Fair way to help you make a difference
This year's 'Make A Difference Day' will highlight how volunteers can tackle loneliness and isolation at a special fair held at Cambridge Central Library on Saturday, October 29. The Volunteer Recruitment fair is being held by Cambridgeshire County Council Library Service together with Volunteering Cambridgeshire. The free event will celebrate community service volunteers and will give people the opportunity to find out more about volunteering in their local area or opportunities in Cambridgeshire County Council and other organisations.
The event is being held in the Central Library, Cambridge from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm in the third floor conference room. There will be staff on hand to talk to and more information can be found at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/news/ or contact maggie.brown@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "Why not come along to this free Volunteer Recruitment Fair at Central Cambridge Library. We will have a range of volunteering opportunities available including those across Cambridgeshire County Council, such as in libraries, Museums, Archives and Learning Centres as well as a number of external organisations too. Perhaps you are interested in crafts, family history or IT - we have roles in all of these areas. Cambridgeshire Libraries are at the heart of their communities and this is just one of the events we are holding to help benefit residents."
Putting Cambridgeshire families in the know
Local parents were asked for their views on information for families as part of a consultation by Cambridgeshire County Council. The research tied in with Parents' Week (October 17 to 24) - which had the theme Family Friendly... what's the story?
Research has suggested that families sometimes struggle to find the information they need. This could be related to childcare, education, health, behaviour – anything around families and parenting. The problem can be even worse for parents with a child with special educational needs or disability, who often find they have to search hard for information that is often inconsistent.
The results of the survey will be used to develop the information provided by the Council to support families to make informed decisions for themselves and their children. A more specialised consultation with parents of children with special educational needs or disability will begin on 1 November.
Local County Councillor John Reynoldas, said: "In order to get a reliable idea of the information needs of families in Cambridgeshire, we need as many people as possible to complete the survey. It will take about 20 minutes and 10 respondents will win a £20 high street shopping voucher. " The survey can be completed online until 30 October at http://tinyurl.com/6dh2ksy and can also be found at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/fis.
Trading standards scheme to protect public and business up and running
A new Trading Standards scheme to help protect local people and businesses across Cambridgeshire is now up and running and local firms are being invited to become members. 'Buy With Confidence' - which was approved by the County Council's Cabinet on September 27 - will provide householders and consumers with an online database of local Trading Standards approved businesses who can be relied upon to provide a top quality service. The scheme will also help to resolve any disputes which do occur and protect businesses from malicious or unfair complaints or disputes over the quality and cost of goods and services.
Buy With Confidence encourages businesses to comply with both the spirit and letter of the law and enables them to approach Trading Standards for assistance. The scheme also provides a support structure to consumers should they have a dispute with a member business. The scheme rules require various checks on applicants, including that the business is properly licensed, for example with the Consumer Credit or Waste Carriers Licence if applicable. Staff working in people's homes will also need to have a current CRB check. Business will benefit from regularly updated advice on changes to legislation, with a dedicated e-mail and telephone contact with the Trading Standards Service.
Buy With Confidence schemes already operate in over 40 local authority areas with over 4,500 businesses signed up creating a nationwide network of pre-vetted bone-fide suppliers and contractors. Any Cambridgeshire-based business which wants more information about the scheme, or to apply for membership, should visit: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk.
Guided Busway update
Passenger journeys in the first two months of the Guided Busway operations totalled approximately 433,000. The Business case for the scheme assumed that it would take three years for patronage to build up to around journeys 300,000 per month, and that use in the first year would be only half of that amount. Patronage in the first two months is therefore around 50% higher than forecast.
Consequently, both operators have modified their time tables to improve reliability and to increase the number of bus services available. Stagecoach Sunday services have changes from hourly to every 20 minutes and Whippet from every two hours to hourly. Further additional weekday services have been added and some destinations amended to better meet customer demand. More changes are planned for services in the next month.
Lots of circus stars in reading challenge
More than 6,000 Cambridgeshire children en-rolled up in the County's libraries for this Summer's "Circus Stars" Reading Challenge. The children were invited by Cambridgeshire County Council libraries to read six books or more over the course of the summer holiday in the national campaign. By the end some 3,487 girls [57%] and 2,628 boys [43%] participated in the scheme. They joined at their local library and were given a circus themed membership pack to get them started. There were stickers and rewards to collect along the way with a medal and certificate for all who read six books. A total of 3,395 children received certificates and medals at special presentation ceremonies.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said: "The combination of fun, freedom and creativity impacts significantly on children's reading levels, range, motivation and confidence. Taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge helps prevent the 'summer reading dip' in achievement when children without reading opportunities at home over the long summer break traditionally lose ground in their reading.
"The summer reading challenge harnesses the power of reading for pleasure to improve children's life chances. Research shows that children who enjoy reading are more likely to score highly on reading assessments than those who don't and that children who use libraries regularly are twice as likely to be above average readers. We want libraries to be community hubs and a great initiative such as this, is a perfect way of getting families into our facilities and seeing what else is on offer."
Outstanding provision at Cambridge pilgrim pupil referral unit
Outstanding teaching at the Pilgrim Pupil Referral Unit† in Cambridge ensures that pupils’ achievements are also outstanding, according to Government inspectors. Two inspectors from OfSTED – the Office for Standards in Education – said the unit as a whole was outstanding, together with many individual aspects such as pupils’ behaviour and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
They also praised the excellent engagement with parents and the outstanding partnerships with medical staff. “Pupils’ achievement is outstanding and they greatly enjoy their education. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay healthy and nearly all do so. Pupils’ above average attendance, together with their outstanding achievement and outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, prepares them exceptionally well for the next stage of their lives,” said the inspectors’ report.
“Key strengths of the outstanding teaching are the excellent relationships and management of pupils’ behaviour by staff. As a result, pupils show great respect for all adults in the classroom, listen very carefully and follow instructions. “Lessons are always brisk and lively, and teachers provide a wide range of resources to support learning,” it added. Inspectors particularly highlighted the leadership of the unit. “Good leadership, based on good monitoring of teaching and learning by the head of the unit, the teachers-in-charge of the centres and the local authority advisor have resulted in sustained high quality teaching.
“Outstanding involvement of parents and carers in regular reviews of their child’s progress and in supporting learning, together with outstanding links with pupils’ schools, have a strong impact on achievement,” they added. The report also said that the overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage was good, and that the sixth form provided an outstanding education for students.
“Good leadership and management, excellent liaison with medical staff and the expertise of staff have enabled high quality provision to be maintained since the last inspection,” the report concluded. The unit was encouraged to develop an overall strategic view of how well pupils are achieving within each of their centres.
Local County Councillor John Reynolds, said; “I am delighted that once again the dedication of my hard working staff has been acknowledged and the accolade of outstanding has been awarded. The pupils at the Pilgrim PRU are very vulnerable and have to overcome many difficulties. They deserve the very best education and I am very proud of the fact that they receive it at the Pilgrim PRU."
† The PRU is a special unit for children 13 to 16 who are unable to to learn at a standard type school. The Cambridge PRU serves children from Cambridge and surrounding villages.
Contact John Reynolds
County Councillor John Reynolds
4 Holly Trees
Bar Hill
Cambridge
CB23 8SF
T 01954 200 571
F 01954 200 571
M 07720 379699
E john.reynolds@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
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