Issuu

FR E E

TAKE

ME H

OME

Gloucestershire IN THIS ISSUE

Childcare

Toddlers behaving badly

Education

Why turn to tutors?

The Great Outdoors Are you festival ready?

Whatâ€™s On

Activities and days out in Gloucestershire

Issue 50 May/June 2019

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It’s Official!

Our Readers Prefer Families Magazine to the Internet! Last year, we conducted a survey across the UK asking readers to tell us what they find useful about our magazine and how likely they would be to respond to advertising in it. We were delighted to receive almost 500 responses and by the wonderful feedback you gave us. More than 70% of our readers said they were highly likely to respond to advertising in our magazine or had already done so. That’s fabulous news for our advertisers and for our readers, because it means we can carry on making the magazine better and better! A whopping 79% of readers told us that they use the magazine to research ideas for local family activities or classes and clubs for children and an equally impressive 74% said they use it to plan family life. Many of you also told us that you find easier to plan family activities and entertainment using Families Magazine than using the internet! You told us that using the internet to research and plan can be time consuming

and confusing, involving lots of trawling online for useful information. We were also really happy that large numbers of you reported that Families Magazine makes your lives easier and less stressful and saves you time. Thank you to everyone that volunteered their comments. If you are interested in taking part in one of our Reader Forums, please email info@familiesmagazine. co.uk with your name, phone number and post code.

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Contents 4 News Climate change for teachers Learning to save lives 6 Education Demystifying Phonics Why turn to tutors

Gloucestershire Editorial Katie Azam 07921 338894 editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk Design The Mini Media Company 01789 417897 www.minimediaco.com Next issue July/August 2019. For summer holiday activities, school information and much more…

Childcare Childcare in the school Holidays Toddlers behaving badly

10 Parenting Teaching children to be kind 11 Travel Family Festivals 2019 Top 5 travel Tips 12

Classes, Clubs & Activities Your guide to Summer Camps

What’s On Your guide to what’s happening in the Gloucestershire area in May and June

Gloucestershire

To Advertise with us and reach over 50,000 parents in the region contact Katie Azam on: 07921 338894 or email editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk …endless ideas for families of young children in Gloucester – Cheltenham – Tewkesbury- Forest of Dean – Painswick – Stroud – Cirencester – Tetbury – And all other surrounding towns and villages throughout Gloucestershire.

Cover Kid

Congratulations to Cali Sargent 6, from Dunally Primary School Here at Families Gloucestershire we have had so much fun going through all of the wonderful entries to our Families Gloucestershire Cover Kid Competition over the past month, and the competition was so strong, but there could only be one winner – check out our back cover to see if your entry made it through to the final few! Families Gloucestershire is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Gloucestershire are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Gloucestershire. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

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News

Parent School Holiday Fines at Record Level The number of fines issued to parents in England for taking children on term time holidays has risen to record levels, according to figures from the Department of Education (DfE).

First Climate Change Teachers to be Taught in the UK Teachers across the country have the opportunity to become the first climate change teachers accredited by the UN.

This one of a kind climate change education programme will use innovative learning technology so teachers can learn at home or on the go. The aim is to make sure teachers can help protect the climate by educating their students with the latest data and information on climate change, sustainability, and the green economy.

Penalty notices for unauthorised absences rose to 260,000 in 2017-18, an increase of 110,000 compared with the previous year. "Unauthorised family holiday absence" was the most common reason for attendance fines, the DfE said. In September 2013 the government changed the law so head teachers could only grant a leave of absence to pupils during term time in "exceptional circumstances", such as funerals. Councils can require parents to pay £60 each per child taken out of school without permission. This rises to £120 if not paid within 21 days, and after 28 days parents can be prosecuted.

More Protection for Mums Returning to Work

New parents returning to work could receive greater protection from redundancy under new government proposals. Education provider YPO sponsors this FREE, global education The government is proposing that programme. All you have to do is sign up to Harwood mothers returning to work from Education’s UN CC: Learn Teacher Academy. maternity leave will be protected from redundancy for a minimum of six months. The course, which takes just 8 hours to complete explores The announcement followed research which found that one the science that supports the existence and effects of Climate in nine women had been fired or made redundant when they Change on children, cities, human health, and gender. returned to work after having a child, or were treated so badly they felt forced out of their job. If you work in a school or want to get your child's school It is also considering giving the same protection to parents involved go to www.unccteacheracademy.com to find out more. returning from adoption or shared parental leave.

Maths Anxiety Affecting Young Children Children as young as eight can feel fear, rage and despair as a result of “maths anxiety”, a condition which can severely disrupt their performance. Researchers at Cambridge University recently surveyed 2,700 primary and secondary students and found that a feeling that maths was more difficult than other subjects often contributed to maths anxiety and loss of confidence. Researchers say maths anxiety should be treated as a “real concern” because children suffering from it do not fulfil their true maths ability and can find themselves locked in a vicious circle; suffering from anxiety which harms their maths performance, which in turn leads to increased anxiety. Even children who have normal competency levels in maths may avoid it because they feel anxious. Key triggers for anxiety include poor marks, test pressures, teasing by fellow pupils and a confusing mix of teaching methods, the study found. More info at www.cam.ac.uk/research/news

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News

Foster Care Fortnight - You Can Make a Difference Foster Care Fortnight™ runs from 13 to 26 May and is the UK's biggest foster carer awareness raising campaign, delivered by leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network. The campaign showcases the commitment, passion and dedication of foster carers. It demonstrates that 'foster care transforms lives' - not just the lives of the young people who are fostered, but also those of foster carers and their families and friends. Undoubtedly fostering is challenging but there are tremendous rewards including making a positive difference to a vulnerable child or young person, opportunities to expand skills through training courses, the chance to develop relationships that can last a lifetime and generous financial incentives. The satisfaction and pride in helping a young person with difficulties develop into a rounded individual is the ultimate reward for the majority of foster carers. For more information, visit www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/ couldyoufoster

