Families cambridge sept oct 2017 low res

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IN THIS ISSUE

Who really educates my child GCSE League Table

Issue 44 September/October 2017 familiesonline.co.uk

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Race Ahead with reading!

School approved books delivered to your home.

3rd

1st 2nd

Book rental for young readers. www.readingchest.co.uk

The Key Theatre’s traditional family panto

Written and directed by

Simon Egerton

Book now 7 Dec 2017 - 7 Jan 2018

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Search ‘Vivacity panto’ | Call 01733 207 239 2 Families Cambridgeshire

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Contents & Competitions

Dear Reader,

What’s in this issue?

As we make that familiar first walk back to school, the conkers ripen on the trees (one of the first hints of autumn) and thoughts of long summer days turn to cosy nights in and comforting food and I am ready for that familiar daily routine of school runs, homework and clubs. Make the most of those end-of-summer days with our selection of things to do in the regular ‘What’s On’ pages 8 & 9. If you are choosing a secondary school for your ‘not so little one’ then we have league tables and open day dates to help you on pages 13 & 14.

My quote of the day: ‘An investment in knowledge pays the best interest’ @familiesCambMag Benjamin Franklin

ates my child

GCSE League

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Families Cambridgeshire

4 News and Views 7 Pregnancy & Baby News 8 What’s On this Autumn and Halloween facebook.com/FamiliesUKCambridgeshire

11 Great Minds and How to Grow Them

A FAMILY TICKET TO JACK AND THE BEANSTALK !

Kings Lynn Corn Exchange is offering readers of Families the chance to win a family ticket to see Jack and the Beanstalk this December.

Join intrepid Jack on the adventure of a lifetime as he scampers boldly up the beanstalk to do battle with Giant Blunderbore. Can Simple Simon work out which end of the cow needs milking?

Will Clarabelle remember her dance mooo-ves!?!

To enter, simply like us on our updated Facebook page @FamsCamMag between 14 September and 14 November.

Families Cambridgeshire 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 Cambridgeshire 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.’

17,000 copies of Families Cambridgeshire available through schools, nurseries, hospitals, clubs and classes, selected shops and restaurants. If you would like copies for your establishment please let us know.

£18 for 12 issues (2 years). Call or email editor@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk for a subscription form.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Who really educ

Issue 44 Septem

DON’T MISS A COPY! Receive Families Cambridgeshire by post for just £9.30 for 6 issues (1 year) or

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12 Good School Guide top ten state schools 13 Secondary school spotlight 14 School open day listings 15 Times tables made easy 17 Who really educates my child 18 Explore Learning parent Interviews 19 The Family Approach to Moving Home?

22 Extra Curricular Clubs and Classes EDITOR: Lisa Exell 01945 861336 editor@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk DESIGN: Caroline Thompson-Heap info@cheekymonkeydesigns.net

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News & views

THE GAME CHANGING TECHNOLOGY KEEPING FAMILIES CONNECTED The Gator Watch from Techsixtyfour, an innovative, wearable mobile for children With children as young as seven using smartphones, managing screen time and controlling what children are seeing online is surely one of the biggest challenges for parents today. Thanks to the launch of a brand new smart watch for children, with innovative safeguarding capabilities, parents can remain in control, ensuring peace of mind.

The Gator watch is a wearable mobile phone and tracker for children who are too young for a smartphone but old enough to want their independence.

For a generation of parents accustomed to technology and mobiles that allow connections to live world events and thermostats within their homes, it is only natural to want to harness this power to keep connected to their children. Smartphones, the traditional tool for this purpose, even with parental controls activated, come with their own risks.

The Gator watch, thoughtfully developed

Summer in the Alps

If you are thinking about booking next year’s summer holiday, don’t rule out summer in Alps. The Alps may be an obvious destination for the ski season, but how about a summer visit? Summer offers enough green (mountains) and blue (sky) to set you up for the whole year - and plenty of fresh air to fill your family’s lungs.

With reasonably priced flights from London airports to Geneva then a short drive to Morzine, a warm welcome awaits with Paul and Francesca Eyre at Chilly Powder. With the main chalet - Au Coin du Feu - plus two chalets next door, you can organise your own meals, or join the party at ‘Au Coin du Feu’ for dinners that you usually only dream of. Family friendly early evening meals for the children and a daytime crèche for little ones not quite as active as you, with drinks in the bar for the grown ups – or in the Jacuzzi on the terrace – Paul and Francesca will make you wish that this was home!

More about Chilly Powder chalets at www. chillypowder.com and for summer in Morzine visit http://summer.morzine-avoriaz.com 4 Families Cambridgeshire

by a mum, can make and receive calls to and from “safe” numbers chosen by parents using the partner app, which runs on iOS and Android. In addition, all tracking information is streamed directly to the parent’s phone, and can be made available on more than one handset.

This innovation allows children 5 – 10+ years to stay connected with their parents, and has a Safezone alarm and an SOS button, which can instantly connect the wearer to the people most important to them.

Best of all this nifty bit of kit, available in blue, pink and black, looks great, has a battery life of 4 days on standby, is super lightweight and is robust and splash proof.

The Gator watch has been developed to allow connection to the strongest of three mobile networks, minimising the chances of coverage drop and is suitable for worldwide use.

Stockists: John Lewis, Bentalls Kingston, www.techsixtyfour.com RRP: £99 (monthly from £9)

Gator Review

The youngest, age 9, is too young for a phone but old enough to play on his own in the village. We want him to have the freedom to venture out with his friends but want the security of knowing where he is and for him to be able to contact us in an emergency.

The Gator watch bridges the ‘device’ gap between his age group and teenage years, when we feel ready for him to have a phone.

The Gator watch is excellent quality and easy to set up. When our son was out, we could clearly see where he was playing using the Gator app on my phone, handy if I needed to find him quickly or if he ran into trouble. Better still, he loves the watch!

I love that we can let our son have the freedom to venture out and feel safe in the knowledge that we know where he is.

Families rates the Gator Watch ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Stop your Child from being radicalized online

Protecting kids from radicalization is increasingly significant to parents.

With a rise in media showing detail about terrorism and violence, parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing or viewing online.

The parental control app ProtectYourKid, created by Netcos GmbH & Bulbera, can give parents piece of mind that their children are experiencing safe internet browsing. The app also has GPS so that parents can track their child’s location.

Key features include protection against inappropriate content, managing mobile applications, creating time rules, limiting calls and applications during the night, providing information about a child’s location. The parental control panel side of the app provides a complete overview of a child’s device usage through the parent’s smartphone, tablet or computer. £9.99 for lifetime usage available on GooglePlay.

Register for Wear A Hat Day 2018 and start planning your event!

Wear A Hat Day is the UK’s premier brain tumour research fundraising event which takes place on Thursday 29 March 2018.

March is also UK Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Schools and families across the country get involved to help raise funds for research into brain tumours.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer… yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Families are being left devastated by this dreadful disease. This is unacceptable!

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK that is purely dedicated to raising funds for continuous and sustainable scientific research into brain tumours.

Taking part can be as simple as putting on a hat and donating on the day, but most families like to create entertaining fundraising events. Many schools for example have inventive hat competitions, parades and fashion shows and raise hundreds if not thousands of pounds.

On average, organisations raise £250, with small ones £50 and some raising more than £2,000! Whatever target you set yourselves aim to smash it!!

More information, event ideas and fundraising tips can be found online:www.wearahatday.org.

Register now on www.wearahatday.org and start planning your hattastic fundraising event.

Your fundraising pack will be sent out in early 2018 and will include leaflets, posters, balloons, wristbands and badges to help promote your event and smash your fundraising target! familiesonline.co.uk

News & views

5 brain boosting back to school lunchbox essentials for your child

SUPERDRUG IS FIRST HIGH STREET RETAILER TO OFFER A CHICKENPOX VACCINATION SERVICE

Chickenpox is a common illness among children caused by a highly contagious virus (Varicella Zoster). The chickenpox vaccination is not part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule in the UK, and is currently only available on the NHS for those who are at high risk of spreading the virus to particularly vulnerable people.

