Guest Blogger: Bryn the Brit on TA's Versus LSA's!

Our Guest blogger today is Bryn Morin who is currently working as a Learning Support Assistant with Classroom. She is an avid blogger herself and I cannot recommend her Bryn the Brit postings more highly.

Bryn hails from Canada like many of our wonderful teachers and support staff who are here teaching in London and she has kindly allowed me to repost her recent blog where she talks about the differences between Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants. It's a superb post and well worth taking the time to read:

In the short time I've been here, my job title has shifted from Teaching Assistant to Learning Support Assistant. These terms can sometimes be used more or less interchangeably, but at my school, it's an important distinction.

Every classroom has a TA. TAs assist in teaching and controlling the whole class. LSAs, on the other hand, are assigned to specific pupils who have been identified as requiring one-to-one support. There is some overlap, of course... I do help out with other things, but my assigned student is usually my first priority.

The required qualifications (having experience working with children) are technically the same for both roles, but I think most people are probably better suited to one or the other. I, for example, am definitely better off working as an LSA. I just like it better. But during my interview, the Head Teacher told me that there's no way she'd be able to stand working with the same pupil day in and day out. Different personality types, I guess.

So what does it take to be a great Learning Support Assistant?

Patience

When you're working with a child who has Special Educational Needs (SEN), learning and progress are bound to be part of a gradual process. Patience, understanding, and the love of a good challenge in this regard are absolutely vital.

Adaptability

Often, children with SEN require information to be presented to them in a variety of ways, and you may find yourself having to think up many new tricks on the fly. A solid understanding of pedagogy, as well as knowledge the child's individual needs, will help with this. Depending on what their needs are, their behaviour may also be unpredictable and you must be equipped to deal with that.

Ability to multitask

Your official role may revolve around one particular child, but that child does not exist in a vacuum. You will find yourself having to get involved in classroom management, administrative tasks, and teaching or assisting other pupils. You may also have to work in small groups with children who all have wildly different needs. Rarely will you find a moment when you don't have 5 or 6 children all trying to get your attention at the same time. You must be able to manage all of this at once, while still ensuring that your assigned pupil's needs are being met.

All of those qualities could be applied to being a TA, as well. But there's one more magical ingredient that's difficult to put into words.

What I love best about being an LSA is forming a bond with my student and watching her grow. It is a very personal experience and, for me, a very rewarding one. There have been days when I've gone home absolutely glowing, all because she successfully spelled a word, remembering to put the letters in the correct order. She and I celebrate many small victories together. She's rewarded with praise and stickers; I'm rewarded with big toothy grins.

To be a really great LSA, I think, you need to believe there's nothing better in the world than that.

Thanks Bryn - a great blog and a great description of what is needed to be a superb Learning Support Assistant. What do other readers think? Are there any other important qualities a person may need to indeed be a truly effective LSA?

Classroom Job Alert

Its Friday, which means it's Classroom's job posting day. As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

Secondary Job Vacancies

English Teacher - Jan 2010

One of our better schools in Central London are recruiting an English teacher from January 2010 until the end of the academic year in the first instance. This is an all-girls school with an excellent reputation in the borough, with fabulous staff and fantastic facilities. You would need to have had at least one years experience teaching English in the UK up to GCSE level with excellent references.

• Maths NQT

January start, interviews to be conducted immediately

• The school is looking for a fully qualified Maths teacher and is very encouraging towards employing an NQT

• The staff at the school are highly committed to their students success• The school boasts outstanding facilities and a dedicated staff to help students shine in and out of the classroom

• You will be required to teach Maths to KS3 & 4 and the successful candidate will be fortunate enough to work alongside a very supportive Head of Maths – the perfect opportunity for an NQT that is looking to further their teaching career with the guidance of a very supportive and experienced department.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Classroom Assistant & Support Vacancies

• Higher Learning Support Assistant for EBD Centre

Classroom Ltd is looking to recruit a highly experienced Learning Support Assistant to work in an EBD Centre in Bromley. The students are secondary ages and are on the brink of being permanently excluded.

You will need to have experience working either as an unqualified teacher or use to working with small groups of students. This position will be a challenge but you will have a lot of support from the centre manager. The role will be to start in January 2010 and could be through till summer 2010.

Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

· Minimum of 3 months experience working in a school
· The right to work in the UK
· Recent CRB check
· You’re able to provide 2 written references or referee details that cover the last 2 years of your employment – one child related.

• Learning Support Assistant for PRU


• Classroom Ltd is looking to recruit a Learning Support Assistant to work in a primary PRU in South London. The position is to begin in January and will be through till Spring 2010.
  
