Jolly Phonics for Parents

Are you struggling to understand Jolly Phonics?  Do your children ask for help, but you don't really know how?  Jolly Learning have developed the My Jolly Phonics kit.  The kit is an extensive range of Jolly Phonics materials that have been carefully developed to be used in the home.The kit is packed full of multi-sensory resources enabling the child to explore and learn in a fun and enjoyable way.

Items in the kit include:
Jolly Phonics Activity Books 1-7
Jolly Phonics DVD
Jolly Phonics Games CD (Single User)
Jolly Songs
Jolly Stories
Jolly Phonics Letter Sound Poster

Plus FREE triangular grip pencils and eraser. Open Snake's mouth at side of case to find red, yellow, green, blue and graphite pencils plus eraser.

Jolly Phonics Vowels

Found this great video on Youtube and thought how much it could help you encourage your children to learn their vowel sounds.  Catchy tunes as well. 

Mums Business Club North East




 

ONE FOR THE LADIES OF NORTH EAST

Online business networking is great and essential way to reach mums further away but sometimes you need to get out there and meet other mums like you; face-to-face. Human contact is important too and the Mum’s Business Club meetings gives us opportunity to chat in an informal environment, with the kids too and explore new possibilities for business with like-minded women. Meetings are simply informal gatherings for mums who also run businesses around the kids. 

All the meetings are run by mums who understand the importance of networking and have the determination to find and unite local mums. So as well as making the arrangements, she will be your point of contact and will make you feel welcome. So do pop along. You can come along every time or every now and then, it’s there for whenever you need it. You’ll spot the organiser straight away and you’re sure of a warm welcome. It’s there for you whether you want serious networking or just a chat and let off steam and see a human, grown up face for a change!

Sign up for thier newsletter and keep up to date on events in and around the North East. http://northeast.mumsbusinessclub.com/


Contact Julie of Ann who will be more than happy to welcome you along to one of their meetings.

Jolly Phonics Magentic Letters

JOLLY PHONICS MAGNETIC LETTERS

A tub of 106 lower case letters. Consonants are in red and vowels are in blue. Tub contains 2 each of the 42 letter sounds, 4 each of the vowels a, e, i and o, 6 each of m and d. Both c and k and q and qu are included. y is included in both red and blue (as both consonant and vowel).

North East Baby Roadshow

Following the success of our 2010 Road Show, we have planned another huge event to cater for Maternity, Baby and Toddler needs!

We cater for every stage of the magical journey of pregnancy through to parenthood, with everything you need under one roof from the latest products and services for mum to be and for the little one on the way.
Big brothers and sisters are also to be catered for, with entertainment for the kids, facepainting, competitions, products and information on local classes and groups to join.

This year you can enter your baby in our Face of The Baby Road Show competition, simply bring your little one (under 5 years) along on the day, where your beautiful baby wll have their photograph taken by Simply U Photography!

All images taken on the day will be entered and then judged by our panel (all images available to purchase at the event).
The winning baby shall become the Face of The Baby show 2012, and shall win a bundle of items donated by a selection of our exhibitors!!

I'll be exhibiting with my lovely range of Phoenix Cards, so come along a join in the fun

The Big Chocolate Tea Party

I can't even begin to image what it must be like to look after a sick child, but then again I don't have to.  I have a very fit and healthy daughter.  I suppose I take this for granted, I'm lucky but not everyone is in the same boat as me.  The Sick Childrens' Trust holds The Big Chocolate Tea Party to raise funds to help parents of sick children stay together while their child is going through hospital stays and treatment.  Their mission is to provide high quality 'Home from Home' accommodation for families whose children are receiving hospital treatment for serious illness.

The image above is a greetings cards, I know it looks good enough to eat.  Prices at only £1.50 or £1.20 when you buy 10 or more.  I will donate 20% to Sick Children's Trust from every order placed in March which inlcudes this cards.  The card comes from Phoenix Trading that are fully recyclable because they haven't been produced using chlorine or other environmentally harmful chemicals or adhesives. So if you would like to support me in rasing funds for Sick Children's Trsut please visit my Phoenix Trading Website.



WIRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) Durham

WIRE Durham meet, the third Tuesday of every month with the first meeting being on 15th March starting at 09:30 and finishing around 12 noon. The venue is Headlam Hall Hotel, Gainford, Darlington. Full details can be found by clicking on the event at the bottom of this page. Just ask us to put you on our mailing list and we'll keep you updated!

We would love it if you could come along and support us. If you are an existing WIRE member please book your place via the WIRE website. However, if you have not yet joined, please contact either Hannah or myself directly so that we can book you in.

If you are a product based business, please feel free to bring a sample of your product line to each meeting. That way, we can get to know you and your products at the same time. If you a service based business, remember to bring along you leaflets so as to give the out to other members.

Our aim for the group is to be a 'ready made salesforce' for our WIRE members, so that when we're not together, we still have each others businesses in mind

Bishop Auckland Food Festival April 16th 2011

The Bishop Auckland Food Festival in the Durham Dales is the largest food festival in the North East.

Set in the leafy and historic grounds of Auckland Castle, showcasing the finest food products, this free-to-enter festival which has grown into one of the region’s must-visit annual events takes place on April 16th 2001. The one day festival isn’t just about food though, local arts and crafts designers display the best of their creative talent and products including patchwork quilting, jewellery and beading.  In addition to the sales stalls there will also be numerous demonstrations and entertainment performances making the day a great event for all the family. Free park and ride transport will also be available.

Auckland Castle home to the Bishop of Durham for over 800 years also houses the priceless Zurbarán Paintings, painted between 1640 and 1645 and aquired in 1756 by Bishop Trevor for £124.00.  The thirteen Zurbarán Paintings hang in the Long Dining Room, each painting standing eight feet tall. 

Phoenix Trading Artists

Phoenix Trading - Charity Fundraising

MUMSBUSINESS CLUB COUNTY DURHAM

MUMSBUSINESS CLUB COUNTY DURHAM
Originally uploaded by Education Takeaway

Are you running a business in and around County Durham. Do you want to network and share your experiences with other like minded women. Join Mums Business Club North East, a new networking group, helping women with yourng children to netowrk without having to find childcare. Yes, bring them along with you. Julie and I look forward to welcoming you along to our networking events, planned with mums in mind.

The Mumpreneur Conference

The Mumpreneur Conference is an event that will recognise the achievements of our nations mumpreneurs and inspire more women into business. The day has been organised as a way for mums to get together and celebrate one another's achievements, no matter how big or small, as well as providing opportunities for these women to move forward in growing their business in a way that will fit around their family commitments.


What makes The Mumpreneur Conference different from other business conferences and events, is that this is organised by mothers for mothers, ensuring their needs are met, with a suitable day and location to allow business mums from around the country to attend, and with the days itinerary created to ensure the attendees get the best out of the day on both a personal and professional level.

Bishop Auckland Food Festival

The event is one the largest Food Festivals in the North East which last year attracted approximately 28,000 visitors.

Set in the grounds of Auckland Castle the officail residence of the Bishop of Durham and home to the thirteen Zurbarán Paintings hang in the Long Dining Room.  Painted between 1640 and 1645, they are of patriarchs, Jacob and his twelve sons. The twelfth son, ‘Benjamin', is not in fact the work of de Zurburán, but of Arthur Pond, an artist, copyist and art critic of the 18th century.

Entry to the Food Festival is free with a park and ride service available from both St Johns School and Bishop Auckland College. 

Come and visit me at the Phoenix Trading Stand in the marquee. 

Get Set Kids

Get Set Kids is a great new family magazines distributed to 10,000 famillies around County Durham and ran by Allison Mendleson and Emma Ord. Published 3 times a year it is full of information, offers and competitions. Great ideas to keep the children happy over the Easter Holiday and local places to visit from Raby Castle to Planet Kids Toddler group at the new Excel Centre in Newton Aycliffe.

