Sign Language Week – free courses!

It’s Sign Language Week from 13th – 19th March, so we have decided to share some of the best reasonably priced and free sign language courses available.

Why learn sign language?

In the UK around 25,000 people communicate through sign language today. Learning sign language enables you to converse with family, friends and people at school or work who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Plus, if most adults in the UK learned to use sign language most of us would benefit at some point in our lives. A staggering 40% of people in the UK aged 50 and above have some degree of hearing loss which rises to 70% for the over 70s.

As well as being a practical, valuable skill, learning sign language is fun and it gives your brain a good work out!

What’s Sign Language Week?

Sign Language Week, organized by the British Deaf Association (BDA), celebrates the day that British Sign Language (BSL) was acknowledged as an official language. On 18th March 2003 legislation was passed in parliament to recognize BSL as an indigenous British Language.

The theme for Sign Language Week 2023 is ‘Protecting BSL’. It’s all about preserving this beautiful visual language for future generations.

Free sign language courses

Here are some sign language courses and videos that won’t cost you a penny!

Basics of British Sign Language

Basics of British Sign Language is a free course by British Sign Language expert Olly Richards, which teaches you the basics of BSL. This is a CPD accredited course so you will receive a certificate at the end.

You learn the alphabet, months of the year, days of the week, colours and animals. By the end of the course, you will be able to translate some words into BSL and hold basic conversations.

Bright BSL

Bright BSL is a free app that enables adults and children to learn sign language online at their own convenience. The instructors, Karen and Andrew, were both born deaf and have used BSL for most of their lives. They are qualified instructors with a real passion for sharing their skills.

Bright BSL is very simple to use. You learn sign language through quick, fun quizzes. To begin with, you match pictures of objects to video clips of Karen using BSL. You gradually build on your skills, until you can recognize and sign phrases and whole sentences.

This app is definitely an engaging and rewarding way to learn!

Learn Beginners BSL

Learn Beginners BSL is a series of free YouTube videos by Natasha Lamb and her sister Kelly-Ann who is deaf. The videos were made so young children could learn a new skill during lockdown. If you have a young child, you can learn sign language with them through activities and nursery rhymes.

There are 26 videos, and they are around 10-20 minutes long. You and your child will start by learning the alphabet and gradually be able to sign whole sentences.

School of Sign Language

On the School of Sign Language webpage there are links to some fantastic free videos. You can learn the alphabet, greetings, colours, days of the week, numbers, language relating to family and much more!

As you watch a video, we recommend pausing it at intervals to practise. It’s a good idea to watch just one or two videos a week so you have lots of time to practise what you’ve learnt before moving on.

Reasonably priced sign language courses

We have included these courses because they are run by experienced professionals and offer incredible value for money.

Pip Johns- British Sign Language Tutor

If you live in the Ely area, have a look at Pip John’s British Sign Language classes. She is a Deaf and British Sign Language user who runs in-person sign language classes for adults and children over 12.  

Pip has over 10 years’ experience teaching adults and she’s received many fantastic reviews. Her evening classes cost £60 for 5 weeks. It is worth following her Facebook page for the fantastic sign language tips and updates she shares.

British-sign.co.uk

If you are looking for CPD accreditation, British-sign.co.uk offer a fantastic BSL course for beginners. The course is £15 for 16 hours, and you receive much more learning than you do with the free courses listed above.

You can study at your own pace over a period of up to two years. Most people complete the course in just a few months by dedicating between 1 and 2 hours a week on their studies.

Love learning with TutorMyKids

We hope our list of free sign language courses has inspired your family to get involved in Sign Language Week!

At TutorMyKids we are dedicated to igniting a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. We believe the best learning is active, fun and brings joy to people throughout their lives.

We offer home tuition in English, maths, sciences, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas. Please get in touch for a chat: hello@tutormykids.co.uk.

Children’s Mental Heath Week

For Children’s Mental Health Week, we thought it would be helpful to collate a list of support services in Cambridgeshire.

When you are looking for mental health support for your child, the volume of information on the internet can be overwhelming. You are also probably aware that waiting lists for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) are extremely long.

We know that if your child is struggling with their mental health it is important they receive help early. Not only does early help prevent matters from escalating, but it means they can start to enjoy life again.

We strongly believe everyone deserves a happy childhood.

Start here

Centre 33 and H.A.Y Peterborough are fantastic sources of support and advice, especially if you don’t know where to start.

Centre 33

Centre 33 provides mental health support for children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. They offer free, confidential advice and support. If their counsellors cannot meet your child’s needs, they will point you in the right direction. If they think your child needs specialist help (for example, if your child has an eating disorder) they will signpost you to the right place.

You can chat to them on the phone, by email or text, or visit them at one of their local centres.

H.A.Y Peterborough! (covers the whole of Cambridgeshire)

H.A.Y Peterborough is a fantastic online resource that lists sources of mental health support and activities in Cambridgeshire. They provide a comprehensive map of the organisations in Cambridgeshire that support children’s mental health.

More local services

Blue Smile

Blue Smile’s experienced and skilled therapists provide counselling and fun, art-based therapies for children aged 3-13. 

Cogwheel Counselling

The Cogwheel Trust provide counselling for children and families in Cambridge. Children’s counselling takes place in a family friendly room where toys and arts and crafts may be used to express feelings.

This service aims to be affordable, but it is not free. People are asked to make a ‘regular financial contribution’ towards their counselling.