Although not harmful to most who catch it, chickenpox can be unpleasant as it also carries symptoms such as an itchy red rash of spots and blisters and a fever. Chickenpox can become dangerous if caught by patients with an impaired immune system, newborn babies and pregnant women. Once an individual has had chickenpox, they should be immune to it for life, however some will go on to develop shingles later in life. If you haven’t suffered from chickenpox as a child, you can contract it as an adult when it is more severe with increased risk of pneumonia, hepatitis and encephalitis.

Superdrug is the first UK high street retailer to offer a chickenpox vaccination service in 58 of its Health Clinic stores across the country. The vaccination is £65 per dose; two doses are recommended for heightened immune protection, though the NHS states that 9 out of 10 children vaccinated with a single dose will develop immunity against chickenpox.

Let’s Hatch: Conference for Mums Are you a working mum on maternity leave, coming to the end of an extended break from work to raise your family, or unhappy in your job and feeling a bit stuck?

We all know that it takes a village to raise a family and find the right work/life balance; Hatch is where you can meet your tribe and connect with other mums like you. Funded by the Big Lottery, they announce their first conference for local mums in Cambridgeshire.

Inspirational talks, skills Sarah Copeland, Hatch aims to workshops, training and Join and meet increase employment opportunities like-minded coaching from some of working mums, in a for mums; support women in the UK’s most inspiring confidence-boosting their personal and professional working women is coming environment development; promote equality in to St Neots! employment; increase access to flexible Please join and meet and family-friendly career opportunities, like-minded working mums, in and re-shape the concept of work/life a confidence-boosting environment on balance for women across the UK. Thursday 12th October at 11.45 (for 12.00) Book your FREE place: www.eventbrite. to 16.00 at Love’s Farm House, 17 Kester co.uk/e/lets-hatch-conference-for-mumsWay, PE19 6SL. tickets-33488710635 Launched in 2015 by St Neots’ mum, familiesonline.co.uk

A recent study has found that high levels of lutein (a carotenoid and antioxidant found in leafy vegetables and egg yolks) helped children in school perform tasks better, according to Naiman Khan at The University of Illinois. We’ve asked Cassandra Barns, Nutritionist, for the top 5 brain boosting foods your child should be eating.

Leafy Greens Cassandra explains, “Leafy greens are known as a source of lutein, and spinach stands out as one of the best. It's also rich in iron to support cognitive function and magnesium to support energy and strong bones”. If your little ones are fussy eaters, try Nature’s Plus Kid Greenz chewable tablets (£10.12) a dose of green goodness with a tropical flavour.

Egg-cellent eggs “Eggs - especially the yolks - are a fantastic food for kids' brains.

Egg yolks are a source of lutein, as well as B vitamins and choline, vital for brain health”, explains Cassandra. Think omelettes, French toast as well as boiled eggs with soldiers!

Sweetcorn Cassandra tells us, “Not only is yellow sweetcorn high in lutein, it's also a good source of vitamin B5, which is known to be essential for mental performance. It's also a good source of fibre for kids' digestive health.” Mixing in sweetcorn to your existing recipes, like pasta, usually does the trick.

Yoghurt Healthy gut, healthy brain.

Scientists call the gut the ‘second brain’ because it is filled with neurotransmitters we usually associate with being in the brain. To support your little one’s digestion, give them yoghurt, a popular probiotic food. Steer clear of sugary, flavoured options and opt for a full fat yoghurt made from cows, goats or sheep milk. If your kids are picky, introduce a probiotic as a supplement such as Quest Vitamins’ KidzBiotix, (from £6.60).

Blueberries “Blueberries may boost learning and memory due to the high levels of polyphenols, in particular anthyocyanins.

These powerful compounds are thought to protect against oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain”, explains Cassandra. Switch cake and other sweet treats for home-made blueberry ice lollies.

Famili es

LOVES !

Families Cambridgeshire 5

Cambridge Park & Ride – getting you right into the heart of Cambridge Buses depart every 10 minutes Mon-Sat during the day and every 20 minutes after 6.30pm Every 15 minutes (9am - 6pm) Sundays and public holidays Open seven days a week Up to three children travel free with every fare paying passenger Concessionary pass holders travel for free with their passes after 9.30am Monday to Friday, and all day at the weekend and on bank holidays The bus fare is £3 return and parking cost £1 for up to 18 hours and can be paid in advance via VIVOPARK – visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/parkandride to find out more.

The Park & Ride Group Ticket is £8.50 and can only be purchased from the driver – it allows a group of up to 5 people to travel together.

Park & Ride Weekly tickets cost just £13 and are valid for 7 days

Further information: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/parkandride

Nursery

Enrolling now for 30th Oct 2017

New All Year Round Nursery Provision 50 weeks a year nursery comprising of: 38 weeks of nursery provision 12 weeks of holiday club, open to all, including non CIS pupils

To discuss your requirements call 01223 778290 or email admissions@cischool.co.uk

6 Families Cambridgeshire 10020-ISP-CIS Cambridge International School Advert for Nursery Launch-half page V2.indd 3

50 weeks a year nursery comprising of: 38 weeks of nursery provision 12 weeks of holiday club, open to all, including non CIS pupils

familiesonline.co.uk 22/06/2017 08:45

Baby news

PREPARING YOUR K9 FOR A NEW BABY: Recommended Dos And Don’ts If you are expecting and want a happy and healthy environment for your new baby, your family AND your K9, here are our top tips to help you out.

Do start to vary the times of walks and outings, as well as the dogwalker, before the baby arrives. That way while your K9 still gets their daily walk, they don’t get into a routine of expecting it at a certain time of day. Because if you’ve been up with baby all night, your K9’s 6am usual walk will not appeal.

Do clearly define any ‘off-limit’ zones in the house prior to the baby’s arrival. If the nursery is to be a no-go zone, get your dog used to that months before your due date. That way your dog will not associate being excluded with the presence of the baby.

Do get your dog used to the sounds of a new baby. A great resource for this is the book Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant.

Do let them sniff baby’s things. Before you go to hospital introduce your dog to powder and lotion by wearing it yourself. From the hospital, send home a wrap that has your baby’s scent on it. Get your dog to sit calmly and allow him to sniff the item in order to get used to the new smell, while associating calm behaviour with the scent.

Do greet your dog alone; remember your dog will be very excited to see you. Dad can bring in the baby calmly afterwards.

Don’t bombard your dog with baby gadgets. In the lead up to birth, allow your dog to see new baby gear up close. Wheel the pram around, fill up the baby bath, turn the baby swing on…whatever you plan to use, get your dog used to it gradually beforehand.

Don’t introduce new rules when you bring the baby home, work on new boundaries during pregnancy. If your dog will no longer be allowed on the furniture, teach them that prior to the baby’s arrival.

Savsé launches Europe’s first ever coldpressed baby food

Families have tried the recently launched My First Savsé baby food range. Fantastically fresh tasting with a delicate consistency, the healthy, 100% organic and completely natural baby food is as good as homemade.

For babies aged 4 months +, My First Savsé is the perfect solution for parents looking to successfully wean their children on to fruit and vegetables with the convenience of homemade quality at home and on the go. The contents can be eaten as stand-alone feeds or mixed with plain yoghurt. The Lentils and sweet potato pouch gave a tasty lift to a family meal of pasta with chicken and tomato sauce!

The range includes: Apple; Blueberry, prune, plum, apple and banana; Carrot, pumpkin, apple and beetroot; Cucumber, kiwi, kale, spinach, apple, banana; Pear, pea, apple and banana; Coconut, cacao, apple and banana, and Lentils, sweet potato, carrot and apple.

