My latest blog for Guardian Teach

Read on The Guardian site

At Little Kingshill Combined Primary School in Buckinghamshire they're seriously green. Having achieved its Green Flag Eco School accreditation in 2009, the school is now working to fundraise for solar panels to be installed on the roof. Teacher Helen McCammond said: "All being well, these will be on and working by around Easter next year."

Here, teachers organise an Eco Week each year; a chance for the entire school to do nothing but green projects. Helen said: "Last year my class did activities relating to their local environment. We also have visitors in, talking about their travels and about environmental impact. Basically, inspiring our children to think of the world in which they live."

"The school had a visit earlier this year from Re-cycler." Helen explains: "This is a robot and 'friend' who come in to a whole school assembly to teach the children about the importance of reducing what we use and reusing before recycling. Of course the children adored this and, fun as it was, it also reinforced all they'd learnt."

While the school had, for years, had green as a goal, the big eco push started soon after Helen joined the school in 2008. "We have the full backing of the headteacher, Mrs Grishma Sutaria." Grishma has a hybrid car in the car park and is clearly on-message and sharing in Helen's passion.

"Back in 2008 the first project we tackled was to transform an area of wasteland in the school into an eco garden," said Helen. This project commenced with clearing days at the weekends, when parents came and helped, alongside their children, to clear the area. Then the children designed what they wanted and, as Helen said: "Through fantastic co-operation, what they wanted was achieved. We ended up with an eco garden and an outdoor classroom."

Building on the level of all-round positivity the environmental projects were accumulating, it seemed logical to run a specific club for green issues each week. Helen runs the Environment Club (and, she tells us, she's even talked her dad into helping her) for children from year one to year six.

They have a packed schedule. "We do different things each week, we're always busy; we might be taking cuttings for growing, or discussing ideas around how to improve the school site." There's often arrangements made for litter picking or putting up new hanging baskets, or planting in certain areas. Helen explains: "It's about getting them to think about the school environment, respecting it and, ultimately, taking ownership of it."

With gardening and planting comes tools. With tools come responsibility. Helen said: "The children relish using the tools, it feels so grown up. They soon pick up the correct names for them as well as the skills they need to protect themselves."

"We love to plant fruit and veg and everything we grow is organic." They've planted potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, raspberries, beans, spinach, rhubarb - the list goes on. "This becomes a fantastic science lesson. They learn how to look after the plants so they give the best yield. The children experience caring for living things, about when to harvest and which parts of the plant are safe to eat. Seeing the children's faces when they harvest the first potatoes is priceless - especially those who think that all food comes pre-packed from the supermarket."

What's more, all this growing, has the knock-on effect of boosting healthy eating. "One of my own highlights is when we harvest some of the vegetables and then together cook them. The children find they are trying (and actually liking) things they wouldn't usually. "My class made rhubarb crumble this year, as well as leek and potato soup for Comenius visitors (teachers from five European countries) as well as spinach and runner bean soup - surprisingly tasty."
"Recycling's on our list of priorities too", says Helen. They currently recycle plastics, tins, paper, school uniform, printer cartridges, mobile phones, and "lots more". They compost their fruit peelings from the key stage one fruit scheme and then use the compost on their crops.
Speaking to schools that push for a greener environment all mention this notion of team work, of pulling together. Little Kingshill sees this as one of the most fundamental gains. Helen notes that at the eco club all the children work well together, across both year groups and genders. She delights in the fact that they all love to be busy working towards a shared, hugely positive goal.

Looking for a new school? Feature for School Run

Read the full feature on the School Run site

Visiting a primary school: what to look for and questions to ask

It’s really essential to visit a school in order to get a feel for it. You might have heard rumours about what a school is like or read its Ofsted report, but nothing is as important as visiting. When a teacher applies for a job at a school, if they don’t visit before applying or prior to being interviewed they are pretty unlikely to get the job; that’s because it’s taken as fact by those working in education that unless you go and take a look around, chat to the staff and watch the children at work, you really don’t know the school at all.

• A good school will be happy for you to visit but you do need to phone and arrange a suitable time.
• Go during school hours so you can see the children working and playing. Note how they’re working in teams and how enthused they appear by their work.
• Look at displays. Do they look newly done or like they’ve been up for years? I would look for displays that celebrate excellent work and displays that are interactive. Interactive displays are designed to be changed on a daily or weekly basis. They might be showing what is being worked on in class that week and invite children to come and have a go at something, for example: Can you put these numbers in order? Interactive displays are generally regarded as good practice as they demonstrate using the environment as a teaching tool.
• Ask about parent helpers. You might not have the time to help out, but ask anyway! Good schools should welcome parent helpers, both wanting the help and wanting to involve the larger community in school life.
• Find out about extra-curricular clubs – there’s an enormous variety between schools when it comes to how much after-school / lunch-time provision they have. From singing and musical instruments, to board games and sports these extra-curricular activities can make an enormous difference to a child’s school experience and also can indicate level of commitment and enthusiasm from teachers.

