A Parents Guide To A-Levels | AD

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When the time comes for your child to choose their A Level subjects, they might be feeling a range of emotions, from excitement to anxiety. The decision carries a lot of weight, as it can determine what your child goes on to study at university or what career route they go down. Parents should try and do as much research as possible so that they are in a position to support their teenagers through this challenging time. Here’s some advice from an A-Level college in the UK.

Start by chatting to your child about how they’re feeling and let them know that you support them no matter what. Ask them which of their current subjects they enjoy the most and which ones they’re best at, as these should be strong factors in the decision-making process. Enjoyment of the subject will result in the best grades.

It’s worth noting that a levels are very different to GCSEs and will require a lot more independent work. Do some research into the A level curriculum so that you can determine what kind of work is involved in the subject and how it will be graded. If it’s heavily coursework based and your child isn’t fond of coursework, it might not be the best option. 

Go along to any open evenings at the school with your son or daughter so that you can learn more about each of the A level subjects they’re interested in, ask lots of questions and generally just feel more informed so that they can make a decision they’re truly happy with. It might also help your child to chat to any older friends or relatives who have already done their A levels so that they can share some insight.

If your child plans to go to university and has a course in mind, you should have a look into what qualifications are required to secure a place. Many courses will require that the student has specific A levels, so looking ahead will help them make suitable choices and determine whether or not their goals are actually realistic.  

Bear in mind that A levels aren’t compulsory; there are other forms of education that your child could look into if they feel that would be more appropriate. However, there are many benefits to A levels, including easier access into universities and various employment options. While it’s important to support your child as best you can, try and let them make their own decisions, based on what they feel is right for them.

Michelle

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The Importance of Pastoral Care in Schools | AD

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Pastoral care is a crucial element of any school; it ensures that the physical and emotional wellbeing of every single student is supported. The responsibility for pastoral care is shared amongst the teachers and other staff and enables children to develop successfully on both a personal and academic level. For a stronger understanding of why pastoral care is so important, an independent school in the West Midlands explore some of the benefits below.

From injuries in the playground to illnesses during school hours, pastoral care aims to deal with any accidents and sickness. Generally speaking, it involves protecting students and keeping them safe from any physical or emotional harm, both at school and within their personal lives. This involves monitoring each child closely and liaising with parents on a regular basis about any issues that arise so that they can be tackled fairly quickly. 

A child’s primary pastoral carer will be their form tutor, who spends time with them at least once a day and is able to keep an eye on them. They will watch out for any friendship problems, as well as monitoring their academic progress and ensuring they are completing their homework on time. If anything significant is happening at home, it would be worth letting your child’s form tutor know so that they can check in and make sure your child is handling it well. 

The pastoral care department must also ensure the school is safe and secure. The caretaker will be asked to regularly check the school boundaries and fire alarms to make sure everything is in check and any visitors to the premises will have to sign in and out. 

Each school will have their own policies and procedures when it comes to pastoral care to ensure that all staff are on the same page. It is often included in lessons, as children learn about bullying, sex education, drug and alcohol abuse, safe use of the internet and road safety. 

Children thrive in environments where they feel safe and happy, which is ultimately the true mark of pastoral care. When their time at school concludes, they will be able to make sensible decisions regarding their future, have built strong relationships with their peers and be equipped with appropriate skills and qualifications to help them succeed in life. If you want to know more about the pastoral care provided in your child’s school, don’t hesitate to contact the teachers for some additional information. 

Michelle

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Facts About Female Fertility | AD

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Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration.

One of the first questions I get asked when I talk about the boys is "That is a big age gap." It is a huge gap, 11 years to be exact however not everyone is fortunate enough to fall pregnant as soon as they start trying. We were lucky with big J, the pregnancy happened naturally but after having him we then faced 11 years of trying before we finally had a healthy baby in our arms. 

Fertility is a vastly complicated aspect of human anatomy and unfortunately often considered quite a taboo subject. For that reason, young people aren’t really taught enough about fertility when they’re in school and therefore don’t know how to maximise their chances of a successful pregnancy in the future. After all, the way we treat our bodies can determine whether or not we are able to conceive a child, especially by natural means. I have teamed up with an IVF fertility clinic in London to share four fantastic facts about female fertility to help us girls understand what’s actually going on inside our bodies and help us prepare for pregnancy, either now or in the future. 

