West Berkshire Family Information and Local Offer Service

03/09/2026

Thames Valley Police Open Day 2026

Thames Valley Police look forward to welcoming you to this year’s Force Open Day, which will be taking place between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm on Saturday 19 September and will be hosted at the Police Training Centre in Sulhamstead, near Reading RG7 4DX.

Summer Open Day: Thames Valley Police throws open its doors

01/09/2026

Whoo hoo! We know what our plans are this weekend:

01/09/2026

BOOST – Building Confidence and Self-Esteem

Would you like to feel more confident in yourself and your parenting?
West Berkshire Council are pleased to offer BOOST, a supportive course designed to help parents build their self-confidence and self-esteem. The course provides a safe and welcoming space to explore your strengths, recognise your achievements and develop a more positive view of yourself. Some of the topics covered:
• Being Assertive
• Letting Go
• Anger
• Saying No!
• The cycle of change
BOOST offers practical ideas, encouragement, and the opportunity to connect with other parents who may be experiencing similar challenges. It is about recognising what you are already doing well, building on your strengths, and helping you feel more confident in yourself.
To book your place, please email [email protected] with:
• Name of participant:
• Email address:
• Telephone number:
• Creche space required:

01/09/2026

It’s September, that means starting school! 🎒

We’re wishing all children, but especially those starting Reception, a brilliant year ahead. ✨

Starting school is a big milestone, but it's the small, everyday moments, like getting dressed independently, sharing, getting along with others and being able to talk about how they are feeling, that will give them the confidence to settle in at school.

Remember, you can visit Best Start in Life for advice and tips that will help your child feel prepared for school. Or speak to the school or visit a Best Start Family Hub if you have any worries.

https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/preparing-for-school/

28/08/2026

FIS Friday

The start of school is only a week away for most children in West Berkshire! For lots of kiddos this is an exciting time starting the new school year and seeing friends again, but for some it can cause anxiety – especially if they’re starting a new school or if they have SEND.
Check in with your child before the beginning of the year to see how they’re feeling and remember there’s a big difference between back-to-school-butterflies and school avoidance.

You can help overcome nerves by re-establishing a routine after the summer chaos or visiting the school and meeting teachers if your little one has never been before. Buying a few new school supplies (if you can afford to) or arranging playdates with school friends is a great way to get back into the swing of things. Encourage your kiddo to be independent and get their own uniform organised and set out their bag and shoes all ready for the big day. Most importantly, listen and acknowledge any big feelings your child might be having about school – it’s a long time ago for many of us but it’s worth remembering what a big deal it is!

For children with SEND or who are experiencing more profound anxiety around school, you can review helpful sites like Young Minds (https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/school-anxiety-and-refusal/) and Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-support-team-for-children-and-young-people). The Council have an Emotional Based School Avoidance team who work with schools to help encourage children into a normal school routine, and it might be worth discussing this option with your child’s teacher or Head teacher (https://www.westberks.gov.uk/media/61950/Supporting-school-attendance-for-parents/pdf/PG_Graduated_response.pdf?m=1741272133437).

However you handle back to school nerves or anxiety, schools have an obligation to help children thrive in education and should be working with families to make sure your child is happy and learning in the classroom. If you think you need more targeted support, please get in touch with our team ([email protected]).

27/08/2026

TODAY in Thatcham!

🌊 Dive into fun at Thatcham Library this Kidsfest!

TODAY, Thursday 27 August, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Looking for a fin-tastic day out with the little ones? Join us for an ocean-themed day packed full of underwater crafts, stories, and activities. Drop in for your favourite sessions or stay for the whole day!

Here’s what’s on:
• Sealife Stories | 10.00am – 11.00am: Kick off the morning with some swimmingly good tales.
• Sealife Craft | 11.00am – 1.00pm: Get hands-on and create your own underwater masterpieces.
• Sealife Colouring | 1.00pm – 3.00pm: Relax and make a splash with some vibrant ocean colouring.
• Sea Creature Hunt | All Day Long: Search high and low throughout the library to find hidden creatures of the deep!

