by Glotime | May 24, 2016 | Featured, General, GloWellness
Owning your own home is a dream most people aspire to and is increasingly tough in these days of rising house prices. But how important is it to actually buy rather than rent. We examine some of the pros and cons of buying versus renting – pointing out the advantages and pitfalls of both.
Renting is something we tend to hide in the UK, as it has become a bit of a shameful secret, whereas on the Continent or in Europe, it seems to be far more acceptable and more transparent in people’s lives.
There are certainly many advantages to living in rental accommodation depending on your lifestyle and plans for the future. Student accommodation is a given in that gives the young adult the first taste of ones own living space, with some of the responsibility, and with the option to quickly move on when the course and tenancy is over. Likewise with young professionals who are starting out in their career without a deposit or ability to obtain a mortgage, although rents are now quite high which is another deterrent to paying out huge amounts of ‘dead’ money which can prevent you from saving for a down payment.
Some individuals prefer to pay out rather than take on the responsibility of a mortgage which they find stifling, and all the added price tags that come with owning a property. If in rental accommodation this is the job of the landlord – and anything that leaks, breaks down or needs replacing can be handed over to the owner.
A word of caution about renting however, a recent incident with a ruthless Landlord with a host of rental properties, always held two months deposit, which was supposed to be returned at the end or on vacation of a property. He consistently over charged for what was mere day to day depreciation of the interior decor, and had had this down to a fine art until one canny tenant reported him to the Fair Rents tribunal and he has never repeated this behaviour since that time. But there are a lot of Landlords who are still ripping off of tenants in the same way.
It has always been a recommendation from Financial Advisors to invest in ‘bricks and mortar’ because even if house prices decrease in a recession, you can bet your bottom dollar that they will pick up with the economy and regain their value very quickly.
The new government ‘right to buy’ scheme is something that a lot of young couples and singles are looking at and provide access to affordable mortgages. 
Even for the more mature over 60s some building societies are providing mortgages up to the age of 75 or older. So the options are there for all of us.
It does all come down in the end to our individual values and what is important to us in our lives right now. What I would recommend is that you evaluate and investigate all of your options – and then sit down and make a plan based upon your own list of pros and cons regarding buying versus renting.
by Glotime | May 11, 2016 | Featured, General, GloWellness
Summer Born Babies, what’s the right age to send your child to school?
When the school year begins in September, each classroom will have some children who are almost five, and others who have only just turned four. At this age, that is a massive difference in development and ability. Many people think summer-born babies should be allowed to delay starting school because of this difference. But would that make any difference at all? Within a year or two, those children with birthdays fall during the summer months have caught up with their peers; so is there any benefit in allowing them to start school later?
Schools Minister Nick Gibb has announced that he will amend the school admissions code so that no child will be forced to start school when they have just turned four. This will apply to children born between April 1st and August 31st, and will mean that they can start their reception year in the September following their fifth birthday – and that they can then stay with this class throughout their school careers.
At present parents are legally able to keep their child out of school until they reach the age of five, at which point schools and local authorities decide which class it is appropriate for the child to enter. Under Mr Gibb’s announced changes, this will no longer apply, and parents will make their own decisions as to which school year their child should join.
Evidence has shown that the current curriculum for reception year is developmentally inappropriate for four year olds. Some of its demands do not match up with the capabilities of an average four year old; for example speech therapists have stated that many four year olds are unable to pronounce the full range of speech sounds, but the reception year curriculum requires that children demonstrate they recognise letters of the alphabet by saying them. Immediately those four year olds who are not yet able to pronounce those sounds are seen as falling behind when in actual fact, they are developmentally incapable of doing what the curriculum demands of them.
Similarly, occupational therapists have said that four year olds do not have the full range of physical skills necessary to begin writing, yet the curriculum demands that they should be able to “write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others.”
There is a worry that summer born children who start school when they’ve only just turned four are at an immediate disadvantage and may be wrongly diagnosed with special educational needs when really the only problem is that they are being asked to do something they’re not yet developmentally able to. Even if they are not diagnosed with SEN, any child who finds themselves regularly unable to keep up with their peers in the classroom will suffer a knock in both enthusiasm and confidence.
