March 2010 - Adobe PDF - Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

<strong>Stockton</strong> News <strong>March</strong> / April <strong>2010</strong>
Page 23
Our golden girls
Two promising local sprinters
returned victorious from the
North East Indoor Athletics
Championships at Gateshead, in
January.
15-year-old Ellie Mullen and Rachel
Highfield, 13, both members of
Middlesbrough AC (Mandale) and Tees
Active Sports Academy, stormed to
victory in the 60 metres.
Ellie, a pupil at Northfield
School Marsh House site,
is coached by Cyril Banks
and said: “It was great
to win the Under 17
title although it’s
been difficult to
prepare for the
championships
as the recent
snow and ice made training at Clairville
stadium impossible. Fortunately I’ve
maintained my general fitness by
training at the Activ8 gyms.”
Rachel, from St Patrick’s RC school
Thornaby, set a new personal best
of 7.99 seconds and received the
competition’s Best Performance Award.
Also coached by Cyril, her superb form
continued at the Northern Athletics
Indoor Championships at the
English Institute of Sport in
Sheffield. Narrowly pipped
in the 60m to gain silver,
she gained revenge over
Kate Wasyliw of Halifax
in the 200m, winning
gold in 26.06 seconds.
Rachel said: “Due
to the weather
conditions training has been difficult but
I’ve been fortunate enough to have a
couple of sessions indoors at Gateshead,
where Richard Kilty gave me some great
tips. The wins are great but there’s a
lot of hard work to put in before the
outdoor season.”
To find out more about Tees Active
Sports Academy, call Allan McDermott
on (01642) 528772 or visit
www.teesactive.co.uk
Ellie Mullen
Rachel Highfield
Changes to free early learning
In September, free early years provision for 3 and 4 year olds in school nurseries
and private childcare settings is set to increase from 12.5 hours to 15 hours a
week and can be delivered more flexibly.
The 15 hours can be taken over a minimum of three and a maximum of five days per week
between core hours of 8am – 6pm for a maximum of 8 hours in any one day, from the term
following the child’s third birthday.
It is up to you where you use your child’s free entitlement, either at a school or a private
childcare provider and you may be able to choose which days. You can split the 15 hours
between two providers if you need to. This is subject to ‘reasonable’ parental demand and
whether the provider can accommodate your choice.
If your child is already attending a maintained school nursery or private childcare setting speak
to them about what they can offer. For more information contact the Families Information
Service on (01642) 527225 or email fis@stockton.gov.uk
Calling young
people:
<strong>Stockton</strong> Parent
Support is looking for
young disabled people
aged 13 and over
to join their Youth
Disability Forum. If
you would like to have
your say on services
in the Borough please
contact Amanda Vince
on (01642) 878137 or
email <strong>Stockton</strong>ps@
yahoo.co.uk