Savsé, the popular smoothie brand, uses non-thermal High Pressure Processing (HPP) to lock vital ingredients into each pouch, deactivating bacteria without compromising taste or quality. With My First Savsé, Europe’s first cold-pressed baby food, parents need no longer compromise when purchasing baby food.

Look in the chiller for My First Savsé at Harrods, Ocado, Morrisons and elsewhere. familiesonline.co.uk

Grooming & health checks

As you clean the house before baby arrives, book your K9 into the dog groomers to ensure your beloved dog is sparkly clean. Healthy and properly brushed coats shed less! Dog groomers have waiting lists, so book ahead. A visit to the vet is also recommended; you want to ensure your dog is healthy, up to date on vaccinations, wormed and de-flea’d.

No matter how much we know our dog’s temperament – never leave a dog alone with a baby or small child.

Lisa Gordon,The K9 Spa, Professional Dog Grooming Services, Wisbech www.thek9spa.com 07899 951814

Bug About with Hape

F

am With the friendly Hape Bug About, your child can FAV ilies OU hop on and scoot around both indoors and out!

RITE Your little one can hold onto the bug’s antennae for extra safety, and can even store favourite toys in the bug’s belly, so they never travel far without a much-loved friend. Put your child in the safe hands of Hape and allow them to play while gaining valuable skills.

Hape toys are created from high quality wood. The company is committed to sustainability and is ecofriendly. All products are tested to the highest safety and quality standards and last generations.

Suitable for 12 months+.

Argos £44.99.

Our team of mums give a 5 star rating!

Cheeky Rascals Carry Potty Families LOVES the new colourful, fun My Carry Potty designs by Cheeky Rascals with a pretty in pink cat, penguin, and playful dinosaur, available from Mothercare.

My Carry Potty is hygienic, odour-free and completely leak-proof, thanks to its ingenious rubber, watertight seal and unique click-shut lid. Designed as an all-in-one potty, wipes and toilet paper can be stored in the base, negating the need for disposable bags while on the move. Made from easy to clean plastic, My Carry Potty is attractive and with imaginative new animals designs joining the team, little ones are sure to find potty training fun!

RRP: £26.99 www.cheekyrascals.co.uk

Familie s

LOVES !

Families Cambridgeshire 7

Families Fun WHEN? September & October

WHERE? Key Theatre, Peterborough New! On selected weekends, watch cheap cinema releases; films such as Despicable Me 3 (September 23), Captain Underpants (October 7) and Cars 3 (October 22 & 29).

HOW MUCH? £3 www.vivacity-peterborough. com 01733 207 239

PYO Pumpkins

WHEN? September & October

WHERE? Lidgate Farm, Isleham

Check facebook for information, then go along to pick your own pumpkin. Farm sells delicious cakes and has a small indoor play area. 07860 727089

W hat’s Ocens to pla Things to do, be had go and fun to ages in for kids of all

C a m br idges h

Heritage Open Days Fre

WHEN? September & October

WHERE? Clifton Road Industrial Estate, Cambridge Climbing centre meets theme park: experience 20 challenges that twist, turn, light and excite.

East Anglia’s first such venue is suitable from 4 years. Prebooking essential.

HOW MUCH? Adult £17.50; Child £12.50 www.clipnclimbcambridge. co.uk

PYO Apples WHEN?

September & October WHERE?

Mill Field Orchard, Haddenham Mid-September to late October you can go along every Saturday and Sunday to this rustic old orchard for delicious apples straight from the tree.

01353 740473 millfieldorchard@gmail.com

8 Families Cambridgeshire

e!

WHEN? 7 - 10 September

WHERE? Cambridgeshire Discover local, hidden gems.

Churches, museums, railways, gardens: an array of heritage venues open their doors to the public. Booking recommended.

HOW MUCH? FREE www.heritageopendays.org.uk Fre

Clip’n Climb

ire

e!

Whittlesey Festival

WHEN? 10 September: 10.00 - 16.00 WHERE? Market Square Exciting activities throughout the town. Live music, theatre and dance performances on the Market Square, St Mary's Church and the Church Yard Green. And more!

HOW MUCH? FREE www.fenland.gov.uk/ whittleseyfestival

The Cambridge Food Garden & Produce Festival Fre

e!

WHEN? 16 & 17 September: 10.00 – 17.00 WHERE? Parker's Piece, Cambridge Enjoy fresh and baked produce tent. Cookery demonstrations from Ian Cumming Bake Off Finalist and Saira Hamilton Masterchef Finalist.

HOW MUCH? FREE www.oakleighfairs.co.uk

The Magic Flute WHEN? 20 September

WHERE? Key Theatre, Peterborough Live from the Royal Opera House, Mozart’s glorious opera is brought enchantingly to life. www.vivacity-peterborough. com 01733 207 239

Rapunzel The Musical WHEN? 14 – 17 September

WHERE? Kings Lynn Corn Exchange Based on the Brothers Grimm classic fairy tale and featuring brand new toe-tapping songs this musical is ideal for the whole family.

HOW MUCH? £15.25 - £19.50 www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk 01553 764864

Apple Festival WHEN? 23 - 24 September

WHERE? Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden 11.00 – 17.00 Become a bobbing champion; meet the Victorian gardener.

Falconry, craft and more!

HOW MUCH? Child £10.50 www.English-heritage.org.uk

Soham Pumpkin Fair WHEN? 30 September

WHERE? The Recreation Ground Competitions, displays and activities linked to '20 years of Harry Potter' theme, including a special fancy dress competition for under 11s.

HOW MUCH? Adults £2; under 12s FREE www.sohampumpkinfair.co.uk

Prickwillow Ploughing Festival WHEN? 7 & 8 October: 10.00 – 18.00 WHERE? Prickwillow Museum Festival with vintage/classic tractor ploughing, heavy horse and working displays. Crafts and entertainment for all the family.

HOW MUCH? Adults £7.50; under 16s FREE www.prickwillowmuseum.com

Magic Wands WHEN? 7 October: 11.00 – 15.00

WHERE? Cambridge Botanic Garden Make and decorate a magic wand and use it to cast a spell on your very own magic potion. Drop-in.

HOW MUCH? Usual Adult admission; Children FREE www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

Dogs Don’t Do Ballet WHEN? 15 October: 11.00 & 13.00 WHERE? Key Theatre, Peterborough Biff is not like ordinary dogs.

He likes moonlight. And music.

And walking on his tiptoes.

2 – 7 years.

HOW MUCH? Full price £11; Family £9 (call box office) www.vivacity-peterborough.com/whatson 01733 207 239

Please quote Families when booking any of these events

Captain Underpants & other cinema shows

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Fun Teddy Bear’s Picnic

WHEN? 25 October: 11.00 & 13.00

WHERE? Key Theatre, Peterborough With singalongs, join-in dances and funny stories; this enchanting interactive musical adventure will leave pre-schoolers singing with glee. Don’t forget to take along your teddy bear!

HOW MUCH? £9.50 www.vivacity-peterborough.com/ whatson

Autumn Festival

WHEN? 21 – 29 October

WHERE? Ferry Meadows, Nene Park

HOW MUCH? Family fun with trail & prize (50p) available all week

from Visitor Centre. At Discovery centre take part in seasonal crafts (£2) on Wild Wednesday 10 – 14; and get worm charming on Friday at 10.30 & 13.30 for your own wormery (£3)! www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Drop-in Family Activities WHEN? 16 - 20 October:

Things that go bump in the night

10.00 – 14.00

WHEN? 21 October: 13.00 –

Environmental Centre, St Neots Indoor/outdoor family fun inspired by the local wildlife.