Froglife’s Green Pathways

Froglife’s Green Pathways, based in Peterborough and the Fenlands, supports the mental health of vulnerable young people and children through activities linked to conservation.

By participating in activities young people not only build knowledge of conservation and wildlife but grow in confidence and develop social skills. This is a free, charity-run initiative.

Getting out in nature has so many mental health benefits, please see World Wildlife Day nature activities for children for ideas.

Kooth

Kooth is an online mental health service for 11-18 year olds in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. They provide free, confidential online support through discussion boards and live chat. Watch their video to find out more.

Mind

Mind is a national charity but they provide local services. Like Centre 33, they can tell you where to find the right support for your child.

The Young People’s Counselling Service

This free counselling service is available to children and young people in the Fenlands, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough. Young people can refer themselves for counselling or they can be referred by their parent, school or a healthcare professional.

Young Minds Crisis Messenger

Young Minds is a national mental health charity, but we are including it here because it provides accessible, fast support for young people. Young people can text 85258 at any time, to talk about how they are feeling.

Emergency help

If your child is in immediate danger of self-harm or suicide, then these are the emergency numbers to call.

NHS – First Response Service

In a mental health emergency, you can ring 111 and select option 2. You will then be transferred to the First Response Service who will address your child’s immediate needs. This emergency service is available 7 days a week, 24/7.

Samaritans

Samaritans’ trained volunteers provide emergency assistance 7 days a week 24/7. Please call 116 123.

Lifeline

This is a free mental health helpline for people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Trained volunteers are available from 11am – 11pm every day on 0808 808 2121.

Get involved in Children’s Mental Health Week

The theme of Children’s Mental Health this year is Let’s Connect. We all know that social connections with family and friends are important for mental wellbeing.

If you want to get involved in Children’s Mental Health Week, or find out how you can best support your child we recommend having a look these free, downloadable resources.

Business ideas for children

Did you know Richard Branson started his first business – a student magazine –   when he was sixteen? Branson says the lessons he learnt from running the magazine sparked the beginning of his business empire. Would your child like to start their own business? Here we discuss business ideas for children and how to nurture valuable life skills.

What skills do children learn from starting a business?

To start a business, your child needs to be sufficiently inspired by an idea to want to turn it into a business.

Starting a business is one thing, but keeping it going is another. It requires organization and perseverance. Your child will need to keep going even when there are challenges and find ways to solve problems.

There are so many skills and qualities children develop by running a business, including self-confidence, tenacity, communication skills and financial management.

Business ideas for children

When considering business ideas, it is best for your child to start with their interests. What do they like doing the most? Could their hobby spark a business? They will need to love what they are doing enough to stick with it when the initial excitement wears off.

These are some business ideas for children. For more suggestions see, Summer projects for children.

Framed art

Your child could draw or paint their own art to sell. Beautiful frames can be bought for a reasonable price online.

If your child needs some artistic inspiration, they could have a look at The Best Art Ideas for Kids.

Biscuits, cakes and sweets

Having a cake or sweet stall is a great way to make some pocket money.

If your child needs ideas, encourage them to look through cookbooks you have at home. If you want to invest in a great children’s cookbook, we recommend I Can Cook by Sally Brown & Kate Morris as it is full of quick and easy recipes.

Herbs and vegetables

You might have noticed that quite a few people sell home grown produce. There is a huge demand for fresh, organic food that is grown with love, and that’s why farm shops are still thriving despite the credit crunch.

If you don’t have any books at home about growing herbs and vegetables, you will probably find plenty in the children’s section of your local library. The Kids in the Garden website is also packed with tips and ideas.

Flowers

Another idea is to grow and sell flowers in pots. See Thomson’s website for suggestions of flowers to plant.

To make the flowers really special, your child could decorate their own plant pots. Check out these fabulous yoghurt pot ideas from Red Ted Art.

Beauty products and beauty treatments

Making beauty products is lots of fun. Have a look at these simple DIY cosmetics children can make at home. Your child could also offer beauty treatments to friends and family so they can ‘try before they buy’.

Crafts

There are so many easy crafts your child could make and sell:

  • Bags made from old jeans
  • Bunting
  • T-shirts they have designed and printed
  • Greetings cards
  • Jewellery
  • Model boats
  • Pottery
  • Puppets

Find ideas by researching the internet or browsing through craft books at home or the library.

Car washing and bicycle washing

Your child could offer to wash cars and bikes for friends and family. Obviously nobody wants their car or bike scratched, so it is important your child knows what to do and uses the right equipment.

Pop-up café

Your child could run their own pop-up café from your front garden. Perhaps they could even make their own lemonade?

Hair braiding and face painting

Your child could run a salon for family and friends, offering face painting or hair braiding.

There are lots of face painting tutorials on YouTube. Braiding hair is easy – simply plait embroidery thread through three strands of hair.

Marketing

A successful business is built on a solid marketing strategy. Designing a logo, making flyers and posters and telling everyone where to find your product or service are just some aspects of marketing.

For further tips, type ‘How to market a lemonade business’ into a search engine. No matter what business your child wants to start, the information is still relevant. Also see, Top ways to advertise your business as a kid or teen.

Safety and the law

If your child is selling food or drink to members of the public there are food hygiene and laws to consider.