  For this position you will need to have some experience working with children who have emotional and behaviour difficulties. It’s not essential that you’ve worked in a PRU before but it is essential that you have worked in a school environment. This position also requires you to go to other schools in the same area as the PRU to help prevent students from being permanently excluded from their school. The PRU is very well managed and everyone works as a team so you will need to be a team player as well as having a good sense of humor.
  
  Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:
  
• Minimum of 3 months experience working in a school
  The right to work in the UK
  Recent CRB check
  You’re able to provide 2 written references or referee details – one needs to be child related

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

• Various Posts

Are you caring? Sensitive? Dedicated to helping others, with a can do attitude?
Classroom are looking for qualified teachers to teach in Special needs schools in Greenwich and Bexley from January 2010. Special needs schools typically have small class sizes and are well supported by the teaching assistants in the class. The job itself can often yield great rewards as it gives the opportunity to work with the students on a close basis and form good relationships with them. If you think you have what it takes and are interested, speak to someone in the SEN division.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

Primary Teaching Vacancies

• Reception Teacher

A successful school in the borough of Greenwich requires a Reception class teacher for the January term. The school requests that you MUST have 2 years experience of teaching in the foundation stage. This post is for two terms until July. If you have a good understanding of the Early Years foundation stage then please contact Classroom ASAP.

• Reception Teacher

A very popular school in Southwark requires a Reception class teacher for a new January intake. This is a two form entry school in a modern building with excellent facilities. You must be an energetic and enthusiastic teacher with an understanding of the foundation stage. This post is for one term initially but could be extended.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

Its Friday, which means it's Classroom's job posting day. As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

• Reception Class Teacher

A school in South East London requires a Reception class teacher for its January intake for two terms. This is a very supportive school looking for someone with good Foundation stage experience. You must have good curriculum knowledge.

• KS2 PPA Teacher

Two schools in the Eastern boroughs of London are looking for a KS2 PPA teacher to cover classes across 2 primary schools which are linked. This is a full time post. You should be an experienced teacher who has knowledge of the UK curriculum (KS2 in particular) and can hit the ground running. You MUST have taught in the UK and be prepared for the flexibility necessary to work alongside two different Primary schools which may have different approaches. The schools have indicated that you should have a bright, outgoing and above all hard working approach. A PPA role is very much a team orientated role and you must be able to work well alngside a variety of personalities.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

• Intervention Centre Manager

Classroom has a fantastic opportunity to work as a Centre Manager in an intervention Centre from January 2010 onwards. This is a full time, long term position which would suit someone with a passion for working with EBD students and prior management experience.The centre supports students who are at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream secondary schools due to their emotional behaviour difficulties. The ideal candidate will be experienced with EBD students and have a background working with challenging students in EBD Schools or PRUs. Prior Head or Deputy Head experience is not essential to this role however experience working in a management/Senior role within a School or Education Centre is. The candidate must be able to relate to both students and staff in order to create a successful learning environment.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

• Support Assistants

The support division are currently looking for teaching assistants with a high amount of experience working with children who have Special Educational Needs or Emotional Behavioural Difficulties. This will be for positions working 1-2-1 or with small groups of children in Mainstream Schools. The main area of special needs you will be supporting will be Autism. The position will be to assist the children throughout the day in all classroom activities. Please only apply if you have a current CRB and at least one child related reference from within the last two years.

• Nursery Nurses

Classroom Teachers have positions in South-East London to work in mainstream primary schools working as a qualified Nursery Nurse. You will be working in between the nursery and reception class helping children with their play, learning, educational and social development. If you have experience working with early years children but don’t have the qualification, please do still send through your CV.
Nursery Nurses need to hold a relevant child care qualifications such as:

* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education
* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

• English/Drama Teacher - KS3 (South London)

A fantastic mixed school, with a brand new building, are looking for a teacher of English who would be happy to teach some Drama classes as well. You would only be required to teach KS3 classes. The school is based in South London (Zone 2 ) with easy links into Central London. The post starts in January 2010 and the duration of the post is one term in the first instance.