The school website – what to look for

I think that you can tell a fair bit about a school these days from their homepage (it is, after all, what they want people to know about their school first). There you will probably find a statement about their ethos – read it. Is it what you think of as most important? School philosophies can vary enormously!
On the site you might also find newsletters archived. Have a read through – just from the tone you can get a feel for the school. Some newsletters are just a list of parent tellings-off whilst others are bursting with celebration of school sports and achievement. You might also find other information on the school website, such as a calendar of up and coming trips and visitors coming into school. For me, the busier the better – we want our children to be enthusiastic about their learning so the teachers need to be, too.

Reading an Ofsted report: a teacher's tips

You can’t tell everything from an Ofsted report by any stretch of the imagination, but they are nonetheless a useful tool.

Number on roll
This tells you how many children are at the school. This is a really personal issue; some parents dream of sending their children to a teeny village school, whereas others get the shivers at the very idea! Never assume that if it is a village school with, say, 70 on roll, that your child will be in a small class. This isn’t always the case as schools will mix year groups together, so the actual class sizes could still be around the 30 mark.

Description of the school
I would hazard a guess this is the section many parents go to first and analyse at length! Here you can read about the socio-economic and cultural mix at the school. How many children are entitled to free school meals is considered an indication of level of social deprivation. Personally I’m looking for a good mix here. Don’t get hung up on how many children have English as an Additional Language; many schools have extra support to help manage language issues. If your child goes to a school filled with languages and cultures to learn from they can only benefit. There may be something here on whether children are taught in mixed-aged classes. Don’t let this put you off – all classes have huge differentiation and children can learn very successfully in mixed-aged groups.

Inspection judgements
When inspected the school is given an overall rating (Outstanding, Good, Satisfactory or Inadequate). Then you can see the judgment broken down into:
Achievement
Quality of Teaching
Behaviour and safety
Leadership
It’s really a personal issue as to which you find most important. You might feel that you could forgive, for instance, a Satisfactory in Achievement if Behaviour is Outstanding.

My latest blog for Guardian Teach: Out today on being a teacher - parent

Read on the Guardian Teach site

 

Before having children, when I was a full-time class teacher, I’d quite harshly put parents into categories. They weren’t ones which I’d talk about out loud of course, indeed even my normally politically correct brain would refrain me from fully acknowledging them to myself, but they were there. There was “that kind” of parent or “that type”.  And who were the worse? The ones I feared most by far were those who started the term with an, “As a teacher…” sentence.

Well, I’ll tell you that, as a teacher, and now a parent, I’m yet to utter those 3 poisoned words in any setting I’ve taken my children to. Sure, it comes up, it’s no secret. When I had phonics explained to me I let it slip that I did understand a little about that, and two and two was added and equalled to “oh God another annoying teacher parent”. Square that by, “let’s hope she won’t interfere”!

There was another instant when, at a pre-school my son went to, one of the practitioners said; “Are you a teacher?” I thought she must have noticed my fabulous interaction with the children, my expert, child-centred chit chat each morning. I said “yes, how did you know?” blushing, ready for the compliment. “Oh, just that you called a water apron a water apron”. Yep, I know all about aprons, me.

But I know, on this front at least, I’m not a nightmare parent. I don’t interfere, I’m positive and say things like, “sorry, I know you’re really busy” and “don’t worry it’s fine”. These sentences trip off the tongue almost obsessively, trying to compensate for the fact that they know I’m a teacher and they know (as do I) what that can mean.

 

On the Home Front though, I am basically a nightmare parent. Whilst I know all about learning through play, and vehemently advocate the less target-driven approach to a holistic education, give me a list of spellings and one of my off-spring and I’m off, absorbed into a teaching approach last seen somewhere mid last century.

Some time last term, when a mere babe of a Year 1, my daughter was sent home with a list of spellings that I glanced at and tutted at profusely (still in nice, non-pushy mode) thinking, “Mountain?? Dolphin?? Elephant? Why on earth does she need to know these words? Not exactly easy. Not even useful for that matter.

100 metres later, at my front door to be precise, I was in a fluster. I was going to make her know those words come Monday. It was so important she knew how to spell mountain, I realised that now. Cancel ballet lessons, cancel the play-date, postpone the fun, it’s /m/ /ou/ /n/ /t/ai//n/ and nothing else this weekend.

I don’t know what it is. Why I can be one kind of teacher (and as a writer on education I’ve often been referred to as “hippy dippy” and “lefty” – badges I’ll wear with pride) yet when it comes to my flesh and blood, I’m only just short of using a dunce cap!