Spotlight on Battledown Centre for Children and Families Battledown Centre for Children and Families was the winner of the 2019 Early Years Setting of the Year Award at the Shine a Light Awards. Located in Cheltenham, Battledown Centre for Children and Families provides specialist assessment of children aged 0-7 years with additional needs. All 37 children at Battledown have some form of additional need

Learning Life-Saving Skills to Become Compulsory Beginning in 2020, all state schools in England will be required to teach “life-saving skills” under new plans for health education announced by the Government. According to draft guidelines released by the Department of Education, primary school children are set to learn basic first aid, as well as steps they can take to protect and support the health and wellbeing of others, including calling emergency services. Children age 5 years will learn basic first aid and children as young as 11 years will be shown CPR at school. "Learning the basic skills of first aid and techniques like CPR will give young people the confidence to know that they can step in to help someone else in need and in the most extreme cases - it could potentially save a life” announced Education Secretary, Damian Hinds. More info visit: www.gov.uk/government/news

encompassing communication and social interaction difficulties, learning difficulties, speech and language delay, sensory impairment and emotional and behaviour difficulties. However, due to hard work and dedication, all children significantly improve as they start Year 1. Every member of staff is trained in Total Communication which is embedded in their practice. They have all taken part in Attention Autism programme and 60% of staff have had PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) training. The centre offers extended services all year round by offering play schemes, family drop-in sessions and holiday clubs, providing additional support for parents and carers, whilst at the same time allowing staff to continue observations and assessments. The Shine a Light judges were blown away with everything that the centre has achieved and continues to achieve. For further information about the 2019 Shine a Light Awards

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Education

Demystifying Phonics By Andrew Campbell

Parents play a very important role in helping children learn to read. But teaching methods have changed since most parents were at school and if you want to assist your children, it’s important to understand how they are taught. What is Phonics? Phonics is used in all schools in the UK as the main first method for children to learn to read and write. It is all about sounds. There are 44 sounds in English, which are put together to form words. These small units of sound are called ‘phonemes.’ Some sounds are represented by one letter, like ‘t’, and some by two or more, like ‘ck’ in truck and ‘air’ in chair. The letter, or the combination of letters are called ‘grapheme’s.’ Children are taught the sounds first, then how to match them to letter(s), and finally how to use the letter(s) and sounds to read and spell. How is Phonics Taught? The most widely used approach in UK schools is called ‘synthetic phonics’ in which the phonemes (sounds) associated with particular grapheme’s (letter or letters) are pronounced in isolation and blended together (synthesised). The 44 sounds (phonemes), and the way they are written down, are taught individually. The first sounds to be taught are

usually s, a, t, p, i, n. This is because once children know each of those letter sounds, they can then be arranged into a variety of different words (eg: sat, tip, pin, nip, tan, tin, sip). In a phonics lesson, a teacher will introduce a new sound and its letter or letters, spelling them out. Then, they will use the sound in a word, clearly pronouncing the sound. Pupils will practise repeating this sound back to the teacher; the children may also do an action to help them remember. The teacher will also show pupils how to ‘blend’ or sound out words, using the new sound. For example, the word 'lock' when spoken has three sounds. Children are taught to say the sounds separately then blend them together: 'l-o-ck', 'lock.' Once children are aware of the sounds of English and how spoken words are built from these sounds, they can learn the ways each sound is usually written, as a letter, or group of letters. They can then apply this knowledge to help break down written words and read them one sound at a time. Then blend these sounds together into the full spoken word. How Can You Help? Sounding out words is at the heart of phonics and helping your child with this at home is simple. Try introducing sounds one at a time. Phoneme cards are useful (downloadable, printable resources can be found at www.phonicsplay.co.uk). Show a letter card to your child and say the sound. Ask your child to say it as well. This will help build a link between the letter and its sound. You can go on to help your child blend the sounds by saying each of the sounds in the word and then pushing them together to say the word. Using the sounds to write is achieved by helping your child to work out the individual sounds in a word and matching these sounds to the letters. Say a word and ask your child to break it down into its individual sounds. For example big, b i g. When reading to your child, practise by encouraging them to point to each letter and say the sound out loud. Then your child can read these words by blending the separate sounds together. What makes Phonics Tricky? The English language is a bit more complicated than most languages. Having been invaded so many times throughout its history, it is a rich mixture of languages. For instance the word ‘fern’ comes from the Anglo-Saxons and the first sound is spelt ‘f’. Whereas the word ‘phone’ comes from Greek and the same sound is spelt ‘ph.’ Tricky words need to be learnt by sight, rather than sound. Helpful Resources There are a large number of apps available including Jolly Phonics and Teach Your Monster to Read. The BBC Skillwise Phonics Tool allows you to hear sounds of English in five different accents and discover the correspondence between sounds and letters.

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Education

2 Steps to 11 Plus Success

The year is flying by and the summer is fast approaching. Can you believe that in just around 4 months time your child will be sitting their 11plus exam? If you have already started, or are about to start your child’s preparation, our team of expert tutors at KSOL have devised a list of action points to help you prepare your child for their entrance exam: 1) Make revision a habit. Get your child into a regular routine and keep the sessions short but intense. Anita Dhunna, Director of Education says: “Our online intensive 11plus revision courses are perfect for the run up to the real exam. These personalised, daily online tests cover the entire 11+ syllabus and highlight any areas of weakness, providing immediate focus and a daily study routine.” 2) Make it fun! Our intensive 11plus revision course includes exclusive interactive video lessons with downloadable worksheets. 3) Practice. KSOL 11+  mock exams in Gloucestershire are designed to help prepare children for the academic rigour of the exam paper as well as the exam environment. All mock exams are CD administered.    With over 11 years of CEM experience, KSOL and its award winning methods are pioneers in preparing children for the 11+ entrance exams in Gloucester. Call now on 0121 733 6558 or visit www.ksol.co.uk to find out more about KSOL’s “2 Steps to Success”. This exclusive offer includes the 3 month intensive 11plus revision course + one KSOL 11plus mock exam: Only £244 + course set-up fee, saving you £20! The KSOL mock exams will take place on May 19th and July 21st in Gloucester.

