BB Training Academy learner brings:- 'The Gruffalo' to life

LEARNERS across the country from BB Training Academy celebrated the power of storytelling when they took part in National Storytelling Week, that ran from 27 January 2018 to 3 February 2018, competition. Learners were challenged to take a popular children's book and use props, costumes and activities to creatively take the story into other parts of learning.

The winning entry was by David Sinclair, a BB Training Academy apprentice from Busy Bees Nursery in Southport. To immerse the children in the world of:- 'The Gruffalo,' David used different voices and actions for each character and engaged the children in learn through play activities.

The children painted pictures of their favourite characters from the book and the nursery chef prepared roast fox sandwiches (carrot), scrambled snake (scrambled egg) and owl ice cream (natural yoghurt with granola).

Fay Gibbin, CEO, BB Training Academy said:- "Our apprenticeship programme highlights the importance storytelling plays in young children's development. It's a simple but fantastic way for the learners to ensure that the children in their care develop their own understanding of vocabulary in an interactive and stimulating way. The competition has highlighted the creativity and enthusiasm our learners have in their roles, they came up with some really exciting activities to engage in the children's learning. Choosing a winner was a real challenge, but we loved how David used a variety of activities to create The Gruffalo's world. We particularly enjoyed how he used nutritious foods to represent the animals from the story. It was a great story to choose."

National Storytelling Week which was developed by The Society for Storytelling, aims to promote the importance of storytelling and encourages institutions across the country to get involved.

For more information about BB Training Academy, visit the website here. You can also view BB Training's full report on the Ofsted website.

Week of action sees Officers crack down on human trafficking

OVER the last few months, local Policing, specialised human trafficking and Home Office Immigration teams have teamed up to offer a multi agency approach to target modern slavery in the Merseyside area and protect those at risk.

In a week of action, which ran from the 29 January 2018 to 4 February 2018, officers visited a number of local shops and businesses on the lookout for potential victims of this type of crime.

Although most of these visits have resulted in no concerns, we hope this communication raises awareness in the local community and encourages people to come forward if they suspect something.

Chief Inspector Nick Gunatilleke said:- "We know victims of modern slavery are often sadly hidden in plain sight. Having regular contact with our local businesses and wider community gives us the means necessary to investigate these crimes, support victims and reassure the public that we will not stand for this crime. We take the issue of human trafficking and modern slavery extremely seriously and building strong relationships with local businesses and their employees is key to establish where these crimes could be taking place. Offenders involved in human trafficking prey on extremely vulnerable people. They have often come from a foreign country where security services are not regarded as being either caring or honest. We want to change that. By offering the support they so desperately need, a platform to report crime and a friendly and trustworthy service, we hope this encourages victims to speak to us openly. Modern slavery takes many forms but some of the most common are sexual exploitation, forced labour and domestic servitude. Of the tens of thousands of people who are thought to be trafficked in and out of the country every year, only a small proportion of these cases are brought to our attention. Therefore, we will do everything we can to identify and support those at risk and bring offenders to justice."

If you suspect suspicious behaviour, please report it via calling:- 101.