Andrew Quann

A new independently owned coffee shop will be opening by Newport Arch tomorrow.

A new cafe, Coffee by the Arch replace the Bo-Peep Boutique shop, which has moved to Bailgate.

The opening is the lifelong dream of Simone Wilson who said: “I have always wanted to do this even as far back as when I was little.

“When the opportunity came up, and with some redundancy money, I decided to go for it. It was a now or never thing of thing and always a lifetime ambition.”

After studying catering in college and gaining experience in hotels and restaurants, it was the perfect time for her to start her first venture.

The cafe has been renovated from the ground up with new floors, a new ceiling and total redecoration.

The new coffee shop has employed two part time staff and a Saturday position has been filled.

“I am a bit apprehensive, being my first venture, and we have staff that I have to take responsibility for and we hope people like the products that we will sell.” she said.

The shop, which can seat 19 people, will also be selling cakes, sandwiches and salads. Future plans also include hot food like sausage rolls.

A project at a Lincoln school has brought parents and guardians into the classrooms to help with students’ studies and it’s seen a tenfold popularity increase.

The Family Learning programme at Sir Robert Pattinson Academy incorporates lessons with parents and guardians with their children in the lead up to their GCSE exams in maths, English and science as well as practical subjects such as art and technology.

While last year the school had 16 attendees, that number has increased to 160 this year.

The programme also gives advice to parents on how to support their children with revision during the exam period.

The lessons use the same learning materials from the courses with the same learning outcomes and activities from computer based learning and written tasks, through to a variety of practical tasks such as 3D drawing.

Head teacher, Helen Renard said: “The sessions gave parents a more detailed snapshot of the demand the new GCSEs put upon our students, offered them a chance to experience the learning for themselves and to appreciate the way in which teaching and learning has changed.

“The parents were brilliant. They really engaged with the teaching and I think it opened their eyes about how and what the children were learning and how they can best support them.”

The academy are looking to develop further lessons in the future to support parents of new arrivals into Year 7 for September this year.