Why are Parents Turning to Tutoring? Around a quarter of children in the UK are being tutored. Claire Winter looks at why one in four families are seeking extra help outside of the classroom.

Parents often get extra tuition for their children to prepare them for important entrance exams or the 11+. They also get them to help boost their child’s skills in a subject in which they aren’t doing well or to help them excel in a subject, so they can impress the schools to which they are applying. Modern technology means kids can be tutored virtually via Skype or Zoom and its big business. It’s estimated that we spend £2 billion a year on private tutoring, which makes us one of the top spenders on tuition in the world. Many parents believe that tutoring can be an amazing resource that gives children extra confidence, reassurance and skills to stop them feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of schoolwork. Others argue that extra tutoring creates more pressure on children. Many children are busy already with lots of extra-curricular activities and homework. Ex-teacher Victoria Kennedy, who is now a confidence and image coach (www.thefairyclothesmother.com) takes the view that tutoring needs careful management to ensure it doesn’t result have a negative impact on a child. She says: “When I worked as a teacher in Hampshire and London, I found that children with extra pressure and expectations from parents struggled with failure, needed more encouragement and guidance to complete tasks and often suffered from a sense of overwhelm.” The education charity the Sutton Trust acknowledges the importance of tutoring but worries that extra tuition is causing the educational gap to widen between children from affluent economic backgrounds and those from poorer economic backgrounds. For example, around 40% of children are receiving help in London compared to around 25% in the rest of the country. Sir Peter Lampl, chair of the Sutton Trust, says: “Private tuition is www.familiesonline.co.uk

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www.ksol.co.uk widespread and increasingly so. Nearly half of teachers have tutored and a quarter of teenagers have been tutored. But with costs of at least £25 per session, many cannot afford to benefit from this extra support, which exacerbates education inequalities.” “The Trust is recommending that the government introduce a means-tested voucher scheme to enable lower-income families to provide tuition for their children.” CEO and founder of the charity, Action Tutoring, Susannah Hardyman, also highlights the importance of tutoring. "We know tutoring works to improve grades and this impact is not limited to young people from high-income backgrounds either. In the UK today nearly a third of all pupils are classified as disadvantaged and less than half of this group, 48%, will meet national standards in their SATs at Year 6, compared to 67% of their more privileged peers. On joining secondary school, it's much harder for these pupils to catch up and by the end of Year 11, they are, on average, 12 months behind. As more and more young people access private tutors, the gap in attainment between disadvantaged young people and their peers will grow. Our charity uses the power of volunteer tutors to bridge the gap and ensure tutoring support can be accessed by every pupil who needs it, not just those who can afford it." The option for all children to have access to tutoring whatever their economic status needs to explored at Government level too. My children attend a secondary school where gaps in knowledge are quickly identified, and pupils are asked to attend booster sessions before and after school so that they can catch up. Not all schools can offer this and long term, it is a situation that needs to be addressed.

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Childcare

What are the Options?

� Annual Leave Most parents do not have sufficient annual leave to cover the entire school holidays, so it’s worth investigating if your employer can offer additional parental leave. A less desirable option is “shift parenting” whereby you and your partner each take annual leave separately. The downside, of course, is that you don’t see each other, although this option does cover a large portion of the holidays.

Childcare in School Holidays Piecing Together the Puzzle By Gabrielle Nash

What do the summer holidays mean to you? Ice creams in the park? Lazy mornings with the kids? Or a carefully constructed puzzle of parental annual leave and various childcare options? When your children reach school age, the burden of full-time, stay-at-home parenting begins to lessen allowing both parents to work. Then the school holidays arrive and there are long weeks of childcare to find. For many families this is a painful financial burden and with holiday childcare costs rising by 4% last year that burden is set to increase. In their latest survey, the Coram Family & Childcare Trust found the average price of holiday childcare in Britain to be £133 per child per week. Megan Jarvie, the head of the trust, believes now is the time to urgently address the issue. “For too many families, the long summer holiday is a time of stress and expense as they try to patch together a solution despite gaps in availability and financial support.”

� Flexible Working Can your employer offer the option to work flexibly? If you work shifts, can you work a different shift pattern to assist with holiday childcare? Katie Abdullah has five children and started her own business because of the tricky work/school balance. “I can tailor my work around the children. I try to take extra hours during the term so I can have more free time during the holidays.” � Family Assistance If you’re fortunate enough to have extended family nearby, willing grandparents can play an integral role in school holiday childcare. What about asking a sibling, aunty, uncle or even a friend to provide the odd day or even week? � Childminders You may be lucky enough to find a childminder who handles term-time wrap around care and covers school holidays. Alternatively, for more ad-hoc hours, try getting some regular, friendly babysitters on board. Take a look at organisations like www.sitters.co.uk � Holiday Nanny/Au Pair If you have term-time wrap around care sorted but require holiday care, another option is to find a childcare provider who can provide care in your home just for the holidays. These can be more affordable than you think. Try: www.childcare.co.uk � Holiday Clubs It’s unusual not to find several local holiday club options, with specialisations ranging from sport to drama or a mix of lots of activities. Some are run privately, others by your local authority. Local authority provision is less expensive but limited so it’s wise to investigate all options. If you have a disabled child, access to local authority schemes is even harder. Another option is American-style residential holiday camps. Try www. campexperts.co.uk

For more parenting tips and advice, read Gabrielle’s blog @ londonishmum

Piecing It Together

If your family are just at the beginning of school life, then the key is early planning for childcare that will accommodate, if possible, both school holiday and term time needs. But if you are already in a situation where you have term-times sorted but not school holidays, there’s still time to make this summer easier: • •