I have friends who’ve home schooled. The negative comments you hear around this notion is that it’s far too relaxed; no structure, too laissez faire all round. Not in my gaff.  The only reason I couldn’t’ contemplate home schooling would be because I actually quite like my children and wouldn’t want to subject them to my stricter than strict approach that’s induce only by the combination of their mere presence and an educational activity.

But with this new term approaching, I’m going to endeavour to practise (at home) what I preach (professionally). My kids won’t recognise this new “Homework? But what about our den building?” other Mother, dressed in their evil authoritarian Mother’s clothes.

I’ll let you know how I go. Best get back to the kids, the 3 year old hasn’t finished his 7 times tables.

Storage Solutions

Anyone with kids with loads of stuff, so let's make that anyone with kids, knows just what an issue storage is!

Kids just hoard so much, don't they? Dressing up stuff, bricks, dinosaurs...

That's why I was so pleased when GLTC said we could try out this from their Lazzari Storage range.

Like with so much from GLTC, it's functional and child-friendly yet stylish enough for you to actually want to have it in your house! It's really big, strong and kid-proof! 100% recommended!

Lazzari Storage £42

Signing Feature for Maternity and Infant ie

Recent years have seen an enormous growth in the popularity of signing with babies. So what’s got some Mums enthusing over this relatively new phenomena? Phoebe Doyle discovers the benefits to be gained.

Ultimately baby signing is a form of pre-verbal communication that parents learn along with their baby through enjoyable musical sessions. Tiny Talk (www.tinytalk.co.uk ) teacher Fiona Anderson from Belfast explains the basic premise; “Babies understand so much before they can talk. From as early as 6 to 9 months old, babies can begin to tell you what they want, what they are thinking about and how they feel.” Signing works because babies get control in their hands long before they’re able to speak; babies that have been signed to since birth can often do a couple of signs at 6 months, compared to first words which come much later, usually after their first birthday.

“Frustrations and tantrums are greatly reduced because the baby gets their message understood. There’s nothing worse than trying to guess why your baby is crying and agitated”, says Kildare based Jackie Quinn from Tiny Talk, “a simple sign such as milk or dummy might give you the answer; this kind of communication is a wonderful skill to be able to give your baby.” What’s more Jackie is determined that it’s not just the parents that should benefit; “Getting the whole family to join in, teaching siblings or granny the simple signs, can help everyone to have a deeper level of understanding and a greater rapport with the baby”.

Fiona explains how she began signing; “I have two children and I starting signing with my youngest when he was 4 months. I loved it so much I began teaching when he was 1. By the time he was 20 months he had 100 signs and dozens of words. It was wonderful to have a tool to help me understand what he needed and what he liked. It was then I really realised the benefits signing could have.”

Fiona believes that as well as reducing frustration for babies, it can also help with the parent/baby bond; “In time signing babies tell you so much more than just basic needs. For example, they can tell you that they have seen (perhaps a ‘duck’ in the park) or that they are excited about something like bathtime”, says Fiona adding; “This really helps you to experience activities and events together on a deeper level as they can tell you what they are looking at and what they are excited by.”

So what happens at a baby signing class?

One of the most important aims of a baby signing class is to be fun and engaging. During an hour long session parents and babies learn a number of signs for useful everyday words and phrases, the signs are based around British Sign Language or Irish Sign Language, depending on the group. The learning of signs is done largely through chants, rhymes and action songs. Furthermore Fiona tells us how the sessions can also offer parents some much craved-for social time, “following the main part of the session the babies also have time to play with a variety of toys - whilst the Mums relax with coffee and chocolate biscuits!”

Signing in Ireland

“The concept of baby signing is so new to Ireland many parents have never heard of it before”, says Jackie. Indeed there are only a handful of teachers within the Republic, but Jackie is passionate about getting signing to the masses; “I truly believe it’s something every new parent should have the opportunity to learn locally. We now have Tiny Talk in Kildare, Dublin, Galway and Belfast, so word is slowly spreading! ”

Deirdre McLaughlin founder of Sign2Music (www.sign2music.co.uk ) notes that not everyone is convinced; “It took me a whole 2 years to get a viable class going.  People I encountered seemed at least sceptical and at most angry that I would 'sign' with a hearing child!”  Others fear that it interferes with the baby’s speech development but evidence actually suggests it actually helps language progression. Indeed it was the positive experience with Deirdre’s own daughter Cara that actually inspired her to teach signing to other Mums; “signing gave Cara confidence and later boosted her overall communication and social skills”.

Final Thoughts…

The prevalence of classes dedicated to teaching signing is testament to its popularity and growing acceptance as a positive, worthwhile activity to pursue with little ones. Whether it’s a new way to communicate with your baby you’re after, or simply a new opportunity to entertain them, it certainly seems worth a shot.

Back to School... Shoes!

Nothing says 'back to school' quite like going to Clarks for school shoes.