• Maths Teacher - KS3 & 4 (NE London)

One of our biggest clients are looking for a Newly Qualified teacher of Mathematics to start in January 2010. This post will run for one term on a trial basis with the possibility of it leading into a permanent contract for the right candidate. You would be required to teach KS3 and 4 Maths with the chance of A Level teaching for suitable candidates. This is a fantastic opportunity for young teachers, UK trained and Overseas trained, to work in a modern, forward thinking educational environment.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Teachers TV - A day in the life of a Cover Supervisor

I have talked in previous blogs about the changes in the educational supply teaching markets which are affecting not only Classroom but ALL teaching agencies. The biggest change is of course in the Secondary education market. More and more schools are employing Cover Supervisors over qualified teachers which has in turn affected the amount of supply teaching work open to a lot of qualified Secondary school teachers. To counter this we know a lot of Secondary teachers who are here teaching in the UK are working not only in Primary Schools but are taking interim work as Cover Supervisors. But just what does a Cover Supervisor do? The following video from Teachers TV will hopefully shed some light!

Interesting viewing. So what do people think of this whole Cover Supervisor phenomenon? Good thing or not? As ever your views are always welcomed!

Classroom Job Alert

Its Friday, which means it's Classroom's job posting day. As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Classroom are looking for SEN teachers to teach in schools across London over a range of subject areas. We have positions for primary and secondary teachers to teach in a number of SEN schools.

Working with children with Special needs can take many different forms and we are confident we have positions that will challenge and reward every teacher. Whether it’s daily supply you are interested in or something more long term, we have the perfect position for you. We work with Pupil referral Units which support students with Emotional and behaviour difficulties in addition to Severe and Moderate learning difficulty schools whom support students with autism, Down’s syndrome and other complex needs. Please contact a member of the SEN team if you are interested.

• TUTORS

We are seeking tutors to work on a 1:1 basis with vulnerable students across London. Many of the students will have a statement of special needs and will be awaiting a suitable school placement. Some may have been excluded from mainstream education or simply unable to attend due to long term sickness or emotional difficulties.

All tutors must be fully qualified teachers with a back ground in SEN. Home tuition is an extremely rewarding experience, but requires an organised dedicated teacher who is able to create interesting resources and lesson plans in line with the relevant curriculum.

The different positions may require a full time or part time tutor depending on how many hours the particular student can access – being flexible and patient are key when undertaking a home tuition position.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

• Nursery Nurses (South East London)

Classroom Teachers have positions in South-East London to work in mainstream primary schools working as a qualified Nursery Nurse. You will be working in between the nursery and reception class helping children with their play, learning, educational and social development. If you have experience working with early years children but don’t have the qualification, please do still send through your CV.

Nursery Nurses need to hold a relevant child care qualifications such as:

* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education

* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

• Reception Teacher (North West London)

This northwest London based school is seeking an experienced early year’s teacher to take a RECEPTION class from January 2010 for 2 terms. Ideally the school would like a teacher that has had a long-term early years position in a London based primary school. Any teachers interested in this position must have good planning skills, strong bahaviour and classroom management skills and the ability to hit the ground running and take control of this class. If you have the early years experience necessary for this position please contact us.

• KS2 PPA Teacher (East London)

Two schools in the Eastern boroughs of London are looking for a KS2 PPA teacher to cover classes across 2 primary schools which are linked. This is a full time post. You should be an experienced teacher who has knowledge of the UK curriculum (KS2 in particular) and can hit the ground running. You MUST have taught in the UK and be prepared for the flexibility necessary to work alongside two different Primary schools which may have different approaches. The schools have indicated that you should have a bright, outgoing and above all hard working approach. A PPA role is very much a team orientated role and you must be able to work well alngside a variety of personalities.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

• Maths Teacher

An excellent girls' school in SW London are looking for a General Science Teacher to start in January 2010. The duration of this post will be from January to July 2010 in the first instance. They would like to give the right candidate the opportunity to take on a permanent post if all went well after this trial period. You would be required to teach General Science to KS3 and your specialism at GCSE level. There is no 6th Form at this school. This school has excellent facilities in Science with an inspirational HOD to work under.

• MUST BE QUALIFIED TO TEACH IN UK SCHOOLS
  MUST HAVE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK
  MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE TERM EXPERIENCE IN UK SCHOOLS WITH REFERENCE TO PROVE IT
  

• Science Teacher

FANTASIC Girls' School in Central London are looking for a Maths teacher to join their large, successful Department in January 2010. The duration of this post is until July 2010 in the first instance with the possibility of the right candidate going on Permanent Contract! This is one on the TOP SCHOOLS in the borough boasting excellent results as GCSE and A Level. The Head of Department and staff are very supportive and welcoming - one of the Classroom Consultant has worked at this school and would happily give you the full run-down!

• MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE TERMS EXPERIENCE IN A UK SCHOOL WITH GOOD REFERENCES
  MUST BE QUALIFIED TO TEACH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
  MUST HAVE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK - NO SPONSORSHIP POSSIBLE

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

Its Friday, which means it's Classroom's job posting day. As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

• General Science Teacher - Central London

A very popular and oversubscribed Secondary school in Central London are looking for a General Science teacher for a Maternity Cover post starting December 2009 or January 2010. The duration of this post will be 6 months to 1 year.

You would be required to teach general Science to KS3 and GCSE students. The school has not specified a particular specialism but have stressed that they require someone with strong classroom management skills who will be able to get started with minimal support. In return, they offer the highest rates for professional and experienced teachers.

This school also boasts excellent facilities in a brand new building. The staff are known as being very supportive and they have very good training programs in place for Overseas trained teachers and NQT’s.

• ICT and Business Studies Teacher - East London

A large, mixed comprehensive school in NE London are looking for a teacher of ICT and Business Studies to teach up to GCSE Level. They ideally require someone trained in ICT with Business Studies teaching experience as most of the timetable covers ICT. The duration of this post is 2 terms in the first instance with the possibility of a permanent post thereafter for the right candidate.

This would be a fantastic opportunity for someone who would like to work in a dynamic, forward thinking environment with supportive management. The school also has excellent facilities with a brand new building.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

• MLD Teacher

We currently have a vacancy in South London at a primary MLD school starting in January. The school supports students with moderate learning difficulties at both primary and secondary levels. They are currently looking for a teacher for a year 3 class in the school. The position starts in January and is long term until the end of the academic year. The majority of students in the class will be on the autistic spectrum however other needs include dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome and other complex needs.

Experience with students with special needs is essential for this post and knowledge of PECS, Makaton and other communication techniques is desirable. Teachers must also be familiar with IEPs and annual reviews.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

• Special Needs Support Assistant (East London)

Classroom Teachers are currently looking to recruit experienced Learning Support Assistants who have experience working with students who have severe learning difficulties. You will need to have worked in a school environment or as a carer with special needs adults or child.
We have been inundated with daily and long-term bookings to begin straight away so it is essential that you have a recent CRB check. You will need to also have the following:

TWO WRITTEN REFERENCES OR REFEREE DETAILS. ONE MUST BE CHILD RELATED

THE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHILDREN OR ADULTS WHO HAVE SEVERE LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

• Learning Support Assistant (South East London)

Classroom Teachers are looking to recruit a Learning Support Assistant to begin in Janaury in a mainstream primary school. The position is to work on a one-to-one basis with a boy in year 1 who has quite severe autism. The student is able to learn and communicate but boundaries need to be set to keep him focused. This position is to go through Classroom on timesheets but the school would possibly like to take the right person onto a permanent contract. Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

TWO WRITTEN REFERENCES - ONE CHILD RELATED

THE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH AUTISM

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

• Reception Class Teacher

An excellent school in East London requires a Reception class teacher to start in January 2010 and teach through till July 2010. You must have foundation teaching experience and you must have experience teaching here in the UK. You'll be a committed team player who is willing to work hard. This is a very supportive school and the successful teacher will enjoy a superb environment to work in.

• Year 6 Support Teacher

You will have more than a year's experience of teaching in the UK and you must have upper KS2 teaching experience. This school requests only teachers who have taught their own class previously although this role does not involve your own class. You will be team teaching in Year 6 and taking the PPA classes in YEar 6 and also working with the Year 6 students in small groups to support them during this important academic year. You will be rewarded with an excellent rate of pay. This school is located in East London.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Winter Wonderland - Part One!

Our guest bloggers are Deon, Jenna and Angelic from the Secondary school division at Classroom. Sit back and relax as they guide all of the overseas teachers who are reading this blog on how to make the most of winter in London!

This time of the year can be quite an adjustment to make for those of us from the Southern Hemisphere. This is usually the time where our days are spent on the beach or by the pool soaking up the rays. The shorter days and longer nights have been known amongst our friends to create a feeling of melancholy, especially by February when you feel like throwing yourself off Westminster Bridge!

Our groups of friends discuss endlessly the reasons for this melancholic state we are in at this time of the year. Some have even been known to suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) since moving to the UK. This is a type of depression with a seasonal pattern, occurring in the winter months and many dark hours.

