FREE! Thames Valley East September/October 2016 - Issue 86 RECRUITING NOW Successful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside & without compromising family commitments or current career. If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background, or you wish to develop an extraordinary lifestyle, please call Diana Page 01235 533362 07747 086518 BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL! plus 01628 317558 CLUBS & CLASSES ...endless ideas for families of young children. Packed with interesting features and fun things to do with the family in Maidenhead - Windsor - Marlow - Ascot - Slough - Egham in this Welcome to our bumper Education special (pages 6-17) and Clubs and Classes extravaganza (pages 18-26). Whether you have a child starting their first term or a tween transitioning to issue secondary school we have some great advice for you. Including some great #MumHacks from 3 News & Information author Tanith Carey, plus some sage advice from our readers too (pages 16-17). We also want to wish Naomi Riches MBE good luck in her #165 challenge (read more below). I had the pleasure EDUCATION SPECIAL of meeting her in the summer and she is one of the most inspiring individuals I have 6 Back to School - A survival ever met. Whatever you do, enjoy the new term and a bit of peace and quiet and guide we’ll be back with our festive issue in November! 8 Early Years Education - the key benefits 10 How to support your year 7 child Naomi Riches takes part in #165challenge 12 Education News Naomi Riches MBE, London 2012 Paralympic 16 Mum Hacks - a new book to Champion and six-time World Champion help get you through the rower, is preparing to take on her greatest new term challenge yet - rowing 165 miles non-stop in CLUBS AND CLASSES a single scull down the River Thames in 50 18 Stretching your Children hours or less! 19 Clubs Directory Families were lucky enough to hear her talk 25 Clubs and Classes News about the challenge in person at a Maidenhead Business Girls event in the 27 What’s On summer. 32 Tips on Choosing Fireworks The challenge starts on Saturday 17 33 Don’t Worry be Happy - Natalie September and will see Naomi rowing from Riches and not be defined by my disability. I Trice says ‘live your dream’ Lechlade to Gravesend Royal Pier in an want to be known for what I am able to do, 34 Children’s Parties - who to invite attempt to set a new Guiness World Record. not what I cannot do.” 35 Halloween Treats - Get Cooking She is undertaking the challenge to raise Funds raised will be used to improve the 36 Book Reviews - Helping your money for her Patron charity IN-vision – an patient pathway and support collaboration in child enjoy their homework organisation dedicated to researching the eye Nystagmus Research Centres. 37 Treating Fever in Young condition Infantile Nystagmus, which she was To see where she will be along the river or read more about her motivation and Children diagnosed with at just eight weeks old. Naomi also hopes it will also be a way of charitable aims, see 38 She Means Business encouraging people to celebrate ability over www.thegreatthamesrow.org or to find out 39 Classifieds disability. Naomi recently talked to more about getting involved or doing some Maidenhead Business Girls Meet-Up about fundraising, please contact liz@in- www.familiesonline.co.uk her challenge and they are urging local vision.org.uk T: 01628 627586 schools to get involved to help raise money. E: [email protected] At school, Naomi was bullied for being editor: Claire Winter circulation: 19,5 00 different. She says: “More than anything else in next issue: Nov/Dec 2016 - my life I wanted to be known as Naomi due out: November 3, featuring: Festive Fun Go Green for Halloween with the NSPCC R funds for to support work with children in the local community through their School Service. Whether you wear it, bake it, or sell it, anything goes as long as it is green! copy/advertising deadline: October 1 The School Service allows the NSPCC to go Cover Image: www.istockphoto.com into primary schools to speak directly to children and young people to help them understand abuse and give them the confidence and courage to speak out and The NSPCC is encouraging people to hold a seek help if they ever need it. For more spooky ‘Go Green’ event at their school, details, see www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can- • twitter.com/familiestve facebook.com/FamiliesTVE nursery or office this Halloween to raise do/events/go-green-halloween Telephone: 01628 627 586 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 FAMILIES Thames Valley East 3 ........Asian-styleNews teaching & programmeInfo........Perfect your public speaking with may help UK kids Cookham actress! A new system for teaching maths used in Are you a nervous public speaker? Surveys Asia will sweep the nation, the tell us that talking to a crowd is one of the Department for Education has said. most feared things in life! Actress and Sparky’s drama coach, Amber Edlin, has The Department has pledged £41 helped many employees improve their million for over 8,000 schools - half of all presentation skills, be it for job interviews, UK schools - to start to introduce Asian- promotions, presentations and pitches. style maths tuition, called ‘Maths Mastery’. Amber has been working as a Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong lead professional actress for 20 years, across the world in maths performance, using the theatre, film, TV, commercials and system and those using it have been shown voiceovers. She set up Sparky’s Drama in to perform better than their peers. 