For your child’s personal safety, their entrepreneurial activities must be supervised by a responsible adult. Whether they are selling to the public outside your house or trading on the internet, they need to understand how to keep themselves safe.

TutorMyKids – inspiring the next generation

We hope you have enjoyed our business ideas for children. Whether your child is a budding entrepreneur, or they need a little extra motivation, our dedicated tutors are here to help.

We offer tuition in English, maths, sciences, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more, please get in touch for a chat: hello@tutormykids.co.uk.

STEM for girls: how to inspire your daughter

According to UCAS, just 35% of those currently studying STEM subjects are women. Yet people who choose STEM careers are in high demand, receive excellent salaries and have the satisfaction of knowing they are making a real difference to the world. Here we talk about STEM for girls and how you can motivate your daughter to explore this area.

STEM for girls – highlight role models

Find out about famous women in STEM

Together you could find out about women in STEM who changed the world. From Katherine Johnson who worked out the paths spacecrafts need to follow to land on the Moon, to Radia Perlman who developed the algorithm that gave rise to the internet!

Read books about women in STEM

Encourage your daughter to read inspiring books about innovative women who have shaken the world.

We highly recommend Sumita Mukherjee’s book, Women in Stemwhich celebrates the remarkable achievements of female engineers, mathematicians, scientists and technologists with the goal of inspiring brilliant young minds.

Watch exciting STEM-based films

There are plenty of fictional films that glamorize women in STEM from Contact starring Josie Foster as a SETI scientist, to the 2016 version of the 80s classic, Ghostbusters.

Talk to a woman with a career in STEM

If you know any women with STEM careers, you could ask them to talk to your daughter. They might even invite your daughter to visit them at work.

Encourage your daughter to attend a STEM club

To find STEM clubs visit Google and type in ‘STEM clubs’ followed by your town, or ‘science clubs for children’ followed by your town.

For Cambridge, Google brings up Cambridge Science Centre, Fab Science, Mini Professors and more.

Buy STEM presents

For your daughter’s birthday or for Christmas considering buying them a STEM related gift. See Bright Minds and Teaching Expertise for ideas.

STEM games and toys encourage children to be curious, come up with ideas, solve problems, refine their creations and have fun. In other words, they develop the skills children need to become scientists, mathematicians and engineers.

For children aged 8 and above, we particularly love GraviTrax which is a sophisticated marble run. Your child can build walls, bridges, pillars and other 3D structures to create ever more innovative marble runs. It helps them to understand gravity, engineering and kinetics as well as developing problem solving skills.

Visit a hands-on science museum

Take a trip to a science museum where your daughter can get involved with hands-on activities. Museums offer all kinds of activities from building space rockets, to making moving cars and exploding volcanoes. The best way to appreciate and understand science is to do it!

If you have never visited the National Space Centre in Leicester we highly recommend it. Your child can even experience what low gravity feels like – what could be more fun than that?

Find out about STEM careers

Before the internet it was difficult to find out about all the career options available to us. People could only pursue careers in fields they knew existed. Fortunately, times have changed. Your child can visit even a virtual exhibition to discover STEM career possibilities.

As well as visiting a virtual exhibition, your child can find a list of STEM careers online and then dive deeper into a job that piques their interest. For example, if they are interested in finding out more about the role of a robotics engineer, they can type ‘robotics engineer’ into a search engine. That will lead them to a fantastic video from My World of Work which gives an engaging insight into this career.

Do STEM activities at home

Here are some engineering projects your daughter might like to do at home. If they are fascinated by the night sky, they could also try these space activities.

Would your daughter benefit from science tuition?

We hope our article about STEM for girls has given you some ideas to ignite your child’s interest. However, if you think they would benefit from receiving home tuition from an experienced science teacher who is passionate about their subject, please get in touch.

At TutorMyKids, we strongly believe that when children enjoy learning they are considerably more likely to achieve.

To find out more about one-to-one science tuition please email hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Tree Dressing Day: 10 eco friendly decorations to make

The first weekend of December is Tree Dressing Day, so we are sharing some ideas for eco friendly decorations the whole family can make.

Christmas can feel like a tidal wave of plastic and making your own decorations is one way around the problem. Crafting at Christmas is also great for mental health because it’s stress-relieving and mood-boosting.

So, grab yourselves a hot chocolate, and get crafting together!

Orange garland

This decoration will make your Christmas tree smell wonderful. All you need are two oranges, string, greaseproof paper, cocktail sticks (or a skewer) and tea towels.

  1. Preheat the oven to 1200C (fan).
  2. Cut two large oranges into thin slices (as thin as you can so they remain strong and don’t fall apart).
  3. Arrange the orange slices in rows on a tea towel. Place another tea towel on top and gently press to squeeze out some of the juice.
  4. Using a cocktail stick (or a skewer), make a little hole in the centre of each orange. Make sure the hole is big enough to thread string through (don’t thread string through just yet though).
  5. Cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper and arrange your orange slices on the tray.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes, turn the slices over and then bake for another 20 minutes (or until the oranges have dried out but are not brown).
  7. Remove the oranges from the oven and leave to cool.
  8. Once cool, thread string through the orange slices to make a garland.

Salt dough decorations

For these decorations you simply roll out salt dough and cut it into Christmassy shapes to hang from your tree.

You need salt dough ingredients (250g plain flour, 125g salt, 125ml water), a Christmas-themed biscuit cutter (star, angel, Santa etc.), greaseproof paper, a skewer or cocktail stick to make a hole in the top of your shapes, string or ribbon for threading, and paint or felt-tipped pens for decorating.