HOW MUCH? Child £3.50 www.wildlifetrusts.org

WHERE? The Countryside

WHERE? Paxton Pits

Grandparents’ Weekend WHEN? 30 September -

1 October: 10.00 – 17.00 WHERE? Church Farm, Stow Bardolph Grandparents can visit half price (£3.65). Usual activities and craft.

HOW MUCH? Child £6.90 www.churchfarmstowbardolph. co.uk

Half Term Autumn Trail

15.00

Centre, Ramsey Heights Discover the animals of the night drop-in. With a spooky trail and crafts both indoors and outdoors.

HOW MUCH? Child £3 www.wildlifetrusts.org

Soham Take a walk through the haunted wood, follow a trick or treat trail and hold something reptilian if you dare!

HOW MUCH? Adult £2; Child £6; under 2’s FREE www.southanglefarmpark.co.uk

– 16.00

Ely Apple Festival

WHEN? 21 October:

10.00 – 16.00

WHERE? Palace Green

A celebration of the British apple with lots of apple fun and entertainment.

HOW MUCH? FREE www.visitely.org.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

October: 11.00 -16.00 WHERE? Audley End, Saffron Walden Ghastly gallows, horrific hangmen and terrifying torture; travel back in time and discover the painful punishments of nightmares!

HOW MUCH? Child £10.50 www.english-heritage.org.uk

e!

The University of Cambridge Festival of Ideas WHEN? 16 - 29 October

WHERE? Events across lecture halls, theatres, museums and galleries around Cambridge.

A host of inspiring sessions for people of all ages.

HOW MUCH? FREE www.cam.ac.uk/festivalofideas

The Wizard’s Express

WHEN? 27 & 28 October: 18.30

WHERE? Nene Valley Railway, Stibbington Join Harry Spotter and his friends on The Wizard’s Express. Very popular. Pre-booked tickets only.

HOW MUCH? £16.50 www.nvr.org.uk

WHEN? 21 - 29 October WHERE? South Angle Farm Park,

WHERE? Peckover House,

e!

Fre

WHEN? 23 - 29

Half Term Activities

WHEN? 21 - 29 October: 11.00

Wisbech Find clues around the garden, and then go along to the Reed Barn to collect your Autumn biscuit.

HOW MUCH? £1.00, plus normal admission. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ peckover-house 01945 583463

Gruesome Goings On

Fre

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Spooktacular Fun

WHEN? 26 – 28 October

WHERE? Skaters, Walpole

Highway, Wisbech Whiz along for a weekend of spooktacular fun. Fancy dress party with prizes for the best dress. www.wisbechskaters.co.uk 01945 882048

Falconry Talk and Display

WHEN? 29 October: 14.00

WHERE? Key Theatre, Peterborough Delayed timed screening from the Royal Opera House.

The Royal Ballet bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment.

HOW MUCH? Adult £16; Concession £13.50 www.vivacity-peterborough. com/whatson

WHEN? 24 October: 10.30 &

Tales of Birbal

WHEN? 22 October: 11.30 &

14.30

WHERE? Cambridge Junction Step into the enchanting world of Moghul King Akbar and his witty advisor, the legendary Birbal. Humour, puppetry and music. 6+ years.

HOW MUCH? Adult £10; Child £6 www.junction.co.uk/events/ family

13.00

WHERE? Discovery Den,

Ferry Meadows Country Park Ye Olde Redtail Falconry Display brings the ancient art of Falconry to the modern age, with a comprehensive and thrilling display guaranteed to thrill audiences of all ages. Booking online essential.

HOW MUCH? £5 www.neneparktrust.org.uk 01733 234193

Please mention Families Cambridgeshire when booking Families Cambridgeshire 9

Open Morning Saturday 7th October 2017, tours are available to book at either 9:15 or 10:45 Register for the Open Morning at: www.stfaiths.co.uk. If you wish to book a personal tour during the working week please contact Anna Cornell, our Registrar on 01223 229421 to arrange this.

St Faith’s is an independent school for girls and boys ages 4-13 years.

Bright Beginnings – Exciting Futures

★

10 Families Cambridgeshire

familiesonline.co.uk

Great Minds and How to Grow them

HIGH PERFORMANCE FOR ALL

By Wendy Berliner

With the children back to school, or just starting school, you could be forgiven for thinking you are handing them over to the professionals and your job is just to make sure they get enough good food, rest and enjoyment so that they flourish in class.

Perhaps you think your teaching job is limited to hearing the little ones read while you make sure the bigger ones do their homework.

But it’s more than that. What parents do at home educationally can make the difference between whether their children succeed at school or not.

The latest research from education and neuroscience proves how malleable the brain is, how learning potential can grow, how IQ isn’t fixed – it can go up if you invest in it, and it can probably go down if you don’t.

The truth is that with the right support at home, the vast majority of children could deliver performance at school more commonly associated with the gifted and talented.

There’s room for a lot more at the top of the class.

In our new book Great Minds and How to Grow Them, Professor Deborah Eyre, a lifetime specialist in advanced learning, and myself, an education journalist who has taken a special interest in why some children from similar backgrounds do badly at school whilst others don’t, have looked at the research in detail and come up with guidance any parent can use at home, fitting it seamlessly and easily into normal daily life.

What follows are five top ideas you can use at home. They come from Deborah’s High Performance Learning system which is being introduced in schools in the UK and abroad and is detailed for parents in Great Minds and How to Grow Them.

How to create a high performing child knowing they need to put more effort into improving certain things.

Key words: ‘What do you need If a child thinks they to be able to do this? How can, they keep trying can you check you’re on . It’s the ones that think track? How can you tell they can’t who fall behind – th whether you are doing it e ones who say ‘I’m ru right? bbish

1. Cultivate confidence and resilience

if a child thinks they can, they keep trying. It’s the ones that think they can’t who fall behind – the ones who say ‘I’m rubbish at this’.

Don’t sort everything out at this’ for them – and that includes 4. Encourage open tying their shoelaces as much as it mindedness does doing their homework. And model Being open to new ideas is the hallmark of the behaviour – don’t give up too easily on an advanced learner. Start with being open things in your life. minded yourself so you model what it’s like Key words: How could you do this? Have to be receptive of ideas that differ from your you done anything similar before? What did own. you do then? ‘I know you can. I know it’s hard Keywords: ‘That’s different to us, isn’t that to do now but I know you can learn how to do interesting?’ ‘I never thought of it like that, this in time if you work at it.’ but that is such a good approach.’

2. Develop critical or logical thinking:

The ability to deduct, hypothesise, reason and seek evidence is probably the characteristic most associated with academic success.

Keywords: ‘Why do you think. . .(bread goes mouldy, babies cry, leaves fall when autumn comes, people disagree about climate change?)’ ‘I wonder if that happened because of this?’ ‘How could I find out the truth about that?’

3. Encourage them to monitor their progress

Very important to the high performer is knowing how they are doing, knowing they are on track with their homework for example, familiesonline.co.uk

5. Practice

It’s the only way to get good at something.

Make sure it is regular, deliberate and planned, working towards achievable incremental goals and you practise what you can’t do until you can do it well.

Key words: ‘You are really good at that now, what’s the next step up from (playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on your recorder, writing a story of 100 words/ swimming a width of the pool?)’

Great Minds and How to Grow Them by Wendy Berliner and Deborah Eyre. For a 20% discount and free delivery of the book use webcode: GMGT230 on www.routledge.com Reader offer open till 31 December 2017.

Families Cambridgeshire 11

GCSE League Table There are about as many ways of ranking schools as there are schools. Even if you only consider their GCSE results, there are still many ways of ranking schools.

Cambridgeshire's 2016's results were good - slightly above the national average. The numbers after the name of each school tell you: i) the percentage of school's candidates getting A*-C in a subject ii) the school's performance in a new measure called "Progress 8" which tracks each child's progress from aged 7 to 16. iii) the school's percentage of children gaining the EBacc ie A*-C in at least 5 core subjects of English, maths, science, a humanity and a language.

