 6 earned a Useful Unicorn award for finding out about a famous clown for her fact file.

Congratulations!

Kian aged 5 got a Try Again Tortoise award for working hard on his writing and making it neat.

Awesome job!

Leah aged 7 was recognized for her courage and given a certificate for settling into her new school.

Well done!

Charlotte aged 4 gained a Wise Owl award for be a font of all knowledge during the Amazing Animals topic. Fab!

Cameron aged 6 obtained a Try Again Tortoise certificate for improving with his reading!

Fantastic work!

Olivia aged 5 received an award for showing respect by having a fantastic attitude for learning.

Fabulous!

Rohan aged 4 got a Useful Unicorn award for using his imagination and asking questions about animals.

Great job!

Zach aged 4 gained a Wise Owl award for planning what he needs to do and being independent.

Brilliant!

Emily aged 7 obtained her Entertainer badge at brownies.

Well done!

Charlotte aged 9 was awarded her entertainer badge at brownies.

Congratulations!

Mylee aged 7 got her swimming award for 5 metres. Fantastic achievement!

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