  1. Preheat the oven to 1500C (fan)
  2. Mix the flour and salt together and gradually add water until you can make the mixture into a ball with your hands.
  3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface.
  4. Cut our shapes with your Christmassy biscuit cutter(s).
  5. Place the shapes on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper.
  6. Make a hole in the top of each shape with a skewer. Make sure your string will go through the hole once the shapes are baked and cooled.
  7. Bake your shapes in the oven for about an hour, or until they have dried out.
  8. Remove your shapes from the oven and leave for a couple of hours to cool.
  9. Decorate your shapes by painting or colouring them with felt-tips.
  10. Thread your decorations with string and hang them from your tree.

Pom-pom reindeer

This is a great craft for relaxation and keeping children busy!

You need brown wool, cardboard (a cereal box will do), hot glue or glue dots, felt tipped pens and paints.

  1. Simply make a pom-pom from brown wool (there are lots of pom-pom making instructions available online if you need them).
  2. Cut out antler shapes, a nose shape and some circles for eyes from card.
  3. Paint the antlers brown, and the nose red, and use felt-tipped pens to draw the eyes.
  4. Glue the antlers, nose and eyes onto your pom-pom with a hot glue gun or sticky glue dots.
  5. Nestle your reindeer amongst the branches of your tree.

You can make all sorts of Christmas characters from pom-poms. Why not try making Santa or a snowman next?

Are you looking for a tutor after Christmas?

At TutorMyKids we take the hassle out of finding a home tutor for your child. All our tutors are qualified teachers, and they are highly experienced in their subject areas.

For maths, English, science, humanities or language tutoring in the Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon or Newmarket areas please contact hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Let us help your child make a positive start to the New Year!

Best books for reluctant readers

If your child has not yet discovered the joys of reading for fun, we are here to help you inspire them with our pick of the best books for reluctant readers.

Why is reading for enjoyment important?

Reading for pleasure has so many benefits. It is a way to relax, it feeds imagination, it builds vocabulary, it makes us happy, and it can help us sleep. In short, reading is good for your child’s physical and mental health.  

What are the best books for reluctant readers?

These fantastic books will keep your child happy and engaged on cold winter’s evenings and rainy afternoons. For more ideas, please see our list of best children’s Christmas books.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

By Jeff Kinney

This is the first in a series of laugh-out-loud funny books. Children love these stories about Greg Heffley, a child enduring the trials of being the middle child in a family going through the trials of middle school. Take it from us, adults find these books funny too!

Greg and his hapless friend Rowley, find different ways to survive the challenges of going to school with children who are much bigger and meaner than them. To make matters worse, they must avoid getting the dreaded cheese touch at all costs! Anyone who touches the ancient bit of cheese lying on the playground becomes an outcast, and the only way to get rid of the cheese touch is to pass it on to someone else.

There have been a few Diary of a Wimpy Kid films which might inspire your child to read the books afterwards. The most recent is based on the second book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and is due to be released by Disney + on 2nd December.

The 13 Storey Treehouse

By Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

The 13 Storey Treehouse is also part of a long-running series. Two boys called Andy and Terry build a dangerous, but exciting and funny, treehouse. The treehouse has some unusual levels which build up over the series. For example, the shark pool level, the ‘lost sausage’ level and the ‘old boot’ level.

Andy and Terry are authors who must finish writing their book (the one we are reading) by a strict deadline set by their publisher, Mr Bignose. The problem is that they keep getting distracted. They have a pillow fight with a giant banana which attracts the attention of a King Kong-sized gorilla. The gorilla stops them from writing their book by shaking the tree, and so it goes on.  

Somehow or another, they get their book to Mr Bignose on schedule. The book is delivered by strange flying cats, which are a cross between cats and canaries (catnaries).

Dinosaur Cove: Attack of the Lizard King

By Rex Stone

This is yet another series of very popular books. In the first book, Dinosaur Cove: Attack of the Lizard King, two friends, Jamie and Tom, enter a forgotten smuggler’s cave clutching what they don’t realise is a magic ammonite. The magic ammonite opens a portal which transports them suddenly back in time to the land of dinosaurs.

Jamie and Tom make friends with a wannanosaurus, who they name Wanna. When a t-rex crashes towards them at high speed, Wanna leads them to safety, just in the nick of time. However, just when Jamie and Tom think their troubles are over, a pteranodon swoops from the sky, claws grasping. Fortunately, the t-rex lunges at the pteranodon and they make their escape.

The Dinosaur Cove series is action packed and it transports the reader right into dinosaur land through vivid description. Readers can smell rotting leaves in the clammy jungle air, and feel the swampy, squelchy mud beneath their feet.

The Wizards of Once

By Cressida Cowell

The Wizards of Once, by the author of the How to Train Your Dragon series, is amazing. The story immerses the reader in a world of powerful mystery, deep, dark forests and strong magic.

Wish is a warrior girl who owns a magical object that is banned by her people (the warriors have a strong dislike of magic, for various reasons). Xar is a wizard boy who does not have any magical powers yet and seems to be a disappointment to his father. When Wish and Xar meet they bond through shared troubles, and soon find themselves on a dangerous mission together.