2013, offering performing arts classes locally, The system means that teachers spend a teaches LAMDA privately within schools lot of time on one topic to make sure that and also offers corporate workshops and children understand it fully. They also coaching for individuals. Most recently she has worked for Heston Blumenthal's teams discover how problems relate to their at The Fat Duck. everyday life, so they are given context. The system was created by educational Amber says: “Communication is such an psychologists and specialists and the result important life skill, especially with developing technology, meaning we stare at is a sequence of lessons supported by high mobile phones and computer screens. I quality textbooks. thoroughly enjoy giving people of any age Maths Mastery gives children the ability the techniques and confidence to speak and to recognise patterns, see connections and connect. I believe it to be a valuable skill, to be able to visualise – the main which could be life-changing.” For more ingredients of problem-solving. details, see www.mathematicsmastery.org www.sparkysdrama.co.uk Celebrate Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday! • We will teach your child to swim September will see the biggest ever global • Pre-school children will participate in Forest School activities celebration of Roald Dahl’s birthday, • We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum • We are competitively priced and accept all childcare vouchers marking 100 years since his birth. • We have free on-site parking People can sign up to receive a • We offer a free family complimentary health club membership for all full-time children downloadable party pack, so you can celebrate at home, at school, in the library Nuffield Health Day Nursery - Stoke Poges or living room. There is bunting, stickers Wexham Street, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, SL3 6NB and templates to decorate, activity sheets Tel: 01753 663996 and party games – or you could even host Email: [email protected] a Roald Dahl quiz – to see who is the biggest fan! From Roald Dahl films and singalongs to dressing up, all money raised upwards. To join in with the worldwide BOOK NOW for advertising in our Nov/Dec 2016 issue will go to Roald Dahl’s Marvellous celebrations and get your downloadable Due out November 3 Children’s Charity, which makes life better pack, go to: www.roalddahl.com/roald- email: [email protected] for seriously-ill children. Everything dahl/roald-dahl-100/party-pack- included is suitable for children aged 5 and registration. LEARN TO TOUCH-TYPE AND SPELL YVONNE THOMAS (SpLd Tutor) Performing Arts Classes Do you want to rebuild your confidence after taking a career break or find your ideal job? Are you struggling with work-life balance or unsure what direction you want your career to take? Acting for Film & Theatre Maidenhead after school clubs teaching multi- Musical Theatre • LAMDA sensory touch-typing and structured spelling, to Build Confidence, Have Fun & Learn Great Skills! Whatever your career challenge, help students (including those with dyslexia and All Classes taught by DBS checked industry professionals √ida Coaching can help. dyspraxia) gain a life skill, communicating ideas quicker; building confidence and self-esteem. Book your FREE TRIAL Visit: www.vidacoaching.co.uk £20/hour, small groups. Call Amber on 07889 311414 • [email protected] Call Tanya on 07729 673 291 or Holiday courses – see website. WWW.SPARKYSDRAMA.CO.UK Email [email protected] www.dttts.co.uk • Tel: 07929 528642 4 FAMILIES Thames Valley East SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 E-mail: [email protected] ........NewNews party package & from Info........Learn to read in just five weeks SportsAble for free! SportsAble, the grassroots Paralympic sports Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive range of club based in Maidenhead, has released a online reading lessons and e-books that teach children’s party package that offers children of children aged 3 to13 the literacy skills all ages and abilities the chance to learn new needed for a lifetime of reading skills and enjoy the freedom and fun that sport success.