We went to get the eldest kitted out yesterday and yes, they've got dolls in! Highly important in any 6 year old's life.

The fitting went really well; I love the staff really do tell you if they aren't fitting properly, instead of just making sure they get a sale. You just somehow feel safe with Clarks.

Biker Chic

Helmets

For those of you who'll be dreaming of nothing more than biking this bank holiday weekend take a look at Motorcycle Hut for some of the hottest gear.

With helmets, hats, bags, and jackets all at fantastic price, with great brands you'll know.

Here you'll find nothing but top quality, fully-tested motorcycle clothing, motorcycle accesories and motorcycle helmets. 

So if you need to feel the wind in your face, to escape the mania of work and home, take a look at their site for inspiration. 

You can now keep updated with news via their blog too.

Music to my Ears

I love finding out about new ways of getting music.

With access to thousands of high quality royalty free music tracks, Beatsuite.com offers a simple downloading system for digital creatives. 


At this time of year companies are beginning to get ready and prepared for Christmas promotions. At Beatsuite.com they've got all you could ask for from traditional hymns to Santa is on his Way.

They offer a range of services including impressive audio production for companies that require this. They boast the best in quality equipment and enormously experienced staff.

Beatsuite also offer great customer service and support to their clients which is sometimes hard to find in this area. Read all their latest news here.

www.beatsuite.com

Tidy Box

I'm just loving these from Tidy Books!

They're super-stylish and fit loads of books in! The company Tidy Box was born from the belief that there just aren't enough chic answers to book storage issues - well, I can whole-heartedly recommend these...



The fantastic Tidy Box

Yoga Practical Pre-School

Little Ones find their Inner Peace

Yoga is being increasingly used in schools and early years settings with the hope of bringing a time for calm and focus. Phoebe Doyle speaks to the founder of The Special Yoga Centre who believes passionately that Yoga can make a huge difference.

If you’re the owner of a small child you may have noticed an increasing amount of Yoga aimed at small children. One such class is Yoga Bugs – a now fairly huge franchise founded Fenella Lindsell who tells us; “Parents are enthusiastic about their children doing yoga as they enjoy knowing that they are exercising whilst being made aware of the importance of a healthy diet, and taking part in fun, creative story style adventures”. Fenella’s business really took off following an appearance on Dragon’s Den in 2006 and her techniques now reach a much wider audience than ever before as she has been appointed as the yoga consultant on the fabulous Waybuloo on cBeebies. Fenella explains; “Waybuloo has really encouraged young children to enjoy basic yoga poses and has increased interest from the pre-school market”.

Yoga is also finding it’s way into early years settings. A growing number of schools have recently made the decision to include yoga in their curriculum. “Schools, nurseries and councils have been really enthusiastic about the benefits of yoga for children as an activity for them to enjoy during and after the school day, and as part of the Family Learning Programmes” says Fenella.  “We teach YogaBugs for 2 ½ to 7 year olds through creative adventures which weave yoga postures, breathing and relaxation techniques into stories where the children are always the hero”. 

Yoga in Special Education

The Special Yoga Centre (SYC) is a registered charity supporting children with special needs through one-to-one yoga therapy; they do outreach work in schools, group classes and parent support groups. Founder and CEO Jo Manuel says; “We are also a Centre of Excellence for children's yoga teacher trainings, including courses specifically tailored for working with children with special needs.” Her attitude on special education and inclusivity? "We believe that all children are special, and that no label can define or limit a child's potential for positive change."

At the Special Yoga Centre they are passionate about helping each and every child to reach their fullest potential in relation to their physical, mental and emotional well-being. “At the heart of the Special Yoga Centre is the work that we do through our yoga therapy programmes in support of children, teens and families living with special needs”, says Jo. It’s the holistic nature of Yoga  which Jo believes makes it so powerful; “The practice of yoga strengthens the body, balances the mind and nurtures the spirit - improving the whole being, the whole child.”

In one-to-one and group classes they teach the children basic breathing & eye exercises, they go through traditional and adapted Yoga poses and postures and encourage and teach deep relaxation.

A time for Parents and Carers

The children’s carers/parents can accompany them and enjoy the peaceful and nurturing environment that the centre provides and the support that the staff offer; “furthermore”, says Jo,  “they have a place to meet other carers/parents who are in similar situations, which can be hugely theraputic. When they take part in sessions, they will learn techniques to support their children's development and can experience the positive effects of yoga for themselves.”

 

Far-reaching benefits

At the Yoga centre they help children with many varied, and sometimes complex, special needs. Jo says; “physically the children benefit from exercises (postures) which help them to become stronger, more aligned, balanced and flexible. Practising the yoga postures on a regular basis helps children to develop a good relationship with their bodies, something which is very important for all children and especially those who may have physical/developmental challenges”. We also see improvements in motor planning, motor coordination, and one of the best things of all for the families, the children sleep better. The breathing exercises help children to improve their breathing patterns and supports their respiratory system (thereby supporting all the physical systems in their bodies). The deep relaxation is hugely important for reducing stress and anxiety and allowing the whole body to rest and recoup.