The story is about conquering feuds and prejudices and overcoming the evil unleashed by terrifying villains. As the plot twists and turns there are moments of terror, humour, and calm. Some characters are based on those from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and this book certainly has all the magical elements of Shakespeare’s famous play.

Any child over the age of 9 who loves wizards, witches and magic will be hooked from the start. Like Harry Potter, this is also a book for adults. We wholeheartedly recommend it as a Christmas read for all the family!

Does your child need extra help with reading?

We hope your child has enjoyed one or two of our best books for reluctant readers. However, we understand that there are many reasons why children do not enjoy reading.

If your child seems to be struggling, our experienced and kind home tutors are here to help. All our tutors are qualified teachers who help children who need a short-term boost and those requiring a higher level of support.

No matter what your child’s needs, our tutors can ensure they reach their full potential and guide them towards a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

Please contact us today: hello@tutormykids.co.uk

University is not for me – what can I do?

If you are thinking “university is not for me” the good news is that you have plenty of options. Today, the decision to go to university needs careful consideration with the average student leaving with debts of £45,000. Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, of Dragon’s Den fame, left university after just one lecture after realising it was not an environment where he would thrive.

For some people university remains a worthwhile investment, but it is not for everyone – and it is certainly not the only route to success. Here we look at some alternatives you could explore if you think university may not be the place for you.

University is not for me – your options

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships give you the chance to learn real world skills that are prized by employers. With an apprenticeship you will spend some time studying at a college, university or online and the rest of the time in a workplace. You will be paid a salary and receive all the benefits of being an employee, such as annual leave and sick pay entitlements.

When you finish an apprenticeship you will have an industry-recognised qualification, plus an understanding of the world of work.

There are plenty of industries that offer apprenticeships including science, engineering and medicine.

Internships

Internships are basically work experience placements. An internship is for a fixed length of time and you may or may not be paid. An internship can provide valuable work experience and help you to decide whether a certain industry is right for you.

If a company will not pay you for an internship, then you need to think carefully about whether it is worth it for your employment prospects. Internships that do not pay automatically exclude people who cannot afford to live without a wage for several weeks or juggle another job with existing commitments.

To find an internship, you could contact a company directly, search the Government website or an employment website such as Prospects.

Start work

You might be able to get a job in your chosen field with just your GCSEs or A Levels. Type ‘school leavers jobs’ followed by your town into a search engine to find opportunities. Apart from the financial advantages, you will get a head start in your career if you decide to work straightaway.

If you don’t yet know what you would like to do, another option is to get a convenient job while you think. Have a look at your local job webpages to find vacancies. If you choose, you could study as you work (see below).

Other courses

Today we really do have the world of learning at our fingertips. If you think “university is not for me” but you enjoy studying, there are so many choices available to you.

Distance learning

Open University. You can study a degree online and fit is around a job or other commitments. The Open University offer a huge range of courses and you won’t come away with thousands of pounds of debt.

Distance Learning Centre. They offer GCSEs and A Levels as well as industry-specific courses such as IT qualifications, business courses and counselling diplomas.

British Academy of Fashion and Design. If you want to be a fashion designer, you can gain industry-recognised qualifications through distance study.

If there is a particular subject you are interested in studying, just type it into a search engine followed by ‘distance learning uk’ or ‘online courses uk’.  For example, if you type ‘marketing online courses uk’ into a search engine, the Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing course appears.

Further education colleges

Further education colleges offer a huge range of courses and apprenticeships for people aged 16+. This includes T Levels which are practical qualifications that have been designed in partnership with employers.

Find your local further education college website and see if they offer anything that interests you.

Evening classes

Evening classes are perfect for those who work during the day or have family commitments. You can study for academic qualifications or gain practical skills and qualifications.

Find classes near you through the Find Courses website, or simply type ‘evening classes’ followed by your town into a search engine.

Gap year travel

A gap year (as long as it is constructive and not just a holiday) can offer you valuable lifelong skills and breathing space to consider your options. Here are some ideas of ways to spend your gap year. You may be able to work as you travel to survive financially.

If you are interested in travelling for your gap year, we recommend that you start by reading the Government’s website to explore your options and the practicalities involved.

Talk to TutorMyKids

If you know the career path you want to take, but your GCSE or A-Level qualifications are limiting your options, please talk to us. Our experienced, highly-qualified tutors can help you achieve the results you need to take your next exciting step.

Please contact us today hello@tutormykids.co.uk.

Cambridgeshire firework displays 2022 – hidden gems

Are you looking for a local firework display that isn’t in a large town? Here’s a list of some fantastic but less well-known displays in and around our area.

We want to make this guide to Cambridgeshire Firework Displays 2022 as useful as possible, so please let us know if we’ve missed a local display and we will add it for you.