GCSE Progress EBacc A*-C 8 A*-C 1

The King’s (The Cathedral) School

91%

0.55

59%

2

Parkside Community College

89%

0.61

60%

3

Sawston Village College

82%

0.28

43%

4

Arthur Mellows Village College

8%

0.14

33%

5

Impington Village College

81%

0.65

41%

66

Melbourn Village College

79%

0.45

12%

7

St Bede’s Inter-Church School

79%

0.43

30%

8

Bottisham Village College

79%

0.21

45%

9

Comberton Village College

78%

0.54

36%

10

Swavesey Village College

78%

0.45

55%

You can see from the table that, whereas King's, Peterborough achieved the highest number of A*-C passes, Impington did better when measured by Progress 8 and Parkside's candidates did best at the EBacc.

Most Cambridgeshire families have no or little choice when it

comes to secondary education. The county has far fewer schools because of the size of the population - than many and most families send their teenager to the nearest school.

However, if you have a choice because you are, perhaps, equidistant from two or three or if you can consider independent education - (remember that a third of independentlyeducated pupils in the UK now have some kind of fee assistance) then it's important to carry some principles with you when you visit.

Many of us will be trailing round Open Days in the coming term and GCSE and A level results are an important factor to bear in mind. But they are far from the only thing - and, as you can see from the table above, there are umpteen ways of appraising even something as numbers-based as raw results. The most important things to bear in mind are: • your own child • your own family Could you imagine your child being happy at the school? Do the children look like people who could be her friends? Are the parents people you'd like to get to know? Do the teachers and pupils seems to have good relationships? Is the place well-maintained or are there too few litter bins and smelly loos (take a look!) What will the journey be like? Is there a school bus or good public transport? Is there before or after school care/activities if you need them? Ask questions and remember your child is the most precious thing in your life - the school needs to earn your trust!

Susan Hamlyn Director, The Good Schools Guide www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk

Energy Courage Integrity

King’s Ely Open Events

in September and October

Independent School Girls and Boys, 1-18 years Day and Boarding

Book your place today!

01353 660707 admissions@kingsely.org w w w.kingsely.org

12 Families Cambridgeshire KSE0124 Press Ad 130x180mm.indd 1

familiesonline.co.uk 08/08/2017 20:17

Families Education

St Faith’s Cambridge

Bright Beginnings, Exciting Futures At St Faith’s each child is taught, developed and nurtured, to equip them well for life, whatever path they choose to take. Our teachers are passionate about sharing their knowledge, exploring new ideas, challenging the status quo and instilling a life-long passion for learning. Teaching styles are tailored to meet each individual child’s needs. Lessons are accessible, engaging and challenging for all pupils. Top-down excellence in all lessons ensures we continually stretch our pupils to achieve more than they thought possible. Our academic curriculum is ground-breaking in its innovative content and has been commended by institutions including the Royal Society and the Spanish Embassy.

Exemplary, innovative and forward-facing academic subjects are interspersed each day with sporting endeavours, musical experiences, artistic creations and dramatic performances. Assemblies, tutor time and

plenty of play-time ensure children have a chance to express themselves away from the classroom.

Our green and spacious site, located in the heart of Cambridge provides some of the best facilities of any prep school. Every classroom is equipped with modern teaching technology. The shelves in our library brim with over 11,000 volumes with relevance to our youngest and most mature readers.

Engineering suites provide access to tools and equipment beyond many inventor’s wildest dreams. Fully-equipped science laboratories and computer suites are used by all year groups. Our current £2M investment to expand our STEAM facilities will include flexible large indoor spaces for interdisciplinary projects, a roof-top greenhouse and a night sky viewing platform.

St Faith’s, Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AG T: 01223 352073 info@stfaiths.co.uk

King’s Ely

We know that if we could bottle the spirit of King’s Ely, we would be onto a real winner, but we would like you to come to experience it for yourself.

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, King’s Ely is an inspiringly innovative and visionary independent school, built on a history stretching back over 1,000 years.

We serve the academic and pastoral needs of around 1,000 boys and girls aged 1 to 18, with boarders from 7 years old. Our students achieve excellent GCSE and A Level results, with 98% gaining places in their first choice university. But King’s Ely is about much more than league tables. We are about children and young people; we are about the future.

The adventure of a King’s Ely education

encourages pupils of all ages, from toddlers in King’s Ely Acremont and Nursery to the young men and women in our Sixth Form, to take risks in their learning. We empower them to challenge themselves and push beyond the boundaries of their own expectations to achieve more than they ever believed possible.

Open Events for King’s Ely Acremont and Nursery, King’s Ely Junior, King’s Ely Senior and King’s Ely Sixth Form are being held in September and October.

To book your place, or to find out more, please call Admissions on (01353) 660707 or visit www.kingsely.org.

Wisbech Grammar School Discover who you are and who you could become at Wisbech Grammar School At WGS, academic excellence is at the heart of our educational approach with a high level of pastoral care and well-being. However, we believe that educational development is not simply confined to the classroom or laboratory, but can be found in the art rooms, drama and dance studios, sports fields and music rooms.

As an HMC independent co-educational day school, we go beyond the narrow boundaries of exam specifications, giving an all-round education that inspires. Our timetable reflects this and includes period 5 which is devoted to pupils exploring their interests and finding their passion.

Our Scholarship and Bursary programmes enable children who excel, either academically or across a breadth of areas including Drama, Art, Music, or Sport to experience all that our School has to offer to fulfil their full potential. familiesonline.co.uk

Key dates for September 2018 entry: Saturday 30 September 10:00am-12:30pm Whole School Open Morning for entry into Reception through to Year 11 Tuesday 17 October 6:00pm-8:00pm 6th Form Open Evening Friday 24 November Closing date for Scholarship applications Monday 22 - Friday 26 January 2018 Scholarship Assessment week: Assessments and interviews held for Year 7, 9 and 12 Academic and All-Rounder Scholarships If you have missed any of the above events then please contact the Admissions Team who will be delighted to arrange a personal visit and assessment for your child at your convenience.

Phone 01945 586750 Email admissions@wisbechgrammar.com

Families Cambridgeshire 13

Cambridgeshire Independent School Open Days ST FAITHS SCHOOL Trumpington Rd, Cambridge, CB2 8AG 01223 352073 www.stfaiths.co.uk OD: Saturday 7 October THE LEYS SCHOOL Cambridge CB2 7AD 01223 508904 www.theleys.net OD: Thursday 28th September 6th Form Presentation Evening Saturday 7th October 11+ and 13+ THE STEPHEN PERSE FOUNDATION Union Road, Cambridge, CB2 1HF 01223 454722 www.stephenperse.com OD: Sat 23rd September CITY PRE-PREP OD: Sat 30th September Junior School Sat 30th September

DAME BRADBURY’S

OD: Sat 14th October 6TH FORM COLLEGE

OD: Tues 17th October THE PERSE UPPER SCHOOL Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8QF

01223 403800

www.perse.co.uk Sixth Form

OD: Thursday 2 November 6.30 – 9pm

THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL

Thorpe Rd, Peterborough, Cambs, PE3 6AP 01733 343357

www.thepeterboroughschool. co.uk

OD: Saturday 30th September Sixth Form:

Tuesday 17th October

Saturday 12th May 2018 DAME BRADBURY’S SCHOOL

Please mention Families Cambridgehire Magazine

Ashdon Rd, Saffron Waldon, CB10 2AL

www.damebradburys.com 01799 522348

OD: Saturday 14th October

ST MARYS SCHOOL Bateman Street, Cambridge, CB2 1LY 01223 224167 www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk OD: Junior School 23 September 9.30am-12.30pm Senior School 17 October 9.30am-12.30 pm KINGS ELY SCHOOL Kings Ely Cambridgeshire CB7 4EW www.kingsely.org OD: Friday 22 September King’s Ely Nursery (Ages 1-4) King’s Ely Acremont (Ages 4-7) Reception – Year 2 King’s Ely Junior (Ages 7-11) Years 3-6 OD: Saturday 23 September King’s Ely Junior (Ages 11-13) Years 7 and 8 King’s Ely Senior (Ages 13-16) Years 9-11 OD: Saturday 7 October King’s Ely Sixth Form (Ages 16+) Years 12 and 13 ST EDMUNDS COLLEGE Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, CB3 0BN 01920 824247 www.stedmundscollege.org OD: Saturday 23rd September 9.30am until 2pm College and Prep

WISBECH GRAMMAR SCHOOL North Brink, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 1JX 01945 583631 www.wisbechgrammar.com OD: 30 Sept 10:00-12:30 Whole School 17 Oct 18:00-20:00 6th Form Open Evening Week commencing 5 Feb 2018 Prep School Taster Session Week KIMBOLTON SCHOOL Kimbolton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0EA www.kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk/ prepom 01480 860505 OD: Prep School Saturday 7 October 10am-12 noon Prep School early May 2018 (view the school on a typical day; pre-registration needed) Senior School Saturday 30 September starts at 10.30am Fifth Form into Sixth Form Information Evening on Monday 13 November at 7pm ST JOHNS COLLEGE SCHOOL St John’s College School, 73 Grange Road, Cambridge CB3 9AB https://www.sjcs.co.uk 01223 353652

SANCTON WOOD SCHOOL 2 St Paul’s Road, Cambridge CB1 2EZ Tel 01223 471703 www.sanctonwood.co.uk OD: Saturday 14th October Saturday 3rd Feb 2018 Saturday 12th May 2018 ST FRANCIS COLLEGE Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 3PJ www.st-francis.herts.sch.uk OD: Saturday 7th October 10am-12.30pm Friday 13th October 9am - 12.30pm MADINGLEY PRE-PREP OD: Sat 14th October CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL www. cambridgeinternationalschool. co.uk HERITAGE SCHOOL www.heritageschool.org.uk OD: Saturday 14th October 10am-12 noon

All details are correct at time of printing. Please check each school prior to visiting.

14 Families Cambridgeshire

familiesonline.co.uk

Times Tables

HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS THEIR TIMES TABLES… EASILY Hands up who got their iPhone out the last time they had to add anything up? You’re not the only one. Relying on a calculator is easy and convenient but getting to grips with maths and, in particular, times tables, is vital for children if they are to succeed at school.

Helping your little ones at home and doing some extra work to ensure they feel confident in their learning can almost be as important as what they do in the classroom. It can, however, be tricky to navigate the teaching journey when you’re not actually a teacher.

The thing that can really turn children off learning their times tables is the practise it will take.

Mixing up the way they spend their time practising is important for sparking their interest and holding their attention. Here are some top tips to help you.

What should they know?

How and what children learn in primary school sets them up for success in secondary school. If the foundations are in place for them to be able to work out an equation like 3x6=18 without using a calculator, then they will find it easier when it comes to tackling harder arithmetic. The education curriculum changes, but at the moment, children are required to know 12x12 by the age of nine.

How can you help them know it?

Buy posters of times tables or make your own; you can then stick them up throughout the house.

On the wall opposite the loo, or under a magnet on the fridge, so that they are taking it in without even realising it. You can even tape it to the ceiling above their bed so that they have something to talk about with you when you’re snuggling down, instead of a bed-time story.

Start with the twos

Adding two to a previous number is something most children will find achievable in primary school and this sets up a pattern for familiesonline.co.uk

learning about the other times tables. The 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 pattern has an easy rhythm to help children remember it.

Apply it to real life

If times tables is something your children can apply to daily life, they will show much more of an interest. Instead of testing what they know, be playful about it when you’re at the supermarket and they’re helping you with the shopping (it can happen sometimes!). If you’re buying loose fruit and veg, ask them if they know what the price would be if you bought three instead of two.

Find out what works best for your child

Like anything with children, once you discover what works best for them – stick to it. If your child learns best using visual aids then go down that route. If, on the

the other number just goes down; 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81 and 90.

Break down learning into bite-size chunks and make it as playful as possible other hand, listening and chanting helps them learn, then explore the different types of apps available on the iPad or computer and try downloading some of them. It may be a good idea to keep these activities supervised so that if your child does make a mistake and comes up with a wrong answer, you are on hand to explain where they may have gone wrong and encourage them to try again.

Don’t bring your own feelings into it

Teaching methods have changed a lot since us parents were learning our times tables. Your children are probably learning in a completely different way now so chances are that you may have to brush up on your arithmetic too. Ordering

Pick out the patterns

Come on, admit it; everyone has a favourite times table. It’s probably your favourite because you find it the easiest to remember or you like the pattern. Picking up on things like this will make it easier for your little ones to learn. The 9 times table has one of the easiest patterns to remember because, whilst the tens go up each time,

A one snap solution - they’re re-usable too!

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yourself something like Maths for Mums and Dads could help if you are feeling outside of our comfort zone when you’re topping up the teaching at home. Discovering new ways of learning can make it fun for both of you.

Build their confidence

There is more to maths than arithmetic and it’s important that your little ones don’t lose interest in maths as a subject because it feels too difficult or seems too time consuming. Break down learning into bite-size chunks and make it as playful as possible.

Encourage your children and praise them for trying when they do. Show them how far they have come since last week or last month and this should spur them on to keep improving.

Keep Tabs on their clothes Recommended by

Tel: (01430) 819002 Families Cambridgeshire 15

16 Families Cambridgeshire

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Families Education

WHO REALLY EDUCATES MY CHILD?By Caroline Skinner your parent, a sibling, a friend or nanny.

But watch him - he will be looking at everything, wanting to touch, to taste, to observe. He will be busy learning that trees wave leaves over his head, that cats have soft fur, that food can be cold or warm, that voices can be loud or soft, that faces can be smiley or stern, that clothes can prickle or soothe, that baths are wet and that some things are very funny and make him laugh till he cries.

Suddenly you realise that he is understanding actual words. You say, "We're going out now" and he comes back trailing his outdoor clothes. You say "Granny's coming" and you find him looking out through the window.

You can now ask him, "do you want more banana?" and if he shakes his head it's a fair bet that he doesn't!

All this time, whether consciously or not, you have been his teacher.

From you he has learned all the basic concepts of life that he will use for the whole of the rest of his.

The simple answer is, you do.

From the moment your child arrives in this world, you are his main contact with everything around him. Initially, you ensure that he is fed and clean, safe and warm. He - we'll call him "he" for the purposes of this discussion - learns from that. Your child learns from your voice that you are near, to be relied on, and will provide these essentials. A little later, he recognises your face, your touch and, increasingly, the variations in the tone of your voice. From you he learns about hot and cold, wet and dry, quiet and noise, light and dark.

If you think, for a moment, about the importance of these things you will start to see how crucial they are and that it is only through you that your child grasps an understanding of them.

Your child learns fast. He learns about being hungry and thirsty, inside and outside, moving and stillness, home and everywhere else. He will learn other faces, other voices but yours will remain the trusted one - you feed him and he will be hungry for food - real food but also brain food.

It may not be exclusively you, of course. He may learn quickly that there are two or more such trusted voices and faces - your partner, familiesonline.co.uk

But your role has only just begun and it is now as important as it was the day he arrived.

All good parents want to help their child learn, achieve his potential, do well at school. But, all too often, they think this entails signing up him for umpteen classes, engaging tutors and frantically bundling him in and out of his buggy - or the car - getting him to all these activities. Everyone else does it so you must - or you're not being a good parent.

It's expensive, exhausting and - if you think about it - not always the best thing. Or not for each child, all the time.