We are running a competition in this issue to win a Jolly Phonics CD & Book, so make sure you get your copy. If you aren't luck enough to get your hands on a copy visit the website where you will find lots going on and the events calendar is packed full of great ideas from Alnwick Gardens to Bishop Auckland food Festival.

Fun Times Tables Flashcards

Children often find it tricky to learn their times tables. Keeping it simple and fun could be the answer. Our new range of Flashcards from The Green Board Company is ideal to play anywhere. At home for a family games night, in the garden on a nice Spring day or in a restaurant when you want to keep the children entertained. For older children Maths Wrap is also good on car journeys and gets children to learn their Times Tables by winding string round a hand held gadget, great for those reluctant ones that like doing and seeing rather than recitinging parrott fashion.

THE AIMS OF THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

The new curriculum becomes statutory in 2011.

The National Curriculum has three broad aims. It should enable all young people to become:

• successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
• confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
• responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

These aims should inform all aspects of teaching and learning and be the starting point for curriculum design.

The curriculum should reflect values in our society that promote personal development, equality of opportunity, economic wellbeing, a healthy and just democracy, and a sustainable future.
These values should relate to:

• ourselves, as individuals capable of spiritual, moral, social, intellectual and physical growth and development
• our relationships, as fundamental to the development and fulfilment of happy and healthy lives, and to the good of the community
• our society, which is shaped by the contributions of a diverse range of people, cultures and heritages
• our environment, as the basis of life and a source of wonder and inspiration that needs to be protected.

nebusiness.co.uk - News - Business News - Women doing it for themselves when it comes to networking

Networking aimed solely at businesswomen in the North East is continuing to thrive despite the huge number of mixed business networking events available. Karen Dent finds out more about one women-only networking group for entrepreneurs in County Durham.
More than 90 women working in and around Durham City are now members of FIND, which provides them with a central hub to access business information, education, support and guidance.
Although it has a central theme of friendship, the group’s main aim remains boosting female entrepreneurship and combating statistics which regularly suggest that women are half as likely to be involved in starting up a business as men.
Members range from women at the pre-start-up stage who are still finalising their business idea to businesswomen whose companies have been established for years and are seeking new clients or new ideas.
In addition to providing a network of contacts and the opportunity to share information, FIND organises regular seminars and workshops which are usually held at the Durham Marriott Hotel.
Ms Williams-Maughan says the group is an important outlet for local female entrepreneurs.
“The majority of members are people like me working from home who don’t have colleagues to bounce ideas off,” she says.
FIND was the first networking group that marketing and PR woman Sarah Weightman tried after starting up her own business.
Durham-based Ms Weightman says: “I was a little bit nervous going for the first time. I found it to be really welcoming and it gave me confidence to go along to other ones.”
She says that making the initial move to attend a session can be intimidating to start with.
But she reckons her main worry was her young age rather than the fact she was female.
“I started my business when I was 25. I was always one of the youngest there,” she said. “That in itself made it a little bit difficult. It’s perhaps more an experience thing.”
But discovering FIND gave her the confidence to learn more about networking and how valuable it can be to fledgling entrepreneurs.
“Since then I’ve gone along to other ones, maybe more traditional networking events,” said Ms Weightman.
“I’ve met some really valuable contacts – people I’ve started to work in partnership with and people where I have become their client, such as chartered accountants. It’s just really valuable and useful.”