After living in the UK for nearly 10 years we have found that keeping positive, fit and busy helps to warm the spirits during the icy months. A group of us antipodeans and South Africans have decided to make a stand and embrace winter this year. We are saying ‘goodbye’ to the winter blues and ‘hello’ to WINTER WONDERLAND! This is to help all of you newly arrived Southerners to enjoy a Northern Hemisphere winter and for the rest of you (our beloved Canadians!) to get some good tips for the festive season. We will be updating WINTER WONDERLAND on a regular basis until February 2010 but for now:

HERE ARE SOME HOT TIPS FOR ENJOYING THE COLDER DAYS:

1. Angelic’s Mulled Wine – now that’s HOT!

This is first on our list and not surprisingly as US Secondary Consultants love a drink any time of the year! This recipe is heavenly and will not fail you on those bitterly cold evenings when you have piles of marking to do:
2 x 75 cl bottles medium to full-bodied red wine
1 orange stuck with cloves
2 oranges, sliced
2 lemons, sliced
6 level tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
2 inch (5 cm) piece cinnamon stick
2 level teaspoons finely grated fresh root ginger or ground ginger
Add the ingredients to the wine and heat in a saucepan then enjoy!

2. Christmas Markets

This is Jenna’s favorite pastime before Christmas. She says that it is a ‘must’ for everyone to do. Her favorite Christmas Market in London would have to be the Tower Bridge European Christmas Market. The festive atmosphere with stunning London views lifts her spirits. This is also a good place to take visiting parents! She also suggests taking a stroll along the Thames, buying a few Christmas goodies to send home, finishing the evening off with a London Philharmonic Orchestra performance in the Royal Festival Hall and dinner in one of the many restaurants on the South Bank. For further information follow the following links:

http://www.greatrail.com/great-rail-holidays-themes/christmas-markets.aspx?telref=ppc_goo_xm&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=XM_Generic&utm_term=Christmas%20markets

London Christmas Markets

Royal Festival Hall, London

3. Get your skates on!

How many times do we have to say this to teachers in the mornings? Now we really mean it!
Choose from the following London Ice Skating Rinks. None of them will disappoint but you need to book in advance!

Somerset House

Tower of London

Hyde Park
Hampton Court Palace

4. Christmas Day Serpentine Swim – Hyde Park

This is not for the faint hearted! This is compulsory for all you Canadians living in W1 – if the thought of ‘Run with Richard’ was tough, this is your next challenge. We will NOT be joining you on this occasion! (http://www.serpentineswimmingclub.com/)

5. Crisis Christmas

For those of you who would like to assist those less fortunate than us, Angelic recommends ‘Crisis Christmas’. Angelic has been involved in this worthy cause for the past three years and feels there’s no better gift to give than the gift of caring for others when away from your loved ones over Christmas time. Angelic is luckily going home this Christmas but highly recommends this wonderful charity.

6. Boxing Day Football

Boxing Day (December 26th) has always been a very important day on the Football calendar with some classic ‘event’ matches – this would be a fun day out and you cannot live in the UK not having experienced a Football match! Deon highly recommends this but again, you need to book in advance to avoid disappointment!

7. Northern Lights

Deon likes to have a mini-break around Christmas time. ‘I usually pop over to Europe, finding a good deal for a few days to visit Christmas Markets or to go skiing. I recently watched a fantastic documentary on BBC with Joanna Lumley exploring the Northern Lights in Scandinavia. The following clip might wet your appetites and might even inspire you to book a trip to see the Northern Lights’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPvr9d8UDxs

8. Host a Christmas Party

Be in charge of lifting the spirits of your friends this year and host your own Christmas Party. You do not need much – just a good Christmas Carols CD, some drinks and good food. From next week, we will be sharing some good, affordable recipe ideas, the most hip-and-happening Christmas Decoration tips and our favourite cocktail recipes. Watch this space!

9. Ski up a STORM!

Why not kill two birds with one stone and book an exciting skiing holiday in Europe and you’ll come back feeling and looking great after all the exercise on the slopes! Perhaps a good idea to warm up with a few gym sessions prior to your departure…. If there’s no time for that, throw yourselves in deep end and see how you cope with some ‘black ski slopes’….. We want photographic evidence please!
Click here for ideas on where to go:

And Eastern Europe too…. For some great bargains!!

So whether it’s France, Austria, Switzerland or Eastern Europe that you’d like to next visit, now is the time to start doing your research and booking that adventurous week away!

10. Sing Sing Sing!

Nothing gets you in the festive mood like singing your favourite Christmas Carols. We suggest that you head along to one of the many classical music and carol concerts around London this season. Angelic’s favourite venue is St Martins in the Fields on Trafalgar Square. Deon says The Royal Albert Hall experience is a must!

We hope our Winter Wonderland tips have helped you get into the festive mood. We will be updating Winter Wonderland regularly up until February 2010. Please feel free to post any suggestions and tips for our readers to enjoy!