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Budget – what can you realistically afford to spend? Research - what is available from your council? Are there local schools offering holiday camps? What other private local holiday camps are available? (Tip: make sure they don’t involve too much travel). • Reach out - can extended family help, even just for a few days? Perhaps a family member that doesn’t live locally might come and stay? Speak to local friends. Can you share childcare with one another? • Co-ordinate – for children who are resistant to attending holiday camps or clubs on their own, try signing them up with friends. This can make the experience more enjoyable and you might be able to share travel. • Schedule - when you’ve got your plans together, draw up a schedule and make it available to all the family. • Book early – the most popular holiday camps book up very quickly. Don’t leave your planning until the last minute! With some forward preparation, there can still be relaxing down time with ice creams in the park! www.familiesonline.co.uk

Toddler’s Behaving Badly

Childcare

By Max Walker

Raising a toddler can be one of the most challenging stages of your life as a parent. Many of toddler behaviours can feel extreme, if not downright wicked. But take heart. Tantrums, hitting, biting, throwing things, screaming and other such behaviours are normal for children between the ages of 1 and 4 years. Here are a few tips on how to manage some of these difficult behaviours.

Tantrums Don’t Panic! Sometimes you may worry that you are raising a tyrant. But at this age it is unlikely that your child is throwing a fit to be manipulative. It is more likely that your child is trying to express themselves and finding it difficult. They feel frustrated, and the frustration is expressed as a tantrum. Find Out Why? Your child may be tired or hungry; in which case the solution is simple. They could be feeling frustrated or jealous of another child. They may need time, attention and love, even though they're not being very loveable. Find a Distraction Children have short attention spans. Giving them something else in place of what they can’t have or starting a new activity can move your child through their frustration. Don’t Give In If you say yes to end the tantrum, that won’t help in the long term. If you’ve said no, stick to your guns otherwise your child may start to think tantrums can get them what they want. In the same way, don’t bribe them with sweets or treats. Wait for the Tantrum to Stop Losing your temper or shouting back won't end the tantrum. Ignore the looks you get from people around you and concentrate on staying calm. Aggression Tugging hair, kicking, biting and hitting are ways your child can express themself and try to exert control over their immediate environment.

Talk to Them Children often go through phases of being upset or insecure and express their feelings by being aggressive. Finding out what’s worrying them is the first step in being able to help. Don’t Retaliate Physically This could make your child think it’s acceptable to do this. Instead, make it clear that what they’re doing hurts and you won’t allow it. Show it Doesn’t Work One of the key ways to suppress your child’s aggression is to demonstrate that it will get them nowhere. For example, if your child pulls a playmates hair to get a toy, hand the toy back to the friend as you explain to your child “We don’t pull hair.” Interrupt the Behaviour When you catch your child with a fistful of hair, gently disentangle him, then grasp hisr hand and hold it while you say: "We don't pull hair. Pulling hair hurts." Time Out in a Quiet Spot Place your child in a boring place. Wait for them to calm down. Consider giving one minute of timeout for every year of your child’s age. When your child has calmed down, discuss the reason for the timeout and why the behaviour was unacceptable. Whining An irritating blend of talking and crying – a child’s whining has the ability to make almost any parent get angry or give in. However, whining is often the only way that toddlers can express themselves when they’re tired, cranky, hungry or uncomfortable. That’s why it’s up to you to help them communicate in an acceptable manner. Define It Point out the whining when you hear it and ask your child to use their regular voice instead. Let them know how it sounds to you (without making fun). Explain that whining sounds unpleasant and makes people stop listening.

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Acknowledge your Child’s Need for Attention Toddlers often resort to whining when they've tried and failed to get your ear. Trying getting down to their level to make eye contact and ask them to tell you what they want without whining.

Avoid Triggers Don’t take your hungry toddler somewhere without taking some healthy snacks, or better still feed them before you go. Similarly, avoid taking them on errands if they are due for a nap. For more advice on difficult toddler behaviour, visit www.familylives.org.uk

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Parenting

Everyday Ways to Teach your Child to be Kind By Angela Cox

We know that our children absorb information like sponges and this includes mimicking the behaviours and actions of others. So how do we prioritise kindness and teach our children ways to tune into their natural empathy and consider the feelings of others?

n Be a Role Model

Don’t let your child hear you saying unkind words. You might be in a supermarket and passing comment about a stranger’s outfit for example or criticising a poor driver on the dual carriage way. Your child will hear your comments and believe it is acceptable to copy this. Make a conscious effort to say positive and kind things.

n Fingers on Lips

A lovely rule to teach children is the adage ‘if you don’t have something nice to say, it’s better to say nothing at all.’ I encourage my children to place an index finger onto their lips which provides a physical barrier to stop unkind words. They always giggle at this. Talks to them about the impact unkind words have on others before and discuss how good it feels to say kind things.

n Gratitude

Practice gratitude as a family. Ask your child to think of one non-material thing they are grateful for and why. It might be that they were able to play football in the park after school or that the sun was shining. Include yourself in the activity and give reasons you are thankful too. Gratitude is linked to increased happiness and a happy home is a kinder one.

n Saying Thank You

Motivate your child to send handwritten notes or cards when s/he receives a gift or goes to friend’s house for dinner. Encouraging children to thank people for the nice things that they do develops a kind nature and grateful heart.