“In addition to all of this,they benefit from working in a group in a non-competitive environment, exploring their bodies and breath with their peers and teachers rather than being isolated.”

To the future…

The charity is launching a new programme in special schools called Get Ready to Learn: Yoga therapy in the classroom. This consists of a daily yoga practice carried out by both staff and children in order to create a calm environment and prepare the children to learn. Jo explains; “The programme was launched 2 years ago in the USA and has had remarkable results including vast improvements in self-regulation, concentration, ability to transition, communication and level of assistance needed.”

In addition, the charity is planning to run more teacher trainings in order to enable more yoga therapists to facilitate their work. In conjunction with this, we are setting up a new Yoga Therapist CPD and mentoring programme for all those who have taken the training in order to support their progress. “We intend to grow our base of teachers/therapist nationwide in order to cover more areas throughout the UK”, says Jo.

Furthermore, the SYC is preparing a research document on benefits of yoga therapy to children with special needs in conjunction with Harvard, UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital. The monitoring and evaluation necessary for such a study will be run on the Get Ready to Learn programme. It is our intention to launch this in approx. 10 schools over the next year. “Once this has been successfully delivered we will be creating a Get Ready to Learn programme for mainstream schools in support of children and school staff” enthuses Jo.

Final Thoughts…

Yoga is wholly holistic and completely inclusive making it the perfect addition to any setting. Children can be given a time to stretch their bodies and calm their minds. Many children enter our settings in the morning with their little minds full of home-life, the walk to school, anxieties about all kinds of things. Yoga can offer a break for their body and their minds and help them get ready for learning.

BOX OUT

Want to give Yoga a go in your setting?

Easy Yoga for kids By Yoga Teacher Mollie McClelland

DEEP BREATHING­

Deep breathing is the most important aspect of yoga; it relaxes and helps concentration. Ask them to sit up straight, either cross legged on the floor, or on the edge of a chair.  As they breathe in, the sides of the ribs expand. The breath expands the entire chest, under the collarbones and between the shoulder blades, without forcing.  For posture, ask them to imagine they have a beautiful sparkly necklace that you want to show off.

This is a great practice to teach your kids, and they can practice it before carpet work or during PE.

HIP OPENERS

Ask them to put their legs out in front of them, but then lean back and support their weight on their elbows or pillows.  Bring the Right leg in towards them and then make 5 Circles to the outside (knee up, out, down), 5 circles to the inside (out to side, up, to the middle and down).  Then they can repeat other leg.    

CAT/ COW

On hands and knees, they INHALE and look up towards the ceiling, letting their belly stretch towards the floor.  EXHALE curve the spine (“like someone is poking you in the tummy and look towards belly button”).  Ask them to repeat 2-3 minutes at a comfortable pace. 

NB: cat/cow is a very adaptable form, which you can explore. Focus on initiating from different parts of the body – shoulders, tailbone, mid-back.  Also interesting is to play with pace and intensity.  Start slow and steady and as you feel comfortable, experiment with speeding up to get blood moving or slowing down to deeply stretch into tight places.  

CAT/COW with Balance

From the neutral position on hands and knees, with the back flat like a table, ask them to extend the right leg behind them so that the leg is parallel to the floor and the knee is facing the floor.  Hold 5-10 slow counts (or breaths). Try for 2 times each leg. 

PUPPY STRETCH

On the hands and knees, they are to walk the hands further in front of them.  The hips go up in the air, so the back is arching, making a ski slope shape with the spine, neck and arms.. 

DOWNWARD FACING DOG VARIATION

Get them to stand up and put their hands on a shelf or table (preferably waist height). Ask them to put their hands flat on the edge of the shelf, pushing down.  Arms should be straight, get them to bend down at a 90 degree angle. Open the chest towards the floor making the back as flat as possible. All the time breathing deeply.

DOWNWARD FACING DOG

Ask them to come on to hands and knees, back flat; wrists under shoulders, knees under hips. Shoulders should be taken down away from the ears. Keep the tummy in the whole time so as not to sag.  Tuck the toes and then straighten both legs.  Hips go up in the air to make a triangle shape. Make sure their heads and necks are relaxed; tell them to look towards their knees. Hold downward facing dog for 5 breaths at a time. 

Kids can find Downward Dog both challenging and fun.  You can practice this together just as the pose, or use the position for a game of “London Bridge is Falling Down.” 




Written for www.practicalpreschool.com 

Muddy Puddles



Jackets from Muddy Puddles

Well the weather this year has been fairly miserable hasn't it?

At least the kids have puddles to splash in, even if the paddling pools have hardley seen the light of day!