Friday 4th November

Alconbury Sports and Social Club Fireworks Display

Venue: Alconbury Sports and Social Club, Great North Rd, Alconbury, Huntingdon, PE28 4EX

Gates open: 6pm

More information: https://www.assc.org.uk/events/fireworks-display-5/

Cottenham Primary School Fireworks

Venue: Cottenham Primary School, Lambs Lane, Cottenham, CB24 8TA

Gates open: 5pm

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1292167824912692

Ely: Forks & Fawkes – Bonfire Night Celebration

Venue: The Old Hall Ely, Soham Road, Ely, CB7 5TR

Gates open: 6.45pm

More information: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/forks-fawkes-bonfire-night-celebration-tickets-414744761747

Kimbolton Castle Fireworks

Venue: Kimbolton Castle, Kimbolton, PE28 0EA

Gates open: 5.45pm

More information: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/kimbolton/kimbolton-castle/kimbolton-castle-fireworks-2022/e-keaoxo

March: All Saints 2022 Fireworks

Venue: All Saints Interchurch Aided Primary, County Rd, March, PE15 8ND

Gates open: 5.30pm

More information: https://allevents.in/march/all-saints-2022-fireworks/200023233283640

Soham Town Rangers Social Club Fireworks

Venue: Soham Town Rangers, Julius Martin Lane, Soham, CB7 5EQ

Gates open: 5pm

More information: https://stayhappening.com/e/fireworks-display-E2ISUWNW921

Saturday 5th November

Bluntisham Fireworks and Bonfire

Venue: Mehew’s Field, Wood End, Bluntisham, PE28 3LE

Gates open: 5.30pm

Tickets: Budgeons, 7 Station Road, Bluntisham, PE28 3PA

More information: https://www.facebook.com/BluntishamFireworksandBonfire

Cambourne Fireworks

Venue: Football pitches, Upper Cambourne

Gates open: 5.30pm

More information: https://www.cambournefireworks.co.uk/

Downham Market Fireworks

Venue: Stradsett Hall, King’s Lynn, PE33 9HA

Gates open: 4.30pm

Tickets and more information: https://allevents.in/stradsett/downham-market-fireworks-2022-fireworks-festival-stradsett-hall/10000413000354177

Ely Fireworks Display

Venue: Cherry Hill Park, 78 Broad Street, Ely, CB7 4BE

Gates open: 4.30pm (fireworks at 7pm)

More information: https://www.spottedinely.com/event/ely-fireworks-display/

Godmanchester Rovers FC Fireworks Extravaganza

Venue: Godmanchester Rovers FC, Bearscroft Farm, Godmanchester, Huntingdon

Gates open: 5.30pm

More information: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/online/godmanchester-rovers-football-club/fireworks-extravaganza/2022-11-05/17:30/t-dvvydzx

Hemingford Fireworks

Venue: The Big Field Site, London Road, St Ives, PE27 5ER

Gates open: 5pm

More information: http://www.fireworksinhemingford.uk/

Hilton Fireworks and Bonfire

Venue: The Wilderness (behind the village green)

Gates open: 6pm

More information: https://hiltonparishcouncil.com/news/hilton-fireworks-and-bonfire-2022

Histon and Impington Fireworks

Venue: Impington Village College, New Road, Impington, CB24 9LX

Gates open: 6pm

More information: https://www.hifireworks.org.uk/

Linton Fireworks

Venue: Linton Infants School, Church Lane, Linton, CB21 4JX

Gates open: 5.30pm

More information: https://www.lintonfireworks.co.uk/

Over Annual Village Fireworks

Venue: Over Community Centre, 16 The Doles, Over, CB24 5NW

Gates open: 6pm

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/811463496867324

Saffron Walden Charity Firework Display

Venue: The Common, Saffron Walden, CB10 2AA

Gates open: 5.30pm

More information: http://swrt.org/fireworks/

Sawston Bonfire Night

Venue: Huckeridge Hill, Sawston, CB22 3FL

Gates open: 6pm

More information: https://bonfirenightparty.com/event/cambridgeshire/sawston-bonfire-night-2021-11-05/

Willingham Scout Group Fireworks Spectacular

Venue: Willingham Recreation Ground, Willingham, CB24 5LP

Gates open: 5pm

Tickets and more information: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/willingham/willingham-recreation-ground/willingham-scout-group-fireworks-spectacular-2022/e-dbvzko

Wisbech St Mary CE Academy Fireworks Spectacular

Venue: Wisbech St Mary Church of England Academy, High Road, Wisbech, PE13 4RJ

Gates open: 5.15pm

More information: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/cambs/wisbech-st-mary-church-of-england-academy/wisbech-st-mary-ce-academy-fireworks-spectacular/e-jeyaye

Sunday 6th November

Eynesbury Rovers FC Annual Family Firework Night

Venue: Eynesbury Rovers FC, Eynesbury, St Neots, PE19 2SF

Gates open: 5pm

More information: https://www.mumsguideto.co.uk/huntingdon/event.php?eventid=817&event=Eynesbury-Rovers-Annual-Fireworks-Display

Gamlingay Fireworks Spectacular

Venue: Gamlingay Eco Hub, Stocks Lane, Gamlingay, SG19 3JR

Gates open: 4pm

More information: https://www.mumsguideto.co.uk/huntingdon/event.php?eventid=810&event=Gamlingay-Fireworks-Spectacular-2022

Melbourn Primary School Fireworks Display

Venue: Melbourn Primary School, Melbourn, Royston, SG8 6DB

Gates open: 5.30pm

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/467588378612587

Other possible Cambridgeshire firework displays 2022

The following firework displays normally take place, but we cannot find any details about them this year. Please contact the organisers for information or keep an eye on local Facebook pages.