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Being kind feels good. It helps children focus on the positive and develop strong relationships with others. A smile goes a long way too. Angela Cox is an inspiring mindset-mentor and creator of The Happy Path Journal (£10.99) a book for 6 to 10 year olds which helps them learn self-care. For more information, visit www. angela-cox.co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk

Travel

Family Festivals 2019 Check out our pick of the best Family Festivals of 2019

Wynchwood Festival, Cheltenham 31 May - 2 June A firm favourite on the festival circuit and consistently voted ‘Best Family Festival’ in the UK Festival awards. Headline acts include The Stranglers and Scouting for Girls. The festival is celebrating its 15th birthday and they’re promising that it’s going to be a corker! More info at www.wychwoodfestival.com Electric Fields Festival, Dumfries and Galloway 4-6 July Based at Drumlanrig Castel in Dumfries and Galloway, this fab festival has a varied line-up, plus provides a whole gamut of family fun. It has its own adventure playground, kids disco and lots of workshops to do too. More info at www.electricfieldsfestival.com Blue Dot, Cheshire, July 19-21 This cool festival is celebrating 50 years since the moon landing. The space theme is very apt because it is being held at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire. Kraftwerk, New Order and Hot Chip are headlining at this fantastic location. You can expand your children’s minds with some great science talks and also dip into art, culture and comedy. Plus there’s also the opportunity to do some stargazing. More info at www.discoverthebluedot.com Latitude Festival, Southwold, July 18-21 Laid back Latitude has a great line up this year that will appeal to all generations. Highlights include headliners George Ezra, Lana Del Rey, and Snow Patrol. Plus Neneh Cherry and Sigrid are on the bill too. There are lots of family-friendly activities to enjoy like interactive theatre, woodland fun and lake swimming. Don’t forget to check out the pink sheep! More info at www.latitudefestival.com Deer Shed Festival, North Yorkshire, 26-28 July Now in its tenth year, Deer Shed is passionate about hosting a fun, inclusive festival for the whole family. Last year Goldfrapp headlined, and this year they have Ezra Furman, Anna Calvi,

Top 5 tips for flying with Children

Rolling Blackouts and many more bands on the bill. They also have 130 art, craft, science and sport activities on site. Plus family shows from the Edinburgh Fringe, hot tubs to relax in and film screenings if the kids need to chill out. More info at www.deershedfestival.com Camp Bestival, Dorset, 25-28 July For many, Camp Bestival is the holy grail of family festivals and is famous for its annual fancy dress theme. This year it is heroes versus superheroes. There is always an amazing amount of fun to be had and exciting things to do. Run by Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank, it is the sister festival to Bestival. Headliners include Nile Rodgers & Chic and Jess Glynne. More info at www.campbestival.net Wilderness Festival, Cornbury, 1- 4 August A popular boutique festival set in the countryside in Cornbury, Oxfordshire. Every year they promise great music, delicious food, art, and a Champagne garden darling! They even have a Wilderness Spa and boating lake. More info at www.wildernessfestival.com

We’ve all been there, when you are about to start your family holiday, and the dread you feel when you walk past the airhostess that shows you to your seat – you can see all of the other passengers that you pass urging you to take your mini flight companions and just keep walking! We were all children once, and lets faced it – flights are boring and uncomfortable! But stress no more, as we asked our Personal Travel Agent, Amy Savery, if she could give us her top 5 tips for flight travel with Take the hassle out of booking your holiday or break this year. infants, and she was quick to advise us that the best way to make parents life easier when up in the air: Talk to Amy, your Personal Travel Agent, who will tailor make your 1.Fly as early as possible - Early morning flights are best for children, plus it holiday to suit you and your family. means you can arrive at your destination ready for the day ahead and children are normally wide awake after a night’s sleep so they will be ready for the day. With over 14 years experience and part of the Mid Counties CO-OP, Amy 2. Goodie bags for kids - Prepare a small rucksack or carrier bag for each child Personal Travel is a specialist andAgent fully ABTA and ATOL protected for your security and to hold easily for after airport check in - have colouring books and crayons, sticker peace of mind. books, small toys and a reading book that will keep them entertained for the flight – M 07483 282250 let them choose 3 things that can fit in the palm of their hands from home that they E amy.savery@thepersonaltravelagents.co.uk Open 24/7 - When the high street is closed Amy will still be available to can pack themselves. www.thepersonaltravelagents.co.uk/amy-savery 3. Window seats - Try if you can to book a window seat as they will enjoy looking W help. out the window seeing the clouds and world below “… if it's a UK break on the English Coastline 4. Take lots of snacks - Take a small lunch box of snacks to go into the childrens or a Family trip to Europe or Maybe a Cruise to rucksacks: fruit, sandwiches, crisps and a water bottle – But fill the bottle after going through security! explorer the ports of call, I can make your 5. Take a favourite teddy - or comforter just in case they want to snooze on the dreams come true…” flight they can snuggle down with their favourite toy. Personal Travel AgentAmy Savery

AMY SAVERY

If you need help planning your next holiday or break, give Any Savery a call at The Personal Travel Agency, where she will be happy to help you find the right holiday for you, Amy is always available and always looking for the best deals and locations. Call Amy on 07483 28 22 50 now and start planning that dream holiday! www.familiesonline.co.uk

28 22 50 07483 282250 M 07483 amy.savery@thepersonaltravelagents.co.uk E amy.savery@thepersonaltravelagents.co.uk www.thepersonaltravelagents.co.uk/amy-savery W www.thepersonaltravelagents.co.uk/amy-savery

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Classes, Clubs & Activities

Summer Holiday Camps and Courses Guide By Andrew Campbell

The long summer holiday break is a great opportunity for children to take part in organised activities, play schemes, workshops or day camps either within their local area on a daily or weekly basis or, increasingly, attend an American-style residential summer Camp. Here’s our guide to some of the options available, together with some advice on how to choose the right summer activity for your child. Residential Camps These are independent holidays for unaccompanied children aged from 7 years and above. Children are supervised round the clock in a secure residential environment such as a boarding school. Group leaders usually take care of children’s pastoral and welfare needs whilst Instructors provide a programme of activities. Camps can offer specialist courses or a multi-activity programme. Unlike American summer camps, which due to longer school breaks and less holiday leave for working parents often provide a home-fromhome experience, residential camps in the UK usually involve just a 7 break. However, if your budget can be stretched there are a large number of residential camps operating throughout Europe and North America which can offer your child additional cultural and linguist experiences.

