Starting School

New beginnings are on the way. Make sure your preparations are on the mark with our handy tick list.

Our local schools have shown over this last year to be doing a great job at prioritising students’ and staff’s wellbeing. However if you’re a new parent whose just had to pick a school in the midst of the pandemic, where visiting and doing the usual meets and greets haven’t been possible, it must have been a scary task!

Starting school is a nerve-wracking prospect but never more so than this September when we’re faced, perhaps still hidden behind a mask, with the current Covid pandemic. As we go to print, the lifting of restrictions are still up in the air, but many of our amazing local schools have been working tirelessly to put plans in place for all eventualities. Not only to help settle your children in to their new school but also keeping them safe whilst in their care.

Many schools have tried to tackle the issue of not meeting in person or being able to visit the school, by adding virtual tour links to their school website so you and your child can have a look around. Although the usual new parents welcome evenings, open days or home visits may not be able to take place, many schools will be offering smaller open day sessions instead (subject to restrictions), much like they did last year. Schools will also be sending out letters of communication, doing their best to deal with any concerns you may have before they get to meet you. If you have questions though, do contact your school office for guidance.

This year has been unprecedented, odd to say the least, but many of our schools have learnt valuable lessons from this last year and are in good stead to offer your child the very best start to their school life. The TW Magazine would like to wish all families starting primary and secondary school in September the very best of luck.

Carly Gammage

Getting ready for school tick list:

If you’re not able to visit the school in person, take advantage of the virtual tours available on your school’s website.

Ensure your child can go to the toilet independently and can wash their hands effectively by themself.

Don’t leave buying new shoes till the last minute and encourage your child to wear them around the house to break them in before school starts. As well as walk-in appointments to get your children’s feet measured, both Clarks (01784 459385) and Johnson’s Shoes (01784 469474) in Staines allow you to book back-to-school appointments to avoid the queues.

In the lead up to September, walk past school with your child, pointing out the gate they’ll go in at and the playground where they’ll be playing with their new friends to help get them familiarised.

Order your school uniform in good time –School Uniform Direct in Staines (www.schooluniformdirect.co.uk) supplies 25 of the local schools. Shepperton Sports & Ski (www.sheppertonsportsandski.co.uk) covers the remainder of primary and secondary schools in the area.

Invest in clothes labels! Coats, cardigans, jumpers, bookbags, even shoes – anything that is easily taken off should be labelled so it can be returned to the right owner.

Let your child choose an easy to spot water bottle which they’ll be able to recognise in class, and don’t forget to label it! (Can you spot a trend yet?)

Join your school’s Facebook page, it’s a great way to keep on track of upcoming school events and to see what your children are up to at school.

Become a member of the PTA Facebook page for your school. Volunteering with PTA events is not only a great way to help raise valuable funds that will benefit your children but also a fantastic way to meet new parents and feel part of the school community.

Talk about school as a family, make it the exciting prospect it should be.

If you are experiencing nerves, try and remember you and your child are not alone, when. September comes they’ll be lots of other like-minded faces all filled with excitement, hope and a little bit of first day jitters.

Pan-Fried Mackerel Fillet With Lemon Spring Vegetables

Serves 2 Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients • 25g butter • 1 banana shallot, peeled and sliced • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed • 400g mixed fresh vegetables like broad beans, carrots, peas, spring greens, broccoli • 100ml stock • Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper • 150g crème fraiche • 3-4 sprigs dill, roughly chopped • 1/2 tbsp olive oil • 2 large mackerel fillets • Lemon wedges, to serve

1. Heat the butter in a sauté pan or deep frying pan. Gently cook the shallot for about 5 minutes until it starts to soften and becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

2. Add the vegetable mix, cutting anything large like carrots, to match the size of the other vegetables. Stir for a minute or so, pour in the stock and lemon juice, and add the zest. Season, then cover and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Spoon in the creme fraiche and dill and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

4. Heat another frying pan with the olive oil. Slice the mackerel fillets in half lengthways, taking out any bones you may find. Season the fish then pan-fry for 2 minutes on each side.

5. Serve the mackerel on a bed of the vegetables with plenty of lemon wedges and some new potatoes.

Summer Hair Care

Strong sun, high temperatures, humidity and pool or sea water will damage your hair, leaving it dry and brittle. Try taking a gentler approach to your hairstyling in the summer months.

Use a mild shampoo and when you do wash your hair, finish with a cool or cold rinse to seal the cuticles.

Try to limit hair treatments such as bleaching, and cut back on the use of heated hair styling tools such as curlers and hair straighteners.

If your hair is long enough, put it into a loose bun and tuck the ends out of sight, as this is the most vulnerable part. Pulling your hair back in this way also mean you don’t have a parting, which will prevent sunburn on your scalp – although sunscreen all around the hairline is important. If you don’t have long hair, have a parting and don’t want to wear a hat, it’s essential that you Summer Hair Care

apply sun lotion to your scalp. Your hair might look a little greasy during the day, but that’s better than the bad dandruff look that a peeling scalp will give you.

Before going into a pool or the sea, wet your hair with plain water as this will reduce the absorption of chlorine or salt. After your swim, rinse your hair with plain water again and use a mild shampoo at the end of each day, to ensure those chemicals and salt aren’t continuing to do their worst.

Sun-Faked

The medical and beauty advice is to save your skin and not to sit in direct sun. So a golden glow might not be healthy, but it certainly looks it and fake tanning is more popular than ever. Follow our tips here to go into summer with a golden glow.

• Allow at least six hours between applying tan and going to bed, and wear loose clothes for the rest of the day.

• If you’re new to self-tanning or have pale skin, it’s a good idea to start with a gradual tanning product. The result is fairly subtle meaning it’s forgiving of beginners’ mistakes.

• You need a fair amount of space, a full-length mirror and lots of natural light. Put a towel on your carpet and any furnishings you might touch. Sun-Faked

• Exfoliation is essential if you are to avoid orange patches. This is best done the night before to allow your skin to settle and allow at least 24 hours between waxing and tanning.

• Be really generous with your moisturiser and ensure that it’s fragrance and colour free. Pay particular attention to knees, ankles and elbows.

• The actual tan application is the point at which you might decide a beauty salon is the best option for a full-body and even finish. But if you prefer DIY, wearing gloves, start with your feet and methodically cover every inch of your skin evenly. Finish with your hands.

Staines Rugby Club

Part of the the community since 1926

NOW RECRUITING

We are currently recruiting players for our Men’s, Women’s, Colts (17-21 year olds), Girls (13-17) and Mini Rugby (4-13) teams.

Senior Men’s, Women's and Colts Practice is held at The Reeves on a Tuesday and Thursday from 19:30. Girls, Mini & Junior Rugby practice is on a Sunday morning from 10am.

If you are interested in finding out more please contact our Director of Rugby Nick and he will be more than happy to help n.allso@stainesrugby.com

To keep up to date with everything at our club please follow us on social media Facebook/Instagram/Twitter @StainesRugby or on our website www.stainesrugby.uk

We are more than a rugby club and we offer an excellent venue for your private or corporate functions, family parties and gatherings. Contact our general manager Angie and she’ll be able to run through our offers with you. a.channon@stainesrugby.com