education Archives | The London Mummy

What’s New: Lucinda’s Top Discoveries For February

Welcome to my monthly discoveries feature! It’s a round-up of all the brilliant things I’ve come across in the past month and felt compelled to share with you. Homeschooling has been in full swing this month so I’ve included a couple of educational recommendations alongside some treats and activities to help you blow off some steam at the weekend.

Put a spring in your step

Nike Women’s Day Break, Nike

£80

One for the activewear collection! How cool are these vintage Nikes? I’m loving the reds and pink in signature Nike style. They’re perfect wearing all day while you’re running about. Check out my post on trainers for the school-run for more cool and comfy options.

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Luxury accessories for dogs

Dog accessories, Pugalier of London

Pick up some gorgeous pet accessories from Pugalier of London. Handmade in England, these luxurious leather dog accessories for perfect for your pampered pet. I’m a fan of the leather harnesses (pictured) – they’re practical, stylish and can be personalised! Pugalier also has some lovely Pooch Packs with lead, collar and accessories that would make brilliant gifts too.

10% off for TLM readers! Use code PUGALI3R10 at the checkout.

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For more pet gifts, check out my gift guide: 24 Purrfect Presents For Pet (& Pet Lovers)

Vegan recipe boxes with no subscription

Vegan Recipe Boxes, Cookaway

The Cookaway has a huge range of incredibly tasty vegan meal boxes. The recipe boxes are inspired by cuisines from around the world and made from only premium quality ingredients. All you have to do it cook it! The current options include smokey jackfruit stew, miso tofu steaks and aubergine stew. You don’t need to subscribe to these boxes, so there is no commitment required!

From £14

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The best chocolate brownies

Bespoke cakes and sweet treats, Indigo Rose Cakes

Tried-and-tested, Indigo Rose Cakes has hands-down the best brownies in Hampshire. Enjoy postal sweets, treats and brownies from the super-talented Indigo Wilson. Check out her Instagram to find out more about the different options you can order.

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Choosing the right secondary school advice

I know we’re all facing a challenge with homeschooling at the moment (as well as juggling everything else!), so I wanted to recommend Meta Prep. It can provide a helping hand in tutoring your children, identifying and filling gaps in their knowledge and preparing them for the 11+ exam. Currently, Meta Prep is offering free trial lessons for Year 4. Choose between metacognition games, maths, and English skills then give let your child give it a try.

For more guidance on how Meta Prep can help your child’s education, check out my article: How To Navigate The 11+ Exam & Admissions Process

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The book club in a box

Book subscription, The Book Dragon Club

Boost your child’s reading skills, encourage their love of books and develop imagination skills with this brilliant book club membership. Choose between three levels: picture books, chapter books and advanced readers. There is a physical book box membership option where Book Dragon Club send you a box with the book of the month and activity pack or you can select the online membership where you can download the activities online.

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Beautiful bespoke bobbin frames

Bobbin frames, Etalage UK

I can’t get enough of these gorgeous frames from Etalage. The fine art print and vintage oil painting specialists offer a selection of everchanging prints, paintings and framing options on its website. If you have some prints you’d like framing or are looking for some advice on a gallery wall, I recommend getting in touch.

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Looking for a super tutor?

Erin Calderwood, Super Duper Tutor

A passion for learning lead Erin to a career in tutoring. Now she offers maths, English grammar and writing, and 11+ entrance exam tutoring sessions. Erin is able to ascertain quickly your child’s level and needs in order to tailor her teaching around them. The lessons are interactive, fun and will help your child get their head around the tricky things!

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Virtual wine tasting

Paul Young Issue Two Wine Experience, Rebottling

Sign up for an exclusive wine and chocolate experience with flavour alchemist Paul A Young. You’ll receive three fine wines alongside two boxes of artisan chocolates created by Paul then get ready for an evening of fabulous wine pairing via a live Zoom broadcast!

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A party in an igloo

Looking to celebrate a birthday? Or perhaps throw an extra special family sleepover… Invite Partycloud over with their brilliant party igloos. They’re perfect for winter celebrations and escaping the house we’ve been cooped up in for months. The igloo can be transformed for whichever event you’d like to host whether it’s a pampering session, afternoon tea or arts and crafts, Partycloud will have everything set up for you.

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Take a peek at my ultimate directory for the best parent, style and business recommendations.

Looking to update your wardrobe, buy a gift or treat yourself?

You will find a gorgeous range of jewellery, accessories and clothes on TLM Edit, all hand-picked by The London Mummy.