What most children like best is time with their parents or primary carers. They like to chat, to share activities, to watch what you're doing, to experiment, to make things with you, to discuss things.

They learn more from this kind of thing than from any classes.

If you are a parent with a job then time for this kind of thing is limited. There may be a

little time early in the morning, last thing at night, at weekends - and sometimes not even this amount of time. It's just the way life is.

Do not overestimate the value of cramming this time with a class or an activity, especially not when your child is young ie pre-school.

He will learn more from being with you whether chatting at the bus stop or when chopping vegetables, putting away clean clothes, brushing the dog - than from anything else.

This is not because you are actively teaching him but because, in sharing this time with him, you are showing him that he is valued, that talking with him - hearing his questions, his opinions, his observations - matters. This will make him value himself, will make him eager to learn more to share with you, to test on you, to challenge himself.

It makes no difference if you are rich or poor.

Whether you live in a flat, a house, a palace, a B & B. What matters is that you give that little bit of time that you have to your child.

If you are walking with him to school, talk to him not to your mobile. If you are travelling with her on the bus, talk to her rather than plug in your ear-phones. If you are out for a meal, don't hand him his ipad, talk to him.

There are always things to talk about.

The people around you. The weather.

School, family, friends, neighbours, news, plans. Stories you have shared. Programmes or games he's enjoying.

Ask him his thoughts on this or that. Share yours with him. Ask him his opinions.

These things will give him confidence‌ A confident child challenges himself, has high expectations of himself, isn't afraid to ask.

He learns.

And you will have taught him how.

Call us if you want to discuss this or need

advice: consultants@goodschoolsguide.co.uk

or 0203 286 6824 or +44 203 286 6824 from overseas to speak to our administrator.

Your child – nothing matters more See more at: https://www.

goodschoolsguide.co.uk/advice-service/ articles/who-really-educates-mychild#sthash.ZquBPonH.dpuf

Families Cambridgeshire 17

Explore Learning

“Explore Learning have had a big hand in helping us.”

Parent: Nadia Haider Child: Syed Ali, 11 Ali has been attending Explore Learning Peterborough for nearly six years. The thing he likes most about the centre are the eleven-plus workshops.

Why did you decide to join Explore?

We joined to build his confidence in core subjects like maths and English. For us it’s worked really well because we told them what was happening in school and they’ve helped focus his study on that. It’s helped Ali consolidate his knowledge, that’s one of the reasons why we joined Explore, to give him that extra boost.

What impact has Explore had?

In terms of his recent SATs results he’s excelled the school’s expectations. Explore offer extra sessions that run in the Easter, summer and half term breaks

18 Families Cambridgeshire

called workshops.

They’re free so you can attend as many as you like, no extra charge. Ali went to those and got so much practice doing exam questions in exam conditions.

Explore Learning have had a big hand in helping us.

the school reports with them and they’ll focus his learning programme accordingly. They cover the subjects that are in the national curriculum, it’s almost like he’s getting additional practice at Explore, in terms of what he’s covering at school.

What advice would you give to other parents thinking about bringing their children to Explore?

James has been attending Explore Learning for three and a half years now, and enjoys playing in Surf Club when he finishes his sessions.

I would say the earlier they start the better as they get to build a relationship with the tutors, my other advice would be to definitely take up the workshops because they’re just fantastic, they’ve supported us in a big way and I’m really grateful.

How has Explore supported what your child is working on at school?

They’re always asking how school is going, whether we’ve had any feedback. I’ll often share

Parent: Emma Bryant, Teacher Child: James Bryant, 11

Who would you recommend Explore to?

Anybody really, anybody that’s worried about their child’s maths and English who isn’t getting enough help at school.

They don’t always get that specialist one to one that they need, which they get at Explore.

What do you think makes Explore Learning a unique tutoring service?

They’re open all year round, I’m a teacher myself and they have what we call summer learning loss. They finish school at the end of July and as they don’t do anything until September, they kind of go backwards a bit. James kept going all the way through summer and had actually improved his levels.

How do Explore tutors support your child in their sessions?

We all sit and have parent meetings every few weeks. In those meetings we discuss where our child is and look at where they need further help and guidance.

It’s usually one tutor to three or four children, so the ratio is far better than school.

Interviews by William Green

familiesonline.co.uk

Moving Home

THE FAMILY APPROACH TO MOVING HOME

by Will Green

Moving home can be a daunting experience for anyone, but especially so for parents. With lots

to think about, telling the children can feel like the hardest part. Fortunately, there’s lots you can do to prepare that will help you keep the little ones happy and make sure the move towards the next chapter of your life is a stress-free adventure.

Finding an estate agent who can take the hassle out of looking for a new home can help keep your mind focused on the important things. One such agency is Local Estate Agent, with more than 30 years’ agency experience in the Cambridgeshire and London property market they tailor their service specifically to every family that wants to sell their home.

Husband and wife, Matt Davis and Luci Kurc run a Local Estate Agent office in Cambridge based on the High Street in Cherry Hinton.

They encourage parents to call them directly to discuss their requirements so they are able to advise them accordingly. Luci explains: “We offer flexible, no saleno fee contracts and don’t expect vendors to sign up for long, exclusive tie-in periods.

We’re confident that our customers will be pleased with the service we provide so we see no reason to tie them in: it’s important

familiesonline.co.uk

telling all his friends.” the home seller has control over this. We work Sometimes things aren’t as easy, especially together with our clients to help them move when moving further afield. Bishop’s Move for less.” is the largest family owned removal company Matt added: “In particular, we hope that in the UK and they offer advice to parents anyone considering using an online agent worried about how their children will see the value in our services. will feel leaving their friends We provide a full agency To ens behind. “To ensure the package but with a happy ure the kid kids are happy during price more in line s proces during the m are the moving process, with the online s, get th oving a scrap em to m get them to make a agents. With our b home, ook of thei ake scrapbook of their professional service, p r and fav ictures of fri old old home, pictures of your dedicated agent e ourite memornds friends and favourite will know you and your ies memories.” They also property in order to make suggest moving during the it the best possible experience school holidays: “summer is the from instruction to completion. We’re most popular time to move with children as available when most other agents are not: their schooling is not disrupted and they are seven days a week, from 9 am to 10 pm.” less stressed and tired.”

Now that you have your agency sorted you can focus on helping your child adjust to the change.

Adam Fernandes, a father of two, is currently preparing his five and one-year old for the move into their new house. He offers his advice to parents who are considering relocating, as he feels one of the most important things to keep in mind is to include your child in the discussions that you have about your new home. “We kept driving our eldest child to the new building, talked about it a lot and walked them around the house explaining to them ‘this is your room, this is going to be our living room’ things like that which made it all into a positive thing.” Adam focused on making the whole thing a fun experience, even asking their eldest son questions about what he would like the colour of their new house to be. “He was so excited that he even started

Families Cambridgeshire 19

Skaters

Roller Skating Rink Mill Road, Walpole Highway PE14 7QJ Prices start at £3 www.wisbechskaters.co.uk

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Come and Join Us!

20 Families Cambridgeshire

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An Unforgettable Experience This Holiday

CAM

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www.clipnclimbcambridge.co.uk Bring this voucher with you when you visit

Clip ‘n Climb to receive a free go on one of our Free Voucher for Extreme Challenges (Vertical Drop Slide or Readers of Families two Stairway to Heaven).

Terms and conditions: Only valid with a paid for climbing session. One free go per voucher.

Minimum height for both Extreme Challenges is 120 cm. Voucher valid until 30th November 2017.