Multi-Activity Day Camps These are non-residential full-day camps running in your local area. They are for unaccompanied children from 3 years and above which usually run from Monday to Friday, offering a varied programme of sports or creative activities throughout the day. Typically multi-activity day camps involve 4 to 6 activities per day, with each activity session lasting between 1 and 1 ½ hours. Often the sessions focus on ‘tasters’ or introductions to a range of activities such as performing arts and outdoor adventure. Generally, children can attend for as many days as they wish, with a price discount for a full week’s attendance. Day camp arrival and departure times vary but the day usually starts between 9am and 10am and ends between 4 and 5pm. Many camps offer early drop off and late pick up options. Sports/Activity Courses or Workshops Specialising in a specific sport or activity such as performing arts or art and craft, these courses are usually for children of 7 years and above. They generally operate for 2 to 3 hours per day, running for just one day or as a progressive course over 4 to 5 days. Sports courses are often led by qualified instructors/coaches or by local authority sports/leisure centres, specialist swim centres or riding schools. National governing body awards can sometimes be achieved. Performing arts workshops tend to be run by performing arts schools who also offer term time classes for children. Holiday Play Schemes These offer non-residential full or part-day supervised childcare for unaccompanied children from age 3 and above but are usually run by voluntary organisations or local authorities. Activities at play schemes may be specific, such as sports or art and craft, or involve a range of different activities. Many play schemes run off-site trips to attractions such as museums or parks. In the main, they are provided for children living in the catchment area of the venue. Will I be able to use Childcare Vouchers or claim Tax Credits? You may be able to claim tax credits to help pay for your child’s summer activities. If you pay for them to attend and if the activity provider is registered and regulated then you can claim as you would for an after-school club or childminder. Parents enrolled in the Childcare Voucher scheme can also use their vouchers to subsidise the cost of summer childcare options including camps and courses. However, the provider must be registered and be prepared to accept vouchers. To check what help you could get with childcare costs, visit www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator

Come and Try Something New!

JDR Karting has a wide range of fun indoor activities for all the family from ages 4 to adults. The junior karting track is an ideal place for children’s birthday parties where they can drive on their own, with our party host guiding them how to drive and we have a café which is great for birthday food. It is also suitable for individuals so is very flexible. The senior track is for ages 12yrs to adults and we have many formats from an individual experience to a full race event. We recently installed a brand new Lasertag system, which features weapon changes and live information on the LED screen making it very immersive with heptic feedback and great sounds. We also offer a Segway experience, which is great fun from ages 6yrs to adults. We will teach you how to ride these amazing machines. Gift vouchers are available. We have a special offer to do all three experiences for £30.

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Classes, Clubs & Activities

heading to London to train professionally. I was one of the youngest ever franchisees to buy a theatre arts franchise age 23! I bought 2 schools and expanded to 5 within 3 years and loved learning how to run successful schools over 10 years before moving back to home town Cheltenham to build and expand ‘My Stage School. We opened in 2015 with around 40 children and now have over 260 with new schools due to open in September.

Your biggest achievements A A A A A A A A A A A My 2 children! Running the London marathon in 4 hours (only once which was enough!) Aside from personal achievements though I am proud of how passionate I am about my schools, I am proud that while it was incredibly hard to say goodbye to my 300 students in London and leave the schools I had built, I took a leap of faith and wasn’t afraid to start from scratch and put in sheer hard work, blood, sweat and tears. In 2018 we were voted runner up for the ‘new kid on the block awards’, ‘Small Awards’.  What the future brings A A A A A A A A A A A A More fabulous performances, Disney Troupe performance 2020, London troupe performances, New Wednesday School and ‘Academy’ school for ages 15-18.

5 minutes A with

Ellie Marsden

Families Gloucestershire caught up with the Principal of My Stage School, Ellie Marsden, to find out a little bit more about the force behind the Drama School. Your background I danced and performed in Cheltenham from age 2 before

What difference you have made to childrens lives A A A Where do I start. It depends on the child. After one show recently a lady come to me and said she childminds one of my students and told me she had never seen this child in that way before. She said she didn’t know she could perform like that and she was so proud.  I sent one other student to an audition recently has just received final call backs for a west end tour of Lion King - he has just been on cloud 9 throughout the process. He also landed a part in another west end show at Christmas and had the time of his life. These are just a couple of examples - aside from that we have seen many students who started with us from day 1 thrive in every way at ‘Stage School’, performing literally like west end stars and feeling better about themselves.  Top tips for children that want to do drama A A A A A Depending on what you want out of it, I would first establish exactly that.... if you just want to enjoy your lessons with like-minded friends that’s wonderful. If you want to pursue a career in the performing arts believe there is no end to what you can achieve and find coaches who work hard to show you how far you can take your training.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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What’s On

Celebrity Dusty Duck Trail at Slimbridge Wetland Centre 1 – 6 May, 9.30am at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Slimbridge Wetland Centre’s newest flock have landed just in time for spring. (01453) 89190 Into the Blue Exhibition at Nature in Art  1– 12 May, 10am at Nature in Art. Nature in Art’s spring exhibition aims to celebrate all things blue in nature. (01452) 731422 Cheltenham Christian Arts Festival 1 -12 May, 10am at Various venues across Cheltenham. Aiming to celebrate, challenge, entertain and engage, the Christian Arts Festival returns to Cheltenham (01242) 898403 The Butterfly Lion @ The Barn Theatre 1 – 4 May, 7.30pm at The Barn Theatre See a wonderful new adaption of Michael Morpurgo’s Butterfly Lion when it takes to the stage at The Barn Theatre... (01285) 648255 Cheltenham Jazz Festival 1 – 6 May. Times to be confirmed at Various venues across Cheltenham. Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2019 will see six days of beautiful, bold and brilliant music come to Cheltenham (01242) 850270 Badminton Horse Trials 1 – 5 May. The prestigious Badminton Horse Trials returns for another year of exhilarating equestrian events that sees riders compete... 8am at Badminton, GL9 1DF Holiday Dinosaur Weekend at Birdland 4 - 6 May. Calling all Dinosaur Hunters, Fossil