More than 90 women working in and around Durham City are now members of FIND, which provides them with a central hub to access business information, education, support and guidance.
Although it has a central theme of friendship, the group’s main aim remains boosting female entrepreneurship and combating statistics which regularly suggest that women are half as likely to be involved in starting up a business as men.
Members range from women at the pre-start-up stage who are still finalising their business idea to businesswomen whose companies have been established for years and are seeking new clients or new ideas.
In addition to providing a network of contacts and the opportunity to share information, FIND organises regular seminars and workshops which are usually held at the Durham Marriott Hotel.
Ms Williams-Maughan says the group is an important outlet for local female entrepreneurs.
“The majority of members are people like me working from home who don’t have colleagues to bounce ideas off,” she says.
FIND was the first networking group that marketing and PR woman Sarah Weightman tried after starting up her own business.
Durham-based Ms Weightman says: “I was a little bit nervous going for the first time. I found it to be really welcoming and it gave me confidence to go along to other ones.”
She says that making the initial move to attend a session can be intimidating to start with.
But she reckons her main worry was her young age rather than the fact she was female.
“I started my business when I was 25. I was always one of the youngest there,” she said. “That in itself made it a little bit difficult. It’s perhaps more an experience thing.”
But discovering FIND gave her the confidence to learn more about networking and how valuable it can be to fledgling entrepreneurs.
“Since then I’ve gone along to other ones, maybe more traditional networking events,” said Ms Weightman.
“I’ve met some really valuable contacts – people I’ve started to work in partnership with and people where I have become their client, such as chartered accountants. It’s just really valuable and useful.”

Phoenix Trading UK Page for Ann Williams-Maughan

Phoenix Trading UK Page for Ann Williams-Maughan: "Phoenix Trading UK Page for Ann Williams-Maughan"

Teacher cutbacks 'short-sighted'

Scotland's largest teaching union has attacked "short-sighted" cuts in teacher training numbers.
The EIS predicted a third of Scotland's teachers were set to retire in the next few years.
It added that cutting back on training new teachers could create "a massive problem" in the future.
A Scottish government spokesman said it was working towards getting the right number of teachers for future generations of pupils.
Four out of five teachers who qualified this summer have not found full-time jobs.
The government has said it had cut the number of training places in response to that, falling school rolls and education authorities cutting the number of posts in schools by almost 2,500.
Reducing student numbers will create more jobs for those teachers already qualified
Scottish government spokesman
But it said there was no point in educating teachers for the dole queue and it planned to build up student numbers in future.
The union said schools may struggle to fill vacancies and training institutions may struggle to produce more new teachers because of job losses among those who teach the teachers.
EIS general secretary Ronnie Smith said cuts in the number of new teachers being trained was bad news for Scottish education, both at school and university level.
"These cuts are hitting the budgets of teacher education departments in universities, and forcing them to reduce their numbers of lecturing staff," he said.
"Cutting back on the number of trainee teachers and the number of university education lecturers is remarkably short-sighted, and runs the risk of creating a massive problem in a few years' time.
'Stimulating demand'
"The Scottish Government has adopted the easy answer to the problem of lack of job opportunities for new teachers by slashing the future student intakes.
"But their focus should be on stimulating demand for new teachers, not cutting the supply."
A Scottish government spokesman said: "We took the difficult decision to reduce student teacher intakes to deal with teacher unemployment.
"Reducing student numbers will create more jobs for those teachers already qualified.
"Furthermore, ministers have also asked Graham Donaldson to conduct a thorough review of teacher education in Scotland, from initial teacher education through induction and continuous professional development."

Young people's writing: Attitudes, behaviour and the role of technology

Writing is an important issue in the UK today. While children’s and young people’s writing standards steadily improved until 2006, levels have not increased in recent years. Writing is much more than just an educational issue – it is an essential skill that allows people to participate fully in today’s society and to contribute to the economy.
Relatively little is known about young people’s views about writing in the UK. The key objectives of this survey were therefore: to explore how much young people enjoy writing, what type of writing they engage in, how good at writing they think they are, what they think about writing and what the role of technology is in young people's writing.This report outlines the findings from 3001 pupils aged 8-16 from England and Scotland, who completed an online survey in May 2009. It explores gender and age differences, and examines the link between socio-economic background (in terms of free school meals) and writing. Furthermore, it explores young people's writing with respect to mobile phone ownership, having a blog and having a profile on a social networking site. It concludes with practical and policy implications.