A Woman Loses 3000-5000 Eggs Per Menstrual Cycle

When a female baby is born, she has the most eggs she’ll ever have; around 1-2 million! Eventually, this egg reserve runs out as a woman loses many of them during each menstrual cycle. Once a woman is around the age of 35, her fertility rapidly declines, which makes it a lot more challenging to conceive a baby naturally. Many women choose to freeze their eggs when they’re still young to preserve their fertility, so that they can have a baby in the future, when they feel more prepared. A man’s fertility also declines as he ages, as their sperm loses its quality. In fact, around 30% of infertility cases are due to the male party. 

BMI Can Affect A Woman’s Chances of Conceiving

BMI either underweight or overweight can prevent you from conceiving. For example, extreme exercise and dieting can prevent a woman’s menstrual cycle and therefore make it impossible to get pregnant. Eating fatty foods can lead to high blood pressure and other diseases, like diabetes, which can make conception difficult. You should try and aim for a healthy BMI of anything between 18.5 and 24.9. 

Some STIs Can Lead To Infertility

Gonorrhoea and chlamydia are the two most common sexually transmitted infections in the UK. Cases that are left untreated can cause various other problems, including infertility in both men and women. For instance, chlamydia can leave scarring in the fallopian tubes which prevents the egg from travelling to the womb. If this has happened to you, you might want to consider IVF, as it essentially bypasses the need for viable fallopian tubes. 

Smoking During Pregnancy Can Cause Harm To The Baby

There are lots of potential health risks associated with smoking while pregnant. In fact, it can even cause fertility issues for the child when they grow up. Other issues are things like low birth weight, preterm birth and defects of the mouth and lip. If you need help with quitting smoking, don’t hesitate to contact your GP. 

When I was younger I just assumed I would grow up and have babies whenever I was ready but as we know this just isn't the way it works. Understanding your body and making small lifestyle changes can really help. 

Michelle

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Family Walk At Rivington Pike

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Sometimes the best thing to do at the moment with all the restrictions and constant change to what we can and can't do is to find somewhere new to explore and have a day outdoors. We had heard about Rivington Pike a few times before so after some research about the type of walk we could expect we headed out on another adventure. 

To start your walk, you can park at either The Great Barn House Cafe, or on the road up to Rivington Hall Barn. We parked further away at the Barn House Cafe, as the toilets and availability of parking suited us better. This made our walk a little longer but it was good to be able to get freshened up before we started. From there you walk up to Rivington Hall Barn and your walk starts here. 

There are multiple paths you can choose to start with, however we followed the signposts pointing towards Rivington Pike which took us around the back of the Barn, past a small waterfall and then up towards Breres Meadow, which has a well maintained path and the remains of a long dead tree that looked fun to climb on. 

As you follow the path you will be heading towards the Terraced Gardens which hide a lot of different areas to explore.  There are maps dotted around the Terraced Gardens so that you can decide which of the areas to explore and plan your route accordingly. 

Within the Terraced Gardens there are many 'crazy paving footpaths' that lead to Man Made Caves, The Japanese Gardens, 2 Summer houses and the ruins of a stone Bothy - where the servants used to live. They are quite spread out, and you will need some time to be able to visit all in one day.  On the outskirts of the terraced gardens there is also Lever Bridge and Pigeon Tower that are also worth a look, and we plan to visit again shortly to be able to pick up the parts that we missed this time around.

Once you break out of the gardens the Pike will be visible, and again there are a number of routes you can take depending on where you come out of the gardens.  We ended up at the far right end of the gardens and our route to the pike from here was quite long with the path more rocky than previous paths had been which made the walk more of a challenge. The path took us out past Bolton Wanderers ground and some great views of the local area, and then swept back round to the left and up to the Pike. 

Once at the top it was noticeable that the temperature was lower and the wind stronger. It was also very busy at the top with lots of people having made the journey enjoying the views and sitting on one of the four benches to have lunch. 

We took a different route down which took us past the Summer Houses and Lever Bridge. You could climb into the gaps in the bridge which was good for Little J who wanted to get as high as he could. We then headed down towards Lower House Car Park, which always has an Ice Cream Van there, to reward Little J for his efforts.  

From there it was a short walk back to Rivington Hall Barn and then back to the Great Barn House Cafe and Car Park. Overall the walk took us around 4 hours, with a stop for lunch at the top included in this time.  It is one of those places that you would get to know the more you visit so you can expect the walk time to reduce depending on the route you choose and how well you get to know the area. 