At Muddy Puddles they're all about celebrating the rain through the most fabulous rain gear for kids.

I love their all-in-ones not only do they look incredibly cute but they basically mean that, along with wellies, they allow for complete and utter splashing mania without your tot getting soaked through!

I'm a huge fan of classic plain wellies, of which Muddy Puddles have lots! They also have loads with busy and fun designs on; from flowers to union jacks!




Gorgeous Wellies from Muddy Puddles

Silent Sunday

My latest feature for Child Care Magazine: Body Image

Body Image and Young Children

Children are beginning to worry about body image at an ever increasingly young age. Phoebe Doyle looks at causes for this terrifying trend and strategies for child care professionals to employ.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that body image issues is a concern solely for those working with teens. Unfortunately research suggests that this is no longer the case. “Work in this area has traditionally focused on adolescents yet anxieties about appearance often develop at a much earlier age,” says Nicky Hutchinson author of Body Image in the Primary School. Nicky explains her motive for writing on this issue; “Although there are initiatives to address body image with adolescents, I became aware that there was very little available to support younger children”.

In fact researchers are consistently finding that children are battling eating disorders such as Anorexia from the tender age of eight and that six year-old girls are asking if they look fat. Furthermore a staggering 75% of eleven year olds when questioned said that they’d like to change something about their appearance.

“We were particularly concerned that this was becoming an issue for children at a younger age than ever before”, says Nicky who, along with her co-author Chris Calland are qualified teachers and independent educational consultants. Since 1997 they have also worked for the Behaviour Improvement team in Bristol specialising in children’s social, emotional and behavioural development. Chris says; “We had often worked in schools with children who have a poor body image and noted its effect on their health, self-esteem and educational progress.”

They began looking seriously at ways of approaching the body image problem after an Ofsted survey of 150,000 children in 2008 found that by the age of 10 a third of girls and 22% of boys cited their bodies as their main source of worry.

A 2010 survey of over 1000 girls by Girl Guiding UK  showed that nearly three quarters of 7 – 11 year olds would change something about their appearance and by the ages of 10 and 11, one  in eight wanted to be thinner.

Alarmed by such statistics Chris and Nicky wrote after researching extensively. They feel that any professionals working with young children, along with parents need be aware of this issue and particularly the young age that problems can arise.  Whilst the book was primarily written as guidance for teachers, there’s a great deal to be learnt by anyone working with and caring for primary-aged children.

Media Influences

The reasons that youngsters are experiencing such anxieties so young are many, broad and complex. Chris and Nicky feel certain though that the constant media stream children face today plays a catastrophic role. “Children face exposure to the media on a far greater scale than ever before,” says Nicky, adding; “They watch up to 40,000 adverts every year.

 “At this young age children’s ideas about themselves, their bodies and their place in society are forming and developing”.

Don’t Forget the Boys

Just as we often mistakenly assume that it’s only teens that are affected by body image issues, it’s also a mistake to assume that it’s only the girls in our care that we need worry about. As fore-mentioned, a worrying percentage of boys are concerned about their physical appearance. Nicky says; “Research suggests that boys are also influenced by media pressures and they can suffer from poor body image at a young age.

“Many young children have televisions and mobile phones - One large study of 5 to 15 year olds found that British children are now spending an average of 6 hours a day looking at screens - boys are bombarded with strong messages about gender and appearance through computer games and advertising...boys are encouraged to look strong, muscular and powerful. Many of the games they play encourage them to be aggressive.” These games seem to be  providing young, influential boys with clear messages on what it means to be male.
 

Parent and Carer’s Power

If a young child has a Mum who’s forever jumping on the scales, explicitly counting calories and asking “does my bum look big in this?” they are fairly directly, but without meaning to, teaching their child how to view their own eating, body and self-image.

Chris and Nicky want parents to focus on the positives of their own shape as well as those of their off-spring, and the same is certainly true of child care professionals. If you discuss dieting, even innocently remarking “I’m not eating biscuits”, for instance, you are helping to instil negative connotations between food and appearance.  Chris says; “We shouldn’t make negative comments about other people’s physical appearance or complain about ‘fat’ or ugly’ parts of our body in their hearing.”

Chris has firm beliefs on this, fundamentally she insists positivity about appearance is crucial, she says; “We should reassure children about their appearance and talk encouragingly about them. It’s important not to make negative comments about their weight or over-emphasise the importance of looks. “When we watch television or look at magazines with children we should help them to question the images they see.”

As well as looking at outside pressures, Nicky and Chris believe adults need to encourage children to recognise their own strengths and qualities to become resilient members of society. The book examines some do’s and dont’s for parents and carers including urging children to challenge society’s narrow ‘beauty ideal’.

