Issue 37 March/April 2017 FREE Gloucestershire St Edward’s Preparatory School Reception: Off To A Great Start... Page 7 Really useful information for parents of 0-12 year olds in Gloucestershire Editor’s Letter News & Views Dear readers Call For Official Spring has sprung, the trees are Slimbridge Scoops Gold blossoming and the flowers are coming WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre has been awarded Gold Screen Time Guidance into bloom. The days are getting longer accolade status from the Visit England, Visitor Attraction Quality If you have ever worried about the and the weather is feeling warmer. Scheme. This is a huge national achievement as the accolade is amount of time your children spend in not given lightly and only a small proportion of visitor front of smartphones, computers, And with the Easter Hols just around attractions receive it every year. consoles and TV, you are certainly not the corner, now is the time to start alone. A group of 40 leading authors, thinking about unplugging your little darlings from whatever Visit England accolades are available to attractions that are part educationalists and child-development electronics they have become attached to and getting them out of the Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme and are allocated experts have called for official guidelines of the house for some fresh air and good old fashioned fun. through a robust scoring system based on an annual assessment on screen use by children up to 12 to be by Visit England. The highly prized Gold accolade award is drawn up by recognised authorities on The benefits of being active outside for our physical health and reserved for top-scoring attractions and it is thanks to the hard child health and development. mental well-being are well documented and it is especially work and commitment of all the staff and volunteers that important for young children. Slimbridge has achieved this prestigious status. For more In a letter to The Guardian the group, information: www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge which includes author Philip Pullman, In this issue we learn how our local schools are making A new species to arrive at Cotswold Wildlife Park is the mysterious Binturong, psychotherapist Susie Orbach, childcare outdoor learning a key part of education. We also present a few from the forests of South East Asia, where it spends most of its time in the expert Penelope Leach and the former ideas on how you can make the most of the outside with your trees. Otherwise known as the “Bear-Cat”, the Binturong is a strange creature in archbishop of Canterbury Rowan little ones too. So, go on! Get out there and enjoy the great its habits and appearance. Despite its bulk and relatively slow nature, it is Williams, said it also wants to see the outdoors. surprisingly agile in the trees and uses its prehensile tail for balance as it moves creation of a minister for children. This around looking for its favourite fruits. Should you ever be close enough, you will cabinet-level role would assess the Diane Clifford. Editor detect a faint aroma of popcorn emanating from the “Bear-Cat” as he moves impact of all government policies on 01684 770566 about his exhibit near our Reptile House, from a scent gland at the base of his children’s health and wellbeing. [email protected] tail. For more information: www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk The letter also called for a kindergarten- Next issue May/June 2017 style education for 3 to 7-year olds, Booking Deadline 3 April It is Mother’s Day on Sunday 26 March, so put your thinking cap on and come up with which would emphasise emotional and A 10 day Aviation Scholarship promising older kids the something special. Check out the many attractions across Gloucestershire that are social development and encourage running special Mother’s Day events. At many of them mums go free! www.familiesonline.co.uk chance to log up to 10 hours flying time is being offered by outdoor play. Cotswold Airport. The Cotswold Airport Aviation Scholarship In this issue is open to students from Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire; applicants must be 14 to 18 Parents Believe Mandarin Is 2 News & Views 10 Clubs And Classes years of age on 19 March 2017. The scholarship is funded Most Useful Non-Europoean 4 Education 12 Easter by Gulf Aviation. Apply online at www.cotswoldairport.com 6 Ed’s Reading Room 14 What’s On Language For Kids To Learn UK parents see Mandarin Chinese as the most important non- Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Playing Outside Could Reduce @FamiliesGlos FamiliesGlos European language for their children to learn. The Risk Of Short-Sighteness Would you like to advertise your French, Spanish and German were still the top languages of Spending time outdoors as a teenager could reduce the chances choice but a majority of parents saw value in learning Mandarin. business to over 38,000 parents in our of becoming short-sighted as an adult, according to a new study. More than half (56%) of those questioned in a Populus survey commissioned by the Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) May/June Spring Half-Term issue The study, by researchers from the London School of Hygiene felt that the language would open their children’s minds to an & Tropical Medicine and Kings College London, looked at more “exciting and dynamic” culture. 