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Families Cambridgeshire 21

W hat’s On

LEADA Drama Classes

WHERE? Queen Mary Centre, Wisbech

WHEN? Wednesdays; for ages 5 -16+ years

es Clubs and class rt, Spo Drama, Music, ... o ti and Educa n

r so me th ing fo e v er y o n e

Creative, improvised acting to free children’s imagination, develop self-expression, confidence and to have lots of FUN. ACT NOW! Call 07523 712633 or go to www.leada.biz

Ely Aqua Swim School

WHERE? Little Thetford, Ely

From the complete beginner to advanced swimmer. Small class sizes for 3-16 years held early evening. Aqua baby classes also available. www.elyaquaswimschool.co.uk 07557 335113

South Cambridgeshire Equestrian Centre

Rock Stars Climbing

From £20/half hour group lesson A British Horse Society Approved Riding Centre with private and group lessons for 5 years +.

01763 263213 www.scec.co.uk

Wednesday and Thursdays:16.30 £60 per half-term Based on the programme run in New Zealand with a Cambridge spin. Classes from September, term time only. Perfect attentionfocussing exercise for 4-11 year olds. Unique, fun afterschool exertion with structured sessions and varied activities. www.clipnclimbcambridge. wordpress.com/about/rocksstars-climbing-club

WHERE? Barrington

Ely Tennis Club

STAGECOACH Drama, Dance and Singing Summer workshops ages 4-16 years

WHERE? Coleridge Campus,

Cambridge Still the best network of performing arts schools in the world. Nurturing and developing young people’s potential through dance, drama and singing. This summer, children can attend workshops for 5 days of fun; working with a professional team to rehearse and perform for family and friends. www.stagecoach.co.uk/ cambridge 01223 359974

WHERE? Outdoor Sports Association, Downham Rd Membership from £7/month Juniors and families can join the club for independent play.

Also offer coaching classes for those who wish to master further technique. www.clubspark.lta.org.uk/ ElyTennisClub

Wisbech Town Junior Hockey Club

WHERE? The Pavillion, Harecroft

Road

WHEN? Saturdays 9.00 - 10.00

‘Badgers’ junior club on Saturdays for children aged 6-13 to learn the skills required to play in a fun and safe environment. www.pitchero.com/clubs/ wisbechtownhockeyclub

Skaters indoor entertainment for all ages

WHERE? Mill Road, Wisbech Tuesday-Sunday: various times From Friday Groovy Tots session (no skates) to afterschool, home education and family skating sessions, there is entertainment for everyone; on skates and off!

From £3 www.wisbechskaters.co.uk 01945 882048

WHERE? Hills Road Sports Centre & Newnham Croft Primary School WHEN? Wednesdays: 16.00 - 17.00; 17.00 - 18.00 & Saturdays:

9.30 - 11.00; 11.15 - 12.45 For 4-7 year olds, plus Saturday class for 7-12s, to boost confidence and concentration. Perform uses a unique mix of drama, dance and singing; developed to bring out EVERY child’s potential.

FREE trial session 020 7255 9120 www.perform.org.uk

22 Families Cambridgeshire

WHEN? Monday, Tuesday,

Fenland Flyers Trampoline Club

WHERE? Thomas Clarkson Academy, Wisbech WHEN? Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays 16.30 - 20.15 Classes for all ages and abilities.

Children can work toward badges and the more advanced can enter competitions. www.fenlandflyers.co.uk

La Jolie Ronde French Classes

Perform: Drama, Dance & Singing

WHERE? Clip’n Climb, Cambridge

WHERE? Brown’s Field Youth & Community Centre, Cambridge WHEN? Fun classes for children aged 5 -12 years on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Kids develop an enthusiasm for French through this unique awardwinning programme. Sample lesson FREE. Enquire about prices and other classes in region. www.lajolieronde.co.uk/parents 01223 210900

Eden Dance WHERE? Chesterton Sports Centre, Cambridge Eden dance prides itself on offering small classes and personal attention. Encouraging students of all ages and skill levels to express themselves through music and movement, improving confidence. Ballet classes weekday evenings and Saturdays for 3 - 18 year olds.

Call for prices. 01223 778655 www.edendance.co.uk

Cherry Hinton Lions FC WHERE? Cambridge Meets the FA’s Charter Standard.

Coaches are qualified to FA Level 1 minimum and are DBS cleared and Emergency First Aid-trained.

Under 7s to under 17s. www.cherryhintonlions.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Extra Curricular Whats on?

Huntingdon Gymnastics Club

WHERE? Mayfield Road Daytime classes parents & toddlers and preschool children.

Run recreational classes every evening for kids (5-15 yrs) who enjoy the variety of apparatus and learning new skills. www.huntingdon-gymnastics.org 01480 52343

Rugbytots

WHERE? Ely and Cambridge From £7.50 session Energetic coaches support kids aged 2 – 7 in a fun, structured way whilst teaching how to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team. The number one rugby play programme in the world!

WHEN? Sessions held afternoons and Saturdays. www.rugbytots.co.uk 0345 313 0446

Razzamataz

WHERE? CRC Sports Centre, Cambridge From £100 for 12 weeks Ideal for kids aged 4-18 with an interest in performing arts, where welfare of students is core.

Different styles of drama, dance and singing including Pop and funky Street Dance with a focus on building confidence, self-esteem and fitness as well as having fun! See website for September times and dates. cambridge.razzamataz.co.uk cambridge@razzamataz.co.uk Emma Louise 07895347239

Children’s Yoga & Mindfulness

WHERE? Satyam Yoga Wellbeing Centre,

Cambridge WHEN? Wednesdays and Saturdays, £8 session Sessions with physical stretches and postures, use of the breath to support emotional regulation, and mindfulness for children 4 - 12 years. www. satyamyogacentre. co.uk

Kids Yoga

WHERE? Yoga Studio ElyTower Farm, Little Downham Explore flowing sequences, balancing poses, partner poses and team building yoga games.

Breathing exercises, chanting, creative imagery, and relaxation skills also introduced. www.yogastudioely.co.uk 01353 698090

Paxton Lakes Sailing Club

WHERE? Little Paxton, St Neots Adult £125:00 Child £85:00 Official RYA training centre with a large selection of club owned boats & equipment available.

Participants learn to sail a dinghy and learn to reach, tack, run and gybe. They learn essentials such as rigging and rope work and how to launch and recover a dinghy. www.paxtonlakes.org.uk

Kindred Drama Summer School for ages 2-18 years

WHERE? KYT offers young people, aged 18 months – 18 years, the opportunity to develop their performance skills and build their confidence. Their vastly experienced team of Performing Arts professionals are all fully DBS / CRB checked and classes take place at the Key’s very own purpose built Studio Theatre facilities. www.kindreddrama.com 01733 207239

OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE SINGING SCHOOL WHERE? St Catherine’s College, Cambridge

A unique opportunity for children aged 7–13 to learn about Classical music with professional singers and voice coaches. www.oxbridgesingingschool. co.uk

Please mention Families Cambridgeshire when booking familiesonline.co.uk

Adrenaline Martial Arts WHERE? Cambridge, Chatteris, Wisbech, Waterbeach and Peterborough Karate is not just another after school activity; it’s about a child’s personal development through physical discipline, which further improves focus, mental alertness, self discipline and self confidence. www.adrenalinemartialarts. co.uk

Little Chefs Club 8 – 11 yrs WHERE? Flavours School of Cookery, Huntingdon WHEN? Saturday 9.30 £120 / 6 sessions Different cuisines, healthy eating, food safety and knife skills; all delivered in a fun, safe environment. www.flavoursschoolofcookery. co.uk Families Cambridgeshire 23

BE GOOD AT BEING YOURSELF

Childcare vouchers now accepted

WE ARE NOW ENROLLING! Unlock your child’s potential with Stagecoach Performing Arts Singing, dancing and acting classes for 4 - 18 year olds, where students learn to embrace life with creativity and courage.

Classes after school and at weekends.

Find out more today: CAMBRIDGE AND CAMBOURNE 01223 359974 cambridge@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/cambridge

TM

Creative Courage For Life ®