Fanatics and Potential Palaeontologists! Venture in to a Jurassic-themed landscape which is home to more than 30 different dinosaurs ranging from a metre-long baby stegosaurus to a terrifying T-Rex. Younger visitors can unearth a series of fossilised remains at a special prehistoric boneyard. Bourton-on-the-Water. (01451) 820480 Dawn Chorus Walk at Sudeley Castle  4 May, 5.30am at Sudeley Castle and Gardens Nature lovers can listen out for beautiful birdsong with the Dawn Chorus Walks at Sudeley Castle this spring.  (01242) 604244 Eastnor Chilli Fest 5 -May, 10.30am at Eastnor Castle. The Eastnor Chilli Fest will be heating up the May bank holiday, returning for its eighth year with delicious food and entertainment (01531) 633160 Jousting Knights at Berkeley Castle 5 - 6 May. Don’t miss this great favourite on the Castle calendar, as Knights and their impressive steeds battle it out in a spectacular joust on the grounds of the Castle.   Enjoy their fabulous tournaments and saddle stunt displays.  Meet and greet the gallant Knights and their wonderful horses after each show. Berkeley Castle, Berkeley, Glos.GL13 9BQ. 01453 810303 RHS Malvern Spring Festival 9 – 12 May. Three Counties Showground Beautiful blooms, incredible show gardens, foodie favourites and heaps of family fun will all be in their bucket load... (01684) 584924 EDITORS PICK The Isbourne’s Great Spring Treasure Trail at Pittville Park  11 May, 11am at Pittville Park  Get the family together for some free outdoorsy fun this May when The Isbourne hosts a Spring Treasure Trail for all of the family. (01242) 254321 Sudeley Castle Joust 11 - 12 May, 10am at Sudeley Castle and Gardens Take a step back in time and enjoy a weekend of dramatic jousting as The Knights of Royal England ride into Sudeley Castle. (01242) 604244 Teddy Bears Picnic at Perrygrove Railway, 12 May 10.30am – 5pm. Pack a picnic and bring along your favourite Teddy and get in for half price! Armed with a key, clues and a day of fun ahead, explore the whole of Perrygrove to unlock

Families Gloucestershire

your box of treasure. A trip takes just over 30 minutes but most passengers get off to go to the picnic and play area at Foxy Hollow, or to go treasure hunting or den building in the woods. Your ticket lasts all day and you can ride the steam train as many times as you like. There are four stations on the railway, each with paths leading to lovely walks through beautiful woodland. Perrygrove Road, Coleford, Gloucestershire, GL16 8QB. 01594 834991 Gloucester Docks Dragon Boat Regatta 12 May. Times to be confirmed at Gloucester Docks. Head along to the annual boat race which attracts hundreds of spirited spectators each year. Oliver at Everyman Theatre 14-18 May, 7pm at Everyman Theatre Consider yourself in for some great entertainment this May, when the Cotswold Savoyards present an uplifting amateur adaptation...(01242) 572573 Frampton-on-Severn Swan Trail at Lakefield C of E Primary School 18- 19 May, 1pm at Frampton-on-Severn Swans are taking over in the first ever Frampton-on-Severn Swan Trail. Spring to Life at Slimbridge Wetland Centre 25 May – 2 June, 9.30am at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Happy families can celebrate the new season at Slimbridge Wetland Centre during its Spring to Life event. (01453) 891900 EDITORS CHOICE Lemur Week at Cotswold Wildlife Park 25 May – 2 June. During May half term Cotswold Wildlife Park will be holding its annual Lemur Week in aid of raising as much funds as possible for their Madagascan conservation projects.  There are lots of fun activities planned, including a lemur drawing competition, board games, lemur themed merchandise to purchase and two lemur talks held within the walkthrough each day. Visit the kiosk outside of the Madagascar exhibit, where you can chat to their passionate Keepers, learn about their conservation work in Madagascar and find out how you can help to protect these charismatic primates. Cotswold Wildlife Park, Nr. Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4JP Fire, Wood & Heritage Festival at Dean Heritage Centre 25 – 27 May, 10am at Dean Heritage Centre Expect charcoal burning and chainsaw carving when the Forest of Dean favourite returns to the Dean Heritage Centre this year. (01594) 822170 Nature Week at Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park 25 May - 2 June, Celebrate all things wild and explore nature, with fun activities and demonstrations for everyone to enjoy.Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Power, Cheltenham GL54 5UG. 01451 850307 EDITORS PICK Gloucester Tall Ships and Adventure Festival 25 – 27 May, 10am at Gloucester Docks Celebrate the spring bank holiday in style when Gloucester Tall Ships Festival sails into the city, bringing history to life. www.familiesonline.co.uk