51% also thought that learning of Families Gloucestershire? than 3,000 people aged 65-plus. The researchers took blood Mandarin would boost their kids’ future career prospects. samples, conducted eye examinations and interviewed Book Today participants to gauge their levels of exposure to sunlight since Mark Herbert, of the British Council, which is backing the MEP 01684 770566 early adolescence. along with the UCL Institute Of Education, said: “With the global economy becoming more interconnected and the drive [email protected] The results found that those with the highest exposure to to boost exports, language skills are increasingly vital for work sunlight in their teenage and young adult years were up to 30% and life. Circulation: 19,000 copies of Families Gloucestershire are available through nurseries, pre-schools, less likely to become myopic or short-sighted. schools, libraries, soft play centres, selected shops and other distribution points throughout the “Mandarin Chinese is one of the languages that matter most to county. If you would like free copies for your organisation or if you would like to subscribe so you don’t miss an issue please contact us. Families Gloucestershire is part of Families Magazines Ltd a The paper’s senior author, Professor Astrid Fletcher, said: “We the UK’s future prosperity. If the UK is to remain competitive franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated know spending time outdoors can protect against myopia but on the world stage, we need far more of our young people 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 Gloucestershire are fully the reasons why are less clear. Our study showed that exposure leaving school with a good grasp of Mandarin in order to protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any to sunlight is likely to be the major factor due to stimulation of successfully work abroad or for businesses here in the UK. 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 physiological factors associated with eye growth, rather than Learning Mandarin is also a fascinating process that brings a accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.’ Print: The Manson Group, Reynolds House, through its action on vitamin D production.” valuable understanding of Chinese culture,” he added. 8 Porters Wood, Valley Road Industrial Estate, St Albans. AL3 6PZ. Tel: 01727 848 440. 2 Families Gloucestershire To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: [email protected] March-April 2017 March-April 2017 To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: [email protected] 3 Education Education Independent School Open Days Berkhampstead School, Cheltenham Dean Close School, Chelteham St Edward’s School, Cheltenham. Co-ed ages 3 – 11 Board and day co-ed ages 2 years 9 Co-ed 2 – 11 years The Magic Of Outdoor Learning Saturday 11 March months to 18 years Friday 28 April If you go down to the woods today – what surprises will you safe environment of Forest School, means they are able to learn Contact 01242 523263 Saturday 4 March Contact 01242 538900 find? On a visit to Dean Close Pre-Prep School, you will find how to naturally judge a risk for themselves, (albeit a low risk www.berkhampsteadschool.co.uk Contact 01242 258079 www.stedwards.co.uk not bears but excited children enjoying the wonderful that has been assessed by teachers) such as exploring and outdoors and making all sorts of exciting discoveries, says Dr climbing over logs and uneven areas, avoiding brambles and Bredon School, Cheltenham www.deanclose.org.uk Westonbirt Prep School, Tetbury Carolyn Shelley, Headmistress of Dean Close Pre-Prep School. Board and day co-ed ages 3 – 18 King’s School, Gloucester Co-ed Preparatory Day School & Wednesday 15 March Co-ed day school ages 3 – 18 years Nursery ages 3 – 11 years Contact 01684 293156 Saturday 11 March Saturday 18 March 9.00am-12.00noon Schools all over the country are realising the value of taking www.bredonschool.org www.thekingsschool.co.uk Contact 01666 880333 or email learning outside, enabling children to connect with nature and www.westonbirtschools.co.uk providing an important and different type of experience in their Cheltenham College Prep School Rendcomb College, Cirencester educational journey.