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John

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Ideas To Enjoy Halloween When You Can't Go Trick Or Treating

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Some people don't agree with trick or treating however we have always let the boys trick or treat at our neighbours houses on Halloween. It's something they have both looked forward to over the years but due to recent events I'm not sure whether we will get out and about this Halloween, however I will still make it lots of fun. Here are some ideas to enjoy Halloween when you can't go trick or treating. 

Decorate Your Home

We have always decorated our home for Halloween although I always feel like we don't get time to enjoy it as we are out most of the evening. Why not put your decorations up at the beginning of half term. Make your home more spookier than ever and it will be the perfect setting for your night of spooky fun. 

Spooky Treasure Trail

Our children may not be able to knock on neighbours doors for treats but that doesn't mean they have to miss out. Create a spooky treasure trail for them to follow collecting sweets and chocolates along the way. 

Decorate Cookies

Who can make the spookiest cookie? You can let your imagination run wild and create the most scariest looking cookies ever. Why not host a competition to see who's is the best and then you can eat them.

Play Games

I'm not talking about Monopoly or Scrabble, create some spooky games to play with the kids. How about pin the wart on the witch, or an old favourite duck apple. 

Read Spooky Stories

Turn all the lights down and give the kids some torches and read spooky stories in the dark.

Carve A Pumpkin

Most will have their pumpkins picked and carved ready for Halloween but it's a great activity to do together and when best than on the most spookiest night of the year. 

Host A Movie Night

There are so many family friendly Halloween movies to enjoy. Host a movie night. You can even make a movie ticket, give the children money to spend at the snack and drink kiosk, turn down the lights and enjoy the movie. 

Find The Pumpkins

During lockdown homes all round the country popped rainbow drawings and paintings in their windows. During our daily walks we would look for rainbows and count how many we spotted. This year communities are trying to do something similar but displaying pumpkins. It's a lovely idea and I know the kids would love it too.

No matter what you decide to do this Halloween I hope you have a very spooky time and please keep safe.

Michelle

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Our Top Five Things To Do When Visiting The Lake District

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Disclosure In collaboration with Hotels.com, but all views and photographs are our own.

Although we haven't done a lot of travelling this year we have had some very nice days out and overnight stays and I think that has helped us get through this very strange year. One of our favourite places is The Lake District and whilst following local guidance it's been perfect to visit as there is plenty of open space to enjoy and no matter what the weather it's a beautiful place to explore. Here are our top five things to do and see when visiting The Lake District. 

Enjoy A Boat Trip On Windermere

Taking a boat trip on Windermere never gets old and we have been enjoying it for as long as I can remember. You can enjoy the stunning views of Windermere from a cruise that departs from either Bowness. Ambleside or Lakeside.

Red Cruise

Sail from Bowness to Ambleside or vice versa, and enjoy this 70-75 minutes round trip cruise.

Blue Cruise

A 45 minute circular cruise from Bowness, enjoy contrasting scenery of mountains, wooded shorelines and lovely tranquil bays.

Yellow Cruise

This cruise sails from Bowness to Lakeside or vice versa. The round trip takes 90 minutes.

Due to Covid-19 all cruises now have allocated seating and you can book up to between 7-10 days in advance. A face covering must be worn on board all cruises and it's advised to check the website before you travel for any updated information.

Visit To Grizedale Forest

The Grizedale Visitor centre is a great base if you are planning one of the walking trails as it has plenty of parking, facilities including toilets and washing area, picnic tables to enjoy lunch or snack before you set off.

The centre also has a fantastic childrens play area, and a cafe area with outside and inside seating (although inside isn't available at the moment) serving food, drinks and ice creams throughout the day.  There is also a Go Ape centre here with climbing options in the forest and Segway routes if you would prefer this to a walk.

Take A Steam Train Ride

You can enjoy the scenic views of the Lakes from the comfort of a Steam Train on the heritage railway. You can combine the yellow river cruise from Bowness and enjoy a 2 hour round trip. 

Your boat cruise will take you to Lakeside where you will then board the steam train to Haverthwaite Station.

Once at Haverthwaite you can enjoy a take away snack from the tea room, browse the gift shop, take a woodland walk and the children can enjoy the large playground area.