The idea of allowing summer born children the right to start school a year later sounds like it might help to solve problems, especially around testing where summer born children often do not perform as well as their older peers.
However, since this change is at parents’ discretion and not universal it does raise some issues of its own. Not all parents will take up their right to delay their child’s start date at school; perhaps they will not have heard about the change, or are unable to delay their child’s start at school due to childcare or work issues. Now we risk having a reception year whose children range in age from those who have just turned four, to those who are five and a half and didn’t start school last year because they were able to delay their start. That is an even broader range of ages and abilities for their teacher to cover. Teachers will potentially have to deliver the curriculum to children as much as seventeen months apart in age.
There has been an argument that those parents who will delay their child’s start at school are most likely to be parents with enough income to afford the extra childcare; whereas poorer parents who cannot afford another year of childcare will end up sending their just-turned-four-year-olds to school as usual. This will result in those children being the youngest in the class, not doing so well; thus widening the gap between the rich and the poor.
Allowing a summer born child to start school later moves them from being the youngest in the class to the oldest. That’s all well and good for that particular child, but someone still has to be the youngest and since this is a choice for parents rather than a universal change, the youngest children in the year will still be the summer born children.
There is also the issue of the children themselves. Children in nurseries and preschools will have seen their friends leave in September for Big School, and many are eager to follow in their footsteps. Whether they’re developed enough for the curriculum or not, the children want to join their friends in a new school and may not enjoy another year of childcare. And where will they be cared for? Will nurseries suddenly be required to cater for children until they reach five and a half? This is something that could result in overcrowding and a restriction in nursery places. If nurseries are not to take on these children for an extra year, are they to be pulled out of their nurseries and sent to a childminder? How will that affect them?
There are many unanswered questions regarding the issue of whether summer born babies should start school later. Whilst there is clear evidence that the current curriculum favours those children born in autumn and winter, changing the rules to allow a school year to comprise children aged up to seventeen months apart does not seem to resolve that issue. It will be interesting to see how well this change is received by schools and teachers, and whether it makes the difference many are hoping for.
For help and advice on making the right school choice please visit
Isbi Schools – helping parents choose the right school
by Glotime | May 9, 2016 | Celebrity, Featured, General, Glo Arts & Entertainment
The very first Pink FAB Ball took place on Friday 6 May at The Landmark Hotel, and a host of famous faces adorned the occasion.
The Pink FAB Ball, which was in association with Breast Cancer Care, was also in honour of the recent passing of Sylvia Anderson, co-creator of Thunderbirds and Lady Penelope.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster from Game of Thrones and Maze Runner, and who incidentally is playing the character of John Tracy in the remake of Thunderbirds for ITV was just one of the stars who were there.
Ava Sangster, Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds Obe, Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Representatives from ITV itself arrived to honour the occasion – and followers of the shows over decades from the Fan Club, Fanderson arrived in full regalia.
The characters from The Andersons’ shows mingled amongst the guests and posed for photographs as they arrived for the pre-champagne reception in the gorgeous Gazebo at the Landmark Hotel.
Virgil Tracy, James Price, Sally Manning, Alan Tracy, Tin-Tin
The event was compered by the incredible Barry Cryer who wrote a moving tribute poem to his friend Sylvia, and an up and coming opera singer Olivia Slatter who had just turned 18 – watch this space for more updates.
The charismatic Leighton Jones from The Voice, and he really does have an amazing one, as he performed with his partner Kate – getting the room up on their feet to dance the night away.
Cass Lewis from Skunk Anansie purchased an iconic puppet at the auction, and there were a host of amazing prizes which had been donated by Pinewood Studios, Abbey Road, Sir Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop, and an incredible Voice Over from Lewis Macleod, voice of Postman Pat who sold two prizes to enthusiastic guests – with all proceeds going to The Andersons’ favourite Charity, Breast Cancer Care.
Cass Lewis and friend ! (c) Belinda Kassien
Here are just a few of the paps from the night, but there will be more to come as you tune into Glotime.tv throughout the week.
International Rescue (Star-Eventure-Characters) and Friends (c) Belinda Kassien
Back to you later with more updates on The Pink FAB Ball.