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Family Life TLM Monthly Edit

What’s New: Lucinda’s Top Discoveries For January

A new feature I’m keen to introduce for 2021 is my monthly discoveries, a round-up of the best things I’ve come across in the past few weeks and wanted to share with you. Hopefully, you’ll find something that will inspire, entertain or simply brighten up your day.

Fresh baby food for busy parents, delivered

I am blown away by Sweet Pea Spoons. It’s a subscription service that parents can sign up to and receive handmade, fresh baby meals right to their door. The small business recently announced delivery is now possible nationwide! Sweet Pea Spoons recognised a gap in the market in wanting to support time-poor parents who want to feed their child nutritious and tasty meals but don’t want to resort to store-bought pouches. Every flavour has been expertly developed with a nutritionist using seasonal ingredients to familiarise your baby with diverse flavours from an early age. I’m sure we all know some new parents who could do with this helping hand!

Baby food subscription service, Sweet Pea Spoons

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Give a laptop

Pass on old laptops and computers to school children in need of them. Did your kids get a phone or tablet upgrade at Christmas? If you’ve got old devices lying around, it will make a huge difference if it’s possible to donate them. Many children shared learning devices during the last lockdown, so having their own computer or tablet this time would make the world of difference to their education. Charities across the UK are working to facilitate getting computers out to children, so check out the list by following the link below to find your nearest charity.

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Discover a hidden world with geocaching

Dive into the world of geocaching to discover new places around you. This is a brilliant app that the whole family can get involved with. It’s an excuse to get outside (when the restrictions are lifted) and let the app lead you to new places you would never have visited otherwise.

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Online mentoring sessions with Brain Labs

Oppidan Education is a fantastic online learning platform that connects children with mentors. The platform doesn’t offer tutors to help your kids through GCSEs and A-Levels but rather mentors who can help your child prepare for the world. As well as education, children need to be equipped with resilience, empathy and independence and these are precisely the skills in personal development Oppidan Education aims to teach.

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A tasty new tipple

New Town Lemon & Basil Gin, Wharf Distillery Gin

From £20

This lemon and basil gin is just delicious! If you’re a lover of flavoured gins or wanting to give a twist to your classic London dry gin, Wharf Distillery has a lovely selection to choose from – other flavours are Mango & Cucumber and Orange & Pomegranate. The independent distillery, located on a farm in South Northamptonshire, also offers a gin school where you can learn about making your own gin and the distillment process. (If you’re in the midst of Dry January, this is certainly one to earmark for later.)

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Ghosts, Dolly Alderton’s latest novel

I loved reading Dolly’s Everything I Know About Love, so was keen to pick up a copy of Ghosts which was released late last year. It tells the tale of Nina Dean as she enters her thirties, a time where friendships become more distant, ex-boyfriends have moved on and everyone is leaving the city. Similar to Everything I Know, Dolly examines the themes of relationships, friendships and family.

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Empowering activewear from Oliver Bonas

Say hello to OB Active, a wicked new collection that Oliver Bonas has launched, inspired by the first lockdown — a lifetime ago, right? We all know that sitting in our pyjamas all day isn’t good for us, so switching into some comfortable activewear at the starting of the WFH day makes a lot of sense. Plus, what could be better to inspire you to actually go for your morning jog (or brisk walk) than a lovely new sports top and leggings?

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A hilarious guide to middle age

Amongst all of the rubbish that lands in my inbox, the Midult is a refreshing newsletter I love to read. Packed with anecdotes, conversations and useful tidbits, Midulthood, aimed at women from 35 to 55, is redefining the boundaries of middle age. Perhaps we’ve all been in the house too long but the Sounds of Madness article seemed to ring a little too true…

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100% vegan bath and body indulgences

I can’t get enough of Miss Patisserie’s bath slabs. Throw a couple of chunks into your bath for a decadent soak and watch them fizzle and shimmer in brilliant pinks and blues. Wash and unwind with a bath melt bar, a luxurious blend of cocoa and shea butter. Bath-time has never looked (or smelt) so good.

Nougat Bath Slab, Miss Patisserie

£7.50

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Glam rock decor

Gold Lightning Bolt Mirror, Bride & Wolfe, Antipodream

£65

I always have my eye out for statement decor and this mirror makes a striking impression. It comes in a vibrant selection of colours and you can also pick up a rainbow-shaped one too!

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Looking to update your wardrobe, buy a gift or treat yourself?

You will find a gorgeous range of jewellery, accessories and clothes on TLM Edit, all hand-picked by The London Mummy.

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Activities Days Out Places Services

London Cultural Trips For Kids

Clarendon Tutors offer a bespoke tutoring service in London. However, it isn’t another tutoring agency that matches child to tutor and leaves you on your way. They understand a parents need for continuous feedback and they also maintain open communication with whichever schools the children attend, ensuring that they are working in co-operation rather than conflict.

