News, events and schools' information for families across Bath and West Wiltshire

Here’s the latest part in our ongoing series of great resources to help families stay fit, happy and educated while schools are closed, from virtual holidays to choir rehearsals, baking boxes, indoor boomerangs and help for parents and teachers of children with autism.

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Vox – Pop & Soul Choir‘s weekly sessions are continuing online until their rehearsal studio reopens later this year.

Members of Bath’s funkiest youth choir can participate in the live rehearsals on Wednesday evenings from the safety of their own homes. To sign up for a free trial session please visit www.voxchoir.co.uk

The University of Bath has launched a free online autism course to help the parents and teachers of children on the autism spectrum, including advice for those facing huge upheaval in lockdown.

The free course, ‘Good Practice in Autism Education’ which is offered by academics in the University’s Centre for Applied Autism Research, is conducted online over four-weeks.

It is designed to give parents, carers and teachers more information on educational requirements of children on the autism spectrum, to reflect on what constitutes good practice in autism education settings, and to compare specific examples of good practice in autism education.

You can access and sign up for the free, online course, which starts on Monday 30 March, via https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/autism-education. There are no prior educational requirements.

If you’ve been wondering what’s happening at our local schools during the Coronavirus shut-down, we asked the team at Corsham Regis Primary Academy about the activities that they’re enjoying, with the help of the amazing Team Pink!

Find out more here

The Duke of Cakes is delivering its own rather wonderful looking Baking Box Home Baking Kits, featuring fun, easy to follow home baking kits for a choice of mini egg rocky road and creme egg brownies!

Find out more here

Thanks to Wired for this utterly brilliant list of extreme indoor activities, ranging from how to make and fly an indoor boomerang, solve the Rubik’s Cube, juggle, hula hoop and even become a whistling champion!

Check out the adventures here

The completely fantastic team at Sing and Sign Bath has launched Sing and Sign @ Home – 10 structured, 30-minute, age appropriate video classes to enjoy over a 10 week period starting 13th April! Each week covering a theme and gradually building your signing knowledge – just as we would have done for face-to-face classes.

Join in the singing and signing here

Wiltshire Council’s first ever live Facebook rhyme time has proven to be a hit for families throughout Wiltshire and beyond – and there’s more to come!

Wednesday 1 April, 11am – from Corsham Library Facebook page – with Laura
Thursday 2 April, 11am – from Salisbury Library Facebook page – with Naomi
Friday 3 April, 10am – from Trowbridge Library Facebook page – with Basil and Jim

For details about how to join in, click here

Thank you to local mum Hannah for recommending The Wild of the Words story telling sessions which take place every day at 10.15am, plus you can catch up on later on the blag page.

Find out more here

Bath City Farm is using its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BathCityFarm) to broadcast live animal feeding from the farm every Saturday morning – keeping people in touch with farm life as they stay at home.

Starting at 11am, fans of the farm will be able to see their favourite animals as Joe Keppie-Bray takes people on a virtual tour of the route that he follows to give the animals brunch.

As Joe walks around the farm there will be an opportunity to ask him questions about the animals as the arrival of spring sees the birds build their nests and the trees and hedgerows come to life.

Fancy a trip to the San Diego Zoo, the Great Wall of China, Maui, the Louvre or even a visit to Mars? Home Away has compiled a bucket list with these top virtual vacations the whole family will love.

For the virtual holiday of a lifetime, click here