Final Thoughts

Whilst today’s children face a media more constant and powerful than during any generation before them parents and professionals still have a vital role to play in shaping attitudes towards body image. Whilst it’s impossible to shelter children from the pictures they face we can teach them to question what they watch. When watching television it’s vital that children learn to be active and querying participants, not passive recipients, drowned by the un-ending bombardment of moving frames and subsequent messages.

As adults working closely with children it’s crucial that we model positive body image, refrain from talking negatively about ourselves and, of course never discussing the appearance of others undesirably. Crucially though, with all these precautionary strategies in place, we still need to keep a close eye on the youngsters in our care and so if they do display signs of a negative body image we can intervene quickly.

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Chris and Nicky’s tips

-Ensure that all children in your care feel safe to talk.
-Focus on celebrating everyone’s unique individuality, skills and qualities.
-Help children to see that image, or appearance is just one part of who they are and encourage them to think about all the other aspects of themselves and each other that they value.
-Allow children to share their feelings with each other but always give the option not to share publicly.
-Support children in considering what influences them and the pressure they are under.
-If they tell you they’ve been teased, take this seriously, and discuss with parents.

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Child Care Professionals can ask themselves…

When the child watches television what images related to being ‘attractive’ or ‘appealing’ confront them?

Does the child seem to avoid certain foods they may deem ‘fattening’ that they have previously enjoyed?

Does the child seem particularly concerned over their own appearance and/or that of others?

Does the child talk negatively about their physical appearance?

If you’re concerned it would be advisable to discuss with the child’s parents in the first instance.

Body Image in The Primary School, is published by Routledge

Writing feature for The School Run

A selection taken from my feature for www.theschoolrun.com

Shopping lists

Brilliantly adaptable for different ages and stages. A three-year-old can draw what you need, a five-year-old can write down the initial sounds of each item and a nine-year-old can write it out fairly accurately. You could start by writing the list together, with your child simply being responsible for adding one or two items. Children love to follow this up with the trip to the shops, ticking the items off as they go around. There’s a real purpose, and it’s writing in action. And pretty handy too!

Book reviews

Introduce children to the idea by finding book reviews of some of their favourite and most familiar books (online will be easiest) and reading them together. Then encourage them to write their own versions, or review some new books with you. Questions to answer include: Who were the main characters? What did they do? Did you enjoy the book? Why?

Role play

Adults write for many purposes, at work as well as home. Encourage children to pretend to work at a bank, the post office or a travel agency. They will need to be jotting down facts and figures as they work!

‘To do’ lists

Your child may like to ‘help’ by writing a ‘to do’ list for you for the day ahead. It might include: breakfast, school run, play group, baking biscuits, work, play, etc. Thinking they are being helpful is a great incentive for most children who are striving to be one of the grown-ups! Alternatively, they can write their own list for the tasks they have to complete.

Gorgeous boots

                                                 


I'm definitly more of a summer than a winter kind of girl. The only thing that does console me during those darkest, coldest months though is that, it's a well known fact, winter clothes, winter shoes and winter accessories are just plain better. It's the consolation prize for rubbish weather and dusk on the school run.


Despite my dislike of winter, I felt a flurry of excitement about the forthcoming chill when these boy's Ralph Lauren boots arrived from mandmdirect . They're fab and I know they'll keep my youngest's tiny toes nice and toastie come the coldest of days when wellies just don't do the trick.

mandmdirect have a whole selection of Ralph Lauren shoes to choose from and at enormously discounted prices. Check them out here.

The disclaimer part...
This is not a sponsored post but the kind folk at MandMDirect sent us a pair of these boots to try.

Feature for The Lady

Yoga and Pilates

Wanting an exercise that will help you feel great on the inside and out? Yoga and Pilates are becoming ever more popular choices for people seeking all round well-being.

Yoga - What is it?

The ancient practice of Yoga focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost both physical and mental well-being. In a class you work on different postures (various movements and stretches known as ‘asana’). It’s enjoyed globally by children (there are now specialised toddler Yoga classes in the UK!) and all ages of adults.

The practise that was first devised thousands of years ago has been adapted in numerous ways and there are now various strands and types. Today many classes focus more on the physical benefits which essentially involve creating perfect balance in the body.

Why should I?

Well firstly, why not? As a low-impact exercise it’s really suitable for all ages and abilities, and due to it’s emphasis on promoting calm you should reap the rewards from the first class on. Yoga teacher Mollie McClelland ( www.molliemcclelland.com ) says, “Yoga helps women retain flexibility, balance, coordination and concentration as they get older.  The specific stretches and movements can counter the effects of gravity on the body and help maintain poise.

“Yoga can help balance hormonal changes, minimise bone density loss, reduce swelling of the legs, increase blood flow, decrease blood pressure and create relaxation and good feelings about ourselves.”

What will I need?