Penguin Week at Birdland 25 May - 2 June. Join Birdland’s keepers as they introduce you to everybody’s favourite flightless bird with a whole week dedicated to their most popular residents. Birdland, Rissington Road, Bourton-on-the Water, Glos. GL54 2BN. 01451 820480 Medieval Merriment at Berkeley Castle 26 - 27 May. Two days of action-packed Magnificent Medieval Merriment with the Company of Chivalry. Lords, ladies, gunpowder, soldiers’ drill, living history, music, candle-making and cookery demonstrations with the fantastic backdrop of a real Castle. Berkeley Castle, Berkeley, Glos. GL13 9BQ Vintage Eastnor 26 – 27 May, 10.30am at Eastnor Castle Promising two days of nostalgic family fun this May, Vintage Eastnor features everything from jazz music to steam engines. (01531) 633160 Art Unbound at Painswick Rococo Garden  Starts 26 May, 10.30am at Painswick Rococo Garden. Expect flamboyance and theatrics when Painswick Rococo Gardens’ new summer exhibition, Art Unbound, arrives this May. (01452) 813204 Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 27 May - Free Event, 12pm at Cooper’s Hill, Gloucester, GL3 4SB. The Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling is expected to return in 2019, with spectators flocking from far and wide to see the double Gloucester race down the hill! Tetbury Woolsack Races 27 May - Free event. Times to be confirmed at Tetbury town centre and Gumstool Hill Tetbury will test fitness fanatics with a fearless streak when the Woolsack Races return to the Cotswold town in May. Rag Rugs – Craft Drop in at The Holst Birthplace Museum Tuesday 28 May. Craft Drop in session. Learn the traditional Victorian past time of rag rugging and make your own mini one to take away.  Suggested Donation £1 per child with valid entry ticket. Holst Birthplace Museum, 4 Clarence Road, Cheltenham, GL52 2AY. 11-3pm.  Tom Gates Live on stage at Everyman Theatre 29th May – 1st June, 6pm at Everyman Theatre. From the producer behind the huge hit shows, Gangsta Granny and Horrible Histories, Tom Gates Live on stage will be

coming to Cheltenham. (01242) 572573 Wychwood Music Festival 31st May – 2nd June, 12pm at Cheltenham Racecourse. Returning to Cheltenham Racecourse for another year, Wychwood Music Festival is back with an epic 2019 line up. www.wychwoodfestival.com (01993) 772580 Robert Dover's Cotswold Olimpick Games 31st May, times to be confirmed at Dover's Hill, Chipping Campden. Fans of medieval traditions won’t want to miss the eagerlyawaited return of Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpick Games, 407years after it first began. Cheltenham Science Festival 4 – 9 June, times to be confirmed at Taking place at various locations around Cheltenham Cheltenham Science Festival 2019 is set to bring together some of the world’s greatest scientists. (01242) 850270 Meet the Machinery at Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park 8 – 9 June, back by popular demand… Following the success of last year’s weekend, the Cotswold Farm Park is once again giving visitors the chance to get up close to their biggest pieces of equipment... Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Power, Cheltenham GL54 5UG, 01451 850307 Summer family fun day at Berkeley Castle 9 June, Berkeley Castle is delighted to welcome The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild as they host their Summer family fun day at Berkeley Castle for the first time.  Visitors of all ages will be able to see a range of puppet shows, have a go themselves and make a puppet of your own to take home!  Berkeley Castle, Berkeley, Glos. GL13 9BQ

What’s On

Cheltenham Balloon Fiesta 22-23 June, times to be confirmed at  Cheltenham Racecourse. Watch the magnificent hot-air balloons as they take off from Cheltenham Racecourse and drift across the Cotswold skyline.

Peppa Pig Weekend at Cattle Country 22 - 23 June, Peppa Pig and George will be visiting Cattle Country. They will be appearing together at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm Come and meet the mischievous characters… don’t forget your cameras! Please book your park tickets as usual for the day then book a time slot that you would like the children to see them. Time slots for this event will fill up quickly, so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. Cattle Country Adventure Park, Berkeley, Glos. GL13 9EW Pied Piper Appeal's Summer Show 29 – 30 June, 10am at Highnam Court, Gloucester, GL2 8DP Returning for its 10th anniversary, Pied Piper Appeal’s Summer Show sets up in Gloucester this June. 0300 4226119 Eastgate Chamber Tours (Civic Trust) Various dates throughout May and June With a Civic Trust guide, visit the Eastgate Chamber and discover Roman walls from the 2nd and 4th centuries, a medieval gate tower from the 13th century and a horsepool from the mid-16th century.  The tour lasts approx. 40 minutes and meets in the Gloucester Museum reception. Book tickets online at www.gloucesterticketshop. co.uk or ring (01452) 396131.

Events listed are subject to change. Please check event web site before you plan your visit.

Royal Three Counties Show 14 – 16 June, 8am at Three Counties Showground, Malvern, WR13 6NW Country pursuits, British farming, television personalities, entertainment galore, and much more await visitors. (01684) 584924 • Play

Barn with Soft Play Areas • Outdoor Picnic & Play Areas • Giant Sandpits • Zipwire • Trampolines • Egg collecting • Animal Hands On & Feeding • Tractor Trailer Ride UPCOMING EVENTS Bouncing Bunnies Toddler Mornings .

All of the normal fun, plus a free, extra session suitable for your little ones!* After School Summer Fun

www.NewbridgeFarmPark.com

Nr Ledbury, HR8 2QG

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During June & July, admission is half price after school.*

* 01531 670780 More details on our website.

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Faith Maund, 9, out and about after school in Pitville Park

William & Jack Brundrett from St Johns Academy. Making dens in the forest above Beechenhurst, in the Forest of Dean!â€Ż

Gloucestershire

Isaac Folker with Granny & Gramps In his back garden making Damper Bread in Cress Green, Eastington

Anabelle and Pippa Newbegin from Watermoor CofE Cirencester, taking it in turns to blow bubbles

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Robert Tuck at last years annual cow hunt

Chloe Tyrrell from Stroud at Slimbridge WWT

COVER KIDS FINALISTS Thank you so much to everyone that entered the Cover Kids competition on Facebook. Here are the Cover Kids runners up that made it through to the final few!

Little Elijah Davidson from Tewksbury, now 15 month`s old

Little Elijah Davidson from Tewksbury,now 15 month`s old

Riley Savery, 6, from Longlevens infant school, and Mia Savery, 3, from Playdays, Longlevens, Gloucester

Chili Sargent, 3

Cousins Rosie-May Alcock- Redding from Leckhampton Primary School and Cherry-Rose Watts from Birmingham

Poppie 3 years old, photo taken in local wildlife walking area in Cirencester

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&T Isobelle Mayes, aged 3, from Little Pips Nursery, enjoying the sunshine at Pittville Park.

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Families Gloucestershire

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