‘The thing I loved about Clarendon was the constant support. The agencies I have used in the past have just sent us anonymous tutors and that’s been the end of it. Clarendon helped us through every step of getting ‘M’ into his school.’

The charming and knowledgeable founders, Henry and Orlando, are excellent at matching their highly experienced Oxbridge tutors with a pupil, being tutors themselves, and have a 100% track record of getting your child into the school of your choice.

What makes Clarendon Tutors really unique is their Cultural Trips. Consisting of 1 tutor to 1-2 children, the day out combines traditional learning with experiences such as visiting a museum and also a more active pursuit such as a tennis lesson or a round of crazy golf, for example. Whatever you require, they will endeavor to tailor the day for you and your child including picking them up and taking them home. The tutor also visit a few days before so that you are comfortable with who will be looking after your children for the day.

What’s Included

9am pick up from home (or the train if your child is old enough to come into London for the day)
1 hour of tutoring in the morning
An exhibition or museum such as Imperial, Natural or Design Museum
A healthy lunch
An Afternoon activity such as tennis, football, Go Ape, Putt In The Park
1 hour tutoring
5pm finish

Outside the Ai Wei Wei Exhibition at the RA

Ready for tennis at The Hurlingham Club

For international parents and children that are new to London, they are able to help you by showing them the British culture and system. Whatever your requirements are, these are your guys. With the gaping summer holiday looming, they will be able to take the children off your hands knowing they are being well looked after and educated in a fair few things too!

Tuition rates start at £50/hr. Day trips start from £200/day.

Drop them an email for more information and to ask any questions – henry@clarendontutors.com / orlando@clarendontutors.com or give them a call anytime on 020 7206 2569

clarendontutors.com

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People Services

5 Services To Simplify Your Life

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the current task in hand (perpetuated by the looming 12 week summer holiday). I have been day dreaming about a fairy Godmother entering my domain and waving a magic wand over my (first world – let’s keep some perspective) problems, so that we too, can look calm and happy like 95% of the Instagram accounts that I (@thelondonmummy) follow. Simplify my life. That’s all I ask.

Below are 4 business’s that have been set up to help people like you and me.

Sort Your Help

This company can help you find that fairy Godmother to help you with ‘domestic’ duties such as looking after the children or the housework. If you aren’t sure what you need, start with a consultation to decipher what sort of help you need to begin with. I know that sometimes when my children are being uber sweet, I want to be sole charge and delegate the washing to a willing pair of hands however after a few blue smarties and a late night (them not me) I would prefer a super nanny to take them off my hands and for me to put my marigolds on. This is why I know I need someone flexible who allows for my indecision, but I think I need to know more than that!

Catherine or Alexa can give an objective opinion on what they think might be right for your personal situation at the time and then begin the hunt for you.

Contact Alexa or Catherine Sort Your Help

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Alexa and Catherine

Emergency Childcare

Emergency Childcare allows parents to book an emergency nanny or child minder across the UK with as little as 30 minutes’ notice. Childcare can be booked for whenever you need – today, tomorrow or in 3 months’ time (on a day-at-a-time basis).

Here are just a few examples of when parents use them:

Their usual nursery is closed for the day
Their permanent nanny is off sick
Their childminder is going to be on holiday
The school has (another!) inset day
They want some time for themselves (hmmm might just book in that emergency weekend nanny now…)

Contact Venetia at Emergency Childcare

Venetia with Tabitha and Francesca

Teatime Tutors

Tutoring, homework assistance and a healthy tea? That’s the best 3 in 1 deal I have heard of in a while. Tash Rosin has cornered a gap in the market to help alleviate that sometimesstressfulwithallthechildrenathome time of homework and tea. Can’t quite justify it yet (colouring half circles and days of the week at prep time – I can just about manage) but I am definitely ‘bookmarking’ Tash for later on.

Contact Tash at Teatime Tutors

Tash mid tutoring

Quintessentially Education

There has been lots of coverage in the news of late about consultations with professional advisers on ‘where would be the best Public School for your unborn child’ (OK, I exaggerate but I am not that far off the mark). However, for those new to the British system or indeed to London, I can see that it could be mighty helpful to lift the fog on what’s what in terms of the British education system. Atleast it will give you peace of mind if you are unsure about your next step.

Rose is a lovely girl who works as a nursery consultant for Quintessentially Education and can help advise what nursery may suit your child, especially if you have a clear trajectory of education in mind. Get the nursery right and Ox-bridge here we come…

Contact Rose at Quintessentially Education

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