Not a lot, as Mollie explains; “Yoga can be practiced in any flexible clothes. You don’t need to spend a fortune on specially designed yoga clothes”. There are a wide variety of DVDs available, but it is always preferable to start with a teacher who can help you modify and understand the postures and adapt them for your needs: “Good yoga teachers know many variations and adaptations that can allow you to benefit from yoga, without harming the body”, Mollie advises.  So the key is to find a teacher who is happy to work with you, and who you like.  

Pilates - What is it?

Whilst we probably have all heard of the term ‘core strength’ as being the goal of Pilates, there’s a lot more to it than that. It’s an exercise system that focuses on stretching and strengthening the whole body to improve balance, muscle-strength, flexibility and posture. In classes most of the exercises centre around strengthening the abdominals, the glutes (bottom muscles) and the lower back. Through strengthening these areas, it’s felt the whole body benefits and a freedom of movement is granted. It’s generally agreed that in order to truly get these benefits, sticking to doing 2 classes a week is advisable.

Whilst there’s less of a direct emphasis on the mental state than with Yoga, people find Pilates classes enormously relaxing. There’s usually calming music played and an emphasis on deep breathing, all of which helps in the quest for restfulness.

Why should I?

Pilates teacher, Jane Wrafter ( www.jcwfitness.co.uk ) believes it’s the perfect exercise for women as they get older, she says; “Pilates strengthens all the muscles in the body, thus protecting joints from strain. It also supports the pelvic floor muscles, preventing or reducing incontinence, and improving sexual function.”

One of the foremost benefits is in the improvement in posture many experience as a result of Pilates classes, Jane explains; “As we age we tend to develop stooped backs and sloping shoulders. Pilates combats this, encouraging you to walk tall and look much younger as a result.”

For Arthritis sufferers there’s further good news; “Pilates is completely low impact, which means that there is no jumping at all” says Jane, adding, “where high impact exercise can aggravate arthritic pain, this is not so of Pilates. Through Pilates you can safely strengthen the muscles meaning there’ll be less pressure on the joints.”

What will I need?

When Pilates was first devised, exercises were designed to be performed on specialised apparatus. Over time the exercises have been adapted so they can be done on mats, and this is most common today – so now all you need is a mat and some comfy clothes!

Recently there’s been an increased popularity in Pilates DVD's, Jane says; “these are alright for beginners to Pilates who have good body awareness, e.g. for people who have done Yoga before. Some of the positions in Pilates need to be precise, and if done incorrectly, can actually cause more harm than good, so it really is advisable to seek out a good instructor to make sure you’re doing everything right”.

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Want to get started?

If you want to find out about your nearest class, first try your local leisure centre as Yoga and Pilates have become so popular that most centres now run their own class.

If you want to search online…

For Yoga go to www.localyogaclasses.co.uk

For Pilates  go to www.pilates.co.uk

Cost: This can really vary depending on where you go; local leisure centre classes can start at £4 but private classes at swanky gyms can go up to £10.

One to one sessions start at £25 per hour.

Getting kitted up: For both Yoga and Pilates you’ll need a mat, although at some classes these will be provided. Even if you do your exercises at home, you’ll still need a proper mat for adequate support.

Other than that you’ll need some comfortable clothing like leggings and a jersey top. Both Yoga and Pilates are usually done bare foot.

Fit to start: If you’re concerned about an injury or a health issue that you have and you want to start Yoga or Pilates, check with your GP beforehand.

Furniture to make a House a Home!

Moving house is such a pain!

So much to sort, so much potentially to go wrong!!

What I'm finding in the midst of all this madness is that I'm seeking sanctuary in the form of furniture stores. Spending hours on line browsing for sofas like this one from the fabulous Webbs of Crickhowell. They've got 30% off - and when you're moving money a depressing feature at every juncture.

Leather Sofas from Webbs

I'm usually definitely more of a leather sofa girl (partly aesthetics and other part for practicality) but Webbs have loads of upholstered styles to choose from too.

They also have beautiful beds to choose from - and I'll certainly be needing some good night's sleep once this move is done and dusted!

On the Move

We are officially moving. Well in a "maybe" "hopefully", "touch wood", kinda way.

All this means we'll be looking for office space really soon for my husband's photography business.

Search NOW

Since the last time we were looking for office space it's all become a lot more simple, with websites like searchofficespace.com around.You basically just type in the area you want to find a space in and it shows you all the best options. For office space in Central London, for instance, click here.

When you're searching a big city it can seem so daunting. At Search Office Space they cover all the hotspot areas. If you're interested in offices in Canary-Wharf  they've got loads on offer like these ones. And those of you heading for super-cool Soho, take a look at at some of these options.

Victoria is a popular choice with all the fantastic transport links, for options in Victoria look at this page.  London Bridge being another good choice due to it's location, take a look at the properties in that area for inspiration. Personally,  my dream location would be Covent Garden and if you have the funds (I definitly don't) take a look at some great Covent Garden options..

Good luck with your move!!