Babraham Fireworks

Usual venue: Babraham Hall, Cambridge, CB22 3AT

Organiser: Friends of Babraham School, babrahamfriends@gmail.com

Fordham Fireworks

Usual venue: Market Field, Fordham, CB7 5PD

Organiser: Fordham Parents Teachers and Friends Association: https://www.facebook.com/FordhamPTFA

Haddenham Fireworks Display

Usual venue: Fairchild’s Meadow, Chewells Lane, Haddenham, CB6 3SS

Organiser: Haddenham Bonfire Committee: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067629217847

Wilburton Bonfire and Fireworks

Usual venue: Wilburton Recreation Ground, Station Road, Wilburton, CB6 3RP

Organiser: Wilburton Bonfire and Fireworks Committee: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066831

World Food Day: how to cut your bills

World Food Day 2022 focuses on building a world in which everybody has the nutritious food they need. With the cost-of-living crisis most of us need to find ways to reduce our energy bills and save money on food. Eating food that doesn’t require cooking once or twice a week is one way to do that.

To help your family, we’ve compiled no-cook recipes that use inexpensive ingredients and are quick and easy to prepare. These money saving recipes for World Food Day are delicious and nutritious too!

World Food Day ‘no cook’ dinners

Veggie fajitas

Ingredients

Plain or wholemeal tortillas

1 jar of salsa sauce

2 tubs of chargrilled vegetables, roughly chopped

Hot sauce or mild sweet chilli sauce (whatever suits your family’s tastes)

Handful of sundried tomatoes, finely chopped

150ml soured cream (or crème fraiche – whichever is cheaper at your supermarket).

Iceberg lettuce, finely sliced

Grated cheese (a couple of handfuls)

Instructions

Just place the ingredients on the dining table so everyone can fill their tortillas as they wish!

Save money

The ingredients can be substituted for foods you prefer or food you already have in the fridge. For example, you could use fresh tomatoes instead of sundried tomatoes. You could substitute chargrilled vegetables for sliced peppers, grated apple, finely chopped cucumber – or whatever you like.

You can save money by buying your supermarket’s own brand products, especially for more expensive items like salsa sauce. Plus, once you’ve bought jars of sundried tomatoes and hot sauce, for example, you can use them the next time you make fajitas.

Tuna or salmon salad

Ingredients

Salad:

2 sachets of ready-cooked puy lentils

2 drained tins of tuna or salmon

Handful of your favourite fresh herbs, finely chopped

2 handfuls of chopped cherry tomatoes

1 fresh pepper (sliced)

1 cucumber (diced or sliced)

Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

  1. Mix all the salad ingredients together.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients.
  3. Gradually add the dressing to the salad, tasting as you go.

Chicken couscous

Ingredients

240g ready-cooked chicken breasts (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

100g couscous

198g tin sweetcorn (drained)

1 chicken stock cube

Handful of chopped tomatoes

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (or a few drops of concentrate)

Instructions

  1. Dissolve the stock cube in 200ml of boiling water from the kettle.
  2. Add the stock to the couscous and leave to cook for 10 minutes (or follow the instructions on the packet).
  3. Once the couscous is ready mix it in a bowl with all the other ingredients.

Save money

If your family doesn’t like sweetcorn, you can swap it for a tin of peas.  Chicken breasts can be substituted with any other cooked meat, and the stock cube can be substituted with a vegetable stock cube (or even a beef stock cube depending on your meat). Tomatoes can also be substituted for other salad vegetables.

Experiment and use what you already have at home as far as possible.

No cook desserts

Fruit ice-cream

Ingredients

125g mascarpone cheese

60g icing sugar

Juice of ½ lemon

Handful of fruit of your choice – 60g blueberries/chopped strawberries/raspberries etc.

1 mashed banana

Instructions

Stir all the ingredients together and press into a dish or plastic container. Freeze for 3 hours or more and then serve.

Save money

You can use supermarket brand mascarpone and frozen fruit instead of fresh. Frozen fruit such as blueberries is often over a pound cheaper than fresh blueberries. Frozen fruit can also provide greater nutritional value than fresh, so it’s ‘win, win’.

Chocolate cheesecake

Ingredients

1 jar of chocolate spread

1 packet of shortbread (about 210g)

360g cream cheese

Instructions

  1. Crush the shortbread into crumbs by placing a tea towel over the packet and bashing it with a rolling pin. Children love helping with this part!
  2. In a bowl, mix the shortbread with half a jar of chocolate spread.
  3. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a cake tin using your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. For the filling, mix the rest of the chocolate spread with the cream cheese.
  5. When the biscuit base is ready, fold in the filling.
  6. Place in the freezer overnight.

You can serve the cheesecake as it is or with a spoonful of plain yoghurt, crème fraiche, ice-cream, or whatever you have in the fridge.

Save money

You can use supermarket own brand products to further reduce the cost of this dessert.

TutorMyKids – helping children to thrive

We hope you have enjoyed our no cook recipe ideas for World Book Day. At TutorMyKids we are dedicated to supporting families and children in any way we can.

If your child needs an extra boost at school our friendly and highly qualified tutors will help them to reach their full potential. We offer tuition in English, maths, sciences, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more, please get in touch for a chat at hello@tutormykids.co.uk.

Best children’s stories for Halloween!

If your child loves decorating for Halloween and dressing up for Trick or Treat, stories are a great way to get them even more in the spooky spirit! As well as watching some classic family friendly flicks, how about ordering some festive books from your local library? Here’s our pick of the very best children’s stories for Halloween.

Best picture books for Halloween

I Went Trick-or-Treating

By Paul Howard

Two children have been out trick-or-treating with their families. When they meet up again, they share their adventures. Each child tries to outdo the other by claiming to have scared more spooky creatures. ‘I went trick-or-treating and I scared a creepy, sleepy spider…!’ ‘…Well, I went trick-or-treating and I scared a creepy sleepy spider and…a naughty, warty, toad!’ 