Due to Covid-19 all visitors on board must wear a face covering and as always make sure you check out the website for up to date information regarding your visit.

Walk Through Fell Foot Park

Fell Foot Park is a huge open space where you can enjoy walks around the parkland, meadow and lake. There is cafe open inside the park and they are working hard to not only provide takeaway snacks and drinks but to offer indoor seating too. 

There is a downloadable activity sheet available from the Fell Foot Park website including a tree trail and bird spotter challenge. 

The car park is open however parking spaces are limited and at the moment there are just two toilets open. 

Please do continue to check the website before your visit.

Hill Top - A Visit Beatrix Potter's Home

A visit to Hill Top is a must for Beatrix Potter fans. Although the house is currently closed due to Covid-19 the gardens, shop and cafe are open. 

The gardens are beautiful all year round but in Autumn they are busting with vegetables, fruit and pretty colours. 

If you want to explore the area you can enjoy the Beatrix Potter Moss Eccles Tarn Walk. This is a gentle walk taking from Hill Top to Moss Eccles Tarn, one of Beatrix Potters favourite places to paint while her husband fished. 

Please do continue to check the website before your visit.

The Lake District is a beautiful place to visit with so many attractions and things to see and do and we never get tired of visiting and exploring. 

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Michelle

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Visiting Dream, Sutton Manor

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For the past 11 years we have travelled up and down the M62 for both business and pleasure and every time we pass 'The big white head' I always say we must go and visit and see what it is all about, but we never had until last weekend. We are always looking for ideas for walks in the North West so we headed to Sutton Manor. The big white head which is actually called Dream is situated in the old Sutton Manor Colliery grounds and was created in 2009.

Dream is located in Sutton Manor, St Helens and was the result of St Helens entering Channel 4's 'The Big Art Project' in 2008. Artist Jaume Plensa visited the site and had a vision of a piece of art coming out from the ground. He decided on a neck and head of a woman with her eyes closed as if she is meditating. He later decided to base the sculpture on a 9 year old girl representing the idea of 'future'.

Sutton Manor Woodland is very popular with dog walkers and visitors to Dream. There is a car park and plenty of road parking surrounding the area. 

When entering Sutton Manor via the main entrance sign posts for Dream are dotted along the pathways however if you wish to explore the woodlands and circular paths you can choose a variety of ways. 

Some of the paths are a little steep and not very well surfaced however most of the routes are accessible. 

The Dream Statue is located in the middle of the woodlands and is very hard to miss. Other than visiting the statue there are no other facilities at Sutton Manor Woodland but it was a very enjoyable walk. 

Facts about Dream

Designed by world-famous, award-winning Catalan artist Jaume Plensa

Standing on a plinth, Dream is 20 metres, 66 feet high and is fifty times life size

The sculpture weighs 373 tonnes and sits on the site of Sutton Manor Colliery

Made from brilliant white pre-cast concrete with Spanish dolomite, the whitest marble

The plinth in the shape of a miner’s tally is 17 metres in diameter, made of 36 units

The casting of Dream by Evans Concrete of Derbyshire took a total of sixty days

A total of 6160 man hours were spent in constructing the sculpture

54 different panels each weighing 9 tonnes comprise Dream’s head

The supporting piles go 38 metres underground, nearly twice Dream’s height

An estimated 55 million vehicles pass Dream each year on the M62

We really enjoyed our visit to Dream however I'm not sure whether we would visit again nor would I recommend travelling a great distance to visit. I think if the woodlands itself was to undergo a makeover to include maybe a cafe, toilet facilities, children's play area and other facilities to make a trip worthwhile then I do think it would attract more visitors per year. 

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Michelle

Michelle

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22 Family Friendly Halloween Movies on Disney+

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This month we will be pressing pause on what we have been watching so we can watch some family friendly spooky movies perfect for Halloween. Halloween has become one of my favourite holidays over the years and as little J gets older I know he won't want to trick or treat anymore or wear scary costumes but I'm hoping he will still enjoy sitting down to watch a family friendly Halloween movie. 

There are so many movies to choose from on Disney+ so I have been saving lots of choices to our watchlist so we can enjoy lots of family friendly Halloween movies. 

Frankenweenie

When a boy's beloved dog passes away suddenly, he attempts to bring the animal back to life through a powerful science experiment.

Running Time - 1hr 28m

Suitable For - PG

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.

Running Time - 1hr 18

Suitable For - PG

Maleficent

A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child may be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land.