For more information: 01635 866049 | [email protected]

26/08/2026

Masking is something we hear about a lot at FIS HQ - but parents shouldn't feel alone when they're helping kiddos cope with big feelings after school; schools have a responsibility to help children thrive in education and that includes ensuring children don't have to hide their emotions all day.

📚 Masking In School 📚

🟢 Does your child or young person come home from school feeling distressed and overwhelmed, but the school reports they’re doing "fine" with no concerns? If this sounds familiar, your child may be masking their needs at school.

📑 We have a factsheet on our website with helpful information and strategies to support your child - Find it here 👉https://westberkssendiass.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WB-Masking-in-School.pdf

21/08/2026

FIS Friday

Uniform, check. School shoes, check. School bags, check.
You’re all set, right?
Maybe, but you might want to review a few tips and tricks that your kiddo could benefit from over the next school year.

Did you know that if your child is eligible for free school meals and is in key stage 2 or above, you’ll need to reconfirm their eligibility every year? This is a new rule that’s only recently been set out so make sure you ask your school administrator for help navigating this change if you need to.
If your child is eligible for free school meals at any age then they’re probably also eligible for Pupil Premium, or Early Years Pupil Premium if your little one is in Reception, preschool, or nursery. It’s definitely worth signing up for since it gives a little extra funding to the school as a whole to help provide activities, resources, games, books, etc that benefit your child and all the children who attend.
If your child gets free school meals they’re also eligible for HAF (that’s the Holiday, Activities, and Food programme) over some of the school breaks: https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/40859/Holiday-Activities-and-Food-HAF-Programme; it’s a super opportunity for your kiddo to have some fun on the holidays!

Watch this space for a few more tips and tricks next week, all about before and after school clubs!

Information about the HAF programme for 2026, as well as videos from our 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 programme.

14/08/2026

FIS Friday

Summer's more than half over and it's time to start thinking about back to school! For many of us, this means ticking 'Uniform' off of the to-buy list!

Even with the reforms to cap school uniform costs, uniform can be one of the major expenses for families with school-aged children so it's worth making sure you give yourself time to shop around.
TUXchange CIC are a second-hand uniform charity based in West Berkshire. They don’t currently have a home but have popped their uniform up onto their website and are working with the Food Bank to deliver the kit to your door or a drop off point. You can sort through the uniform by school and size: https://www.tuxchange.org/
Aldi and Lidl have a long-standing rivalry to see which low-cost supermarket can sell non-branded uniform for the lowest price – both have a complete kit for £5 but it goes fast so you’ll need to be quick! Sadly neither supermarket have an online store so you’ll need to grab these bargains in person.
H&M and M&S both have a clothes recycling scheme that you can take advantage of – drop off your unwanted clothing and textiles to one of the shops and they’ll give you a £5 voucher towards a £25 or £30 purchase, including school uniform.
Finally, make sure you’re taking advantage of your school’s PTA or Administration to ask about used uniform sales – gently used school uniform can be purchased for as little as a £1 and the money goes back into activities and events for the kiddos.

If you’re reading the above and know that you’ll still struggle – give our team a call: (01635) 503761, or ping us an email: [email protected], and we’ll be able to offer more targeted support.

Pre-loved school uniform service for Newbury and Thatcham Our commitment to youTUXchange is committed to reducing financial pressure on families and promoting sustainability by offering pre-loved school uniform. How it worksTUXchange is a non-profit, pre-loved school uniform service for Newbury and....

09/08/2026

West Berkshire SEND Parent Carer Forum is holding two online parent carer listening events in September to gather feedback on two current DfE SEND consultations: Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) and Upfront funding for mainstream schools: creating a local SEND inclusion formula.
These events will give parent carers the opportunity to hear more about the proposals, ask questions and share their views. Professionals from local SEND services will also be joining us to listen and share information.
Online listening events
Monday 7 September 10.00am–12.00pm - ONLINE
Friday 11 September 12.00pm–2.00pm - ONLINE
Register here: https://bit.ly/WBPCF