In this spooktacular story each character repeats what the other has just said, and then they add something else (it’s a bit like the game, I went shopping and I bought… )

This charmingly creepy book, complete with glittery spiders’ webs and glow-in-the dark ghosts, comes highly recommended.

Boo! A book of spooky surprises

By Jonathan Litton and Fhiona Galloway

Who is shouting ‘BOO!’? That’s what the reader of this rhyming picture book must guess.

On the first page there’s a big picture of an owl. The owl’s eyes are holes so the reader can put their fingers through, as the question is asked: ‘Night owl, night owl was that you? Were you the one that shouted BOO?’ The owl replies, ‘It wasn’t me.’

And the mystery continues. It’s not Black Cat, Pumpkin, Little Witch, Spider or Wizard, so who is it?

The reader will have lots of fun guessing and joining in with the rhymes until the answer is revealed on the very last page!

Ten Spooky Skeletons: a peek-through picture book

By Garry Parsons

At the start of the book there’s one spooky skeleton looking for some friends. He goes down the hatch to a spooky cellar and finds himself on a pirate ship where there’s a pirate skeleton. So, now there are two skeletons.

The reader follows skeletons through a telescope, a gap in a circus tent, a magician’s hat and more. The story keeps going until there are 10 skeletons altogether.

The book ends with a glow-in-the dark spooky surprise!

Age 7+ best children’s stories for Halloween

The Worst Witch

By Jill Murphy

Mildred Hubble is a trainee witch who cannot seem to do anything right. In fact, she’s the ‘worst witch’ at Miss Cackle’s Academy. If she’s not having to use a satchel to keep her cat balanced on her broomstick, then she’s performing spells that go spectacularly wrong.

When Mildred’s arch enemy Ethel, spitefully places an enchantment on her broomstick during the Halloween broomstick display, things go from bad to worse. Mildred’s broomstick goes out of control and all the witches fall into a heap in front of everyone.

Upset and disgraced Mildred runs away from school. Then, when darkness falls, she spots a group of witches huddled over a cauldron in the forest. These witches, led by Miss Cackle’s evil twin, are plotting to take over the school by turning all the teachers and pupils into toads. Can Mildred save the day and turn her reputation round?

This classic story has been a firm favourite with children for years. Not surprisingly, it’s continuing to cast its spell over a new generation of readers.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

By J K Rowling

The first of JK Rowlings’ Harry Potter stories, this is the perfect story for getting in the Halloween mood.

When Harry is a baby his wizard parents are killed by the evil Lord Voldemort, but Harry somehow survives. Now an orphan, Harry is sent to live with his very ordinary and rather cruel Aunt and Uncle. Harry’s aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon have never approved of wizards, and they can’t stand Harry Potter. They lavish all their attention on their own son, Dudley, who is a spoilt bully.

One day Harry’s life changes completely. He’s rescued by the wizarding community, and he goes to live at Hogwarts boarding school for witches and wizards.

Hogwarts is a truly magical place where Harry makes friends for the first time in his life. It’s when he’s at Hogwarts that Harry discovers he is a very special wizard. Harry and his friends fight trolls, battle with three-headed dragons and find out who they can and cannot trust at school.

This is a book that twists and turns, gripping the reader all the way to a thrilling conclusion.

Horrid Henry Spooky Spectacular

By Francesca Simon

Our favourite anti-hero, Horrid Henry, is up to his usual tricks. Henry battles demon dinner ladies, bogey babysitters, monsters and Egyptian Mummies in this compilation of six Halloween stories.

We could have picked any one of the stories in this compilation to review, but we have chosen Horrid Henry and the Mummy’s Curse which is a delightfully mischievous story.

Henry is caught red-handed by his brother, Perfect Peter, who finds him in his bedroom playing with his Curse of the Mummy kit. To stop Perfect Peter from reporting him to mum, Harry convinces his brother that he’s only trying to protect him from the ‘mummy’s curse’.

Henry tells Peter that their own mum is really a dangerous Egyptian mummy, and after a funny conversation with his mum, Peter is persuaded. Henry ‘protects’ Peter by wrapping him in toilet roll and chanting a ‘sacred spell’.

When mum finds out what Henry has done, she grounds him for a month. However, since Peter no longer wants to play with his Curse of the Mummy kit, Henry wins anyway!

Best Halloween stories: ages 11+

If you are looking for the stories for older children we recommend 25 Spooky Mighty Girl Tales for Tweens and Teens and Horror and Supernatural Young Adult (YA) Books.

English Heritage has compiled Spooky Stories and Gruesome Tales around their historic sites. Brave souls who really want to get into the spirit of Halloween could read these tales and then visit the real-life creepy places!

Discover the magic of reading with TutorMyKids

Does your child love reading? We hope our collection of best children’s stories for Halloween has inspired them to try something new.

If your child is reluctant to pick up a book or needs support with their reading, our qualified English tutors at can help. Our tutors are passionate about reading and writing, and they are highly experienced. They know how to encourage and inspire children with different strengths, challenges, and personalities.

Whether your child is at primary school or studying for GCSE or A Level English, TutorMyKids will match them to the best tutor for them.

Please get in touch today at hello@tutormykids.co.uk