Running Time - 1hr 39m

Suitable For - PG

Maleficent - Mistress Of Evil

Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and dark new forces at play.

Running Time - 2hr 1m

Suitable For - 12+

Hocus Pocus

A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century.

Running Time - 1hr 39m

Suitable For - PG

Hocus Pocus 2 

Three young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.

Running Time - 1hr 47m

Suitable For - 12+

Haunted Mansion 

A realtor and his wife and children are summoned to a mansion, which they soon discover is haunted, and while they attempt to escape, he learns an important lesson about the family he has neglected.

Running Time - 1hr 29m

Suitable For - PG

The Scream Team

After the death of their grandfather, Ian and Claire embark on a journey to free the souls of the ghosts that were captured by the evil misunderstood ghost.

Running Time - 1hr 28m

Suitable For - 6+

Girl Vs Monster

When she accidentally releases a monster, a teenager stumbles upon a family secret. She then sets out to eliminate the elusive monster that feeds off fear and to rescue her parents from its clutches.

Running Time - 1hr 30m

Suitable For - 9+

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

A young boy named Jake discovers a house full of children with supernatural powers run by Miss Peregrine. Soon, he must help protect their home from terrifying enemies called Hollowgasts.

Running Time - 2h 7m

Suitable For - 12+

Cruella

Estella is a young and clever grifter who's determined to make a name for herself in the fashion world. She soon meets a pair of thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they build a life for themselves on the streets of London. However, when Estella befriends fashion legend Baroness von Hellman, she embraces her wicked side to become the raucous and revenge-bent Cruella.

Running Time - 2h 17m

Suitable For - 12+

Toy Story Of Terror

Woody and the gang are held up at a roadside motel and members of the group start to disappear from everywhere. Woody and the gang set about getting to the bottom of the mystery.

Running Time - 22m

Suitable For - PG

Halloweentown

When Grandma Aggie comes visiting, the Piper children notice her use magic. Curious, they follow her back to Halloweentown where Aggie and their mother Gwen are attacked by the dark forces.

Running Time - 1hr 24m

Suitable For - 6+

Halloweentown 2

An angry warlock has stolen a magic spell book and plans to turn everyone into whatever costume they're wearing at midnight on Halloween. It's a race against time to get the book back and save the humans from permanent horror.

Running Time - 1hr 21m

Suitable For - 6+

Halloweentown High

Marnie convinces the Halloweentown council that no harm will come to their children but it comes to them in the form of the evil Iron Dagger. Now, it is up to her to save them.

Running Time - 1hr 22m

Suitable For - 6+

Return To Halloweentown

When Marnie takes admission to the Witch University of Halloweentown, she soon finds out that the wizards and witches are not allowed to use magic in the school.

Running Time - 1hr 28m

Suitable For - 9+

Twitches

Two teen witches who were separated at birth and were adopted by two different families meet on their 21st birthday and must use their powers to save the world in which they were born, where their birth mother still lives.

Running Time - 1hr 27m

Suitable For - 6+

Twitches Too

When a shadowy presence seeks to destroy the magical land of Coventry, twin witches Alexandra and Camryn combine their strengths to avert the disaster.

Running Time - 1hr 24m

Suitable For - 9+

Under Wraps

12-year-old friends, Marshall, Gilbert and Amy accidentally revive a mummy they discover in a neighbour's basement. They affectionately name the mummy Harold, and must rush to return him to his resting place before midnight on Halloween.

Running Time - 1hr 33m

Suitable For - 9+

Under Wraps 2

Amy, Gilbert and Marshall uncover a sinister threat to their mummy friend Harold and his beloved Rose while they prepare for Amy's father's Halloween-themed wedding.

Running Time - 1hr 23m

Suitable For - 9+

Don't Look Under the Bed

A teen enlists the help of an imaginary friend named Larry Houdini to deal with a prank-playing bogeyman, who's framing her for his dastardly deeds.

Running Time - 1hr 32m

Suitable For - 0+

Mom's Got A Date With A Vampire

The Hansen kids are grounded and must do something to get their mother out of the house in order to be free. They fix her up with a mysterious man, only to realise that he might be a vampire.

Running Time - 1hr 23m

Suitable For - 6+

Hopefully we will make a start on our watch list this weekend. I think we will start with my favourite Hocus Pocus, its a classic!

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Michelle

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